By Akbar Novruz Azerbaijani authorities are continuing their investigation into the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024, according to presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev, Azernews reports, citing local media. As reported Hajiyev stated that detailed information on the incident will be provided to the public in coordination with partner states. At a meeting held by the president on this matter, it was also emphasized that the public will be regularly informed about the progress of the investigation into the plane crash, he noted. Regarding Azerbaijan's expectations from Russia, Hajiyev confirmed that the issue is being discussed with the Russian side through relevant and diplomatic channels. To recall, on December 25, 2024, Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243, an Embraer 190AR, tragically crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, during an emergency landing attempt. The flight was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, and carried 67 individuals, containing 62 passengers and five crew members. Among the passengers, there were 42 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals. The crash claimed 38 lives, while 29 survivors, including three crew members, were rescued. Of the five crew members, two tragically lost their lives, and three survived. Preliminary investigations suggest that the aircraft was struck by a Russian surface-to-air missile during efforts to repel a Ukrainian drone attack over Chechnya. On December 28, Russia's President Vladimir Putin made a phone call to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Putin expressed condolences and apologized to Ilham Aliyev for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace. The Azerbaijani President required Russia's President Vladimir Putin bring those responsible to justice and provide compensation to Azerbaijan, as well as to the injured passengers and the families of the deceased passengers and crew members. The California Historical Society at 678 Mission St. in San Francisco in July 2020. The building was sold last summer, and the society announced Tuesday it is closing all its programs and Stanford University will acquire its vast collections and archives. Constanza Hevia H./Special to the Chronicle The California Historical Society, a San Francisco-based institution with a once-vibrant museum on Mission Street, announced Tuesday it will close all its programs and Stanford University will acquire its vast collections and archives. The scholarly organization had already gone inactive and sold its headquarters. The collection of books, letters, maps, postcards, photographs and ephemera, amounting to 600,000 items measuring 16,000 linear feet, will now become the California History Collection at Stanford, to be operated in partnership with the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford, and the Stanford University Libraries. The announcement was made in a joint news release Tuesday afternoon. Financial terms of the acquisition were not made available. The collection will continue to be made available to the public, and its addition will make Stanford the premier place for historical research about California and the broader North American West, said historian David M. Kennedy, of the Lane Center. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A woman walks through the California Historical Society on Mission Street in San Francisco as photographs and artifacts of Yosemite are put into place in 2014. The society announced Tuesday it is closing all its programs and Stanford University will acquire its vast collections and archives. James Tensuan/The Chronicle 2014 Its comprehensive collections range from complete documentation of the Gold Rush and California statehood up through the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906 to the Peoples Temple Collection of personal correspondence, photographs and audiotapes from the Jonestown massacre of 1978. Founded in 1871, the Historical Society once owned a Pacific Heights mansion that it operated as a musty archive for history aficionados, under the directorship of J.S. Holliday, author of a popular collection of diaries about the Gold Rush titled The World Rushed In. Financial difficulties followed it around as it sold off the mansion and subsequently bought a vacant 1922 hardware store on Mission Street, around the corner from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. As part of the new Museum Row, the society was suddenly relevant under the energetic executive directorship of Anthea Hartig, who arrived in 2011. She put together dozens of exhibitions and attached it to major anniversaries, like the centennial of the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition, and the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge for which she had the building painted International Orange to match the bridge and introduced a historical overview in the museum. It also was central to the citywide celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Anthea Hartig, then-executive director of the California Historical Society, is photographed in 2017 in San Francisco. Michael Macor/The Chronicle At its peak, the museum drew 100,000 visitors a year to exhibitions that traveled to other museums statewide. But in 2019, Hartig departed to become director of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. A replacement, Alicia Goehring, was hired from the Wisconsin Historical Society, but she died suddenly in 2022 and was never replaced. By then the society had put its building up for sale, in order to survive. It was sold for $9.1 million last summer to chef Michel Suas, who operates the San Francisco Baking Institute. Staff levels, which had been as high as 30 before the pandemic, had dwindled to seven before a round of layoffs in November. The last three employees will now be let go as the society vacates the building. I join current and former CHS leadership in mourning the loss of a great California Institution after 154 years, said Hartig from her office in Washington. The board spent years trying to make CHS financially sustainable, and Im grateful for the partnership with Stanford. Its one of the most important California collections in the nation. Seven News boss Anthony de Ceglie has announced a number of appointments in a note to staff. Journalist Rob Scott (pictured top) will join Mylee Hogan in Sevens LA bureau. Rob is one of our most experienced senior reporters and joins the LA bureau after a successful stint in Canberra, most recently as Defence Editor. Over the past two decades, the last 12 of those with 7NEWS, Rob has covered many major events including Nelson Mandelas death, the Bali 9 executions, federal elections, international terror attacks and natural disasters, and hell bring this vast experience to our US operation, he wrote. Brisbane reporter Jacquelin Robson (bottom) will be joining Ben Downie in Sevens London-based Europe Bureau. She will be covering the full suite of news from the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Jacqui has done an excellent job over the past six years reporting for 7NEWS, including coverage of the deadly Sunda Strait tsunami in Indonesia and reporting assignments in the US, and very much deserves to take on this key role, he continued. Tim Lester will be returning to our Canberra bureau after a remarkable four years in the US, highlighted by an extraordinary election and the second Trump Inauguration over the past few months. There are few broadcasters more experienced than Tim and we look forward to him bringing his extraordinary knowledge to a crucial Federal Election campaign at home that is predicted to be one of the tightest polls in memory. And after an exceptional eight years overseas, Ashlee Mullany has recently made a welcome return to our Sydney newsroom to join the 7NEWS Spotlight team as well as the National News Desk as an investigative reporter. In all that time, Ashlee has been a familiar face to our viewers from the centre of the biggest news events in recent history, most notably her award-winning coverage of the COVID pandemic, the Las Vegas massacre, George Floyd protests, 2020 US Election and more recently her reporting from the frontline of the Israel-Hamas war. By Nguyen Binh It seems that not many designers are interested in making collections inspired by images of snakes, but ang Thi Ngoc Han has launched her latest collection of ao dai (long dress) featuring the zodiac animal of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake. Han created the collection based on paintings of snakes by renowned artist Le Thiet Cuong, which were exhibited at the Viet Nam Museum of Fine Arts earlier this month. Born in 1989, the Year of the Snake, Han wanted to celebrate her zodiac animal. However, like many other artists, she was initially hesitant to use the snakes image. While contemplating the idea, she came across Cuong's snake-themed paintings. "I was among the first to see the paintings," Han said. "I felt a deep connection with them and saw myself reflected in the artwork. The paintings evoke different emotions and ideas, and I was personally impressed with their carefree and innocent lines." After seeing the paintings, Han decided to ask for Cuong's permission to incorporate them into her ao dai creations. She was particularly drawn to Cuongs personification of spring and the snake. For example, one painting depicts a snake coiled around a clock, representing the flow of time, while another features two intertwined snakes resembling a couple. With light tones of pink, yellow, and blue, the collection conveys the fresh energy of a new beginning for the upcoming Lunar New Year. "I like her creativity," said Cuong. "My paintings are horizontal, while ao dai is vertical, which poses a challenge for the designer. "Han has used my work to create something uniquely her own. I deeply appreciate this collaboration; it is both inspiring and interesting." Cuong is a prominent figure in Viet Nams contemporary fine arts scene. His minimalist style is influenced by Buddhist teachings and Eastern philosophies, evident in his simple yet profound compositions. Han is the first designer Cuong has allowed to use his paintings in ao dai designs. While this honour made her feel fortunate, it also brought pressure, as Cuong is known to be highly critical. "It was truly hard work," she said. "I had to balance preserving the artists spirit and minimalist style while expressing my own creativity in the designs. "Throughout the process, I regularly consulted with Cuong, and he gave me invaluable advice." Han graduated with a degree in fashion design from the Ha Noi University of Industrial Fine Arts (HUIFA). She was crowned Miss Viet Nam in 2010 while in her third year of university. That year marked the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long Ha Noi, which added special significance to her title and helped shape her path as an ao dai designer. Her graduation thesis, which focused on 1,000-year-old design patterns, earned her recognition as one of the top three students at her graduation ceremony. Han was named after Princess Ngoc Han of the 18th century, and her crowning as Miss Viet Nam during the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long Ha Noi seems like destiny to her. "Ao dai is the national spirit of the Vietnamese people," she said. "It has firmly established itself as a symbol of Vietnamese culture and tradition, carrying a deep historical and cultural significance. "I believe designing ao dai not only advances my career but also allows me to bring more meaning to my title as Miss Viet Nam." Since then, Han has created numerous ao dai collections showcased at events such as the Hue Festival, the Ha Noi Tourism Festival, the Thang Long Citadel Ao Dai Festival, and international shows. One of her collections was featured at a fashion show during the Viet Nam Sea and Islands Endless Beauty event at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in 2017. It highlighted the beauty of Viet Nams seas and islands, including Ha Long Bay, Nha Trang, Lang Co, Phu Quoc, and the Spratly Islands, and conveyed a message about protecting the nations sovereignty over its seas and islands. For Han, ao dai is not just a traditional garment but also a cultural symbol of diplomacy, offering a unique way to introduce Vietnamese culture to the world. Her ao dai even brought her the chance to meet Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas late last year when she attended the FITVEN International Tourism Fair 2024 in Tachira, Venezuela. Han and MC Le Anh were the only key opinion leaders invited to appear on the President's television show. They wore ao dai designs inspired by Venezuela's national symbols, including its flag, flower, and coat of arms. The two were also invited to introduce ao dai during the show. "Ao dai performed better than I expected," Han said. "The President was pleased and expressed his hope to meet us again." To Han, ao dai serves as a cultural bridge, helping the Vietnamese people gain recognition and goodwill from international friends. Han continues to push the boundaries of ao dai design, combining it with cultural elements from around the world. She is currently preparing for an ao dai show at the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, United Arab Emirates, in February. The collection will incorporate traditional UAE patterns. For Han, designing ao dai is not just a career but also a way to showcase Vietnamese culture and tradition globally, while honouring her title as Miss Viet Nam. VNS HA NOI Every spring, the Vietnamese community across Germany joyfully celebrates the traditional Lunar New Year, preserving cherished ties to their homeland. This years festivities also marked 50 years of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Germany. In Leipzig, the Vietnamese Association and Womens Association hosted a celebration honoring cultural roots and the milestone anniversary. In Cottbus, a vibrant Tet event brought together hundreds of community members, neighbours, and German friends. Though small, the Vietnamese community there exemplifies deep affection for their homeland, launching a fundraising campaign to support those affected by Typhoon Yagi in 2024. Meanwhile, in Freising, over 300 Vietnamese residents gathered for a cozy community celebration, keeping the festive warmth of Tet alive thousands of kilometres from Viet Nam. Lunar New Year is more than just a time for gatheringit is a profound testament to the love for Viet Nam that lives in every heart. Despite the distance, traditional cultural values are cherished and passed down, ensuring that the essence of Tet endures. VNA/VNS HA NOI According to traditional belief, what starts well will end well, so the first guest to enter the house after midnight on the Lunar New Years Eve is believed to have a bearing on the familys fortune throughout the year. That is the meaning of the xong at (first footing), a Tet tradition in Viet Nam, which has been passed down through generations and continued with equal enthusiasm today. To ensure good luck for the house, the selected first foot is normally required to have zodiac signs compatible with the host. He or she should also be successful and content with life. The invited guest usually visits the house in the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, bringing with him small gifts for the family, including lucky money in red envelops for children. He greets each member, wishing the old with longevity, businessmen with thriving prosperity, and kids with good academic achievements. The host generously welcomes the special guest, offering the familys best New Year treats, wine or tea. Some families choose a member to become the first to enter the house. In this case, the first foot normally goes out and comes home after midnight with a spring branch, which represents year-round blessings. Many families ask a close friend or relative to carry out this New Year mission. Due to the belief, Vietnamese people used to avoid visiting each other in the first morning after New Years Eve. The most noticeable change to the age-old tradition is that more and more people have begun to think of it as a New Year delight, rather than a sight of future fortune. VNA/VNS Phan Anh Son, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, spoke with Viet Nam News' reporter Nguyen Hang about the outstanding achievements of people's diplomacy in 2024 and plans for 2025. What are the major achievements of people-to-people diplomacy in 2024? How do these achievements differ from those of 2023? Last year was a significant one for the people-to-people diplomacy of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), with activities being implemented comprehensively and effectively. We organised 43 delegations to visit other countries and welcomed 28 delegations visiting Viet Nam, along with over 1,000 local activities as well as five international conferences and seminars. Notably, the VUFO participated in various high-level diplomatic activities with the leaders of the Party and the State. We had the honour of accompanying seven high-level delegations of Party and State leaders on visits to nine countries of China, the United States, Cuba, Hungary, Romania, South Korea, India, Chile and Peru, where we coordinated and hosted nine events to foster meetings between Vietnamese leaders and foreign counterparts, further promoting mutual understanding and cooperation. The people-to-people diplomatic activities, within the context of high-level State diplomacy, not only reflect the Party and State leaderships commitment to people-to-people diplomacy in general and the VUFO, but also signify Viet Nams appreciation for the solidarity, support and friendship extended by foreign peoples. Such initiatives are instrumental in establishing a positive societal foundation for bilateral relations with countries worldwide. Additionally, we hosted and collaborated on welcoming many delegations from foreign political leaders, former leaders and governmental officials, while organising major people-to-people diplomatic events with partners like China, Laos, Cambodia, Russia, the United States (US) and India. They included the Laos Peace and Solidarity Committee delegation, the Chinese International Exchange Association and events like the Viet Nam-China Peoples Forum and the Viet Nam-India People's Friendship Festival. We also engaged in newly innovative activities in democracy and human rights, such as sending a delegation to attend the International Law and Religion Symposium at Brigham Young University in the US, and working with a number of US agencies responsible for developing and issuing reports on religion and human rights. Arranging a visit and working programme in Viet Nam for a delegation of international Protestant pastors and their relatives and welcoming a delegation of young volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The actions further strengthened the understanding and cooperation between Viet Nam and international religious organisations, while "planting the seeds of friendship and cooperation" in Viet Nams relations with the United States. In 2024, we focused on diversifying people-to-people diplomatic activities to promote traditional values of friendship between Viet Nam and other countries. We collaborated with embassies and consulates to host information-sharing events, diplomatic discussions, cultural exchanges and author book presentations, further educating the public on Viet Nams international relations. Furthermore, we leveraged people-to-people diplomacy to facilitate investment cooperation between Vietnamese businesses and foreign companies. We signed eight agreements and memoranda of understanding and actively engaged with partners such as the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese and the South Korea-Viet Nam Economic and Cultural Association, establishing new business-oriented friendship clubs within the VUFO's membership. The VUFO also excelled in expressing gratitude and honouring international partners, awarding the 'For Peace and Friendship among Nations' Medals to 21 foreign diplomats and recognising foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for their significant contributions to Viet Nams non-governmental works. One of the key objectives of VUFO in 2024 was to redefine its partnership network to align with the Party's directives on people-to-people diplomacy. Could you elaborate on how this was implemented and what results it yielded? Indeed, we recognised the importance of maintaining a strong and credible network of partners. For 2024, one of the VUFOs main priorities was to maintain, consolidate and expand a robust, reputable and widespread network of partners across different regions. This involved evaluating and classifying our existing partners, developing a database and formulating cooperation plans tailored to each partner while extending our network. For traditional partners, particularly in neighbouring countries, ASEAN, large nations and strategic partners, we focused on diversifying activities such as cultural exchanges and educational programmes. This was aimed not only at fostering traditional relationships but also at targeting the younger generation as key to sustaining future friendships. Beyond traditional partnerships, we proactively expanded relations with Government bodies, businesses, universities, research institutes and influential international human rights and religious organisations. Our focus was on nurturing future friendships, especially among younger generations abroad, who represent the future of Viet Nams international ties. In terms of multilateral engagement, we maintained active and responsible participation in global forums like the United Nations, ASEAN Peoples Forum, World Peace Council and others. We also continued developing plans to contribute to high-level multilateral conferences such as the Munich Security Conference and the Shangri-La Dialogue. In 2024, the VUFO achieved noteworthy success in expanding its partner network, enhancing the effectiveness and impact of people-to-people diplomacy. Our proactive, flexible and focused-on-priority-areas approach allowed us to establish an extensive, reputable and diversified network in key regions, laying a solid foundation for sustainable collaboration and growth. This effort not only supported Viet Nams economic and social development goals, but also enhanced the countrys international standing and confirmed the vital role of people-to-people diplomacy in the global integration era. One of the objectives of people-to-people diplomacy is to mobilise foreign resources and implement support for overseas Vietnamese communities. Could you share specific outcomes of the efforts in 2024? In terms of mobilising foreign resources, particularly through foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs), it is estimated that in 2024, the total value of disbursed foreign aid from NGOs will reach approximately US$230 million. At the same time, responding to a call from the VUFO, foreign NGOs have provided assistance to help mitigate the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, in the form of cash and in-kind donations, valued at nearly VN220 billion ($8.7 million). During the year of 2024, foreign NGOs with a Vietnamese diaspora presence contributed approximately $10 million to various programmes and projects in Viet Nam. Of the more than 300 foreign NGOs operating in Viet Nam, 44 are led by Vietnamese expatriates - as founders, presidents, country representatives or key individuals responsible for the organisations activities in Viet Nam - and have implemented numerous development programmes and projects to support the country. The VUFO and various friendship associations have worked to ensure that overseas Vietnamese can participate in the unions operational mechanisms. Currently, overseas Vietnamese are involved in the executive committees of five friendship associations, which foster diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and countries such as Russia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and Cambodia. In Europe, the Vietnamese community has played a vital role in building partnerships and facilitating cooperation between Vietnamese individuals, organisations and businesses with their counterparts in Europe. Vietnamese nationals in several Nordic countries, in collaboration with the Viet Nam Friendship Associations, have led campaigns to support various causes, including providing aid for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, advocating for Viet Nams maritime sovereignty and supporting those affected by natural disasters. They have also worked with foreign NGOs to implement humanitarian and development activities in Viet Nam. In Asia and Africa, the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Association has consistently maintained ties and participated in activities organised by the Thai-Vietnamese community in Nakhon, Bangkok. Vietnamese expatriates, businesspeople and students have also been active in contributing to high-level people-to-people diplomacy, such as translating and conveying information during official visits. Vietnamese students in South Korea have been involved in translating and delivering messages, while those in China have actively participated in preparing speeches to communicate the concerns of Viet Nams youth to Chinese leaders. Vietnamese businessmen in China have also supported transport and logistics for diplomatic events. In the Americas, the Viet Nam-US Association successfully mobilised the Vietnamese-American community to help prepare for the meeting between Party General Secretary To Lam and American friends on September 23, 2024 with nearly 70 American friends attending. We also mobilised a number of Vietnamese intellectuals in the US to support the VUFO and the Viet Nam-US Association in connecting and expanding partnerships and organising people-to-people diplomacy activities in the US. Through the diplomatic efforts, approximately two million Vietnamese Americans and 30,000 Vietnamese students in the US have been encouraged to comply with the laws of their host countries and contribute to national development, acting as goodwill ambassadors for Viet Nam and helping to strengthen bilateral relations. Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, what are the primary objectives and directions for people-to-people diplomacy and what role will it play in Viet Nams era of the nation's rise? People-to-people diplomacy has been an integral part of Viet Nams national journey, supporting independence, reunification, post-war recovery and the countrys ongoing development. As Viet Nam enters a new era of global engagement, people-to-people diplomacy will continue to play a critical role in complementing the Party and State diplomacy, supporting national development goals and enhancing Viet Nams international relations. In 2025, the VUFO will focus on several key directions. It will continue the effective implementation of the Party and States foreign policy, ensuring that the role and position of people-to-people diplomacy are commensurate with the tasks assigned by the Party and State. It also plans to focus on effectively implementing foreign affairs activities according to the assigned plan, especially proactively advising the Party and State leaders to participate in and organise people-to-people diplomacy activities, within the framework of high-level diplomacy, implementing foreign affairs activities associated with major national holidays, celebrating diplomatic relations with countries around the world, diversifying people-to-people diplomacy activities and participating more actively and responsibly in multilateral forums. Moreover, it is scheduled to facilitate the holding of its Seventh National Congress and its Fifth International Conference to strengthen cooperation with foreign NGOs. VNS The Socio-Economic Report, a key document for the 14th National Party Congress, is currently being developed to outline the main directions and tasks for socio-economic development from 2026 to 2030. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said that the economic development orientations within this report are crucial. They focus on achieving a high economic growth rate, which is essential to meeting the overarching goal of transforming the country into a developed, high-income nation by 2045, as stated in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. To clarify the main directions for economic development in formulating the Socio-Economic Development Plan for the 2026-2030 period, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung provided insights to Vietnam News Agency reporters. Could you outline the major orientations for economic development in the construction of the Socio-Economic Development Plan for the 2026-2030 period, particularly in relation to the roadmap for achieving national prosperity during the era of national rising? The main orientations for economic development in the next five years are as follows: First, there will be a focus on perfecting the development institutions and enhancing the quality of the socialist-oriented market economy. This aims to meet the country's developmental and integration needs. Improving these economic institutions is a central task that will promote rapid and sustainable development. Second, developing science, technology, innovation and digital transformation to achieve breakthroughs in enhancing productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy will be an emphasis. This includes innovating and refining policies and laws related to science and technology to align with market mechanisms and international practices, while also addressing the specific needs of scientific researchers and practical requirements. It is essential to accept risks and delays associated with these activities. Robust mechanisms and policies will also be implemented to promote digital transformation across all socio-economic sectors, ensuring security and safety while encouraging innovation. Third, efforts to fundamentally, comprehensively and effectively innovate education and training will be continued. The focus will be on developing a high-quality workforce that meets international standards and aligns with market needs, particularly in priority and emerging industries. This includes fields such as artificial intelligence, data science, semiconductor manufacturing and the construction and operation of high-speed railways, among others. Fourth, there will be a strong emphasis on promoting industrialisation, modernisation and economic restructuring in conjunction with innovative growth models to enhance economic resilience. The goal is to achieve rapid and sustainable growth while maintaining macro-economic stability. Efforts will continue to restructure three key areas: improving investment efficiency, especially in public investment; enhancing the operational efficiency of enterprises, particularly State-owned enterprises; and restructuring credit institutions. Fifth, it is critical to develop a synchronised and modern infrastructure to effectively exploit new development opportunities. Urban areas will be leveraged as drivers for regional development while promoting new rural construction. This involves creating a comprehensive, modern and smart infrastructure system, including the establishment of inter-regional highways and connections to international gateway seaports, international airports and border gates to facilitate significant import and export activities. In your opinion, what are the main pillars of the Vietnamese economy in the new era, and which industries contribute to them? To adapt to the rapid changes in both national and international contexts, particularly due to the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, we must focus on enhancing production capacity in high-level industries. This includes foundational, spearhead, emerging and supporting industries. These efforts will help the country become self-reliant in science and technology to effectively participate in the global value chain. In my view, we need to promote digital and green transformations, along with industrial restructuring toward modernisation. This involves in-depth development that improves productivity, quality, added value and competitiveness in advantageous industries. Specifically, we should enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of fundamental industries such as energy, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, new materials, digital technology and chemicals. Additionally, we must prioritise the development and mastery of production technology in emerging sectors like semiconductors, robotics, artificial intelligence, new materials for mechanical engineering, biotechnology, environmental technology and renewable energy. We should also work toward building an atomic energy-based industry serving socio-economic development. Spearhead industries to develop include electronics, digital technology, integrated equipment production for automation and remote control, automobiles, railways and shipbuilding, as well as processing and manufacturing for agriculture, textiles and footwear. Moreover, it's essential to rapidly develop supporting industries, leveraging foreign technology by enhancing connections between foreign-invested and domestic sectors. To achieve this, management and foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction policies need innovation. We require mechanisms that both encourage and compel foreign direct investment enterprises to transfer technology. Breakthrough mechanisms and policies should also be researched and developed to foster supporting industries and encourage the establishment of supporting industrial parks. The Global Innovation Index 2024 report shows that Viet Nam is ranked 44 out of 133 countries, improving by two places compared to 2023, with three indicators ranking at the top globally. How do you assess the current state of innovation in Viet Nam? Viet Nam's ranking of 44 out of 133 countries in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024 report, an improvement of two places from 2023, is an encouraging result. It reflects the continuous efforts of the entire political system, the business community, and citizens from all walks of life. Notably, Viet Nam ranks first globally in three indicators: high-tech imports, high-tech exports and creative goods exports, showcasing our strong innovation potential and increasing prioritisation of this field. Currently, innovation in Viet Nam is achieving significant milestones, characterised by a continuously improving business environment and the robust development of the start-up ecosystem and technology enterprises. We have effectively used our labour force and technological capabilities, along with deep international integration, to create sustainable growth momentum. However, we must also acknowledge the challenges that remain, such as enhancing the quality of the workforce, investing in research and development (R&D) and increasing the application of advanced technologies in production and daily life. The Ministry of Planning and Investment will continue to collaborate with various ministries, sectors and localities to promote innovation policies, support businesses and enhance national competitiveness. Our goal is to sustain growth momentum, maximise our innovation potential and contribute to transforming Viet Nam into a modern industrial nation and a regional innovation hub. Many countries have established innovation centres to enhance the application of innovation-based economic strategies. How do you see innovation accelerating and driving breakthroughs for Viet Nam in the era of the nation's rise? Innovation is crucial for Viet Nam to transform and achieve breakthroughs in this new era filled with fluctuations and opportunities. Globally, innovation centres have demonstrated their vital role in promoting economic growth through knowledge, technology and creativity. Viet Nam is embracing this trend by placing innovation at the core of our national development strategy. Nowadays, innovation is a national competitive issue, extending beyond individual enterprises. The race to establish innovation centres in response to the opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution is evident in the region. For instance, China has upgraded the Zhongguancun area in Beijing and launched several innovation centres as part of its Made in China 2025 strategy. Similarly, Thailand inaugurated True Digital Park in 2018, Indonesia has operated a centre in Yogyakarta since 2016, and Malaysia has developed the Kuala Lumpur Technology Park. Viet Nam has favourable conditions to harness innovation potential. Firstly, our young, dynamic and educated workforce forms a solid foundation for new initiatives. Secondly, the Government is committed to building a robust innovation ecosystem, exemplified by the establishment of the National Innovation Center (NIC). The NIC serves as a hub for connecting businesses, research institutes and start-ups, attracting leading researchers and experts from both within the country and abroad. It also creates an appealing business environment for investors and venture capital funds looking to engage with Viet Nam. Innovation will facilitate Viet Nam's transition from a labour-intensive economy to one driven by knowledge, technology and high added value. This shift will enhance labour productivity, improve product quality and enable deeper integration into global value chains, attracting quality investments and empowering Vietnamese enterprises to compete internationally. More importantly, innovation is not only an economic strategy but a national mission, aimed at improving citizens' lives, fostering entrepreneurship and building a strong and prosperous Viet Nam. VNS HA NOI A delegation from the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and the General Staff and the General Department of Politics of the Viet Nam People's Army (VPA) paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Ha Noi on Wednesday, or the first day of the Lunar New Year. General Nguyen Tan Cuong, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the standing board of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the VPA and Deputy Minister of National Defence, led the delegation. They showed their gratitude to the great contributions of President Ho Chi Minh - the genius leader of the Party and the nation, who personally founded, educated and trained the military; and dedicated his whole life to the struggle for national independence and reunification, as well as the construction of the military and the strengthening of defence. Following the late leader's sacred will, the Party, military and people remain steadfast on the path he chose and creatively apply his thoughts to bring the revolutionary cause he left to new heights, thus helping the country stand shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the world. The delegation, on behalf of all officers and soldiers of the entire military, vowed to make every effort in their work and contributions to build a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern Viet Nam People's Army and to continue turning Viet Nam into an increasingly prosperous nation. VNS MOSCOW Overseas Vietnamese (OV) trust in the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) in the new era of Viet Nam's development, said Nguyen Quoc Hung, Vice President of the Union of Vietnamese Organisations in Russia and Director of the Russia-Viet Nam Cooperation Development Fund "Tradition and Friendship". Speaking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Russia on the occasion of the 95th founding anniversary of the CPV (February 3, 1930 2025), Hung, a Vietnamese intellectual who has been living and working in Russia for many years, and participating in community activities, remembers historical lessons relating to the Party's establishment in 1930 and its remarkable achievements over the past years. Witnessing the significant socio-economic, political and diplomatic progress of Viet Nam from afar, he asserted that the Party's leadership and Ho Chi Minh's thought are both correct and wise, consistently supported and trusted by the people. The Party successfully led the Vietnamese people in their struggle for national independence, liberation and reunification, thanks to its mettle, intellect and capability. In the national building and economic development, the Party sets noble goals for prosperous people, a strong nation, democracy, justice and civilisation. After nearly 50 years of national reunification and nearly 40 years of renewal, Viet Nam has successfully met historical requirements, transforming from a poor country into one with substantial achievements that hold historical significance, creating new strength, potential, position and international prestige. Hung said that not only through the media but also during his visits to Viet Nam, he clearly feels that Viet Nam is preparing to enter a new era - the era of the nations rise. Party General Secretary To Lam has emphasised this as an era of development, wealth and prosperity. The Party continues to place people at the centre of this mission, determining the people's will, patriotism, aspiration for creativity and dedication as the main driving forces for national development. Hung emphasises that overseas Vietnamese hope that the upcoming 13th National Party Congress will wisely select a contingent of officials at all levels, particularly at the strategic level, who possess the necessary qualities, political acumen, reputation and capability to meet the development needs of the country in the integration period. He also highlighted the important role of Vietnamese people aboard, saying connecting OVs with the homeland will serve as a catalyst for implementing the strategic tasks outlined in Resolution 57 of the Politburo regarding the development of science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. OVs wish that the Party and the State will continue to pay attention to their community with specific policies, which foster their greater connections with the homeland and better integration into their host countries, he said. The Vietnamese community in Russia desires to serve as a bridge to contribute to further strengthening and elevating the relationship between Viet Nam and Russia, he added. VNS Last year, 504 people received assistance in the form of a bus or train ticket to reunite with a family or friend outside of San Francisco below the citys goal of enrolling 1,000 homeless people a year in the program. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle Mayor Daniel Lurie and his top challengers in the mayoral race last year pledged to expand a decades-old initiative giving homeless people a city-funded bus ticket out of town. Yet, the tactic long seen as an easy and cost-efficient way to reduce the citys homeless population by reuniting them with loved ones elsewhere has been operating far below its peak for years, and its not clear how the new administration will turn it around. Last year 504 people received relocation assistance in the form of a bus or train ticket and meal stipends to reunite with a family or friend in another city or state. Although program participation increased 50% from 2023, its considerably less than the more than 800 people whom San Francisco helped relocate annually from 2006 to 2018. Its also far below a city goal set in early 2024 by former Mayor London Breed to send 1,000 homeless people a year out of the city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Similar to his predecessor, Lurie has vowed to scale up the citys relocation assistance initiatives but has yet to detail his plans. We have to get people home to loved ones, Lurie said in a recent interview. Its worked for years and we really stopped investing in it, so were going to restart that. The city is facing a $876 million two-year budget shortfall, so what such an investment would look like remains to be seen. About 20 years ago, then-Mayor Gavin Newsom launched Homeward Bound, a simple and cost-effective program that officials deemed largely successful in helping thousands of people exit homelessness. The citys homelessness department last year spent on average $492 per person who received relocation assistance a cheaper, one-time alternative to the ongoing operating costs of a shelter bed or permanent supportive housing. San Francisco spends between $125-$190 per person nightly in a shelter and between $118 to $125 nightly for a permanent housing unit, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of dollars to build each permanent housing unit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Homeward Bound for years served as a crucial tool for combating homelessness, but participation plummeted during the pandemic. There was less outreach happening to people living on the streets and fewer people were willing to take in family members amid the public health crisis. To revive the program, the Board of Supervisors passed legislation in March to expand outreach for relocation. A few months later, Breed penned an executive order requiring city employees to offer homeless people a bus ticket out of town before presenting shelter or housing as an option. Breeds mandate did not appear to have any impact on program participation 205 people were relocated in the five months after the order, as opposed to 216 in the prior five months. The homeless department said it has attempted to raise awareness for relocation assistance by briefing dozens of different city departments and community partners. But former Supervisor Asha Safai, who crafted the board legislation, said he believes its going to take a targeted effort by the new mayor to move the needle. The more the mayor makes this a priority something we shall lead with the more I think that will determine the success and expansion of this work, Safai said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Officials also made a series of changes to the longstanding initiative to boost its numbers. For starters, its no longer called Homeward Bound. Two city departments the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and the Human Services Agency each run their own relocation assistance programs, and they operate somewhat differently. Historically, program participation relied on the ability of caseworkers to reach a family member or friend in the destination city who agreed to take the participant under their care. If they checked that box, a caseworker would then accompany them to the bus or train terminal, where theyd hand them their transit ticket and $10 a day for food and drinks during their journey. During the first month after the person left the city, caseworkers would then call them or their caretakers three times to check on how they were doing. The Human Services agency, in partnership with the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center, operate a program called Journey Home. Under this program, caseworkers no longer require a phone call with someone in the new location before a participants departure. Although thats still the most common way participants prove a connection to their destination, they can alternatively now show an identification card with an address there. For Journey Home, a city employee or contractor escorts the participant to the station and waits with them until they board, but they do not have any formal requirements for checking in on the participant after they leave the city. Teresa Young, a spokesperson for HSA, said the agency plans to adjust Journey Home protocols to include an additional follow-up after their arrival. The relocation assistance program operated by the homelessness department, on the other hand, still requires a phone call with a family member or friend in the new location, according to spokesperson Emily Cohen. Staff do not escort participants to the transit station, but they are required to check in with them within 90 days after their departure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Program participants who go through the homeless department receive $40 a day for food and drinks during their journey while those who go through the Human Services Agency are given $20 a day. New hope for a new year in diplomacy Your browser does not support the audio element. Tet the Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in Viet Nam. Ambassadors share joy with Vietnamese people, send them wishes, and express their expectations in the new year's diplomatic relationships. They also support Viet Nams nation rise era and other historical changes. HCM CITY Viet Nam has achieved a significant milestone by attaining the rankings of 37th in median mobile internet speed and 35th in fixed broadband speed globally in December 2024, marking its first entry into the top 40 for both categories. The Speedtest Global Index from Ookla, an American firm that describes itself as a "global leader in network intelligence and connectivity insights," reported that mobile internet download speeds in Viet Nam reached an unprecedented 86.96 Mbps, a 60 per cent increase from September 2024, allowing Viet Nam to rise seven positions in the rankings. The fixed broadband speed also improved, climbing to 159.32 Mbps, up from 136 Mbps in June 2024. According to the Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre (VNNIC), the average mobile internet speed is currently 67.85 Mbps, while fixed internet speed is 130.91 Mbps, although upload speeds remain lower at around 25 Mbps. The increase in internet speeds coincided with the rollout of 5G services by local telecom providers. By mid-December, Viettel reported that approximately four million users were subscribed to 5G, with speeds reaching 1.5 to 1.9 Gbps. Viet Nam aims to provide 5G coverage to all provinces this year, with a goal of 99 percent population coverage by 2030. Compared to other markets, Viet Nams mobile and fixed internet speeds surpass the global medians of 62.79 Mbps and 96.45 Mbps, respectively. The UAE currently leads the world in mobile internet speeds with a median download speed of 453.87 Mbps, while Singapore tops the table for fixed internet speeds at 330.98 Mbps. VNS NEW DELHI Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed condolences for the deaths during a stampede that occurred in the early hours of the day in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Modi, however, didn't specify the death toll or the number of injured persons. Though there was no official confirmation, local media reports suggested at least 17 people had died and more than 50 were injured in the stampede that occurred at Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh during the ongoing 45-day religious and spiritual congregation called "Maha Kumbh." "The accident that happened in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely sad. My deepest condolences to the devotees who lost their loved ones. I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured," said Modi in a post on X. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told media that some seriously injured persons had been admitted to hospitals. He also failed to specify the number of casualties in the stampede. According to him, around 100 million people had congregated in Prayagraj on Wednesday to take the holy dip in the confluence of three rivers, namely Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati on the pious day of "Mauni Amavasya." Wednesday was one of the special days during the ongoing Maha Kumbh festival for the Hindu devotees to take the holy dip. XINHUA . , . , . , . . 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 San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks Wednesday during a rally in support of his fentanyl state of emergency ordinance ahead of a hearing at the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Mayor Daniel Luries proposal to speed up San Franciscos response to the fentanyl crisis was broadly embraced at City Hall and appears likely to pass next week. Luries ordinance, his first major legislative effort since he took office three weeks ago, was advanced unanimously by a Board of Supervisors committee Wednesday. A majority of the entire 11-member board has indicated support for the measure, which would cut red tape in an effort to more quickly address public drug use and homelessness. The strong show of support from the board indicates that Lurie, who had never held public office before he became mayor, is on track to secure his first political victory since his Jan. 8 inauguration. Several supervisors joined Lurie and dozens of other people, including drug recovery advocates, on the steps of City Hall to rally in favor of the mayors legislation before Wednesdays committee hearing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A full vote by the supervisors is expected Tuesday. People in San Francisco are suffering. Every day that we dont act is another day of life lost to addiction, to overdose and to despair, Lurie said at the rally. Our response must be just as urgent as the crisis that we are facing. Ryan Fibrow holds signs Wednesday during a rally outside San Francisco City Hall in support of Mayor Daniel Luries fentanyl state of emergency ordinance ahead of a hearing at the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Luries ordinance would allow the city to enter into contracts related to addiction, homelessness and mental health without going through a monthslong competitive bidding process. Supervisors would have 45 days to consider the contracts. The same rules would apply to agreements that help the city hire or retain police officers, deputy sheriffs and 911 dispatchers. The boards Budget and Legislative Analyst said the loosened contracting rules could apply to more than $1 billion in government spending. Additionally, the proposal would let the city raise money from wealthy donors to support the same areas covered by the loosened contracting rules. Its a top objective for Lurie, who has pledged to tap into private dollars to fund his agenda, including a pledge to build 1,500 shelter beds in six months. Lurie ran an antipoverty nonprofit before he became mayor. Lurie and his allies hope the legislation will let the city move faster in its attempts to reduce the number of people living outside and also cut down on public drug scenes in troubled areas such as Sixth Street in the South of Market neighborhood. The mayor has visited the street, where merchants increasingly complain about disorder on the sidewalks, several times since taking office and has directed police to expand enforcement there. Supervisor Connie Chan, who chairs the budget committee that advanced Luries ordinance, said at the hearing that she initially had reservations about the proposal because much of it involves suspending the boards normal oversight processes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But Chan said its an unprecedented time for San Francisco, given the drug crisis that Luries administration is under pressure to alleviate. I have been open minded and I remain open minded, Chan said. She praised Lurie and his staff for negotiating in good faith and helping reach a sweet spot that she said would allow the administration to move with a sense of urgency while retaining some oversight from supervisors. Chans committee approved some amendments that Luries office proposed based on feedback from supervisors. Changes included reducing the financial cap for a contract that could go through the faster process from $50 million to $25 million. The committee also agreed to sunset much of the accelerated contracting process in January next year, with the exception of previously waived requirements around homeless projects that will remain in place until 2029. San Francisco District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey speaks Wednesday during a rally in support of Mayor Daniel Luries fentanyl ordinance ahead of a hearing at the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle We are in many ways in uncharted water in the fentanyl era, Supervisor Matt Dorsey said at the committee hearing. Were bringing solutions as big as the problem. Were going to try some things, and if it doesnt work, were going to try something else. Fatal drug overdoses skyrocketed in San Francisco as fentanyl use took off in recent years, far outstripping the number of people who died from COVID-19. While drug deaths dropped 22% last year to more than 630, the total still was higher than it had been before the pandemic, and open-air fentanyl markets remain common in SoMa and the Tenderloin. Former Mayor London Breed reacted to the crisis in part by setting up a unified command center for public safety agencies to coordinate their response and ordering police to arrest some people using drugs in public. Her administration also opened hundreds of new treatment beds. But her critics, including Lurie, contended the city wasnt making enough visible progress. Luries fentanyl ordinance is enthusiastically backed by activists who champion sobriety and drug-free services, some of whom attended the Wednesday rally holding signs with phrases such as drug-free sidewalks and drug enablism kills. At the rally, recovery advocate Steve Adami said Luries ordinance is necessary because parts of San Francisco have become unrecognizable due to the explosion of fentanyl use. San Francisco was once known as a beautiful city for families, businesses and tourists, Adami said. Today, were known for open-air drug markets, public drug use, overdose deaths, encampments and boarded-up businesses. Adami said Luries legislation would provide the mayors administration with the tools to be able to clean up our streets and support people struggling with homelessness, addiction and mental illness. Chester Zoo reveals images of luxury lodges as bookings open Chester Zoo has unveiled artists impressions of The Reserve, its new safari-style lodge accommodation, with bookings now open for stays starting in August 2025. The 51-lodge wildlife experience promises to offer guests a luxurious retreat, complete with views of a private savannah habitat, home to Northern giraffes. Some lodges will be positioned by a lakeside, while others provide front-row access to the zoos wildlife, allowing guests to wake up to breathtaking natural scenes. The Reserve aims to blend indulgence with conservation. Chester Zoos CEO, Jamie Christon, described the project as a first-of-its-kind experience in the UK. He said: Its so much more than just a short break itll provide guests with unforgettable experiences and bring them face-to-face with extraordinary animals, all while helping to protect the wild world and fund powerful conservation action. Guests staying at The Reserve will have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive perks, such as behind-the-scenes animal encounters, talks with conservation experts, and out-of-hours access to the zoo. Evenings will feature relaxation by a lakeside fire-pit, with stories about the zoos efforts to protect species like the eastern black rhino and giant pangolin. The lodges are constructed using natural, sustainable materials, reflecting the African landscapes where Chester Zoo works to support endangered wildlife. The resort will also house The Amboseli Restaurant, named after a region in Kenya where the zoo supports lion conservation, and the Tsavo Lounge, a terrace overlooking the lake. Stays at The Reserve will directly contribute to Chester Zoos conservation projects, including efforts in Kenya and Uganda to secure the future of critically endangered species. Jamie added: This will be a bucket list stay that also contributes to helping wildlife not only survive, but thrive. Bookings opened today, with a variety of packages available to suit different group sizes and interests. More details can be found at www.chesterzoo.org/accommodation. The official opening of The Reserve is set for mid-August 2025. North Wales Police to combat violence against women and anti-social behaviour in three-year plan Combating violence against women, anti-social behaviour are the key priorities for North Wales Police in a new three-year crimefighting plan unveiled today. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin has secured approval for his Police and Crime Plan 2025-28, which details how North Wales Police will operate, its key priorities and how it will engage with the community in the coming years. And the public have had their say, as Mr Dunbobbin conducted a major public consultation to find out what the people of North Wales want from their police service with more than 4,600 people responding. One of their key concerns was violence against women and girls. In the 12 months up to September 2024, North Wales Police figures show the force received 2,500 reports of rape or sexual offences. Just 70 resulted in a charge or summons. The majority of offences were against women and girls with the most common age group for victims between 11 and 15-years-old. Mr Dunbobbin acknowledged that while cases can be complex, both himself and North Wales Police needed to do more. Its always been a priority for myself as Police and Crime Commissioner and North Wales Police, he said. The rate of attrition, cases which do not make it to charge or trial, needs to improve tremendously. Youre looking at four or five percent of cases going to court. Quite a lot of victims are dropping out through that process. There are complex reasons for that, for example often the person is known to the perpetrator. I think if we can keep victims engaged in the process throughout their journey we will see more perpetrators being brought to justice. We have a dedicated specialist victim support team in North Wales Police called Amethyst which we believe will be crucial in improving outcomes in these cases. Clearly there is more work to be done. We need to improve engagement with victims throughout the process including making them aware of the Victims Code of Practice so that they fully understand our duty of care towards them and feel safe and supported enough to see their case through. Under the new plan, Mr Dunbobbin pledged to continue to invest in services that support victims and survivors and work with North Wales Police to better understand the needs of victims. Anti-social behaviour and County Lines issues will also be a focal point for the next three years. Recent issues in Buckley and Corwen have shown that anti-social behaviour remains a persistent problem. When you look at Buckley, there was an operation there which increased foot patrols and established a surgery-style opportunity to speak to an officer in the local library visibility makes a real difference and its important to people. Each area is very different. Over in Rhyl there are challenges which are faced by many traditional seaside resorts, where there has been a decline in tourism and hotels have become houses of multiple occupancy. There are even people now moving into places like Rhyl from Merseyside and Manchester who have their own challenges and no intention of contributing to society. They are thinking if they are going to be unemployed, I might as well do it by the sea. There we have implemented Operation Renew which has reduced the number of people looking for drugs and that is making a real difference. We are also working with other agencies in Rhyl to help empower people to overcome their own challenges and we are seeing real success there. We are also working with the North West Organised Crime Unit to combat County Lines gangs. Theres a lot of covert work involved there that people dont see to ensure we get the people at the top. Serious and organised crime is the root of all these issues, from County Lines to sexual violence, all the key priorities lead back to that so part of our strategy is to work closely with our partners to crack down on that high-level criminal activity. Another priority within the three-year crime plan is taking on rural crime. North Wales is 70% rural, said Mr Dunbobbin. People tend to forget that and they also forget that when farmers are victims of crime it is not just their business that is impacted although that is bad enough it is their home and their family. Weve got so many generations of proud farmers in North Wales and we cannot afford to do them the disservice of not investing in reducing rural crime, its not acceptable. So among the measures we are introducing is the Dont Buy Crime programme using smart water to mark farm equipment that is often targeted by thieves and we continue to work with farmers through our Rural Crime Team to come up with innovative ways to protect them. The full plan, which can be read at http://www.northwales-pcc.gov.uk, also prioritises Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Mr Dunbobbin said at a time when some were aiming criticism at equality practices, it was important to defend the principles. Policing in the United Kingdom is by consent, he said. We are the community but the community has changed over the years and we have to reflect that. I was always brought up to treat people as you want to be treated yourself. I think the majority of us agree with that. We need to be as inclusive as we can be. We all have our own faults and positives and we should accept that. When we look at South Wales Police where Emma Wools was the first woman of colour to be elected as a Police and Crime Commissioner in Wales last year, we are reflecting society. We should all show respect and empathy for each other and thats why it has been included in our strategy. With the approval of the plan, Mr Dunbobbin will now work with North Wales Police Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman to ensure it is rolled out across the Force area. This Police and Crime plan echoes our priorities of being visible in our communities, fighting, preventing and reducing crime, and providing an excellent service to victims, said Ms Blakeman. We share the same aim of ensuring that we deal with the issues that matter most to our local communities. I look forward to continuing to work with the Commissioner, our local communities and partners to make North Wales the safest place to live, work and visit. By Alec Doyle BBC Local Democracy Reporter Senedd sets out next steps in its multi-million-pound search for Cardiff Bay offices The Senedd has set out the next steps in its multi-million-pound search for offices in Cardiff Bay, with a final decision expected by the end of this year. Elin Jones, the Senedds speaker or Llywydd, outlined three options: staying in Ty Hywel, and refurbishing it; a new building; or a combination of a new building and an existing office. With the lease on Ty Hywel, the red-brick building beside the Senedd, expiring in 2032, the Senedd has issued a contract notice after deciding to go ahead with procurement. Ty Hywel, which houses Senedd members offices, is leased from Equitix, a London-based infrastructure fund manager that bought the freehold from Kuwaiti investors in 2019. Under the 2m-a-year lease, which was valued at 42m in 2021, the Senedd is required to replace end-of-life items such as boilers, doors and windows. The cost of replacing the 30-year-old windows was estimated at 6m in 2020. Bay 2032 Concerns about the costs and an opportunity to achieve better value for money with the 25-year lease expiring, prompted the Senedd to examine alternative options. The Senedd commission, which is the corporate body responsible for the estate and support services, has allocated 6.7m towards the Bay 2032 project to date. In the contract notice, which was issued today, the commission is seeking to procure offices of around 11,000 square meters adjacent to the glass Senedd building. The office space would need to accommodate around 900 members of staff. The successful bid must also allow for direct links as with Ty Hywel, which is linked to the Senedd by glass walkways, and a secure entrance for airport-style security checks. In a letter to the Senedds finance committee, Ms Jones stressed no decisions have been made on the three options which were identified by external professional advisers. Doing nothing is not an option Ms Jones told Senedd members that commissioners decided to proceed to the procurement phase of the Bay 2032 project at a meeting on January 20. She wrote: This means that a contract notice is being issued today setting out specifications in terms of space and requirements that will need to be met by any prospective bidders. The commission fully recognises the various pressures on public finances. However, due to the current lease on Ty Hywel expiring in 2032 doing nothing is not an option. The Senedds speaker added: A procurement process is the only way for us to secure the best value outcome for the people of Wales. The commissions 83m budget for the 12 months from April including a 16% increase for Senedd reforms, public-sector pay and infrastructure was signed off in November. Under the 2025/26 budget, an extra 800,000, on top of 1.8m this year, was allocated to renovating the Senedds chamber or Siambr to accommodate 36 more members from 2026. Value for money A spokesperson for the Senedd commission said: The lease on Ty Hywel runs out in 2032 and there are several potential options for the long-term office needs of the Senedd. We have a narrow window of opportunity to explore these options thoroughly and credibly to ensure the best value for taxpayers money. We are conducting a procurement process in line with HM Treasury advice to identify the best long-term option. We recognise that times are incredibly tough across Wales and our absolute priority is securing the very best value for money. The contract notice will be open until March 3 then a competitive dialogue will follow with qualified bidders to find solutions and assess the costs. Bidders will have six or seven months to prepare their pitches, with a final decision expected to be made by the end of the year. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter Mayor Daniel Lurie created four new policy director positions aimed at improving interdepartmental collaboration and streamlining the citys slow and complex bureaucracy. Don Feria/Special to The Chronicle San Franciscos new mayor, Daniel Lurie, is wasting no time acting on his campaign promise to reform City Hall. Even before his first day in office, Lurie announced structural changes to his office, creating four new policy director positions aimed at improving interdepartmental collaboration and streamlining the citys slow and complex bureaucracy. Supporters call the new structure a critical first step toward tackling the citys most pressing problems, while critics say it violates the mayors powers outlined in the city charter. The creation of these four positions, titled policy chiefs, is a departure from how former Mayor London Breed managed city agencies. Under Breed, 43 department heads reported to the mayor through the chief of staff, according to an August 2024 report by policy think tank SPUR. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The new structure distributes this responsibility across four people. Each policy chief, who reports directly to the mayor, oversees a set of agencies that share common priorities or provide similar services. While the policy chiefs will not manage department heads directly that responsibility remains with the mayor each policy chief will partner with department leaders to ensure strategic alignment across agencies. The four policy chiefs and their portfolios are: Alicia John-Baptiste, former CEO of SPUR, who oversees infrastructure, climate and transportation departments. Kunal Modi, formerly with the consulting firm McKinsey & Co., is responsible for departments related to health, homelessness and family services. Ned Segal, a former chief financial officer of X, who oversees housing and economic development departments. Paul Yep, a former S.F. police commander, who is responsible for public safety departments. Steven Falk, a public policy lecturer at UC Berkeley and former Oakland city administrator, praised the reorganization, saying the new structure fosters interdepartmental cooperation, which is essential for addressing the citys most pressing problems. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Take homelessness, for example. The issue touches on land use, social services and infrastructure areas managed by different departments. The city cant tackle homelessness or any other major issue in San Francisco without cooperation from all of these agencies, said Falk. The new structure divides the citys nearly $16 billion budget so each policy chiefs portfolio of agencies represents about $2 billion to $7 billion in public spending. Modis agencies encompassing health, homelessness and family services have the highest combined spending at over $6 billion, largely due to the $3.2 billion budget of the public health department. Not all city and county departments fall under the mayors authority though. Agencies managed by elected officials, commissions or the City Administrator are outside the mayors purview. Of the 52 departments listed in the budget, 33 are under Luries authority and now, a policy chief while the others fall outside the mayor's scope, like the Board of Supervisors and District Attorneys Office. The structure also distributes the citys workforce, with each policy chiefs set of departments comprising about 3,000 to 10,000 positions. Modis portfolio, again the largest, includes over 10,000 budgeted positions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One process that could benefit from cross-departmental coordination is the citys notoriously complex permitting system that entrepreneurs navigate when starting a small business, according to SPUR director Nicole Neditch. A new restaurant, for instance, must go through 61 steps involving 11 local agencies and pay 17 different government fees just to get started in San Francisco, according to Neditch who cited numbers from a 2022 report by the Institute for Justice. If the city wants to improve the permitting process, it needs someone who has the authority to bring people together and ultimately make decisions across all of these departments, wrote Neditch in an email to the Chronicle. One key caveat to the new governance structure is that the policy chiefs do not supervise or directly manage department leaders those responsibilities remain with the mayor. This means policy chiefs technically dont have the authority that most supervisors have to discipline or set goals for their direct reports. Changing City Halls reporting structure to allow for departments to report directly to policy chiefs would require an amendment to the city charter. According to the SPUR report from August 2024, the city charter restricts the mayors ability to hire deputy mayors (or other director-level roles) to delegate department oversight and reduce the mayors number of direct reports. As a result, the mayor is left with an unreasonably large number of direct reports 43 department heads and seven mayoral staff members, according to the report. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Most experts say no one can realistically supervise more than 10 to 12 people well, said Falk. To address this diffuse reporting structure, voters would need to approve changes to the city charter to remove the language that limits the mayors hiring authority. In the meantime, however, both Falk and Neditch agree that Luries governance structure is a promising first step toward fostering interdepartmental coordination. The ultimate success of the model, however, will depend on whether the department heads embrace the structure and welcome their new policy chief, according to Falk. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For the first time since the Harry Reid Machine was prominent in 2007, Republicans now outnumber Democrats in Nevada. In the week since the unexpected loss of Charles Phan, the pioneering chef who believed Vietnamese food deserved a place at the finest tables in San Francisco, theres been an outpouring of love from those he left behind too soon. Whats become more clear than ever before is that Phans influence didnt stop with his own restaurants, which include various outposts of his original Slanted Door, Chucks Takeaway, and the upcoming Moonset in Larkspur. The self-made chef was hugely influential for some of SFs most acclaimed restaurant chefs. From Kin Khao to Rintaro, here are six local restaurants that may never have existed without chef Charles Phan. Kin Khao (Courtesy of @kinkhao ) Pim Techamuanvivit, SFs doyenne of modern Thai cuisine, described Phans success to The Washington Post as a tide that lifted a lot of boats. He was a key influence on her first restaurant, Kin Khao, when it opened back in 2014. Like Phan, she rooted her menu in the rich and varied food she grew up with in Bangkok, preparing dishes like khao soi (northern-style chicken curry with egg noodles) and plah pla muek (charred Monterey squid) with locally sourced ingredients. Not long after opening, Kin Khao earned Techamuanvivit her first Michelin star. Shes since earned a second for her follow-up restaurant Nari , too. Phan, who offered to help the chef any way he could in her early days, was proud of her success. Its great that youre doing your own thing, he told her. Dont be like anybody. // 55 Cyril Magnin St. (Union Square), kinkhao.com Gigis (Carly Hackbarth) As news of Phans passing spread, chef Tu David Phu paid tribute to the restaurant luminary on Instagram . I/we stand on the shoulders of chef Charles, he wrote. He made it possible for chefs like myself to find a way. Indeed, Phus Vietnamese-influenced wine bar GiGis may never have opened if Phan hadnt led the charge for the infiltration of Southeast Asian flavors on the higher-end food scene. Gigis, a joyful spot for a glass of wine or a meal of thoughtfully crafted dishes like bluefin tuna tartare with fish sauce and chili and Saigon-style wagyu hot dogs, follows in Phans East-meets-West, Cal-Vietnamese footsteps. // 299 Divisadero St. (NoPa), meetatgigis.com Prubechu (Courtesy of @prubechusf ) The time Phan spent as a refugee in Guam before coming to San Francisco as a child gave him a special connection to Prubechus chef Shawn Naputi and business partner Shawn Camacho, both of whom were born and raised on the island and believed that the food of their homeland deserved a restaurant of its own. Phan offered us invaluable advice about longevity and staying relevant in this ever-changing industry, the restaurateurs wrote on Instagram last week . We are deeply grateful for the trail you blazed that allowed Chamorro food, and Prubechu, to have a place at the table. Without Phans prowess and humility, SF may have never known the pleasure of coconut titiyas, tinaktak (coconut braised beef with egg noodles), or chicken kelaguen. // 2224 Mission St. (Mission), prubechu.com Rintaro (Courtesy of Rintaro) While Phans heart was in Vietnamese cuisine, his passion transcended the barriers behind which a wide variety of food cultures were stuck for generations. Japanese-born chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett took inspiration from Phan when he opened his izakaya restaurant Rintaro in 2014. Now it seems obvious that you can have an Asian restaurant that serves higher end food, but at the time it was definitely a first, he told the SF Chronicle . It was clear [that] if you did something the way he did it, it could be successful. You could bring a different culture here and do it successfully and excitingly and beautifully. Today, Rintaros long-simmered dashis, charcoal-grilled meats, katsus, and karaages have become some of the Missions most sought-after eats. // 82 14th St. (Mission), izakayarintaro.com Abaca (Courtesy of Abaca) Although Abaca chef Francis Ang never had the opportunity to work with Phan, his invisible hand helped guide his journey. Chef Phan paved the way for future generations like myself to step into the culinary world and represent cuisines that were once overlooked, Ang wrote on Instagram this week . His journey fueled my what ifs and dreams. Today, Abacas contemporary Filipino-California cuisine is frequently featured among the citys best. With dishes like pork lumpia, kaldereta dumplings made with A5 wagyu, and the super-fun kamayan feast , Ang has successfully reframed the food with which he grew up as a cuisine deserving of the high-end dining scenejust like Phan did 30 years before. // 2700 Jones St. (Fishermans Wharf), restaurantabaca.com Roland Li covers commercial real estate for the business desk, focusing on the Bay Area office and retail sectors. He was previously a reporter at San Francisco Business Times, where he won one award from the California News Publishers Association and three from the National Association of Real Estate Editors. He is the author of Good Luck Have Fun: The Rise of eSports," a 2016 book on the history of the competitive video game industry. Before moving to the Bay Area in 2015, he studied and worked in New York. He freelanced for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other local publications. His hobbies include swimming and urban photography. pg online games thanh pho Ha Tinh Tro choi tren web: Ky nguyen moi cua giai tri Internet Voi su phat trien khong ngung cua cong nghe Internet, tro choi tren web a tro thanh lua chon moi cho nhu cau giai tri, thu gian cua con nguoi hien ai. Khong can tai xuong va cai at, ban chi can co trinh duyet e choi nhieu loai tro choi khac nhau. Trong thoi ai xa hoi ban ron nay, tro choi tren web chac chan mang en khong gian e moi nguoi thu gian va nghi ngoi. Neu ban quan tam en tro choi tren web, vui long tiep tuc oc. Bai viet nay se cung cap cho ban loi giai thich toan dien ve tro choi tren web va ua ban vao mot hanh trinh choi game rat thu vi. pg online gamesHow to Access Blocked Games at School or Work Are you looking to play blocked games at school? Schools often block access to non-educational websites, including games. But, with a Virtual Private Network (VPN), you can bypass these restrictions.A pg online games VPN changes your IP address and encrypts your online activity, making it invisible to the schools Wi-Fi network. This means they cant block your game access. With the right VPN, unblocking games at school is simple and secure.Schools block games on their computers for several reasons. Primarily, they aim to prevent students from wasting time on games instead of studying. Another reason is to protect students from inappropriate content, such as pornographic websites.There are also technical reasons for these policies. Blocking games and other high-bandwidth activities helps reduce the strain on the schools internet resources. Additionally, IT specialists know that online games and questionable websites can be sources of malware and other security threats.Obviously, there are a number of non-restricted games that can be quite difficult to find. Most popular websites are blocked in a firewall or school firewall. If you can unblocked gaming websites, the list of available games will become huge, and will not be limited to solitaire or solitaire in the pre-installed Windows settings. The most reliable way to access games is to use VeePN. By the way, at the link you will find a list of the best unblocked game sites and a tool for unblocking almost any web service in the world.Using a VPN is a simple and dependable way to get around content blocks and access the URLs you need. A VPN (virtual private network) routes your internet traffic through a remote server, allowing you to choose your virtual location.When you connect to a website via a VPN, the website perceives the VPNs virtual location as your actual location. This lets you access content from different global regions. Besides unblocking content, VPNs encrypt your connection, safeguarding your data and personal information, such as credit card details, while shopping online.Heres how to bypass blocked sites with a VPN on desktop and mobile devices:Download and Install Your VPN. You can even Drilling Confirms Extension of Mineralisation at Monument Perth, Jan 29, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Verity Resources Limited ( ASX:VRL ) is pleased to announce that it has received the final assay results from the infill aircore & reverse circulation drilling program at the Fred's Well prospect in the Monument Gold Project (MGP), located in the Laverton Gold District, Western Australia. HIGHLIGHTS - Follow up infill drilling at Fred's Well Prospect has intersected gold mineralisation that confirms a 1.1km mineralised gold strike trend 2km northwest of the Monument Gold Project's near-surface 3.2Mt @ 1.4g/t Au Korong Mineral Resource Estimate - Best intercepts to date at Fred's Well include: o 24m @ 3.24g/t Au (MOAC262 from 44m) including 12m @ 6.35g/t Au o 8m @ 2.09g/t Au (MOAC265 from 40m) o 8m @ 1.48g/t Au (MOAC256 from 36m) o 12m @ 1.01g/t Au (MOAC277 from 20m) o 3m @ 2.98g/t Au (MOAC374 from 72m) ending in mineralisation o 10m @ 0.68g/t Au (FWRC002 from 52m) including 2m @ 2.28g/t Au o 4m @ 1.00g/t Au (FWRC002 from 81m) including 1m @ 2.89g/t Au o 9m @ 0.61g/t Au (MOAC389 from 12m) o 4m @ 0.28g/t Au (MOAC381 from 20m) - The Monument Gold Project covers 195km2 located within the Laverton Gold District (Western Australia) and is directly adjacent to and along strike of Genesis Minerals' ( ASX:GMD ) 3.3Moz Au Mt Morgans Project - Pit optimisation studies to commence in 2025 on the near-surface Korong (3.0Mt @1.4g/t Au) and Waihi (0.2Mt @ 2.1g/t Au) deposits following significant increase in gold prices since Mineral Resource Estimation in 2021. Both MRE remain open in all directions - Over 60 additional untested BIF, basalt and intrusion-hosted gold drill targets at the Monument Gold Project remain to be tested The MGP lies directly adjacent to and along strike of Genesis Minerals ( ASX:GMD ) ~3.3Moz Au Mt Morgan's Project). 24 holes (22 aircore, 2 reverse circulation) were drilled for 1,718m across the Freds Well prospect (Figure 1, Table 1*) with holes positioned on 100m spaced drill lines with collars predominantly 40m apart, to infill 370m of untested strike between 400m of previous lines of AC drilling and historic workings as well as test depth and potential strike extensions of previously intersected significant gold mineralisation. The results confirm an extension to the mineralised gold strike to a total length of 1.1km, further confirming Fred's Well as a potentially new mineralised gold zone. Drill hole FWRC002 was designed to intersect down dip of previous drill hole MOAC262 and test the depth potential of the mineralisation in fresh rock. The drill hole intersected two mineralised zones; on a lithological contact, and with laminated quartz veins respectively, returning best grades of: - 10m @ 0.68g/t from 52m including 2m @ 2.28g/t Au; and - 4m @ 1.00g/t from 81m including 1m @ 2.89g/t Au Drill hole MOAC389 was designed to test beneath coincident historic workings, and lag & rock chip anomalism within the same stratigraphic position along strike to the south, intersecting quartz veins in upper saprolite, returning best assays of: - 9m @ 0.61g/t Au from 12m Drill hole MOAC381 was designed to test along strike to the south of historic workings targeted in the previous drilling within the same stratigraphic position, and intersected gold mineralisation at the base of upper of saprolite, returning best assays of: - 4m @ 0.28g/t Au from 20m The drilling results indicate the presence of multiple mineralised contacts associated with a ~100m wide stratigraphic sequence, consisting of ultramafics, felsic porphyry, mafic volcanics and sediments, which extend for a strike length of >770m. Elevated Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cu and Mn with >20ppm As and >100ppm Cu associated with the anomalous gold mineralisation are indicative of hydrothermal mineralisation associated with high level intrusives and will also be used as pathfinder elements in surface geochemical sampling to plan future drilling programs. Drilling undertaken in 2022 intersected a mixed package of mafic, ultramafic, shale, chert and felsic porphyry intrusive lithologies. The highest-grade intersections from the previous drilling (MOAC262: 24m @ 3.24g/t Au from 44m including 12m @ 6.35g/t Au, and MOAC374: 3m @ 2.98g/t Au from 72m) are associated with a sediment-ultramafic contact. Historic workings and prospect field mapping indicate gold occurrences are located on the intersection of 140o trending sheared lithological sediment-ultramafic contacts and cross-cutting 050o north-east trending shear zones. The encouraging results near surface from the Fred's Well drill programs have confirmed the prospect as a mineralised gold zone over a strike length of ~1.1km. Situated along strike and approximately 2km northwest from the 139koz Korong deposit, this zone has the potential to contribute to future resource ounces, pending further drilling and exploration work. Future Work Programs Detailed structural and geochemical analysis of the drilling data is underway which will assist with strike extension drilling. Multi-element signatures associated with the anomalous gold mineralisation are also being analysed to identify pathfinder vectors to additional zones. These will be used to identify additional regional targets from the comprehensive surface geochemical data set. The Company is commencing a pit optimisation study on the near-surface Korong (3.0Mt @1.4g/t Au for 139koz Au) and Waihi (0.2Mt @ 2.1g/t for 15koz Au) deposits reported in 2021, which currently remain open all directions. The outcome of the work will be used as a basis for resource extension drilling along strike and testing down-dip extensions to the mineralisation. About the Monument Gold Project The Monument Gold Project is located in WA's world-class Laverton Gold District and comprises ~232km2 of tenure located approximately 40km west of Laverton, adjacent and along strike of Genesis Minerals' ( ASX:GMD ) 3.1Moz Au Mt Morgan Project. A Mineral Resource Estimate of 154koz of gold (see ASX announcement on 2 August 2021) was undertaken on the Korong and Waihi deposits, which occur along ~20km of relatively untested banded iron formation, interpreted to be the same unit that hosts the 1.4Moz Westralia gold deposit, located immediately southeast of Monument. To date, only ~10% of the 20km strike has been drilled with detailed reverse circulation drilling. There is currently ~20km of additional priority targets identified along the banded iron formations horizon, and multiple other syenite-intrusion style targets (approximately 60 targets remaining to be tested). *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/U6ZDW4J1 About Verity Resources Ltd Verity Resources Ltd (ASX:VRL) owns 100% of the Monument Gold project located near Laverton in Western Australia. This project currently has a JORC-compliant (2012) Inferred resource of 3.257 Mt @ 1.4 g/t for 154,000 ounces Au. Verity Resources also holds a supply critical metals portfolio via a joint venture that includes rare earth elements, lithium, gold, base and precious metals in Brazil, including licences in the "Lithium Valley" and Pocos de Caldas in the state of Minas Gerais, globally known as prolific lithium and rare earth elements districts respectively. The Company also owns 70% of the Pimenta Project, a potential large-scale REE project in eastern Minas Gerais. Verity Resources also holds a base and precious metals project in the Limpopo Mobile Belt in Botswana, a district known for hosting major nickel and copper producing operations. The Company's Botswana portfolio contains three flagship projects where high-grade Cu-Ag (Airstrip and Dibete) and a Maiden JORC Inferred Resource (Maibele North) have been discovered. Maibele North currently hosts a JORC (2012) inferred resource of 2.4Mt @ 0.72% Ni and 0.21% Cu + PGE's + Co + Au and is located within 50km of the Selebi-Phikwe mine recently acquired by TSX-listed Premium Nickel Resources Ltd (TSX-V:PNRL). Related Companies Quarterly Activities Report December 2024 Perth, Jan 29, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Horizon Minerals Limited ( ASX:HRZ ) is pleased to provide the December 2024 Quarterly Activities Report. Horizon is an exploration and gold production company within the Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie regions of Western Australia (Figure 1*). HIGHLIGHTS - Placement of $14 M and proposed merger with Poseidon Nickel Limited ( ASX:POS ) via Schemes of Arrangement to acquire all of the shares and options of POS with the objective of the Company's in-ground assets being processed through the POS Black Swan processing plant which Horizon propose to refurbish and repurpose as a gold plant - Activities at the Boorara Gold Project included first ore mined, completion of the grade control drilling program and the first ore stockpile of 54,380 tonnes was completed and haulage to the Paddington Mill commenced - Subsequent to the end of the December quarter and at the time of reporting, the company announced the first gold pour of the Boorara Gold Project under the Ore Sale Agreement with Paddington Mill - Mining and grade control drilling commenced at the Phillips Find Gold Project after equipment mobilisation, site establishment and mining approvals granted early in the quarter - Prefeasibility study completed for the Penny's Find Underground Gold Project with a maiden Ore Reserve of 328.3 kt at 3.2 g/t Au for 33.4 koz and a projected free cash flow of $24.0 M at a gold price of A$3,600/oz MARCH QUARTER ACTIVITIES - General Meeting approval by POS shareholders for the Schemes of Arrangement (shares and options) to be approved at the 31 January 2025 scheme meetings - Subject to POS security holders approving the Schemes and court approval. The Scheme Implementation Date is anticipated to be 19 February 2025 at which point POS security holders will receive Horizon shares and options as per the agreed Scheme ratio of 0.1156 - Post POS merger, select the engineering consultants to be used for the Black Swan refurbishment and gold circuit expansion and commence work - First Gold Pour from Phillips Find mining via Toll Milling arrangement with the Greenfields Mill near Coolgardie - Continued gold production at the Boorara Gold Project via Paddington Mill Ore Sale A key objective for the Company is on near term gold production and exploration upside within our large tenement package of 928 km2 . In addition to 1.8 Moz of gold resources, the company holds a number of multi-commodity assets including the Nimbus Silver Zinc project, 50% of the Mt Thirsty Nickel Cobalt Manganese project in Western Australia, and listed investments including Richmond Vanadium Technology ( ASX:RVT ) which holds the world-class 1.8Bt Richmond vanadium project in northwest Queensland (Figure 5*). Activities during the quarter focussed on execution of the strategy of extracting near term cashflow from mining projects, with first ore being mined at Boorara for treatment at Norton Goldfields' Paddington processing plant. Additionally, pre-strip mining and grade control drilling commenced at the Phillips Find project under the JV agreement with BML Ventures. Ore will be processed under a Toll Milling Agreement with FMR at their Greenfields plant near Coolgardie commencing in February 2025. *To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/255449Y7 About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. Related Companies Lyft, the San Francisco-based ride-hailing company, is facing a lawsuit from a Detroit woman who alleges one of its drivers refused to give her a ride due to her weight. Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press Lyft is facing a lawsuit from a woman who alleges a driver with the San Francisco ride-hailing company refused to give her a ride due to her weight. Detroit resident Dajua Blanding captured a video of the incident, which she subsequently shared across her social media platforms, which occurred when she requested a ride to a Detroit Lions watch party at her cousins house earlier this month. The footage shows a frustrated Blanding as a Lyft driver pulls up in a Mercedes-Benz sedan and immediately locks his doors, claiming she was too large to fit in the car and that his tires wouldnt support her weight. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the video, Blanding, a rapper known as Dank Demoss, insists, I can fit in this car, to which the driver reportedly replied, Believe me, you cant. The driver then suggested she order a larger vehicle, like an Uber XL, and assured her that her fare would be refunded, stating, Ive been in this situation before. A spokesperson for Lyft said the company cannot comment on pending litigation but issued a statement. Lyft unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness, it said. Our community guidelines and terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment or discrimination. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Blandings attorneys, Jon Marko and Zach Runyan, argue in a lawsuit filed Monday in Circuit Court in Wayne County, Mich., that weight discrimination is unlawful under Michigan law, akin to discrimination based on race or religion. Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated in our society, Marko said in a statement. Blanding, who has described herself on Instagram as a Paid Phat Queen and previously mentioned weighing 554 pounds, filed a lawsuit against Lyft on Tuesday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) is making its presence felt at the Maha Kumbh 2025, where over 40 crore Indians are expected to visit. With a vision to spread financial literacy and educate millions of visitors about the benefits of Mutual Funds, AMFIs campaign integrates innovative on-ground activities to ensure deep engagement. Two specially designed buses have been stationed at high footfall areas, offering a unique experience where Kumbh visitors can watch engaging videos on the basics of mutual funds, participate in interactive quizzes, while re-charging their mobile phone at charging stations. People answering questions correctly are gifted a 12-year Hindu calendar, the Nivesh Panchang, highlighting auspicious days to start SIPs, making it a cherished keepsake. A visually striking installation in the shape of a kalash, providing warm filtered water to visitors serves as another touchpoint for engagement. The kalash carries messaging around SIP and how small savings can help to achieve dreams. To further strengthen its connection and help the crowd brave the cold, AMFI is distributing branded blankets to pilgrims housed in government-constructed tents, ensuring warmth and comfort while reinforcing its messaging around SIP. The initiatives not only focus on financial literacy but also keep in mind the need of the visitors in the cold weather thus building a strong brand connect and bridge the trust deficit. Speaking about AMFIs initiative at Maha Kumbh 2025, Navneet Munot, Chairman, AMFI, commented: "At AMFI, we are committed to empowering individuals with financial literacy. Our participation in Maha Kumbh is a meaningful step toward merging the essence of tradition with the opportunities of financial inclusion. Just as Kumbh symbolizes the confluence of culture and spirituality, mutual funds represent the confluence of faith and disciplineespecially SIPs, which enable individuals and families to achieve their financial aspirations. We are honoured to bring this message to one of the worlds most iconic gatherings." Adding further, Venkat N Chalasani, Chief Executive, AMFI, said: " The Maha Kumbh Mela allows us to connect with millions of people and create trust and recall by helping them understand the importance of financial planning and the role of mutual funds in achieving their life goals. Through innovative activations and culturally relevant messaging, we aim to empower individuals to take charge of their financial futures." Adding to the vibrancy, the Sahi Hai Mandli troupe, dressed in Mutual Funds Sahi Hai branded attire, which rewards positive acts like conserving water or maintaining cleanliness, while energizing the atmosphere with a live jingle sung by the troupe which talks about developing a new good habit of investing in mutual funds through SIP. The Sahi Hai Mandli gives the Nivesh Panchang as the reward, driving home the messaging of SIP. The campaign also extends beyond the Kumbh grounds with a 30-day Out-of-Home (OOH) campaign covering key locations in Prayagraj and Varanasi, including railway stations and airports. The Ganga Gomti Express, which plies daily between Prayagraj and Lucknow has been branded with Mutual Funds Sahi Hai messaging. Collaborations with local channels like UP Tak will amplify visibility through exclusive stage programming, nukkad natak on mutual funds, live streams, and strategic content placements. Through these initiatives at the Maha Kumbh Mela, AMFI aims to create awareness about Mutual Funds and lead to financial inclusion by blending financial literacy with cultural significance at this grand event. Also Read: AMFI Becomes Silver Partner with PCI for Paris 2024 Paralympics To commemorate Data Privacy Day, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Academy, in collaboration with PSA Legal and Tsaaro Consulting, has released a comprehensive white paper titled Navigating Cookies: Recalibrating your cookie strategy in light of the DPDPA. This paper builds on ASCI's ongoing efforts to address data privacy concerns, following the Privacy and Progress: Pillars of Digital Bharat paper published in March 2023, which focused on preparing organizations for Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) compliance. Cookies are an important feature of most internet interfaces and can help create value for both advertisers and consumers. Advertisers use cookies to gather data on user behaviour, preferences, and browsing history to deliver targeted ads that drive higher engagement and better ROI. For consumers, cookies can streamline browsing by personalizing content, remembering preferences, and simplifying website interactions. However, the use of cookies raises concerns about privacy, data security, and user autonomy when users remain unclear about how their data is collected, shared, or monetized. A dipstick done for the purpose of this paper analysed the cookie consent practices of the top 50 websites in India, accounting for 30 billion visits in December 2024 alone. The results show that only 6% of them are ready for specific consent as outlined by the DPDPA 2023, read with the draft DPDP rules published on January 3, 2025. While the DPDPA is likely to provide a runway for compliance, the results indicate a need for organizations to take up cookie consent best practices as a part of their compliance readiness efforts. The paper explores cases and examples in other jurisdictions and sheds light on how the issue of cookie consent has been addressed in different countries. The paper provides actionable insights on crafting an effective cookie policy to help stakeholders navigate the complexities of consent, transparency, and user control in an increasingly privacy-conscious world. Manisha Kapoor, CEO & Secretary-General, ASCI, said, "On this Data Privacy Day, we are pleased to present this collaborative white paper with PSA Legal and Tsaaro Consulting. The paper aims to help advertisers understand and prepare for cookie consent practices that are both compliant with the new DPDPA as well as build consumer trust and transparency. The paper provides practical knowledge and insights to create effective cookie practices in a privacy-conscious world." Dhruv Suri, Partner, PSA Legal, said, With the final DPDPA Rules on the horizon, advertisers are at a crossroads where privacy, technology, and the law converge. Once the law is better understood, the technology, i.e., cookies, will no longer be mere marketing tools but will serve as a means to strengthen customer loyalty. Global precedents can serve as the perfect roadmap to tailor strategies and navigate cookie consent management in a country that is just beginning its data privacy journey. Akarsh Singh, CEO, Tsaaro Consulting, said, Cookie consent is no longer a checkbox exercise; its a strategic element of modern advertising. The first step to creating a privacy-centric ecosystem that values the customers data rights when deploying cookies is to acknowledge that a gap exists between existing marketing tactics and the privacy laws and then to actively work towards bridging the gap between practicality and compliance. Key Highlights of the White Paper Include: Compliance Readiness Gaps in India: Tsarro Consulting conducted a dipstick analysis of Indias top websites, revealing that only 6% implement cookie consent banners, indicating a gap in terms of readiness. indicating a gap in terms of readiness. Granular Consent Mandates: The DPDPA requires explicit, informed, and revocable consent for cookie usage, calling for a rethinking of traditional consent models. Lessons from Global Standards: The paper draws insights from GDPR and other jurisdictions that bring out the need for transparency and user control. Industry Impact: The paper examines current practices and use cases in various industries like e-commerce, tech and software, social media platforms, marketing and advertising, and healthcare. Opportunities for Advertisers: By prioritizing user-centric practices, advertisers can turn compliance into a competitive advantage, building consumer trust in a privacy-conscious marketplace. Also Read: ASCI Academy launches hindi versions of courses for advertisers & creators The Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), a multi-business corporation and leading FMCG conglomerate and exclusive Indian partner of Swiss luxury chocolatier Laderach, celebrated the grand opening of Laderach Indias first cafe at Jio World Plaza, elevating the art of indulgence in India with Laderach's renowned artisanal craftsmanship. The Laderach Cafe is the first-of-its-kind luxury chocolate cafe in India, offering a decadent and unparalleled chocolate experience. A haven for chocolate connoisseurs, the Laderach Cafe is an ode to Swiss innovation, reimagining luxury dining with a menu that blends the finest chocolate creations and sophisticated European-inspired offerings. The Laderach Cafe seeks to provide a sophisticated experience, reflecting the quality associated with the Laderach brand with chic interiors and European-style outdoor seating. Renowned for fresh and hand-crafted exquisite luxury chocolates, the Laderach Cafe will introduce an extensive menu of hot and cold chocolate beverages and desserts specially curated by the house of Laderach. Drawing inspiration from the local taste and using the finest couvertures, the menu features unique creations like Coconut Cold Chocolate and Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. Signature desserts, including the Signature Chocolate Trio and Coconut Lime Cheesecake, Laderach Trio, Mango dessert, and reimagined Berry Choco-Gato showcase the Laderach's brands innovative approach to flavor, where every ingredient is thoughtfully curated to deliver an unparalleled taste journey. Ms. Sanskriti Gupta, Laderach India, said, We are delighted to bring Laderachs first-ever chocolate cafe to India, and there could be no better place than Mumbai to introduce this unique concept. As a strategic market for Laderach, Mumbai has demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm for our brand, evident in the resounding success. We look forward to bringing the Laderach experience closer to India. The cafe extends beyond sweet indulgences, featuring an array of savory dishes like the vibrant Beetroot & Goat Cheese Salad and the hearty Poulet Parm Focaccia. Diners can also savor buttery croissants and pesto-infused delights, embodying the perfect balance of tradition and modernity. Indulge in velvety hot chocolate, refreshing smoothies, and visually stunning creations like the Earth Blenders, all while enjoying a tranquil ambiance amidst the city's energy. The menu emphasizes quality, with options like Vegan Hot Chocolate and signature pairings like Hot Chocolate with Avocado Toast, ensuring a delightful experience. With an average cost of INR 2,000 for two, the Laderach Cafe offers an accessible slice of luxury. Open daily from 11 AM to 10 PM, the cafe caters to every occasion, from leisurely brunches to evening opulence. Takeaway and delivery services ensure that the magic of Laderach is just a call away. The cafes beverage menu celebrates Laderachs commitment to creation, with options like the Vegan Hot Chocolate and the visually stunning Earth Blenders - a mixture of white chocolate, matcha, and blue spirulina. Signature pairings, such as the rich Hot Chocolate with Avocado Toast, enrich the experience, making each visit a delicious revelation. Globally celebrated for its FrischSchoggi (fresh chocolate) and dedication to natural, high-quality ingredients, Laderachs cafe represents its heritage while setting new horizons in luxury dining. This latest addition to Jio World Plaza enhances Mumbais culinary scene, offering an incredible experience that unites tradition and artistry. Also Read: DS Groups Pulse Candy gets Tangier with TheGreatPulseChase This Christmas! Luxury is no longer confined to metro citiesits thriving in tier 2 markets, where aspirations are rising, purchasing power is growing, and digital trends are redefining how brands connect with diverse consumer groups. These markets blend tradition with modernity, requiring brands to move beyond selling products and focus on building trust through authentic storytelling and hyper-personalized strategies. By leveraging local insights and innovative digital tools, brands can create meaningful connections that resonate deeply with these audiences. In this dynamic landscape, those who adapt and align with the evolving aspirations of tier 2 markets are paving the way for long-term success and redefining the future of luxury. From small beginnings to large-scale growth, the focus is on crafting stories that speak to the heart of an ever-changing market. Welcome to Crafting Bharat: Brand Ki Baat, an industry-first podcast that takes you behind the curtain to meet the masterminds bringing brands to life. In our second episode, join Shubhreet Kaur, Host and VP Integration at Adfactors PR, in conversation with Udita Bansal, Founder at trueBrowns Lifestyle and Kritika Lalchandani, Founder & CEO at Apostrophe Communications. This series is proudly brought to you by NewsReach, Indias leading PR-tech platform, with segment partner Blue Tea, gifting partner The Forbidden Journeys, insurance partner Beacon Insurance Brokers Pvt Ltd and wardrobe partner White Chaos. Tune in for stories, insights, and inspiration! Edited Excerpts: Kritika, what inspired you to start your agency in such a competitive landscape? Kritika Lalchandani (Apostrophe Communications): My decision to start Apostrophe Communications was a culmination of years of experience, an inner drive, and a sense of unfulfilled potential. I began my PR journey in 2009, working as an in-house communications manager for midsize agencies and luxury brands. Over the years, I learned the ins and outs of the industry, but I often felt like I wasnt fully aligned with my purpose. Theres always this itch, I said, and for me, it was a nagging feeling that I could create something better, something more in tune with the evolving PR landscape. Initially, I started freelancing to test the waters. It was a slow, deliberate process, but once I gained momentum and clarity, I formalised it into a full-fledged agency. In 2017, Apostrophe Communications came to life. It wasnt easy to step into a competitive landscape, but I believed in my vision. As I often say, Onwards and upwards. The thrill of pitching, winning clients, and building a team from scratch has been a fulfilling, albeit challenging, journey. Udita, what made you start True Browns? What was the inspiration behind the brand? Udita Bansal (truebrowns Lifestyle): The story of trueBrowns is deeply personal and a mix of both necessity and vision. When I moved from Bangalore to Gurgaon, I was actively looking for corporate jobs but couldnt find anything suitable. That situation pushed me to think differently about my career path. But the bigger inspiration came from my own needs as a consumer. As I was getting older, I found myself embracing ethnicity more and more, I shared, but I couldnt find a brand that resonated with my style. I wanted ethnic wear that was fun, modern, and comfortable, but I felt like nothing in the market met those criteria. This realization planted the seed for True Browns. The brand was built on the philosophy of going back to roots with minimalism at its core. Even today, solids are our core, I explained, and we stay away from heavy embellishments. My vision was to create a brand that spoke to women who are driven from within, embracing their roots but in their own unique way. Staying true to this philosophy has been the foundation of everything we do at trueBrowns. Udita, how do you engage with tier-two and tier-three audiences while staying true to your brand ethos? Udita Bansal (truebrowns Lifestyle): Engaging with tier-two and tier-three audiences requires a nuanced approach. Weve found that getting closer to consumers through language and culture is key. For example, when we opened a store in Ahmedabad, we did a press release in a local newspaper to ensure we reached our target audience. Similarly, our digital creatives are often designed in regional languages to make them more relatable. Influencer marketing is another significant focus for us. We collaborate with regional influencers who understand the local audiences preferences, language, and cultural nuances. These efforts have proven to be highly effective. The engagement and conversion rates we see in these markets often outperform tier-one cities. Its about relevance. The more relatable the content, the stronger the connection with the audience. Kritika, how do you balance traditional media and the dynamic digital landscape? Kritika Lalchandani (Apostrophe Communications): The PR landscape has transformed significantly. Earlier, it was linear; now, its 24/7 live streaming. Back in the day, PR was about press releases, founder interviews, and media coverage. Now, its a mix of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, OTT platforms, and even hyperlocal channels. Weve had to adapt to this shift by becoming more versatile. For instance, when we target tier-two and tier-three cities, we prioritize regional influencers and vernacular creatives. Its about understanding cultural sensibilities and tailoring strategies to resonate with specific audiences. A recent example was a campaign we did for a luxury brand. Besides Delhi and Mumbai, we targeted Itanagar, a tier-three city, because of its growing disposable income. Surprisingly, it became one of our highest sales regions. This is why I say India is the most diverse and complex market, offering unparalleled opportunities. If youve ever wondered about the genius that builds a brands identity, this is your all-access backstage pass. Join us as we celebrate the creative chaos and spotlight the unsung heroes behind the brands that inspire, innovate, and shape our world. These stories, fueled by passion and strategy, reveal the artistry behind building iconic identities. Stay curious, keep crafting your own narratives, and catch more unfiltered insights in our next episode. Brought to you by NewsReachIndias leading PR-tech platform, in association with VCCircle and our production partner, HT Smartcast. Also Read: Luxury unleashed: RedBeryl partners with Kirchhofer "People will never be out of business." This classic line from The Office, delivered by Steve Carell, perfectly sums up human creativity and adaptability. In a world where AI is becoming more prevalent, there is a concern that it could replace us. However, AI is here to enhance, not replace. It provides powerful tools to help us work smarter and more effectivelyparticularly in digital marketing and product launches. This leads us to Effective Digital Launch Techniques with AI. As businesses increasingly move online, AI offers a real advantage. In fact, according to the IBM Global AI Adoption Index 2023, India leads the world with 59% of businesses using AImore than any other country surveyed. On a global scale, 40% of companies are already using AI, and 82% are planning to use it more, according to McKinsey. These figures show that AI is not something to fear. It is a tool for growth, helping businesses become more efficient and effective, while still relying on the creativity and innovation that humans bring. The goal is to make AI a partner in success, especially when it comes to digital launches that are smarter, more impactful, and more engaging. Understanding Digital Launches in the Age of AI Imagine launching your product or service into the vast online universe. A digital launch could mean unveiling a new website, promoting a product through influencers on Instagram, or rolling out a new feature with live YouTube coverage. Whatever the medium, a successful launch demands meticulous planning, market research, and seamless execution. Traditionally, this process could span months, but AI has transformed this timeline, enabling teams to achieve in weeks what once took twice as long. AI and the Art of Research Research forms the backbone of any launch strategy. Traditionally, market research meant sifting through stacks of articles, reports, and competitor analyses, often consuming weeks of effort. Today, AI tools streamline this process. For example, imagine you are faced with 100 industry reports to review. AI tools like MarketMuse or Craiyon analyze and distill key insights, highlighting the most relevant points to focus on. While these tools will not do the thinking for you, they act as a funnel, narrowing down information and enabling you to strategize with precision. Media Planning Made Smarter Media planning once required a lengthy back-and-forth with media houses, gathering quotes, and comparing forecasts. Now, AI platforms simplify this process by forecasting media plans with real-time data. Tools like Adzooma and AdRoll provide insights into budget allocations, audience segmentation, and even campaign performance predictions. While AI can offer robust forecasting, it is crucial to complement these insights with human judgment to ensure they align with your goals and metrics. Personalization One of AI's greatest strengths is personalization. Consumers now expect brands to meet their individual preferences, and AI makes this possible. Personalized email campaigns powered by AI see a 29% higher open rate and a 41% higher click-through rate than generic ones. Tools like Salesforce Einstein and Adobe Sensei help businesses analyze large datasets to create tailored experiences. From product recommendations to custom offers, AI-driven personalization boosts customer loyalty and revenue. McKinsey found that companies effectively using personalization generate 40% more revenue than those lagging behind. Efficiency Through Automation AI-powered automation is revolutionizing the operational side of digital launches. Take customer support, for instance. Chatbots, such as those powered by IBM Watson, can handle up to 80% of routine queries, reducing response times and saving up to 30% in support costs. On the creative side, platforms like Jasper and Midjourney streamline content creation, generating compelling visuals and copy in minutes. By automating repetitive tasks, businesses free up their teams to focus on high-value activities, ensuring flexibility and competitiveness in crowded markets. Challenges in the Age of AI Despite its many advantages, AI adoption comes with challenges. A significant hurdle is the talent shortage. According to UST, 93% of large companies view AI as vital to their success, yet many struggle to find skilled professionals to manage these systems. Additionally, concerns about bias in AI outputs remain prevalent, with 70% of organizations citing a lack of diversity in AI teams as a contributing factor. To address these challenges, companies must prioritize upskilling their workforce, fostering inclusivity, and implementing robust governance frameworks. Future of AI in Digital Launches The global AI markets projected growth at a CAGR of 36.2%, reaching $407 billion by 2027, highlights its transformative potential. High-maturity businesses that have used AI are already seeing three times the return on investment compared to low-adoption counterparts, according to Boston Consulting Group. In India, the worlds leader in AI adoption, enterprises benefit from accessible tools, cost-efficiency, and integration into business workflows. However, the journey is not without obstacles. Addressing ethical concerns and bridging skill gaps remain critical to maximizing AIs benefits. Quoting Steve Carell again, 'People will never be out of business,' perfectly captures the ongoing relationship between humans and technology. While AI can optimize and streamline digital launch processes, it is the human element that provides the creativity, decision-making, and emotional intelligence needed for success. AI enables businesses to be more efficient and personalized, but it is human insight that ensures these innovations are meaningful and aligned with company goals. The true potential lies in how businesses combine the power of AI with the irreplaceable qualities of human ingenuity to craft impactful and successful digital strategies. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and Adgully.com does not necessarily subscribe to it. Also Read: CNN explores why the future of the internet is Indian The Corruption of Renunciation: Mamta Kulkarni's Dubious Transformation 2 The spiritual fabric of Sanatana Dharma, steeped in rigorous discipline, unwavering commitment, and profound renunciation, faces yet another challenge as commercial theatrics masquerade as asceticism. The recent anointment of Mamta Kulkarnionce a Bollywood starlet entangled in underworld associations and drug syndicatesas a Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhada is nothing short of an affront to the sacred traditions of renunciation. Mamta Kulkarni, whose notoriety far outweighs any credible spiritual contributions, abruptly declared her sanyasa at the Maha Kumbh 2025, performing her own Pind Daan and proclaiming herself a renunciate. The glaring question that arises iscan one truly become a monk overnight? The essence of monastic life is not an impulsive refuge but a deliberate, lifelong journey rooted in deep study, rigorous discipline, and selfless service. The credibility of Kulkarnis renunciation is questionable at best. Here is a woman who, for decades, epitomised material excess, controversy, and illicit ties. Her alleged romantic involvement with underworld don Chhota Rajan and her later association with Vicky Goswamia convicted drug kingpinpaint a picture far removed from the moral integrity expected of a saintly figure. The 2016 Rs 2000 crore drug scandal, in which Kulkarni was named a fugitive, casts an indelible stain on her credibility. In 1998, her purported relationship with Chhota Rajan stirred intense media scrutiny, culminating in threats against filmmakers and an alleged forced reinstatement in Rajkumar Santoshis China Gate. Her downward spiral led her deeper into the abyss of crime, culminating in her alleged role in Goswamis narcotics empire. Such a past, riddled with questionable associations and illicit dealings, raises significant doubts about her recent claims of spiritual awakening. Self-realisation and liberation are fundamental rights, but the abuse of asceticism for personal refuge is a mockery of Sanatana Dharma. True renunciation demands the abandonment of material attachments, rigorous adherence to scriptural wisdom, and unwavering devotion to selfless service. Kulkarni, by all accounts, lacks the foundational knowledge of Hindu scriptures, the discipline of Vedic studies, and the lived experience of a true monk. Her saffron robes, rather than signifying a sacred vow, seem to be a calculated escape from the shadows of her past. What is even more disheartening is the dubious legitimacy of her initiation. The very individual who bestowed her sanyasa, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, continues to lead a life steeped in worldly engagements, luxury, and public spectacles. The glaring inconsistency of this act further diminishes the sanctity of the path of renunciation. If the guru has not relinquished materialism, how can the disciple be expected to embody true detachment? Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev was among the few vocal critics, condemning Kulkarnis instant anointment as Mahamandaleshwar. He rightfully emphasised that sainthood is not a title to be acquired overnight but a station reached through decades of unwavering discipline and sacrifice. His concerns extend beyond Kulkarnis case; they address a growing, disturbing trendthe dilution of the sacred into mere theatrics. The instant elevation of individuals with checkered pasts into revered monastic positions erodes the spiritual and moral fabric of the ascetic tradition. The dangers of such unwarranted sainthood are manifold. Firstly, it discredits the genuine monks and saints who have dedicated their lives to the arduous path of self-realisation. Secondly, it sends a misleading message to society, where renunciation becomes a spectacle rather than a sacred pursuit. Lastly, it opens doors for individuals to misuse religious institutions as safe havens for personal interests rather than as centres of spiritual enlightenment. Sanatana Dharma is not a costume to be donned at convenience, nor is it a refuge for those seeking an escape from their past misdeeds. The path of renunciation is not a means of evasion but an act of utmost self-discipline, requiring one to transcend worldly attachments and not merely hide behind them. The case of Mamta Kulkarni is a stark reminder of the urgent need for stricter adherence to monastic traditions, ensuring that ascetic titles remain reserved for those who have genuinely walked the path of spiritual realisation. It is imperative that Hindu religious institutions exercise greater vigilance and accountability in their appointments. Saffron robes must be worn with reverence, not as a disguise. Let us not allow the sacred traditions of Sanatana Dharma to be reduced to a farcical charade of opportunism. The time has come for introspection and corrective action to preserve the integrity of spiritual renunciation. Three Held With Rs 5.9 Lakh Ganja in Thane 2 Police have seized nearly 30 kg of ganja valued at Rs 5.97 lakh during a special drive against the drug menace in Maharashtras Thane district and arrested three persons in this connection, officials said. On Monday, the police spotted a person hiding near the railway tracks at Ayregaon in Kalyan town. During checking, 7.06 kg of ganja valued at Rs 1.4 lakh was recovered from his possession, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III Kalyan) Atul Zende told reporters on Tuesday. The police subsequently arrested the man, identified as Kiran Shah (42), a driver by profession, he said. On Tuesday, a police team again spotted two persons moving in a suspicious manner near a temple at Chole Gaon and seized from them 22.88 kg of ganja valued at Rs 4.57 lakh, the official said. The two persons, identified as Sachin More (21) and Sanju Luhar (24), both hailing from Rajasthan, were arrested, he said. The three accused have been booked under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the official said. Waqf Amendment Bill Sparks Uproar: BJP Pushes Reform, Opposition Cries Foul 2 A parliamentary panel on Wednesday approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by a 15-11 majority vote, incorporating changes proposed by ruling BJP members. The move has triggered fierce opposition, with critics alleging an attempt to weaken Waqf boards and interfere in the religious affairs of the Muslim community. Chaired by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, the Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) finalized the report, dismissing amendments suggested by Congress, DMK, TMC, AAP, Shiv Sena-UBT, and AIMIM members. The opposition has submitted dissent notes, condemning the bill as a direct assault on the constitutional rights of Muslims. BJP members defended the bill, arguing it promotes modernity, transparency, and accountability in managing Waqf properties. However, opposition leaders, including Congress MP Imran Masood and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, slammed the provision allowing non-Muslims to be appointed to Waqf boards, calling it a violation of Article 26, which guarantees religious institutions the right to self-governance. This is a clear attempt to dismantle Waqf boards. Hindu, Sikh, and Christian religious boards do not have members from other communities, so why impose this rule only on Muslims? Masood questioned. Owaisi further warned that the amendment could lead to government takeovers of evacuee properties and endanger Muslim religious sites. The committee adopted 14 amendments, all proposed by BJP members. Among the key provisions, the revised bill mandates Muslim OBC representation in state Waqf boards and allows for separate boards for Aghakhani and Bohra communities. It also includes provisions to safeguard womens inheritance rights in Waqf Alal Aulad and directs income from such Waqfs toward widows, divorced women, and orphans if specified by the waqif (creator of the Waqf). Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee called the committees recommendations wholly perverse, while DMKs A Raja criticized the rushed circulation of the draft report, giving members little time for review. The bill eliminates the Waqf by user clause from the 1995 Act but states that past cases will not be reopened unless the properties are in dispute or belong to the government. It also strips district collectors of the authority to investigate disputes involving Waqf properties, instead granting that power to senior state-appointed officers. Following 38 meetings and consultations across multiple states, the committee is set to submit its report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla before tabling it in Parliament during the upcoming Budget Session. With the government determined to push through the reforms and the opposition ready for a showdown, the bill is expected to trigger intense debates in both Houses. Meridian has signed a Power Purchase Agreement with Harmony Energy / First Renewables in respect of their joint venture to build the 150MW Tauhei Solar Farm, near Te Aroha in the Waikato. Once completed in late 2026, the Tauhei Solar Farm will be New Zealands largest to date, generating 280 gigawatt hours of electricity each year, enough to power around 35,000 homes. Meridian will purchase 100% of the output from the farm for its first 10 years of operation. Meridian will also purchase early generation prior to full operation under a separate Power Purchase Agreement, on the same terms as the main Agreement. Meridian Chief Executive Neal Barclay said the agreement shows that New Zealands electricity industry supports competition. This agreement demonstrates how new entrants to the electricity sector can work with existing participants like Meridian to deliver commercially viable independent electricity to customers. Tauhei Solar Farm ticks all the boxes for us its an exciting development generating clean energy from the abundant Waikato sun, thatll add more resilience to New Zealands electricity supply. I congratulate Harmony Energy and First Renewables for their progress on this outstanding project it adds real value to New Zealand. The full media release can be found here: https://clarus.co.nz/content-hub/harmony-energy-and-first-renewables-announce-joint-venture-for-the-development-of-new-zealands-largest-solar-farm Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKT - Sky secures iconic sports rights RYM - Ryman completes Retail Entitlement Offer TEM - Transaction in Own Shares FPH launches F&P Nova Nasal mask in NZ and AU Fonterra announces changes to management team March 12th Morning Report WHS FY25 Interim Results teleconference details VGL - Odeon Cinemas Group signs for Vista Cloud DGL - T&G appoints new Director TEM - Transaction in Own Shares Safran Cabin has officially opened a new, 8,000m facility in Rokycany, Czech Republic. dedicated to long-haul aircraft cabin products. The site is responsible for producing crew rest modules for cargo areas, lavatories and staircases for the Airbus A330, as well as next-generation galleys for Boeing 777 aircraft. The site complements Safran Cabins other site in Czech Republic, located in Plzen, and brings the total footprint of the companys facilities in the country to 26,000m. The Plzen plant has a focus on A320 products. The Rokycany factory has been built for energy efficiency, and is equipped with cutting-edge technologies aimed at improving production capabilities, including advanced lighting and temperature control systems, which are crucial for adhesive operations. All critical processes were qualified before operations began, to ensure high production standards. Alexandre Atayi, a project manager at Safran Cabin, explained the location of the new factory: Rokycany is situated near the highway, on the way to Prague, ensuring an efficient supply chain and streamlined logistics. The proximity to the Plzen facility, a 20-minute drive away, was another factor in the decision. This location also provides access to a larger talent pool, crucial for meeting recruitment needs as the site is expected to create up to 250 new jobs once it reaches full capacity. In order to ensure a smooth launch, approximately 80 experienced employees were transferred from the Plzen facility to the Rokycany site. Many employees commute from Plzen, which is why partnerships with public transport organisations have been established, said Dana Schwobova, human resources manager at the Rokycany facility. Additionally, we are collaborating with the local employment agency to attract and recruit new talent from the surrounding area. Starbucks plans to downsize its menu and remove a number of food and drink options in the next few months in an effort to cut costs and improve the customer experience. Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol outlined the plan on Starbucks earnings call this week, saying the company will make a roughly 30% reduction in both beverages and food. While Niccol didnt name specific items, he has said the coffee chains menu has become overly complex resulting in long lines, reports CNN. According to Axios, company officials at Starbucks said the coffee giants sales in the United States fell 4% in the first quarter and transactions were down 8%, but consumers spent more per visit. Niccol said a smaller menu will help Starbucks be more responsive and tuned in to cultural moments. Addtional customer-fouced changes including a return to writing names on beverage cups and stopping the non-dairy milk fee. The changes come amid Starbucks' decision to reverse a policy allowing anyone, even those who hadnt purchased anything, to use its cafes, patios and restrooms. The policy is part of Starbucks' new code of conduct-- a plan to make stores more welcoming and win back consumers. Read more: Starbucks announces major changes to its restroom and refills policies Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is offering unwavering support for President Donald Trumps immigration plans as deportations take effect across the state and country. Were certainly taking the lead from President Trump, and hes hit the ground running, Ivey told reporters Wednesday. And whatever he needs our help on, were going to give it to him. This week, Trump increased arrest quotas for ICE officials to at least 1,200 to 1,500 per day, according to a report by the Washington Post. Since last week, reports have emerged of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detaining undocumented immigrants in Baldwin County and several areas in central and northern parts of the state . In some instances, according to AL.com reporting, individuals were picked up without a warrant. The Trump administration also has revoked policies limiting arrests at sensitive locations, such as schools and hospitals. Alabama school officials said Wednesday that they have not received any reports of ICE agents in schools. In guidance issued to superintendents Tuesday, State Superintendent Eric Mackey urged school leaders to carry on with normal activities and follow standard enrollment and attendance policies. First and foremost, to our knowledge, none of our schools have experienced any disruptions whatsoever on the part of federal or state law enforcement related to this issue, Mackey wrote. We (ALSDE) remain in constant contact with law enforcement agencies and will notify local superintendents should any new guidance or directives be issued by law enforcement. Across the country, several large school systems have vowed to protect undocumented students from potential raids, with many urging staff to bar ICE from school grounds unless they were able to provide a warrant. In Alabama, there are an estimated 183,000 total immigrants in the state. A local immigration group estimates about 20 percent of those are undocumented, but exact numbers are not known. It is also unclear how many youth in the state are undocumented, though more and more immigrant students have enrolled in state schools in recent years. As always, if anyone shows up to your office or a school, purporting to be a law enforcement agent, verify identity before admitting them to campus, the guidance to schools continues. Nevertheless, after verifying identity, badged law enforcement should always be welcomed onto our campuses. (There is some concern, albeit pure speculation, about potential mal-actors taking advantage of the confusion to attempt kidnapping or other unlawful entry). Mackey told reporters that he is concerned about possible impacts on student attendance. In Mobile County recently, a teacher was placed on leave for encouraging undocumented families to keep their children home. Were not the least bit worried about it, with the exception that if we have parents who are worried about it and therefore not sending their kids to school, then those kids are not being taught, Mackey told reporters Wednesday. And we need those kids to be taught. So my message is, we want every kid in school. We need kids coming to school. Go to class, go play ball, school as usual. Anthony Mackie took to Instagram Tuesday to clarify his viral comment about what Captain America represents. Let me be clear about this, Im a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like [Captain America] is the honor of a lifetime, Mackie wrote on his Instagram Story. I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. [Captain America] has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to. Over the past 24 hours, Mackie drew criticism for comments made during an onstage interview in Rome. While promoting his new film Captain America: Brave New World, Mackie said that Cap represents a lot of different things, but the term America is not one of them. For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I dont think the term America should be one of those representations, Mackie said Its about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable. Brave New World, which hits theaters Feb. 14, is the first Captain America film since Mackie took over for Chris Evans as the star-spangled superhero. In 2019s Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers, the original first Avenger, rapidly ages himself out of crime-fighting shape and passes the shield to Mackies Sam Wilson. Sam Wilson, formally known as The Falcon, first appeared in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and went on to fight alongside Sebastian Stans Bucky Barnes in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Other Brave New World cast members include Harrison Ford, Rosa Salazar, Liv Tyler, Giancarlo Esposito, Danny Ramirez and Shira Haas. Julius Onah directs the film with a script from Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson. 2025 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC Butler Methodist Church in Choctaw County has sued the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, asking for a jury trial to establish that the church property is owned by the congregation and not the denomination. The lawsuit was filed Jan. 23 in Choctaw County Circuit Court, and is the latest salvo in an ongoing legal battle between the United Methodist Church and congregations declaring their independence from it. The congregation, with property at 511 South Mulberry in Butler, in western Alabama southwest of Demopolis, has been in that location since at least 1948, the lawsuit said. We are saddened by churches who seek legal action against the conference, the conference said in a statement regarding lawsuits filed against it. We are praying for all involved. In addition to being sued in numerous cases, the Alabama-West Florida Conference has also sued churches that tried to leave without following procedures set by the denomination. The United Methodist Church filed a lawsuit on Nov. 21 against a breakaway beach church that dropped UMC affiliation from its charter but kept two appointed clergy on staff and banned denominational officials from setting foot on the campus popular with Gulf Coast residents and tourists. The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church filed a lawsuit against Perdido Bay Methodist Church, challenging the amendment to its incorporation documents that declare it is no longer affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Perdido Bay Methodist was one of more than 40 churches in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle whose requests to leave the denomination were stalled before the Dec. 31, 2023, disaffiliation deadline. Paragraph 2553, a special provision allowing disaffiliation due to disagreement over issues such as gay marriage, expired at that point. The United Methodist General Conference voted in May 2024 to reverse its longstanding bans on gay marriage and ordination of LGBTQ clergy. Churches that were not allowed to leave have adopted a new tactic: either suing the conference, saying the church property belongs to the congregation, not the denomination, or simply voting to change the churchs legal documents that have any mention of the United Methodist Church. More than a dozen lawsuits involving churches and the denomination are currently active in Alabama. Sisters Judy Owen, 61, and Mitzy Smith, 54, of Fairhope, were found guilty by a federal jury this week on conspiracy to commit murder for hire, transfer of a firearm in furtherance of a felony and murder for hire, according to a release from the U.S Department of Justice. Owen and Smith conspired together and with Sandra Grimes (their other sister), Rebecca Murphy, and Jessica Montgomery to hire a hitman to murder Raul Mina, Smiths son-in-law, according to court documents. Grimes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire in October. Mina, who is from Louisiana, was in a custody battle. According to an FBI affidavit, the sisters wanted Mina killed because they said that he was abusive to Smiths daughter and grandchildren. Earlier this month, Montgomery pleaded guilty to participating in the plot to murder Mina by assisting Murphy, her partner. Murphy was hired as a hit-woman by sisters Smith, Owen and Grimes, according to the affidavit. However, instead of following through with the murder, Murphy provided information to the FBI. Murphy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire and possession of a firearm by a forbidden person in September. Murphy was initially approached by the sisters in February 2024 to perform the hit. After Murphys dog got sick, Owen helped cover the remaining veterinarian bill of $500 but said that Murphy would have to repay the favor by killing Mina. According to the affidavit, this led to Murphy taking part in three separate trips to Louisiana. The first trip the included discussions of how to carry out the plot by injecting Mina with heroine to make it appear as a drug overdose. Since Mina was a drug user, Grimes and Owen wanted the murder to appear as an overdose, the affidavit stated. They wanted Murphy to inject Mina with a lethal dose of heroine via a needle. However, they did not care if Murphy had to slit Minas throat, as long as she got the job done. They stated they had already paid Edward Lane $10,000 to murder Mina, but he ran off with the money. Murphy agreed to the scheme, but stated they had to pay her more. The second trip involved Owen telling Murphy to kill Mina outside a courthouse after he left a child custody hearing. Murphy refused, saying it was broad daylight and there were too many cameras. After being provided a gun by the sisters, Murphy and Montgomery went back to Louisiana and stayed a whole week but did not attempt to kill Mina. Murphy was paid approximately $1,010 between March 7 and April 21. This is an opinion column. A lot of people seem nervous that Donald Trump might turn America into an oligarchy on overdrive, a fascist dictatorship or a cultlike theocracy. While I dont consider those worries unfounded, I have a different concern that he will do something stupid to wreck our economy. That he will Make America (Broke) Again. If he does, he could have help mostly likely from the folks who have already helped him. Among the presidents fiercest supporters during his campaign was an army of crypto bros who consider the Biden administrations rules and safeguards to be backward and overly burdensome. Trump has already set free a cult hero in the crypto world Silk Road founder and convicted drug trafficker Ross Ulbricht, a.k.a. the Dread Pirate Roberts. He has named David Sacks his crypto czar. And he ordered his administration to study the creation of a national digital asset stockpile or crypto reserve . (And then, theres the Trump coin, but well get to that further down.) Why does crypto a technology prized by libertarian types for being untethered from government suddenly need tethering to government? Well, thats the thing that scares the hell out of me. Financial calamities are a seasonal thing, slamming into us every five or 10 years. A friend and colleague once told me the secret to winning a Pulitzer prize as a business reporter was to predict the next one before anyone else. Thats not what Im trying to do here. Besides, many other crypto skeptics have already rung the bell, including Nobel prize winner Paul Krugman, JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, and Omaha Oracle Warren Buffett. Also, Taylor Swift. The best rational argument for crypto is that it is a finite thing and therefore useful for storing wealth, like gold. Only, thats not what anyone seems to be using it for, nor do many people seem to be using it as a legitimate form of currency. Its greatest utility seems to be one of two uses. First, as Krugman recently argued in Crypto is for Criming is as a money laundering tool or a mechanism for illicit activity from illegal arms dealing to gambling. (See above: Ross Ulbricht.) Or as Dimon put it, its for sex traffickers, money launderers and ransomware. Second, is more gambling. The Greater Fool Theory is nothing new the speculative game where someone buys an overvalued asset in the hopes they can sell it for a higher price to the greater fool. What is new is that you can now do this on a site, Pump.Fun, which makes Draft Kings and Fan Duel look like the S&P 500. There you can invest in such blue chips as life-changing mistake and another novel instrument called Fart which, when I searched for it again, I found only an endless well of other fart-themed meme coins. The more high-minded crypto enthusiasts (snobs) will admit these such crypto markets are just silly gambling and they resent the johnny-meme-latelies for giving crypto a bad name including, it now seems, the President and First Lady of the United States who, days before moving back into the White House, launched their own crypto coins, enriching themselves and, some speculate, creating a digital dumbwaiter of corruption. (See above: Crypto is for Criming.) Fools and their trust funds will part early and often. That is nothing new. But what matters here is what happens next. What were seeing is a high-stakes game of digital hot potato, where the second-to-last person holding the potato gets rich and the last goes broke. A lot of people have been playing this game for a while now, and theyre running out of players to pass the potato to. Creating a federal crypto reserve passes that potato to the federal government and to you, the taxpayer. Those kids in the overgrown lot, playing with matches in the vacant house that has happened many times before. Later, when the fire department shows up, they always have a choice to make to save the dumb kids in the burning house or the innocent widow ladys home next door. When that happens, they rescue the dumb kids, and innocent people who had nothing to do with it wind up paying for their mistake every single time. Maybe I should invest in the meme coin Old Fart, but somebody ought to stop them. Instead, Donald Trump has a box full of matches to hand them. And a full can of gas. The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama is expanding an initiative initially aimed at making Birmingham into a tech hub into a statewide drive. EDPA has acquired Birmingham Bound for an undisclosed amount. Created in 2018 by Shipt, Birmingham Bound has attracted more than 20 tech companies to the Magic City since its creation. The idea behind it was to market Birmingham as a place for early-stage firms, based on the assumption that many would choose the city as a destination given its low cost of living and local support. The idea was not only to recreate something like Shipt, which was born locally but eventually becoming a multi-million dollar tech firm, but to create the kind of economic eco-system that would naturally support other companies. EDPA President Miller Girvin said the idea is to spread what worked in Birmingham across the whole state. This development allows us to use proven methods weve refined with our business intelligence team at AL Intel to target specific companies, pursue high-potentials leads, and highlight Alabama unique value proposition for early-stage businesses. Lauren Hyde, executive director of EDPAs Alabama Business Intelligence Center, said the acquisition builds on things that were already doing well. Hyde will lead the statewide initiative, with guidance from Birmingham Bound founder Britney Summerville and other founding advisors. Summerville, in a statement, said the move solidifies Alabamas commitment to becoming a premier destination for innovation and technology. By leveraging the momentum and talent weve cultivated, were opening doors for companies and individuals to thrive in our state. Hyde said a statewide version of Birmingham Bound would only build on some of the work EDPA already does. We (EDPA) already have lead generation as a pillar, Hyde said. We already have business intelligence as a pillar. We already have innovation and entrepreneurship. This just helps up connect all three. For example, the initiative could work to connect companies with cities where they could thrive. For example, defense tech could find a home near Huntsville or Montgomery. Advanced manufacturing might find a better home in the Birmingham metro area. If youre a defense tech company, being closer to that eco-system is really valuable, Hyde said. We already work across the state at EDPA. Our folks travel across the state. This person will do the exact same thing, traveling throughout the state, connecting to ecosystems where there are existing resources that make sense for their company. EDPA is currently looking to hire a Director of Technology Company Business Attraction. TruScreen appoints distributor to Indonesia TruScreen appoints PT Mawar Mitra Medika to distribute its AI enabled TruScreen cervical cancer screening system in Indonesia Indonesia is the worlds largest Islamic nation with a population of ~283 million 37,000 women diagnosed with cervical cancer annually with a 57% mortality rate.** Estimate screening population of over 95 million women*. TruScreen Group Limited (TrusScreen or the Company) advises the appointment of Indonesian medical products distributor PT Mawar Mitra Medika to distribute its unique AI enabled TruScreen cervical cancer screening system in Indonesia. Indonesia, with a population exceeding 283 million, is the worlds most populous Islamic nation. It has an addressable screening market of 95 million women. It is estimated** that ~37,000 women are diagnosed with and 21,000 die from cervical cancer each year in Indonesia yet only 11% of women have ever been screened for cervical cancer. With over 14,000 islands in the Indonesian archipelago TruScreens portability and its AI enabled technology provides real time results without the needs of expensive laboratory infrastructure, makes it an ideal screening solution for such a geographically distributed population. TruScreen technology is non-invasive and is culturally sensitive to Indonesian patients as it does not require a collection of cervical cells. The appointment follows the registration of TruScreen by the Indonesian regulator in October 2024. In December 2024, TruScreen CEO, Mr Martin Dillon met with Indonesian Key Opinion Leaders and Ministry of Health Officials to explore the use of AI technology to reduce the unnecessary loss of life from cervical cancer. TruScreen acknowledges the assistance of Austrade Jakarta, for facilitating the appointment of PT Mawar Mitra Medika. Mr Dillon was invited to present at the Indonesian AI webinar, subsequent to his participation in a November 2024 WHO meeting, in Edinburgh, to explore the use of AI enabled devices for the screening of cervical cancer. TruScreen was recognised by WHO, UNITAID and several national organisations including: the Chinese Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Association (COGA), the Chinese Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (CSCCP), the Vietnam Ministry of Health National Technical List, COFEPRIS, the Mexican public health regulator, and The Russia Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines. TruScreen CEO, Martin Dillon commented: This appointment supports two key strategies of TruScreen. The first is to complete a vertical East Asian distribution focus from Indonesia, north through the ASEAN countries, Vietnam and Indo- China and then China. This regional vertical market is now in place. The second is a focus on Asias populous Islamic nations. Our Indonesian distributor complements our distributors in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan and Palestine. This announcement has been approved by the Board. *CIA World Factbook women aged 15-64 = 95,961,293 **ICO/IARC HPV Information Centre (*ICO = Catalan Institute of Oncology and IARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer) Ends Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKT - Sky secures iconic sports rights RYM - Ryman completes Retail Entitlement Offer TEM - Transaction in Own Shares FPH launches F&P Nova Nasal mask in NZ and AU Fonterra announces changes to management team March 12th Morning Report WHS FY25 Interim Results teleconference details VGL - Odeon Cinemas Group signs for Vista Cloud DGL - T&G appoints new Director TEM - Transaction in Own Shares A hint of spring will be in the air across Alabama over the next week. The National Weather Service on Wednesday morning said warmer temperatures are in store for the state over the next week, and it could even begin to feel a little spring-like in some areas with a nice southerly breeze. However, that warmer weather comes with a price NOAAs Storm Prediction Center has added a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather for southeast Alabama for Friday as the next weather system moves through the state. A Level 1 risk means that isolated severe storms will be possible. Heres the severe weather outlook for Friday: Parts of south Alabama will have a Level 1 out of 5 risk for isolated severe storms on Friday.Storm Prediction Center The rest of the state is expected to get some rain, maybe up to an inch or more in some areas, according to the weather service, on Thursday and Friday Heres the forecast for precipitation for the next three days from the Weather Prediction Center. All of Alabamas precipitation is expected on Thursday and Friday: Here's the precipitation outlook for the next three days, with all of that rain expected on Thursday and Friday.Weather Prediction Center This morning is expected to have the coldest temperatures of the next week, according to forecasters, with temperatures as of 6 a.m. hovering in the 30s and 40s statewide. High temperatures today are forecast to reach the low 70s in south Alabama. Highs in the 60s are expected over the rest of south Alabama and central Alabama, and north Alabama is even expected to make it to the 60s except for the northeast part of the region. (The temperature forecast for Wednesday is at the top of this post.) Low temperatures tonight will be much milder, with only northeast Alabama expected to fall back into the 30s. The rest of the state will have low temperatures in the 40s and 50s for a change. Here are tonights forecast lows: Here are tonight's expected low temperatures.NWS Temperatures are expected to remain very mild through the weekend and into next week. Will the warmer weather last beyond next week? There are indications that it will. The eight- to 14-day temperature outlook from NOAAs Climate Prediction Center includes a decent (40 to 60 percent) probability that Alabama will have above-average temperatures through the first week of February.: The Mobile County Sheriffs Office said Wednesday that 13 people were currently in its jail on detainers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We are providing support and assistance to our Federal partners with the apprehension of illegal criminals in Mobile County, Sheriff Paul Burch said. MCSO stated that the individuals received state charges but did not disclose the specific charges. All of the people were arrested prior to President Donald Trumps administration taking over the executive branch. The announcement of the arrests comes two days after Burch signaled that his office would be cooperating with ICE as the federal agency ramped up its operations in Mobile County and began picking people up. Immigration-related arrests were made Sunday at a home in Fultondale and in Huntsville, according to Allison Hamilton, the executive director of the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice. That same day, arrest numbers started spiking in highly publicized operations in Atlanta, Dallas and, most prominently, Chicago, according to the Associated Press. This is an opinion cartoon. This cartoon was first published in this mornings Crowe Jam newsletter. To get in on exclusive content first, including caption contests and other stuff, please consider subscribing. Its free and pops into your email box every Wednesday morning. Sign up for JD Crowes newsletter: Enter your email to subscribe to JDs weekly newsletter, Crowe Jam. Bishop Mariann Edgar Buddes prayerful plea to the newly inaugurated president to accept the Christian values of mercy and compassion did not sit well with Trump. What do you think about that? Here is the full transcript of Bishop Buddes inaugural prayer, and below are the closing words that apparently offended 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, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde said during her sermon at the National Cathedral as Trump and Vice President JD Vance watched stone-faced alongside their families. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives, Budde said in a quiet prayerful voice. 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, wadara 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 honour 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. And here is President Trumps response via Truth Social: 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. 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. 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! t 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. The leader of the Democratic caucus in the Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday said the caucus is gearing up to fight bills or state policies that follow moves by the Trump administration that he said were extreme. Rep. Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, said the Trump administration priorities like calls for mass deportations and elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and will get pushback at the Alabama State House during the legislative session that starts Tuesday. I think its extremely important that the citizens of Alabama not just lay down and allow the things that are happening at the federal level without saying anything, Daniels said. Read more: ICE makes Alabama arrests amid Trumps mass deportations Daniels, leader of the House Democrats since 2017, said he was disappointed there has not been more opposition to Trumps executive orders nationally. Weve given other parties an opportunity to address and push back on the extremism that were seeing at the federal level but were not waiting any longer, Daniels said. We will be addressing those issues as they come, head-on, unapologetically. Daniels made those comments as the caucus announced its Forward for Freedom agenda. The agenda did not include specific bills but called for policies to increase economic opportunity, expand affordable healthcare, invest in public education, maximize voter turnout and reform prisons and the parole system. At least one initiative championed by Trump is already law in Alabama, a ban on DEI programs at state colleges and in state agencies that the Legislature approved last year. The Democratic agenda calls for a repeal of that law, which college professors and students are challenging in a lawsuit. On crime, the Democrats support a repeal of the law that allows concealed carry of handguns without a permit. They will support a bit to create a state law against Glock switches, which convert semiautomatic guns to automatic fire. Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, sponsored a Glock switch ban that passed the House last year and is again sponsoring that bill. Republican leaders have said they also support a Glock switch ban. Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, is again proposing a bill that would hold parents liable if their child takes a gun to school that was not stored securely at home. It will not violate anybodys 2nd Amendment rights, said Drummond, who said she is working with Republicans to get support for her bill. We dont look at this as a gun bill. We look at this as a responsibility bill. Other proposals in the Democrats Forward for Freedom agenda are not likely to get Republican support. Democrats want to repeal what they call Alabamas draconian abortion ban, which carries no exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Democrats are also calling for decriminalizing recreational marijuana. Marijuana for personal use can still result in felony charges in Alabama. The Republican caucus, which controls the House with three-fourths of the seats, announced its Alabama Values agenda on Monday. Like the Democrats' agenda, it did not include specific bills. The Republican agenda includes policies that discourage illegal immigrants from coming to Alabama and to fix damage caused by what the caucus said were irresponsible open border policies of the last four years. Daniels said deportations in Alabama could hurt businesses already struggling to fill jobs. Hes expecting legislation in Alabama generated by the noise from the federal level. I cant tell you exactly what thats going to be, Daniels said. But I anticipate to play some extreme defense based upon the conversations Ive heard this weekend and conversations Ive heard the last couple of weeks. A state inmate who claims to be a high-ranking member of a highly known white supremacist group pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to threatening the Mobile County district attorney with a very horrible and painful death, court records showed. William Terry Holmes, who is serving a 20-year sentence for domestic violence and violating the states sex offender registry law at Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery County, pleaded guilty to mailing threatening communication to DA Keith Blackwood. According to the agreement, Holmes sent a threatening letter to Blackwoods office on March 19. It stated: i [sic] am personally writing you to inform you we know where you live. You and your familys every move is being watched. As a high ranked [sic] member of a highly known white supremacist group, Im lettingyou [sic] know now that one of my own M. Perez has been sentenced to the death penalty. The M. Perez Holmes was referring to, according to court records, is Marco Perez, who was convicted in early 2024 of the capital murder of Mobile Police Officer Sean Tuder. Im gonna make damn sure you, your family and the judge suffers [sic] severe consequences, the letter continued. I promise you soon real soon you, your family and the judge will receive my death penalty and yalls lives will end in a very horrible and painful death. Dont try me you will lose just like me ex-wife [redacted] who was buried alive [redacted] in lrvington. Holmes spoke to law enforcement on March 22 and admitted to sending the letter and suggested he had associates who were watching Blackwood, whom Holmes claimed only had hours to live, according to court documents. Alabama prison records show Holmes will be eligible for parole on Aug. 1, 2026. He was sentenced to 20 years in state prison in March 2014. His current prison term is his second stint in a state lockup. In 1998, he was sentenced to 10 years in state prison on first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Authorities have released the names of two men found dead in a Shelby County home following a five-hour standoff with shots fired. Coroner Lina Evans identified the men as William Chenoweth Jr., 48, and his father, William Chenoweth Sr., 74. Evans said Chenoweth Jr. was shot by deputies during a mental health pickup order. Chenoweth Sr. was found dead and decomposed in a bathtub. Evans said there does not appear to be any foul play in the elder mans death. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences will be conducting autopsies. Shelby County sheriffs deputies went about 8 a.m. to the home on Narrows Drive in the Narrows subdivision off U.S. 280 to serve a mental health pickup order on Chenoweth Sr. Sheriff John Samaniego said deputies knocked on the door and announced their presence but got no answer. They breached the door, and at the same time broke a window to distract whoever was inside. At that point, Samaniego said, Chenoweth Jr. began walking toward the deputies and opened fire on them. Deputies returned fire and retreated. Samaniego said deputies believed at the time that they had shot Chenoweth Jr. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene and continued negotiations. Authorities opened the door remotely and sent drones inside, the sheriff said. They could see Chenoweth Jr. sitting in a recliner. We still had not seen the elderly gentleman that the pickup was for, Samaniego said. Deputies deployed gas into the home in hopes of forcing the men out. The attempt was unsuccessful. Chenoweth Jr. is believed to have then moved from the recliner to a bed to try to escape the fumes. After later deploying more gas, Samaniego said they saw Chenoweth Jr. in the bed. We could see the subject did not move so we feared he was in grave condition at that point, he said. About 1:30 p.m., law enforcement officers made entry into the home. Chenoweth was found pronounced dead on the scene from a gunshot wound. Chenoweth Sr. was found dead in the bathtub. It looked like he had been deceased for several months, the sheriff said. Samaniego said they had been planning the pickup order for about two months. Prior to arriving at the home Tuesday morning, Samaniego said they evacuated the homes closest to the targets home. After shots were fired, they issued the shelter in place order to those who had not been evacuated. Mental health pickup is a fluid situation, he said. Sometimes it goes off without a hitch, sometimes theres violence involved so we have to be prepared with a plan. Theres been many deputies killed in the line of duty doing mental health pickups. The investigation has been turned over to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. The son-in-law of a couple fatally shot in east Alabama has been charged with capital murder. Christoper Scott Johnson, 38, is charged in the Tuesday deaths of Darla McKenzie, 68, and Michael McKenzie, 72. The couple lived in Roswell, Georgia. Johnson is being held without bond in the Etowah County Jail. Sheriffs deputies responded at 12:30 p.m. to a report of a shooting on Coats Bend Circle in rural Etowah County. They arrived to find both victims had been shot. Emergency responders began life-saving measures on the scene. Darla McKenzie was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham where she was pronounced dead a short time later. Her husband was dead at the crime scene. Sheriff Jonathon Horton said based on information gathered from 911 calls and information at the scene, deputies quickly identified Johnson as the suspect. He was taken into custody with the help of Ashville, Steele, Glencoe and Rainbow City police departments. Johnson was married to the McKenzies daughter. She was at the home and made the 911 call. This is an incredibly difficult time for the McKenzie family, and our hearts go out to them, Horton said. The loss of loved ones in such a tragic manner is devastating, and we extend our deepest sympathy to their family and friends. To the Etowah County community, I want to assure you that we are committed to ensuring justice is served, and there is no threat to your safety, he said. Multiple other agencies also assisted in the response and investigation. President Donald Trump is offering buyouts to agency employees who dont want to comply with his demands that they return to the office as he looks to reshape the federal workforce in his second term. The buyouts will run through Sept. 30 as long as the employees resign by Feb. 6, according to a White House official who shared details of the personnel plan on condition of anonymity. The offers were first reported by Axios. The buyouts were offered in an email to federal employees that also warned that the administration was seeking a more streamlined and flexible workforce. While a few agencies and even branches of the military are likely to see increases in the size of their workforce, the majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force, the email said. These actions are likely to include the use of furloughs and the reclassification to at-will status for a substantial number of federal employees. Many of Trumps actions are likely to face court challenges. The head of the American Federation of Government Employees in a statement Tuesday said Trumps goal is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to. Purging the federal government of dedicated career federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government, AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. Trump in one of his first actions of his new administration, ordered government workers back to the office, revoking work-from-home accommodations under his predecessor Joe Biden. On Monday, the Trump administration gave agencies until Feb. 7 to devise plans for the return of federal employees to in-person work. The return-to-office mandate applies to federal workers unless excused due to a disability, qualifying medical condition, or other compelling reason certified by the agency head. Military spouses working civilian jobs are also exempt. In addition, separate guidance from the Office of Personnel Management on Monday gave Trump authority to hire and fire some employees who previously had civil service protection. Return-to-work policies are a focus of Elon Musk, the billionaire Tesla Inc. and SpaceX CEO heading the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk pushed for the mandate in an attempt to encourage some federal workers to simply quit or be fired as no-shows. Many federal workers are covered by collective bargaining agreements, including one that Social Security Administration workers secured in the final days of the Biden administration, that allow more flexible work arrangements. Data from the Office of Management and Budget show that about 10% of the workforce is permanently remote including disabled workers with a documented accommodation, military spouses and those where the nature of the work is mobile. _____ (With assistance from Gregory Korte.) _____ 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President Donald Trump signed into law the Laken Riley Act today as the first piece of legislation to get his signature this term. Sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., the act requires immigration authorities to detain undocumented migrants that commit theft-related and other crimes. Standing alongside [Trump] as he signs this crucial legislation into law, Britt posted to X on Wednesday. Lakens tragic death sparked a movement that will help prevent similar tragedies and protect American families. This is how we honor her memory. Britt authored the bill following the February 2024 murder of 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley at the hands of undocumented migrant Jose Antonio Ibarra. It requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented individuals who commit theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting offenses so they cannot reoffend and commit further crime, according to its text. On Feb. 22, 2024, Riley was jogging on the University of Georgia campus in Athens when she was killed by Ibarra. Ibarra had been arrested multiple times once in the United States but was released each time before ICE could put a detainer on him. The act also creates standing for states to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law or who violate the law. The Senate passed the bill last week, with 12 Democratic senators joining all 52 GOP senators in a 64-35 vote. The House, with the support of 46 Democrats in the minority, passed the bill two days later by a vote of 263-156. It passed a different version of the bill earlier this month, which had the support of 48 Democrats. Amendments to the Senate legislation were added before it passed, which led to the House voting on it Wednesday: assault of a law enforcement officer and crimes that result in death or serious bodily injury were added to the list of offenses that trigger ICE detention. Opponents expressed concerns over whether the act was constitutional and have said it could possibly lead to large roundups of people for minor offenses such as shoplifting which would necessitate expensive construction of additional immigration lockup facilities to hold those arrested. I think it is pivotal to understand: This bill, framed as connected to a tragic death, is pretext to fortify a mass deportation system, Hannah Flamm, interim senior director of policy at the International Refugee Assistance Project, recently told AP News. Over the last week, Trump has acted on his campaign promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the countrys history. Immigrants were arrested in Alabama and other states around the nation this weekend and more arrests are expected soon, local advocates told AL.com. Trump increased arrest quotas this week for ICE officials to at least 1,200 to 1,500 per day, according to a report by the Washington Post. He said Wednesday that the government was working on a 30,000-bed holding space in Guantanamo Bay to house the worst of the arrested migrants. An order from President Donald Trump to temporarily block the disbursement of most federal grants and loans could have a massive impact on health programs ranging from those addressing HIV and AIDS to maternal health and services for older Americans. The announcement, which created exceptions for direct-aid programs such as Medicare and Social Security, sent shock waves through Washington and state governments Tuesday, with stakeholders scrambling to understand the impact of the freeze on programs like the Childrens Health Insurance Program, nutrition programs for seniors, public health programs and much more. A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the funding freeze minutes before it was scheduled to go into effect. It lasts until Monday afternoon and applies only to existing programs. The uncertainty is amplified by a communications pause the Trump administration put on federal agencies, leaving even state governments in the dark. A pause on grant funding can be very disruptive for all health programs, even if temporary, said Richard Hughes IV, a health lawyer at Epstein Becker Green. Its an all-of-government directive that puts everything into a lurch for states and grantees. Health care providers, advocates, patient organizations, state and local governments, public health departments and many others receive billions of dollars in grants through the Health and Human Services Department to provide health care services, train health care providers, research health threats and much more. Much of that funding flows to states, which then award subgrants to local governments, health care providers and community organizations. The pause, announced Monday evening by the Office of Management and Budget, is intended to ensure programs are complying with Trumps executive orders related to gender ideology, diversity, equity and inclusion programs, abortion and energy, according to an OMB official. A spreadsheet obtained by CQ Roll Call lists hundreds of programs under review, including CHIP, a block grant to states to cover health care for low-income children, and some Medicaid funding. But a senior administration official said the freeze does not impact programs that provide direct benefits to Americans nor does it apply to mandatory programs like Medicaid. The official also indicated the freeze would not apply to CHIP. Still, Medicaid officials reported being locked out of accounts that are used to draw down federal funds, said Joan Alker, executive director and co-founder of the Center for Children and Families, which works with Medicaid programs. This is already causing panic, Alker said. This is grossly irresponsible. If Medicaid is exempt, that should have been made very clear in the memo to begin with. A group of organizations including the American Public Health Association filed a motion for a temporary restraining order in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Tuesday in hopes of blocking the move, with Georges Benjamin, executive director of the association, saying the decision threatens to stall essential public health and prevention programs and research. Halting these funds stymies progress and is a matter of life and death, Benjamin said. The freeze could also apply to hundreds of other programs funded by HHS, which is the largest grantmaking agency in the federal government, making up a large portion of the more than $1 trillion the federal government spends every year on grants. Programs affected Several programs impacted by the freeze are under the law known as the Older Americans Act, which funds services for aging Americans, including nutrition services. If in fact this order includes the Older Americans Act, this would presumably halt service to millions of vulnerable seniors who have no other means of purchasing or preparing meals, said a Meals on Wheels America spokesperson, Jenny Young. And the uncertainty right now is creating chaos for local Meals on Wheels providers not knowing whether they should be serving meals today. STEPHEN MILLER: Does anyone believe that an unaccountable career bureaucrat should be able to approve vast sums of money for the projects that they personally agree with? JAKE TAPPER: I'm literally asking about Meals on Wheels. I don't know what you're talking about. pic.twitter.com/Wfa5H20XND Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 28, 2025 The spreadsheet also lists dozens of programs funding services for HIV/AIDS. People with HIV/AIDS depend on medications, health care and support services for the rest of their lives and we have to take steps to prevent HIV every day, we just cant stop funding these programs, said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. Questions remain about how Trumps executive orders on gender and transgender people will impact HIV programs. Many HIV prevention and treatment programs provide services to people who are transgender. Those people are disproportionately more likely to have or contract HIV than the general population, often because of care access issues, according to data from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. These lifesaving programs serve a wide array of different populations, and HIV is an infectious disease with serious health consequences if not properly addressed we cant overlook any community and must serve everyone, Schmid said. This memorandum is creating detrimental uncertainty for local #MealsOnWheels providers. Our team will be here to fight any efforts to freeze #funding that would impact our #seniors. pic.twitter.com/LbF2rF2FaI Meals on Wheels (@_MealsOnWheels) January 29, 2025 The senior administration official added that programs not implicated by Trumps executive orders are not subject to the pause. A pause could be as short as a day, the official said, and some programs have already been approved. If agencies are concerned a program may defy an executive order, they should consult OMB to begin unwinding objectionable policies, the official said. Speaking during the White House press briefing Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the pause would be temporary, adding that the Office of Management and Budget is reviewing the federal funding that has been going out the door. She said the memo requires federal agencies to identify and review all federal financial assistance programs consistent with the Presidents policies and requirements. It means no more funding for transgenderism and wokeness across our federal bureaucracy and agencies, she said. OMB directed agencies to complete the spreadsheet by Feb. 7 with specific information about hundreds of listed grant programs. The information requested includes whether the program supports or provides services to illegal aliens, provides diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility mandates, policies, programs, preferences and activities, promotes gender ideology, or supports abortion. Democratic senators expressed alarm about the potential sweeping impact of the cuts. Its very troubling, the programs that are going to be affected for constituents, said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, wondered in a statement about the moves impact on community health centers, Head Start and pregnant mothers who receive help through WIC, a supplemental nutrition program. Lets be clear, he said. The Trump Administrations action last night to suspend all federal grants and loans will have a devastating impact on the health and well-being of millions of children, seniors on fixed incomes, and the most vulnerable people in our country. _____ (Aidan Quigley contributed to this report.) _____ 2025 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WELLINGTON New Zealand Chatham Rock Phosphate Limited, CRP or the Company (TSXV: NZP, NZX: CRP FSE 3GRE) wishes to announce that it is advancing plans to export phosphate from the Korella North Mine through the Port of Karumba. CRP has met with Carpentaria Shire Council, Gulf-Savannah Development Inc and Ports North as well as local contractors to discuss the practical aspects of exporting through Port of Karumba. Planning is now progressing with Ports North while all requirements set by Carpentaria Shire Council and TMR are now being defined. While the Korella North Mine is initially designed to sell into the domestic market, the rapidly developing market in China and Vietnam for lump phosphate (for manufacture of yellow phosphorus) has provided the impetus to CRPs plans for export of lump phosphate through Karumba. Chatham has, since September 2023, studied the potential to export Korella phosphate through the Port of Karumba, rather than Port of Townsville. The Korella North mine has the capability to produce the required product sizes by means of a simple screening operation. Indonesia Market Development Earlier in 2024 Chatham commenced market development in Indonesia, which is Australias nearest and potentially the largest market for granular rock phosphate. This has culminated in the signing of a representative agreement with leading Indonesian trading company Indevco who have already identified potential customers. Exports through Karumba will provide shipping advantages for Indonesian fertilizer producers currently importing phosphate from elsewhere overseas. Shareholders will be kept informed of progress at the Korella North Mine and the Port of Karumba facility for the export of lump and granular phosphate. About Indevco PT Indevco Internus (Indevco) is a leading Indonesian company established in 1993 with experience in the import of raw materials for fertiliser production in Indonesia and with current business activities including export of fertilisers manufactured by Pupuk Indonesia. For further information please contact: Chris Castle President and Chief Executive Officer Chatham Rock Phosphate Limited 64 21 55 81 85, chris@widespread.co.nz or chris@crpl.co.nz Neither the Exchange, its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined under the policies of the Exchange), or New Zealand Exchange Limited has in any way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and associated transactions, and has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKT - Sky secures iconic sports rights RYM - Ryman completes Retail Entitlement Offer TEM - Transaction in Own Shares FPH launches F&P Nova Nasal mask in NZ and AU Fonterra announces changes to management team March 12th Morning Report WHS FY25 Interim Results teleconference details VGL - Odeon Cinemas Group signs for Vista Cloud DGL - T&G appoints new Director TEM - Transaction in Own Shares A packed Thornton Township meeting in Illinois on Tuesday started in high spirits and devolved into a brawl after residents got up to speak. Chaos erupted during the public comment period after community activist Jedidiah Brown called Supervisor Tiffany Henyard an expletive. Following his comments, Brown was seen walking toward the table where Henyard and other township officials were seated before he spun around toward the back of the building where the fight broke out. Henyard was seen involved in the melee that broke out between her administrations defenders and those supporting Brown. Security officers at the at Township Hall in South Holland ultimately broke up the fight before police arrived a little before 8 p.m. WATCH: Fists went flying to end the Thornton Township board meeting after a speaker during public comment insulted Henyard, prompting allies of hers to rush over. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/0rui9qnAyX Courtney Spinelli (@CourtSpinelliTV) January 29, 2025 The violence came about six months after Brown was arrested after providing public comment at a Dolton meeting, where Henyard is mayor. There, he made critical comments toward Trustee Andrew Holmes, an ally of Henyards, and began walking toward him, leading police to push the two men apart and arrest Brown. Brown said after that Holmes cussed at him and beckoned him. Before Tuesdays brawl, the meeting signaled hope for many community members who packed the Township Hall basement. It was the first scheduled meeting with new Trustee Stephanie Wiedeman, seen as a fresh face aligned with activists opposing the supervisors administration. During the meeting, Wiedeman helped usher in audits and investigations of township departments and officials, items trustees previously lacked the votes to approve. Following discussion of complaints against township employees and close allies to Henyard, William Moore and Kamal Woods, in closed session, the board also voted to put the two on paid administrative leave. Many residents during public comment congratulated Wiedeman and thanked her for also pushing back against agenda items proposed by Henyard that mostly failed Tuesday. This is a developing story. Check back for more details. ostevens@chicagotribune.com 2025 Daily Southtown (Tinley Park, Ill.). Visit at chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin did not whisper when it came to criticizing one of President Donald Trumps signature campaign promises following his re-entry into the White House. Woodfins critique of Trumps pledge to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and other activities has garnered national attention. Woodfin appeared on CNN This Morning last Thursday where he detailed his disapproval of the new administrations policies. Americans are witnessing the Alabamafication of federal government, Woodfin told the anchor. Weve seen in Alabama, legislators create laws to get rid of DEI and the governor sign into law removing DEI from colleges and universities and other aspects throughout the state. While Woodfins comments made political news and social media waves around the country, some in Birmingham question whether the city will be penalized for the passion expressed by its mayor. The mayor compared Trumps executive order to Alabama legislation approved last year that banned all DEI programs at public universities. Its beyond frustrating and disappointing, Woodfin said. It just goes to show us that 47 told us what he would do, and hes doing it." Woodfin, who is also promoting his new memoir, Son of Birmingham, has made several national media appearances recently. Birmingham activist Kamau Afrika, who is challenging Woodfin in the August mayoral race, compared Woodfins action to poking a grizzly bear. If I were mayor of any city dependent on regular federal funds for needed projects, Id humble myself so as not to create a further Dodge City or Mad Max environment in my city, Afrika said. Selling a book is one thing, but at the risk of safety is another. Afrika said the mayor should spend more effort focusing on the citys crime rate and securing more police officers. Afrika further noted that the city of Birmingham is a political island in a state that heavily supported Trump and votes solidly Republican in national elections. Woodfin said the current climate has made the words diversity, equity, and inclusion bad words. Theres no such thing as going too far as it relates to being inclusive, he said. Theres no such thing as going too far as it relates to equity. Woodfins comments created a firestorm in both mainstream, right wing and social media, unleashing a torrent of criticism from Trump supporters. Woodfin was free in offering his perspective on the national scene, but his spokesman, Rick Journey, declined to comment to AL.com Tuesday when asked about any ramifications from the mayors criticisms. Afrika also warned that some of Birminghams liberal policies under Woodfin contradict the national narrative. For example, he cites the citys diversity offices that cater to LGBTQ residents and the mayors criticism of the federal illegal immigration crackdown. Any mayor in a sanctuary and LGBQIA city in a red sea state must be wise, bridled tongue, non-egotistical, a good listener and non-flamboyant, Afrika said. When ones head is in the lions mouth, forget the bite. Birmingham did not officially designate itself as a sanctuary city, but Woodfin has described it as a welcoming city. State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, who is also a candidate for mayor in the August 26 election, said she forecasts challenges for Birmingham at the federal level, but more so because of the citys shrinking size and status. The realization is that Birmingham is going to have more of a problem because Birmingham is no longer the largest city in the state of Alabama, Givan said. Right now, most of this money that was going to come to Bham is going to go to Huntsville. Regarding a Republican administration in Washington, Givan touted her ability to work across the political aisle in Montgomery as a legislator to sponsor and pass legislation. You can say people dont like me, but check the record, she said. I know how to figure out a balance with anybody in leadership whether they be Republican or Democrat. Givan dismissed Woodfins high-profile appearance and political criticism as an attention-grabbing sideshow. Its the optics of what this mayor wants to show you, she said. Woodfins comments are risky in the current political climate, said Natalie Davis, professor emerita of political science at the former Birmingham-Southern College. How much of Trumps ire he might attract is yet to be determined, she said. It just depends upon how many other people are ahead of Woodfin in criticizing the reelected president, Davis said. Does it hurt the city of Birmingham in terms of money coming in? Its hard to say until we hear some nasty things coming out of the administration. With Birmingham being heavily Democratic, Davis discounted any local political damage from his comments as Woodfin seeks a third term as mayor. When it comes to offending the president, Davis quipped that Republicans walk an even tighter rope than Democrats, because Trumps antipathy toward Democratic-run governments is already clear. I dont think the Democrats have as much to worry about in terms of alienating the president as much as Republicans do, Davis said. He hates them (Democrats), so it doesnt make any difference. United Services Automobile Association is suing Birmingham-based Regions Financial Corp., with USAA saying that Regions used its patented check deposit technology without permission for its own gain. The suit, filed Tuesday in eastern Texas in U.S. District Court, seeks damages, penalties and costs. According to the 28-page filing, USAA developed its remote check deposit system to help service members deployed overseas, with the technology protected by four patents. The company says it developed a remote check deposit system in 2005 and rolled it out over the next four years until it could be used by smart phones and tablets. The system allows customers to take photographs of their checks with a digital camera and deposit them remotely. These innovations enabled USAA, for the first time in banking history, to allow users to transform general purpose consumer devices that they have in their homes or are otherwise easy to acquire into a check image capture device, the suit contends. USAA states that the Regions Mobile Deposit app infringes on this technology. According to the suit, USAA notified Regions in 2020 about the alleged infringement and offered to license the technology for compensation. A Regions spokesman said of the lawsuit, We will respectfully decline to comment on this pending litigation. USAA has gone to court before over the remote check deposit patents. The company has sued Wells Fargo, PNC and Truist Bank. Two suits against Wells Fargo resulted in decisions totaling more than $200 million in favor of USAA, with the two eventually coming to a settlement. USAA has also announced licensing agreements with other financial institutions over the patents. More than 73,000 passengers flew Breeze Airways out of Huntsville last year, a spokesman from the low-cost carrier told AL.com. Breeze Airways specialist Ryne Williams said that translates into 15% growth in business from Huntsville International Airport year-over-year. From our initial launch in 2021, we recognized the need for more convenient, affordable, and elevated air service from Huntsville, Williams said. We offer some great nonstop destinations, like Las Vegas and LAX, from HSV and were grateful for the support from our partners at the airport and the city of Huntsville as we continue to grow our footprint in the community. Flights to LAX began as a seasonal teat last year. Huntsville Urban and Economic Development Director Shane Davis said the fights to Los Angeles were completely full. The Huntsville City Council renewed the citys memorandum of understanding with the airline last week. With the new agreement, Davis announced the airline was adding New York-area Newark, New Jersey to the non-stop destinations the airline offers out of Huntsville. He said the MOU with Breeze influenced legacy carrier Delta to add New York to its destinations out of Huntsville. Flights to New York is a service Davis said the city has asked for for decades. We begged and begged and begged, he said. Well, Delta got out ahead of us. See related story: Huntsville airport lands nonstop flight to New York City - al.com Under terms of the current MOU, Breeze will operate at least two weekly flights from Huntsville to Tampa, Orlando and Las Vegas for a total of six flights a week (24 flights per month). Breeze will receive $10,000 per month in base incentive payment to meet that threshold. To achieve a bonus incentive payment of $10,000, Breeze must provide two flights weekly (eight flights per month) from Huntsville to at least two additional destinations. Bonus incentive destinations are Newark, Los Angeles and Charleston. The bonus incentive payment is capped at two destinations, though Breeze could add more flights. With the MOU, six new direct non-stop destinations and a minimum of 384 additional flights per year will be available at the Huntsville airport. The duration of the MOU is 24 months. The City has the option to extend the MOU for one year as long as the incentive payments do not exceed $360,000 for any 12-month period. Breeze has been a tremendous partner with the City since it began operating out of Huntsville International Airport in 2021, Mayor Tommy Battle said on the citys website. Having a low-cost carrier operating at HSV has proven beneficial for Huntsville residents and we are excited to see the expansion of services to prime destinations. Airport officials said Breeze has brought down average fares at the airport while providing connections to in-demand destinations. Breeze has been doing very well at Huntsville International Airport, its a great product for our community, and the community has embraced it, said Butch Roberts, CEO, Huntsville International Airport. Since Breeze began flying to Tampa from Huntsville as one of its original routes in 2021, the airline has added service to Las Vegas, Orlando and Los Angeles. As more frequencies are added to these destinations, we expect Breeze to continue to grow in market share and offer competitive, low-fare options for our community. Roberts said the airport appreciate the citys support, and its been important in our airports success story. We are glad that the city decided to continue to incentivize air service, and this will help Breeze continue to grow, he said. Beginning mid-February, Breeze will fly to Orlando three times a week, and beginning in May, will increase frequency to five times per week. Tampa flights will double from two days per week to four days per week for the summer, and Los Angeles service will return for the summer as well. Las Vegas continues to be a popular route with twice weekly service, Roberts said. On its website on Jan. 28, the airline was offering one-way flights from Huntsville to: Tampa as low as $49; Las Vegas as low as $104; Orlando as low as $125; and Los Angeles in May as low as $189. I have a hero, one that is rather odd for an American like me: Charles De Gaulle. A man who rescued a dying France, which was surviving only on life support and former glory, and stabilized its deteriorating situation -- to leave his country somewhat strong; and though somewhat erratic and annoying, still a world player. We Americans tend to underrate the French. We seem to treat them as comical surrender monkeys. However, in 1940, when the Germans crashed through Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Western Europe, all the nations were surrender monkeys. Denmark collapsed in an hour. Belgium, which had put up a massive fight in World War I, fell in just 18 days. We Americans see the Blitzkrieg as a black and white movie, but in 1940, it was a complete civilizational shock. The perfectly choreographed combined attack of German artillery, aircraft, and tanks, followed up by infantry, was incomprehensibly effective at that time. It paralyzed the resistance. The previous war, World War I, had been relatively static. Now, the German Wehrmacht swallowed up whole nations for breakfast. It was the original shock and awe. And we cant blame the French for succumbing as the rest of Europe did. Would we Americans have acted any differently? I doubt it. World War I had left Western Europe with quite a foul taste for war in its mouth. Millions had died in those trenches. By 1940, when the invasion in the West had begun, Europe had barely recovered. Now, suddenly when the Germans came crashing through the Ardennes, the French must have thought, Here we go again. Only this time the weapons were worse. The British look at the evacuation of Dunkirk as a crowning achievement of glory, but even more British evacuations were to follow. The French saw it all as one great skedaddle leaving them to fight the Germans alone. It was easy for Britain to counsel the French to fight on, the British were protected by a thirteen-mile moat. The French werent. And lest we think the British were bulldogs, by 1941, the British people came close to suing for peace. Resolve was weakening. Had Hitler not invaded Russia, the British might have quit. And lest we think Russia was invincible, the Russian Army surrendered by the millions in the opening months of Operation Barbarossa: Contrary to the usual post-war history, many in positions of influence in Britain also favoured a negotiated settlement. All they knew and saw was the nightly devastation from an enemy far superior to themselves in terms of current offensive power. They certainly didnt know of the potential respite from any future German invasion of Russia[.] -- The History Press Into this disaster fell De Gaulle. He had fled to Britain in 1940, and he had tried to rally a dispirited France from afar. He was arrogant, haughty, and aloof. His contributions to the war effort were minimal. Yet, he kept the spirit of France alive, if only by broadcasting pep talks to the nation. Worse yet, FDR distrusted De Gaulle, and considered occupying France post-war as if it were a failed banana republic, reducing France to a vassal state at best. FDR considered breaking France up. [T]he President had reservations about the viability of the French state. He entertained the possibility of forming a new state, Wallonia, which would consist of the Walloon parts of northern France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Alsace-Lorraine. (See Francois Kersaudy, Churchill and de Gaulle (London, 1990). This sort of thing put Roosevelt sharply at odds with de Gaulle, who was, to put it mildly, a firm proponent of French unity. It isnt clear if de Gaulle knew the details of what FDR was considering, but he does say: at bottom, what the American policy makers took for granted was the effacement of France. -- The Churchill Project And now you know the reason France took a diffident anti-American foreign policy after the war. De Gaulle was bitter, and this was FDRs fault, not De Gaulles. Roosevelt had wanted to kick France when it was down and out. Churchill was better, but not by much. After the war, De Gaulle took credit for a war effort to which he had barely contributed anything material but a cheering section. Still, it was that cheering that was vital; it kept a sense of French identity alive. De Gaulles true genius came during the Algerian War. France had won on the ground. De Gaulle was invited back, and everyone expected the old crusty imperialist to hold on to the empire. He didnt. He cut Frances losses and let Algeria go. And thank God, he did. Had France kept Algeria, France today might be half Muslim. De Gaulle saw the writing on the wall and left; and France was better for it. It would be recommended for Trump to study De Gaulle. De Gaulle knew when to fight, and when to back off. People considered him an authoritarian he did have monarchist sympathies -- but he always respected an honest vote, and maintained the republic, even if he did give the French presidency stronger powers. He helped keep the French spirit alive in the midst of utter defeat, almost by force of will. He could be annoying, but it was usually for a purpose: to let the British and us Americans know that the French were not going to go anywhere, and that they would not be vassals of anyone. The genius of his actions would not become evident until much later. His retreat from Algeria -- right after a victory -- was probably the most farsighted thing any Western politician has done in the past half century. Do you think he would have tolerated the present Islamic intrusions into France? De Gaulle understood that nations have to be unified in laws, language, and identity -- none of this multicultural nonsense. He wanted to Make France Great Again. France is now outperforming the UK, and has a stronger military. Trump should study De Gaulle to see how it is done, to see how to resurrect a nation back to greatness. It takes a very strong president, but the key to De Gaulle is that, in the end, as strong as he was, he never subverted the republic. The final poignant conclusion came when De Gaulle died. Frances President Georges Pompidou said, General de Gaulle is dead. France is a widow. Mike Konrad, who still struggles with Spanish, is a frustrated web designer and is presently trying to get a humorous short story of his published: The Pirate of Gaza. Image: National Archives The city streets of New York stir early, but recently, in some corners, a disquiet has emergednot of peace, but of silenced voices. Signs and placards are everywhere in urban America, championing causes as varied as a lost pet, a new bar opening, or an urgent plea to halt a development project. These fleeting glimpses into the concerns of otherswhether trivial or profoundrarely demand deeper reflection. Together, they form a cacophony of voices layered into the visual noise of 21st-century America. We walk by, our days proceeding as planned, often oblivious to the layers of meaning behind each image or plea. However, these KIDNAPPED posters are different. They are not just another visual element in the mosaic of this moment. They are not simply another layer of color in the mosaic of this moment. Simple and unadorned imagesa photograph, a name, a pleahighlight the plight of the 251 hostages seized by Hamas and other terror groups during their brutal October 7th invasion of Israel. They are a stark reminder of the human cost of these atrocities, a call for awareness, and a petition for help. Pro-Israel groups began placing posters in public spaces to draw attention to the human cost of these atrocities and perhaps feel some sense of catharsis. Catharsis was not to be. A boiling cauldron of raw human destruction, in its own way aligned in message and tactics with that of Hamas itself, reached for the tool commonly used half a world away. These signs became targets for anti-Israel vandals determined not simply to silence this plea for awareness but to erase these faces from existence. The posters destruction is part of a troubling trend chronicled in the new film, TORN: The Israel-Palestine Poster War on NYC Streets by Nim Shapira. The film documents how, as pro-Israel groups and those of the Jewish faith worked to hang KIDNAPPED posters highlighting the plight of the 251 hostages taken from Israel to Gaza during the Hamas October 7th attacks, anti-Israel vandals quickly moved to tear them down or deface them. This proxy war waged in the public spaces of New York City spotlights the deep divisions inflamed by the atrocities of Hamas. The vandals may claim these posters are propaganda or allege they exacerbate divisions. Buttressing their actions with such flimsy arguments raises more questions than it answers, as destruction does not serve the greater purpose of unity. Yet rather than engage with the content, they opt to silence and erase any sign of the human existence of those held captive, as if these people were inconvenient parts of a story the vandals do not wish told. One must imagine the vandals believe their cause is just and their destruction justifiedthat the tearing down somehow negates the act of putting up. Of course, it does not. Hatred, squarely a human condition, closes our eyes to the harm caused by our actions, reducing dialogue to ashes and leaving the silenced to suffer twice over. This blindness mirrors broader societal issuesour increasing tribalism and intellectual intolerance, where ideological rigidity silences dialogue rather than encourages it. This echoes an old malady: the hecklers veto, where dissent is shouted down or ripped away rather than confronted with reasoned argument. However, civil discourse has a profound power, inspiring changebut there is no inspiration with the stifling of voices. This purposeful silencing of othersis no mere nuisance; it is an assault on the tapestry of a free society. In a nation founded on the principle that every voice deserves its day, the heckler's vetowhether wielded by shouts in a lecture hall or graffiti on a wallseeks to replace dialogue with dominance. This canceling of others is unacceptable to those who believe in the American promise of liberty. And even so, it has become a well-honed tool in far too many corners of America. Sure, not all posters are saints of free expression. The legality of their placement matters. Public property must be governed by rules applied equally, lest chaos reign. Private property must be respected, as it is a cornerstone of liberty. But when the objection is not about where the message is but instead the message itself, we enter dangerous territory. Tearing these posters down isnt civic order. It is the hecklers veto in actionsilencing a voice instead of confronting it. It is a declaration of contempt for the messageand, by extension, for the innocents whose plight they highlight. This is about more than just preserving paper and ink. These posters call on something deep and instinctual: the right to cry out against injustice. The canceled suffer twice over when voices are silencedwhether through laws, intimidation, or mere vandalism. Their captivity becomes a footnote, their humanity an afterthought. We must ask: if we cannot rally around the plight of hostages held by terrorists, what cause can stir us to unity? The answer to speech we disagree with is more speech, not its destruction. This principle is the bedrock of civil society. To tear down a poster because you dislike its message is not an act of courage but of cowardice. Freedom of speech, if it is to mean anything at all, must apply evenly. The weight of its value is immeasurable. What value is this first freedom if it only amplifies the voice of ones tribe, the powerful, or the government? After all, John Peter Zengers voice needed protection, not the royal governor. It is far easier to shred paper than to confront ideas, and it is simpler to destroy than to debate. But it is also profoundly un-American. Our national character has long been defined by its capacity to endure, argue, and reconcile. When abolitionists stood against slavery, they most often responded not by burning their opponents pamphlets but by printing their own, trusting the strength of their message to prevail. There remained exceptions, like John Brown, who chose a murderous path; the broader movement embraced the power of argument and moral persuasion over suppression. When suffragists demanded the vote, they did not tear down opposition posters; they put their case before the people. This spirit allowed a nation torn asunder to be wovenin timetogether again. We must ask ourselves: are we still that nation? Do we still believe in the power of words to heal and persuade? Or have we succumbed to the despairing notion that might makes right, that the loudest voice wins, that the sharp edge of a box cuttera tool that once brought unimaginable violence to our shorescan rewrite history and wipe the memory of innocents from our collective conscience? I say to those who deface these posters: speak if you believe the message is wrong. Write. Assemble peacefully. Bring your ideas into the public square and let them be weighed and measured. But do not mistake destruction for debate. Do not confuse canceling others with elevating your cause. In a free society, ideas must stand or fall on their merits, not on the strength of those who erase them. While manifestly powerful, freedom is rendered meaningless if reserved solely for oneself. And to the rest of us, who watch these acts with a mix of outrage and resignation, the call is clear: defend the voices that cry out for justice. Stand firmly for the rights of those whose voices cannot be heard. Champion the principle that the answer to bad speech in America is better speech, not no speech at all, or speech silenced. While this hostage crisis is at last nearing a hoped-for end, there are abiding lessons we can all take from this situation. It remains a human tribulation, raw and urgent, demanding we reflect on the principles of free expression and the moral imperative to give voice to the silenced. The faces on those posters remind us that behind every political conflict are real peoplemothers, fathers, childrenwhose lives hang in the balance. To tear down these images is to deny their reality, their common humanity, and turn away from their suffering. We have seen this episode as yet another glimpse into an enemy's soul that does not share our values. We cannot afford indifference, much less a hatred that strips humanity of innocents in harms way to take further root and destroy all in its wake. A society that shreds the images of hostages a world away is at risk of shredding its soul. Remembering these hostages is a moral imperative for our citizenry, mindful of our common cause with those of distant lands that share our belief in the simple dignity of freedom. The cost of turning away from injusticewhether in this conflict or conflicts yet to come may prove nothing less than sacred liberty. We must rise to the occasion. Let us be the kind of people who, when faced with the cries of the oppressed in our own land, do not look away but stand and answer. Let us be, as we have always aspired to be, a nation that believes in the power of words and the enduring strength of freedom for all. Charlton Allen is an attorney, former chief executive officer, and former chief judicial officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder and editor of The American Salient and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast. Image from X. Kurt Schlichter is a retired US Army Infantry Colonel, a LA trial attorney and a prolific writer, producing not only Monday and Thursday articles at Townhall.com, but is seemingly everywhere else on the Internet. Hes also the author of the popular Kelly Turnbull series, and his most recent novel is The Attack. I reviewed both here. Schlichter has posted on X a to-do list for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Did you enjoy hearing that as much as I enjoyed typing it? Its not a comprehensive list, but will go a long way toward returning our military to an actual fighting force rather than a social experimentation laboratory. Ill add comments in italics: Graphic: X Screenshot ...and groups, not the weather in a century. Related: The Army having dumped its green uniform, the military is no longer concerned with green frivolity. As I recently wrote here at AT, removing the current Chairman is essential. Gen. Charles Brown is an anti-white, DEI true believer. Hegseth must also carefully vet the rest with an eye toward removal. Let them convince him theyre warriors rather than DEI bureaucrats in uniform. Never in human history has mankind been less at the mercy of weather/climate. The military must do better than anyone else. 3. Instruct that EVERY attack option briefed to POTUS will include significant degradation of enemy military capabilities; no more messages or signals. Diplomats send messages. If we hit, it hurts and makes the enemy less capable. Amen. 4. Tell the UK were keeping Diego Garcia; they can work backwards from that end state. Graphic: Chris Muir, Day by Day Cartoon. Used with permission. 5. Create an unofficial advisor cell to collect and report outrages, guidance violations, and other antics by bureaucrats and resistance hacks out in the field; select targets to make examples that will encourage compliance with the new commanders intent. Resistance must be quickly and unequivocally crushed. This cell must include NCOs whose identity is known only to the SecDef and his designees, and they must be invulnerable to retaliation. 6. No more vague grounds for relief; instead, when an officer is relieved, it will not be for loss of command confidence but for specific wrongdoing. Set a clear standard, particularly that orders given will be carried out, and enforce it. Thats called due process. 7. Launch surprise SecDef visits to military facilities; start with walk-thrus of troop housing with the senior installation NCO. If conditions do not meet the standard, see #6 above. This supports recruiting and retention while reorienting the officer corps toward basic troop care. Basic Rule: Officer facilities had better not be in better shape than troop quarters. Also ensure our troops are being properly fed. Thats not the case now as I recently wrote. 8. Fire every service academy and war college superintendent; direct that non-stem professors will be terminated and replaced with serving or retired officers. Call in reservists as well. Rule: If it does not help students be a better leader of killers, its gone. Require briefing by the new supers on the revised curricula that corresponds to the CINCs intent on warfighting and DEI NLT 15 FEB 25. Also review the academic records of DEI cadets. Give them a chance to be retained by strict adherence to real academic and leadership standards. If they cant, theyre out. 9. Refuse to tolerate the Sir, we cant cuz regulations dodge; an order implies the task of identifying and executing the means of changing rules and regulations that purport to block change. The job of a subordinate is to find a way, not to find an excuse. Again, see #6. Thats what you get when merit doesnt matter and incompetence and ass-kissing fails upward. 10. Relieve any commander, and the CNO, if there is a spot of rust on a US Navy ship after 15 FEB 25. Anyone claiming that We cant have professional looking ships because of safety and environmental rules is referred to #9 and #6. Every warship represents America. Rust buckets violate a primary military principle. Everyone who survived boot camp knows folding socks and towels precisely and placing them precisely in a drawer doesnt matter. What matters is learning to pay attention to detail and doing even simple tasks exactly right every time. Thats what saves lives and wins wars. SPECIAL BONUS ITEM: No more milspeak staff-hack jargon. Jargon is always a means to disguise confusion or to exclude outside input that challenges the status quo. Simple, clear English is the standard. Come in hard. You can always let up when the organization has earned a lighter hand. Eliminating jargon will begin at the academies. It appears the Trump Administration is establishing mechanisms to detect and fire people unwilling to follow orders, who refuse to work for all the American people, and who would stealthily sabotage Trumps lawful orders. Hegseth knows the military. Hell be able to do that well. 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. Only in America can someone illegally fund coronavirus gain-of-function research, causing the pandemic; be in charge of the pandemic response; retire with the highest federal pension in history; and be pardoned for his crimes. In future testimony, Fauci can no longer plead the Fifth, and if he goes the I cant recall my own name route, he could be indicted by a now-compliant DOJ for untruthfulness and potentially receive a jail term. But lets go for possibly bigger fry. According to 5 USC Section 8312, someone can lose his federal pension if he testifies falsely to a congressional committee on national security issues: (a) An individual, or his survivor or beneficiary, may not be paid annuity or retired pay on the basis of the service of the individual which is creditable toward the annuity or retired pay, subject to the exceptions in section 8311(2) and (3) of this title, if the individual (1) was convicted, before, on, or after September 1, 1954, of an offense named by subsection (b) of this section, to the extent provided by that subsection; (b)The following are the offenses to which subsection (a) of this section applies if the individual was convicted before, on, or after September 1, 1954: (3)Perjury committed under the statutes of the United States or the District of Columbia (C) in falsely testifying before a congressional committee in connection with a matter under inquiry before the congressional committee involving or relating to an interference with or endangerment of, or involving or relating to a plan or attempt to interfere with or endanger, the national security or defense of the United States. In case youre wondering if COVID involves national security (shouldnt that be obvious?), a former DNI, Deep-Stater, and anti-Trump plotter herself said in an NIE that the COVID pandemic had national security implications. Excerpts: National Intelligence Estimate, April 2022, DECLASSIFIED by DNI Haines on 14 January 2023 Economic and National Security Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic Through 2026 This IC-coordinated National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) addresses the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for US economic and national security interests through 2026, in response to a Presidential tasking. [snip] (U) The COVID-19 pandemic worsened already poor governance and underlying socioeconomic conditions in parts of Central America and the Caribbean, including food insecurity, lack of job opportunities, and crime and violence, which are likely to remain drivers of US-bound migration from the region for years to come. [snip] Key Judgment 4: The pandemic is likely to be continued to be exploited by U.S. adversaries to build their influence[.] Although the report goes on to state that the expected national security impact is small, that doesnt change that it had national security implications or that there could be bigger ones. So haul Faucis sorry butt before an appropriate congressional committee and ask him questions like these: Do you have any knowledge that the reason the coronavirus gain-of-function definition was altered was so as to protect someone involved in gain-of-function funding or research based on a technicality? Did you have any knowledge that the true COVID-19 origin is the Wuhan lab? Did you ask any scientists to lie about the COVID-19 origin in either their public statements or in journal publications? Were you acting at the behest of the CIA in any capacity at any time on coronavirus gain-of-function funding or research? (If he says he cant discuss this in an open hearing, let him testify on this in a closed hearing, and then Trump can declassify his testimony.) Why did you promote a mask mandate when real follow-the-science evidence, such as high-quality mask studies published in reputable journals and the CDCs own pre-COVID-19 coronavirus handbook based on decades of research, suggested otherwise? Was it to increase panic among the populace so it would be more compliant with the COVID protocols? Which mask study or studies were you relying on? Did you know of or hide any unpublished adverse data on COVID vaccines? Why did you push remdesivir as an inpatient protocol when it was known to have unacceptably high toxicity and ineffectiveness? Did you know of or hide any adverse data on remdesivir? Did you or anyone else in NIH get feedback from hospital CEOs or administrators who knew that remdesivir was killing patients but kept administering it to get generous reimbursement and to avoid being sanctioned? Make Fauci fess up to all his evil COVID lies or risk losing his $380,000 annual federal pension. Given his age (84), an estimated joint net worth of $1112 million, and spousal federal pension still intact, the Faucis will not go hungry, but the damage to his reputation or the pension loss will offer some semblance of justice for his crimes against humanity. W.A. Eliot is a pseudonym. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Totally ignoring Joe Bidens crime family pardons, Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs) are shocked and alarmed: Its the end of our democracy! Trump has freed an army of violent brown shirts to do his bidding! Trump hates the police! Our democracy is doomed! Graphic: X Screenshot How many of the more than 1500 pardons actually involved violence? The Hill takes a run at it: More than 600 people who invaded the Capitol that day as lawmakers sought to certify the results of the 2020 election were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement and nearly 200 of them did so using a deadly or dangerous weapon. The crowds forced the evacuation of lawmakers who were set to certify the results of the election, and while they later returned to the Capitol that day to complete their work, more than 140 officers had been injured and some later died. More than 600 people? Is that 601? 683? Nearly 200? Deadly or dangerous weapon? Such as? More than 140 officers injured? What were those injuries? Actually, one officer died of multiple strokes several days later and several committed suicide for reasons still unknown. Officers were apparently injured, but its always important to understand the complete context of every case. The DOJ so stretched the law its certain many charged with violence did no such thing, or were forced to admit to the DOJs overblown definitions in plea bargains necessary to avoid decades in prison for what would have amounted to nothing more than misdemeanor trespassing with a small fine and no jail time elsewhere. Graphic: Twitter Screenshot Head DOJ inquisitor Matthew Graves resigned on January 16. Graves pursued Americans with fanatical fervor, people who did nothing more than stand somewhere near the Capitol building. Aided by equally authoritarian judges and a virtually total D/s/c jury pool, Americans were charge stacked, and facing decades in prison accepted outrageous plea bargains. Judges treated people who did nothing more than walk in doors opened by Capitol Police, take in the sights and leave, as violent felons, imposing grossly excessive and punitive sentences. Even as Donald Trump issued pardons, some Americans were still in jail under medieval conditions while awaiting trial. So outrageous was the governments conduct, the Supreme Court, in Fischer v. United States, threw out one of the most egregious, over-reaching charges: Graphic: Twitter Screenshot Of the 1,424 defendants charged following Jan. 6, over 350 were charged with corruptly obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding, according to May numbers from the DOJ. That from a June, 2024 article. The Court ruled the DOJ misused the statute and vacated convictions on those charges. The decision would have forced the DOJ to retroactively expunge those charges and resentence everyone involved. Until the day he resigned, Graves continued to hunt down people who did nothing more than stand on the lawn. Graphic: X Screenshot As I noted in Restore the rule of law: pardon them all, every day across the country, actual violent felons are freed because the police, prosecutors and judges made mistakes, because Americans believe that many who are guilty should go free rather than an innocent be unjustly convicted. The intentional violations of J6s defendants rights would fill multiple volumes. There is no question they were political prosecutions, and even if some werent, how to tell the difference when all were the result of hostile, politically motived prosecutors who repeatedly gloated about striking defendants with "shock and awe?" How to tell the difference with judges who treated misdemeanors like the most violent, vile felonies and who handed out grossly excessive sentences? How to explain the treatment of people kept locked up without trial in medieval conditions for years? How do we restore a single standard of justice for all? With such political, compromised prosecutions, what remedy other than pardons was just? Graphic: X Screenshot The pardons unleashed no brown shirt army. Its not Normal Americans who burned down America in 2020 and committed actual murders. It was D/s/c thugs like Antifa and BLM. The overwhelming majority were never prosecuted. J6 prisoners, many federal jailers only reluctantly released, were thrilled to be reunited with their loved ones. Theyre hardworking Americans, people with families and mortgages and jobs, people who wear the red, white and blue. They arent professional protestors. The overwhelming majority had no criminal records prior to J6. They have a lot of catching up to do, a lot of lost money to try to make up. Theyre not going to be looting and burning businesses, defacing buildings or tearing down statutes. Most may be found in church every Sunday. Graphic: X Screenshot Unlike the Biden Crime Family, none of them accepted millions to sell out America. Unlike General Mark Milley, none of them arguably committed mutiny. Unlike Capitol Police Captain Michael Byrd, none arguably committed murder. With any luck, well soon learn the truth about the J6 prosecutions. Its not going to be pretty, but its absolutely necessary. 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. Compared to gnarly Jill Biden, Melania Trump is not only very smart indeed, but beautiful on the inside and outside. Part of her charisma exudes from her natural nurturing aura. However, in her latest portrait it appears the photographer coaxed her into a toxic masculinity posture. Ultimately, considerations of fashion seem petty while many of our fellow citizens are suffering. Nevertheless, official portraits are nostalgically consigned to various archives. In Melanias latest official pose, it sure seems that she is dressing en homme, while enacting an unnatural, masculine stance. Maybe that doesnt suit her. The accompanying description of the new portrait somewhat accurately reflects what our lying eyes see. For example, the author writes, [f]rom the suit to the stance, the new portrait feels carefully orchestrated to exude a kind of power that feels at odds with the first lady's traditional role of softening a presidency in the public's eyes -- and making it feel more human [emphasis added]. More human? I beg to differ. While she remains ravishing, it makes her look something of a cliche, like Meghan Markle from the show Suits, who is overly keen to assume a power role. Melanias mystique is powerful all right, but in a more feminine kind of way. Her first portrait, released in 2017, is much lovelier. Shes more smiley, soft, yet still an elegant enigma as she projects a more natural, feminine power. Melania is an incredible woman. While the word respect is thrown around willy-nilly, she truly deserves it. For example, she speaks more languages more astutely than many speak one. Her natural, God-given talents (refined and developed with hard work over the years), speak for themselves. Talents which flourish more in a traditional First Lady role, such as hostess and advocate for overlooked Americans. Now that the commonsensical obvious has been officially recognized -- there are two genders (go figure) -- its nice to know the fairer sex is empowered to be unashamedly lovely -- especially on the inside. Melania is doing her part the help Make America Beautiful Again. For sure, inner beauty matters most, but it should be recognized that refining ones skin-deep beauty is making a comeback, and thats beyond criticism. For example, cosmetic companies like Ulta Beauty are reaping high profits -- look at the stock performance since Election Day. Indeed, post-election (November and December) online cosmetic sales saw a robust 12.2% rise, the second biggest year-over-year category change. Theres nothing sexist or otherwise wrong with acknowledging those market developments. As one AT contributor noted (along with the accompanying article comments), there can be a symbiotic relationship between inner beauty and respect for ones outer appearance. Of course, Melania doesnt need to cover up any blemishes. Her traditional beauty and agreeable deportment are best suited towards a more traditional First Lady role such as commiserating with, comforting, consoling, calming, cheering, and championing the less fortunate amongst us. No wonder President Trump dances so much -- he is one lucky Commander-in-Chief to be immersed in Melanias mystique. Rarely has a woman been more suited to a traditional First Lady role. Image: White House/Daniel Torok Just because Donald Trump won the election doesn't mean the fight is over. The obstructionists on both sides still remain in place. While meeting resistance from the Left is to be expected, meeting it from those ostensibly on your own side is galling. On January 20th President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) entitled, "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing." The purpose of this order is to counter Biden's Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. According to President Trump's EO, Biden's order "...forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government" Section 2 of President Trump's order reads: "The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), assisted by the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), shall coordinate the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear." In brief, Biden mandated race- and gender-based programs in the federal government and Trump ended them. Both used EOs rather than legislation to accomplish their goals, which is itself the subject for another essay. Those on the Left naturally approved of Biden's EO while objecting to Trump's. Leftists in the Air Force promptly employed "malicious compliance" to resist. This tactic involves following orders in such a way that it thwarts managerial objectives, impedes progress, and can even embarrass those who issued the directive. Malicious compliance is sometimes used by employees to fight back against unjust, inefficient, or unreasonable demands from employers, but it can also be used to thwart their legitimate goals. It may involve one or more of the following components: Rigorous adherence to protocols -- require extensive reviews before implementing policies. Bureaucratic delay -- invoke requirements for reviews or compliance checks. Over-communicate -- sharing directives widely to delay actions. Raise endless questions -- seek detailed clarifications to slow momentum while appearing constructive. Prioritize other tasks -- this delays implementation of unwelcome directives. Strategic interpretation -- overcomplicate tasks to create bottlenecks. To paraphrase H.L. Mencken, this is a way to give people what they want, good and hard. In the case of the Air Force, the leadership cancelled training modules on the Tuskegee Airmen and Women's Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs. Alabama senator Katie Boyd Britt immediately responded on 'X' with this: Senator Katie Boyd Britt @SenKatieBritt I have no doubt Secretary Hegseth will correct and get to the bottom of the malicious compliance weve seen in recent days. President Trump celebrated and honored the Tuskegee Airmen during his first term, promoting legendary aviator Charles McGee to Brigadier General and pinning his stars in the Oval Office. In his second term, the Trump Administration will continue to deeply respect and elevate the Tuskegee Airmens legacy. Their history and their lessons will continue to be taught -- because their legacy is one of excellence, of success, and of unquestionable merit. As the Pentagon under @PeteHegseths leadership restores its focus to lethality, there is no greater historical example of a highly skilled, valiant fighting force than the Tuskegee Airmen. These role models will continue to inspire the next generation of courageous, selfless American servicemembers. Four hours later, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded: Pete Hegseth @PeteHegseth This has been immediately reversed. Thank you @SenKatieBritt President Trump is also not meekly submitting to these actions. He issued an order last week requiring US Agency for International Development (USAID) to stop designating new foreign aid funding or accepting funding applications pending further study. Today, acting USAID administrator Jason Gray said, "We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the presidents executive orders and the mandate from the American people." In response to these actions President Trump suspended (with pay) as many as 60 senior USAID bureaucrats. Countering malicious compliance involves fostering a collaborative workplace atmosphere in which administrators review existing policies and procedures, employees have opportunities to ask questions and voice their concerns, and staff members are involved in decision-making. In the case of the USAID situation, funding was to be temporarily halted pending administrative review. When a new administration is brought in, it is reasonable to expect that they would want to see where and how money is being spent. It is unlikely that these instances of malicious compliance will stop. One of the many challenges of the Trump administration will be to balance legitimate concerns and questions of bureaucrats and staff members with obstructionism disguised as compliance. Employees and staff must know that there are deadlines and standards they are expected to meet, and repeated failure to do so will carry consequences. Image: AT via Magic Studio Almost no one appreciates President Trumps proposal to evacuate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to other nearby countries. Only Israels most far-right leaders see the potential action as a solution for the region. I found Trumps suggestion curious: he must have already known that Egypt and Jordan had refused to take in the Palestinians. So what might have been the underlying reasons for his proposal? I think there were a few possibilities for his suggestion: Call them thinking outside the box. 1. Trump knows there are an unknown number of Palestinians who would look forward to starting a new life elsewhere. Up to this point, they would have been silent about their desire, due to possible recriminations from Hamas or even other Palestinians. For Palestinians who stay in Gaza, they will only be reminded about their losses and the devastation, even if the area is reconstructed. Its also possible that the more recent generations of Palestinians are less attached to the land, and dont feel compelled to drive out the Jews or have their own state. These people in particular might be willing to be relocated, particularly if they are given a package of benefits that makes the move very appealing, including becoming part of a productive society. 2. Dividing up the Palestinians to relocate to several countries might be an option; this approach would limit the impact on a new country, and allow them to more easily integrate the newcomers into the new culture. 3. Some people may want to stay in Gaza simply because it is home. Hamas must be forbidden to participate in any form of governance. For those who are willing to renounce any of the Hamas goals and rhetoric, they could be employed to develop the coastline. According to CNN: Trump said earlier in the week that he might be able to have a role in rebuilding Gaza, praising it as having a phenomenal location, on the sea and the best weather. The comments echoed remarks made in 2024 by his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who called the waterfront property in Gaza very valuable and suggested Israel should move Palestinians out of Gaza and clean it up. These are people who could be trained to do construction jobs, which will give them several kinds of practical skills that they could continue to use on their own or with construction employers. Consideration should even be given to renaming Gaza. And the area will need to be populated with new resort employees from the Palestinian population to service the construction crews and eventually visitors. 4. Countries outside the Middle East could be offered incentives to take in Palestinians. According to the Times of Israel: Indonesias Foreign Minister Sugiono became one of the first counterparts to receive a phone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week, during which the latter welcomed Indonesias willingness to engage on Middle East peace and post-conflict reconstruction, a US readout on the call said. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said last year that his country was willing to send peacekeeping troops to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza if required. The Times of Israel revealed in 2021 that the first Trump administration was on the verge of brokering a normalization deal between Israel and Indonesia, but ran out of time before the end of its term. Time will tell if Indonesia would be receptive to this idea, or if other countries might be willing to help. 5. Inquire whether Arab-speaking countries would consider integrating some of the Palestinians: According to World Population Review: There are a total of 25 independent states and territories that has Arabic as their native language. The most populous of these is Egypt. The country of Egypt has a population of around 90 million people. Over 93% of the total population or over 82 million people in Egypt speak Arabic, which is the official language of the nation. There are six independent nations where Arabic is either the national language or an official minority language. However, it is not the primary language. In Cyprus, Iran and Turkey, Arabic is a minority language. In Mali, Niger and Senegal, it is the national language. There are also four independent nations where Arabic is officially recognized in the constitution and has a special status. This applies to Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the Philippines. Although there would still be cultural adjustments, sharing a language with the new country would provide an advantage to fitting in. Also, Palestinians might volunteer to go, if provided with enough incentives. The possibility of returning to Gaza might be in the plan, but if the Palestinians are successfully integrated into the new countries, many will stay where they are. 6. Investigate the reasons for countries unwillingness to bring in at least some Palestinians. Here are Jordans reasons, from this report in the Wall Street Journal: More than half of Jordans population is of Palestinian origin, including almost 2.4 million Palestinian refugees registered with the United Nations. A sharp increase in the number of Palestinians there would risk upending the countrys demographics and potentially sparking instability. Jordan fears the Israeli-Palestinian conflict being resolved at its own expense by turning the country into a de facto alternative homeland for Palestinians. It has long opposed absorbing more Palestinian refugees, a topic that again came into focus after the war displaced most of Gazas residents internally and raised calls for their resettlement abroad. The strategy would help determine whether the resistance of the Jordanians (and the Egyptians, too) can be avoided by offering benefits to these countries for bringing in the Palestinians. The same kind of strategy would be important to pursue with other countries. 7. Initiate relocation in stages. This approach would allow both emigrants and Gazans to adjust to the changes in the Gazan population. The hope would be that after the initial adjustment, the newly relocated Palestinians would report positive outcomes to their friends and families in Gaza. The key factor in resolving the issue of the Palestinians is to think outside the box. Some of these proposals might be started in combination. Issues like their attachment to the land and destroying Israel are difficult to eliminate, but if major incentives to leaving their homes are provided and financed, the Palestinians may be ready to make a major change. Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License Who would have believed this a few years ago? First, President Trump is back in the White House and more popular than ever. Jim Acosta and Jorge Ramos, a couple of his most severe critics, are looking for work. A bit ago, we learned that Jorge Ramos left Univision: Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos, best known as a longtime co-host of "Noticiero Univision," is leaving the network after a 40-year tenure. Ramos and Univisions parent company TelevisaUnivision announced the newscasters exit, set for after the 2024 U.S. presidential election, in a press release Monday. "This is not a farewell. I will continue anchoring 'Noticiero Univision' until December, and afterwards I will share my professional plan," Ramos, 66, said in a statement. "I am deeply grateful for these four decades at Univision and very proud to be part of a team that has established strong leadership over the years." While Ramos did not disclose the reason for his exit, the TV journalist and Univision "mutually agreed" to not renew his contract. Okay. Good luck to Jorge. I hear that it was about money. Could it also be that Univision wants a different face reading the news after changing voting patterns among Hispanics? And now Jim Acosta is looking for work, too. This is the story: CNN anchor Jim Acosta is reportedly leaving the network after he was officially pulled from its programming schedule. The Status newsletter reported Monday that Acosta was expected to leave CNN after it was announced last week that his 10 a.m. ET program was being replaced with "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown" in the networks latest reshuffling. The newsletter previously reported that Acosta was pitched by CNN CEO Mark Thompson to move him from his one-hour slot at 10 a.m. ET to a two-hour slot beginning at midnight, a far less distinguished place in the lineup. No midnight special for Jim? Doesn't he know that the midnight shift is prime time in Hawaii and the islands in the middle of the Pacific? Honestly, I wish these two men well, and I hope that they can find whatever they are looking for. At the same time, they are examples of how the media got so wrapped up in attacking Trump that they destroyed themselves. The public saw through the media bias and eventually clicked off. In the case of Ramos, it was being an immigration activist dressed up as a journalist. In the case of Acosta, it was thinking that people hated Trump as much as he does. So goodbye, caballeros! P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. Image: Pexels/Shahbaz Zaman Mt. Rushmore, the Shrine of Democracy. Its perhaps Americas most iconic monument, a statue of such scale Democrat/socialist/communist (D/s/c) thugs cant tear it down, and since its at the top of a mountain and the Park Service is keeping an eye on such things, they cant deface it. That hasnt stopped them, however, from using it to play politics. During a periodic, 2013 congressional funding battle, Barack Obama shut it down, and even forced rangers to keep people from parking where they might catch a glimpse. For four years, Joe Bidens handlers refused permission for Independence Day fireworks at the mountain, and D/s/cs have aligned themselves with the occasional Indian activist who wants the entire region back for one tribe or another. Graphic: Mt. Rushmore lighting ceremony. Author The four faces are 60 feet high and were carved from 1927-1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum. There have been many who thought additional worthies deserved to inhabit the mountain: A bill introduced in Congress in 1937 proposed that a carving of Susan B. Anthony's head be included among the luminaries at Mount Rushmore but fell through due to a rider on the existing appropriations bill mandating that federal funds be spent only on those carvings already begun. About 400 local residents worked on the mountain and while there were injuries, there were no deaths. South Dakota weather is hard on the granite sculpture, and in 1991, following a $40 million restoration project, Mt. Rushmores 50th anniversary was celebrated. Constant attention is given to the faces to prevent cracks from spreading. Despite his embargoing Mt. Rushmore, in 2013 there followed periodic calls for adding Barack Obama to the mountain. One would think where to put the ears would give any sculptor pause. More recently, Nancy Pelosi wanted Joe Biden among the greats: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the country should honor President Biden by adding him to Mount Rushmore. The 81-year-old commander in chief is such a consequential president of the United States, a Mount Rushmore kind of president, Rep. Pelosi (D-Calif.), 84, claimed in a clip aired on CBS Sunday Morning Show. You have Teddy Roosevelt up there. And hes wonderful. I dont say take him down. But you can add Biden, she insisted when pressed about whether the incumbent president is really worthy of the honor of getting his massive mug engraved in rock at the iconic South Dakota national monument alongside former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Roosevelt. And now, some are suggesting Donald Trump deserves a lofty perch: Graphic: X Screenshot The idea of carving President Donald Trumps likeness into South Dakotas Mount Rushmore is apparently picking up steam. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) told the New York Post that she is introducing legislation to have the job done, the outlet reported Saturday. Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was the first to propose the move during a recent interview on the Benny Johnson Show: Social media users were quick to respond to Lunas message, one person writing, The democrats would whine for years and years. So badass, someone else replied, while yet another user said, Do it. Liberals will so be done. What a time to be alive. Indeed they would, but the hair might be an insurmountable challenge. Another actually insurmountable challenge is more down to earth: Since 1989 the National Park Service has worked with RESPEC, a rock mechanics engineering firm, to study the structural stability of the sculpture and to install rock block monitoring devices that assure long-term preservation of the sculpture, she said. RESPEC supports our long-held belief that no other rock near the sculpted faces is suitable for additional carving. [Mount Rushmore National Memorial Chief of Interpretation and Education Maureen] McGee-Ballinger said. RESPEC also believes that if additional work were undertaken it is possible that exposing new surfaces could result in creation of potential instabilities in the existing carving. It turns out the mountain is only so big, not nearly big enough to contain the egos of those who want their political messiahs forever memorializedBiden being the likely exception. One suspects those advocating for D/s/c faces were more than serious and those advocating for Donald Trump are doing it mostly in jest and as a playful slap at their humorless political opponents. Trump, doubtless, thinks the idea hilarious. Still, its a shame Trump couldnt make it; it would have been yuuuuuuge. 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. Because of the current president and the current composition of Congress, we may never have a better opportunity to eliminate federal funding for illegal aliens in K12 government schools. Many assert that the U.S. Constitution requires the government to provide elementary and secondary education in all circumstances at taxpayer expense to children who are illegal aliens. In support of their assertion, they cite the 1982 United States Supreme Court opinion in Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982). They are wrong. Plyler arose out of a Texas law from 1975 that sought to deny illegal aliens a taxpayer-funded elementary and secondary education. Plyler did not state that illegal aliens are entitled to such an education in all circumstances; it described circumstances under which, presumably, it would be legal for a state to deny illegal aliens a taxpayer-funded elementary and secondary education. Unbelievably, the Supreme Court stated in Plyler that such a circumstance was not present in the record before the court in 1982. However, such circumstances are present now in every state that is burdened with illegal aliens in elementary and secondary public schools. These circumstances are easily proved and would be part of the evidentiary record in any legal action involving an attempt by the federal government or a state to exclude illegal aliens from taxpayer-funded elementary and secondary schools. These circumstances exist when exclusion of illegal aliens from taxpayer-funded elementary and secondary schools is likely to improve the overall quality of education in any government school, make direly limited educational resources available for students who are legally in the country, and eliminate a significant burden on a states economy or that of the United States. Plyler stated that the Equal Protection Clause directs that all persons similarly circumstanced shall be treated alike, but it does not require things which are different in fact or opinion to be treated in law as though they were the same (216). Plyler further recognized that children who are legally here are not similarly situated to children who are illegal aliens because the latter are in violation of federal law a distinction Plyler stated is not a constitutional irrelevancy (223). Plyler held the Texas denial of education under the 1975 law would be constitutional if it furthered some substantial state interest (230). But incredibly, Plyler held that the record in no way supports the claim that exclusion of undocumented children is likely to improve the overall quality of education in the State (229). Plyler also held that the record does not support the claim that the educational resources of the State are so direly limited that the exclusion is a reasonable solution (229, n. 25). Plyler further stated, There is no evidence in the record suggesting that illegal entrants impose any significant burden on the States economy (228). Plyler also recognized that although regulation of immigration is an exclusively federal function, a state is permitted to take action, consistent with federal immigration policy, to protect its economy and ability to provide governmental services from the deleterious effects of a massive influx of illegal aliens. Plyler stated, Although the State has no direct interest in controlling entry into this country, that interest being one reserved by the Constitution to the Federal Government, unchecked unlawful migration might impair the States economy generally, or the States ability to provide some important service. Despite the exclusive federal control of this Nations borders, we cannot conclude that the States are without any power to deter the influx of persons entering the United States against federal law, and whose numbers might have a discernible impact on traditional state concerns. (228, n. 23) Apart from individual states, the federal government would be able to make the showing in court that Plyler stated Texas failed to make in 1982. According to Education Data Initiative, K-12 schools nationwide receive $119.1 billion total or $2,400 per pupil from the federal government. Obviously, some of that money is being spent on illegal alien students. This would easily satisfy the Plyler criteria and allow the federal government to deny illegal aliens a taxpayer-funded elementary and secondary education, without conflicting with Plyler. A new law should be enacted that would cease the federal governments funding of elementary and secondary education for illegal aliens. Once the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the law, which it could to without overruling Plyler, the states would benefit. States would be free to decide for themselves whether they want to continue providing this educational benefit for illegal aliens. Various states may want to, but they should not say that Plyler requires them to. Allan J. Favish is an attorney in Los Angeles. His website is allanfavish.com. James Fernald and Mr. Favish have co-authored a book about what might happen if the government ran Disneyland, entitled Fireworks! If the Government Ran the Fairest Kingdom of Them All (A Very Unauthorized Fantasy). Image: jarmoluk via Pixabay, Pixabay License. If youre an Android smartphone or tablet user, the Google Play Store is your go-to space to download and update your favorite Android apps. The app is great for the most part and receives timely updates from Google to keep it up and running. However, it has troubled users with some annoying errors on many occasions. Well, it seems the Google Play Store is back at it again, as the app is reportedly crashing quite frequently for some Android users. The Google Play Store app is reportedly crashing frequently for some Android users Folks over at 9to5Google first spotted this issue and reported that the Google Play Store app on their Android smartphones and tablets crashed many times when they used it. When the app crashes, it reportedly leaves a Google Play Store keeps stopping error message. The error message reportedly also covers the Hub Mode clock on the Pixel tablet, adding more to the headache. Generally, the system displays this message when an Android app crashes. As the error message pops up, users appear to have no choice but to close the app and relaunch it. It appears to be true in this case well. Apart from crashing, the Google Play Store is apparently working just fine. Per the report, this issue hasnt affected the ability to browse, download, and update apps. Nobody is entirely sure what is causing this issue. But a wild guess could be that the Google Play Store is probably crashing in the background. We can confirm that none of our Android phones and tablets are experiencing this kind of issue. If they do, well update this piece down the line. Google has yet to acknowledge the ongoing issue Its important to note that not all Google Play Store users are experiencing this issue. It could be one of the reasons why we havent heard from Google just yet. However, we expect it to address the issue via an update. If you are also experiencing this issue, sadly, there isnt much you can do about it. However, we recommend clearing the apps cache and force-stopping it from the settings to see if it makes any difference in the meantime. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 could cost the same as their predecessors. This is just a rumor at this point, and it comes from @PandaFlashPro, who shared it via X. Take this information with a grain of salt, though. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 & Flip 7 could cost the same as their predecessors This is not our usual source of Samsung information, and it may be wise to wait for more information. The tipster clearly said that both smartphones will have the same prices again in most markets. Considering that the same thing happened with the Galaxy S25 series, that could be the case with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 too. It could be just a wild guess on his part based on what happened with the Galaxy S25 phones, though, well see. As a reminder, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 launched with a $1,899 price tag, while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 cost $1,099 at launch. So, if this rumor is accurate, those are the price tags you can expect for their successors later this year. We likely wont see major changes from either device A recent report suggested that we wont see any major changes on either of these two smartphones. Samsung will seemingly mimic its plan that it had for the Galaxy S25 series, and focus on software. The company could be waiting for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 in 2026 in order to make some notable changes hardware-wise. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 could end up using a bigger display, though. On top of that, an Exynos SoC could be a part of the equation. Both of these smartphones are expected to arrive later this year. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 were both announced towards the end of July last year. Samsung usually hosts an event in August, but it moved it to July last year. It remains to be seen what will happen this time around. We had gotten used to there only being a handful of major AI models running the show, but things change. Theres a new kid on the block, and his name is DeepSeek. Right now, there are tons of questions going around about this break-out star of the AI world. Well, if you want to know more about DeepSeek, heres a guide on what you need to know about it. This article will be updated as time goes on, so you should feel free to check back every now and then. At the time of writing this piece, new developments are coming at us left and right, so you should expect to see updates to this piece fairly often. Well go over the things you should know and be aware of with this new AI tool. Theres also a crucial bit of information that you should be aware of. What is DeepSeek? First, lets start off with something pretty basic; what the heck is DeepSeek? Well, its a new AI chatbot. Its just like Google Gemini, OpenAI ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, and other chatbots. It gives you text-based responses based on input. Several people have done studies, and they found that its responses can challenge ChatGPTs and Google Geminis. This makes it a pretty big threat to these companies. How long has DeepSeek been around? The company was formed in 2023. It is owned by the Chinese hedge fund named High-Flyer. DeepSeeks founder, Liang Wenfeng, also co-founded High-Flyer. He is the acting CEO. What model currently powers DeepSeek? DeepSeek used the model named DeepSeek-V3. This model has 671 billion total parameters. It also has a context window of 128K, which is far behind the likes of Gemini, but its pretty average compared to other models. Currently, DeepSeek uses the model called R1. This is the model that made waves throughout the AI industry. This model also has 671 billion parameters and a 128K context window. Are there any usage limits? According to a user on Reddit, the DeepSeek website limits you to just 50 messages. However, the company states that there arent any rate limits on the DeepSeek API. This could be because its cheaper to use than many other models on the market. How do I access DeepSeek? There are two main ways to do so. Firstly, you can go to the official DeepSeek website. For mobile users, you can download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. How do I sign up? Signing up for DeepSeek is pretty simple, and its no different from most other services. There are a couple of options. You can either provide your email address or phone number along with a password. The other option is to sign in with your Google account. How much does it cost to use DeepSeek? Nothing. DeepSeek is free to download and use. Does it have a subscription service? For the time being, it does not. How much does it cost to use the DeepSeek API? It has an input cost of $0.55 and an output cost of $2.19 per million tokens. This is better than models like GPT-4o (input:$2.50 output: $10.00) and Gemini 1.5 Pro (input: $1.25 output: $5.00). Is DeepSeek open-source? Yes. This is something that differentiates it from Gemini and OpenAIs GPT models. Is DeepSeek multimodal? In case you dont know, a multimodal model is one that can understand and create multiple forms of media. For example, a model that can generate both images and text is multimodal. Its the same thing for a model that can both understand images and text. DeepSeek R1 is not a multimodal model. However, the company does have a model called Janus Pro. It unveiled this model not too long ago. Janus Pro has the ability to both understand and generate text and images. So, if you want to ask it questions based on an image, you can upload an image as the prompt. Also, you can use it as an image generator just like DALL-E. Janus Pro is the successor to Janus, and the company showed a comparison between the two models. Janus Pro is available to download from the companys Hugging Face page. How does DeepSeek perform? This is one of the most significant aspects of this chatbot. According to an analysis from Artificial Analysis, DeepSeek is a formidable model. In terms of speed, its pretty slow compared to the rest of the competition, but it makes up for it in raw performance. Based on several tests, DeepSeek R1 was able to best OpenAIs GPT-4o in different areas. The graph below shows the quality rating of the top AI models on the market. We see that DeepSeek R1 (89 points) is just one point behind OpenAIs o1 model (90 points), the companys most advanced reasoning model. However, it was able to best o1-mini (84 points), GPT-4o (73 points), and GPT-4o mini (73 points). It was also able to beat our Googles most advanced models Gemini 2.0 Experimental (82 points) and Gemini 1.5 Pro (80 points). The rest of the list is populated by models from Meta, Anthropic, Amazon, and Mistral. The next graph comes from DeepSeeks Github. It shows DeepSeek R1s performance compared to OpenAIs o1, a previous version of R1, and DeepSeek-V3. As you can see, it was able to trade blows with the best that OpenAI has to offer. So, all in all, its no surprise that DeepSeek was able to make such a splash in the AI space. It came out of nowhere and brought a model that should put AI veterans like Google and OpenAI on their toes. Where is DeepSeek available? From what we can tell, DeepSeek is available in the U.S. and China. Were certain its available in other regions as well. Does DeepSeek collect your data? That is a doozy of a question. Honestly, this might be the longest section of this piece. Were not going to sugarcoat this, DeepSeek gathers an absolute TON of information about you AND it stores that data on a server in mainland China. If this is something that you do not want to happen, then we suggest that you do not download or sign up for DeepSeek. The list of information it gathers on you is rather long. DeepSeek directly informs people that it gathers information like: Username Email address Phone number Passwords Payment information Age Proof of identity Uploaded files Text Prompts Chat history Other content you provide, as per the companys privacy page Audio recordings Browser cookies IP addresses The model of the device youre using The operating system of the device youre using Keystroke patterns System language Crash reports Service logs Information about you that it may obtain from advertisers Access tokens from third-party services that you log in with (i.e Google or Apple) Does DeepSeek share your information? Yes. The company explains that it may share your information with advertisers, other entities within its corporate group, and other groups as the result of a merger, change of control, reorganization, financing, sale of assets, or acquisition. This means that, once DeepSeek has your data, theres no telling how many hands it will change along its journey. How long does DeepSeek keep your data? What makes the situation worse is the fact that DeepSeek holds on to your data indefinitely. As per the privacy page, it retains your data for as long as necessary,. This means that your data could be stored on the companys servers for years. At least Google has a hard cut-off date for how long it keeps your data. Does it give your data to advertisers? Yes. The company says so on its privacy policy page. We may share information collected through your use of the Service with our advertising or analytics partners. Information being sold to advertisers is nothing new, but with all of the information that DeepSeek scoops up, it shines a harsh light on the company. Is there a way to opt out of having your data taken? Unfortunately, no. DeepSeek states that some of the information it gathers is taken automatically, so theres no to control it. Also, if you delete your account, the company does not state whether your content will be deleted or if it will live on in the servers. DeepSeek does, however, give you at least SOME control over our data, but its extremely limiting. Through the settings, youre allowed to erase your chat history. Next, you can go to your browser and disable browser cookies. Youll need to do this in your browsers general settings, not on the DeepSeek website. Will DeepSeek be banned in certain countries? At this point, its tough to say. TikTok was nearly booted from the United States because the information it took from users resided in China. We dont know all of the information that TikTok stored, but were sure it wasnt as extreme as DeepSeek. Since DeepSeek is taking so much data from the people who use it, were most certain that some governmental entity will find an issue with it and move to bring legal action. It hasnt happened yet, but this article will be updated if something like that happens. Whats the AI market crash about? At the time of writing this, DeepSeek has had a bit of a rippling effect in the AI company world. Obviously, top AI companies like Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic are wary of the potential completion. However, theres more to this story. As of the time this article comes out (late January 2025), several major tech companies have seen a pretty notable drop in their stock prices. The largest drop happened with Nvidia. In 2024, the company saw a meteoric rise in the stock market as companies bought thousands upon thousands of its chips. It reached an over $2 trillion market value. However, in the wake of DeepSeek, its prices dropped a whopping $596.7 billion in the market in just one day. Nvidia isnt the only company that dropped a bunch in the market. Other companies that lost hard are: Broadcom (Lost $194.9 billion) Oracle (Lost $76 billion) Microsoft (Lost $72.2 billion) Arista Networks (Lost $36.6 billion) Micron Technologies (Lost $14.1 billion) Advanced Micro Devices (Lost $13 billion) Cisco Systems (Lost $13 billion) Amphenol (Lost $11.2 billion) Applied Materials (Lost $10.6 billion) Those are the top 10 biggest losers in the market, including Nvidia. Altogether, those companies lost north of a trillion dollars in market value in one day. Thats a pretty massive drop. Whats the reason for the drop? The thing is that training and maintaining AI models is a costly business. Were not just talking about money, it also eats up energy like its no ones business. This is why companies like Meta and Microsoft are trying to build nuclear plants. However, DeepSeek comes onto the scene with a model that costs a fraction of the money and energy to maintain. Also, its able to run on weaker chips. This crushed the disillusion that powerful AI needed powerful chips, a bunch of money, and a ton of energy to nurture. So, many of the people who were investing in large tech companies like Microsoft and Nvidia lost faith that their money was being put to the right use. Remember, its been able to beat OpenAIs most powerful model on some tests. Many of the people who invested in these companies sold off their stocks, which led to a bit of a crash. As you can imagine, Nvidia was hit the hardest because it was one of the main companies supplying powerful chips to AI companies across the nation. The company to lose the second most value, Broadcom, is a chipmaker as well, and people investing in it also took their dollars elsewhere. Many of the top AI companies in the U.S. have seen a large dip in their stock price and at this point, we dont know how long this is going to go on for. Were sure it wont be long before other companies like Google, OpenAI, Meta, and others start to feel the effects of this. What are DeepSeeks plans going forward? At this point, were not sure what the company is planning. The company does have an API available, so we know that it wants other AI platforms to use its models. As popular as it has become, were sure that numerous services will rise using its API. Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan have signed the Ankara Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to deepening trilateral cooperation in key sectors and addressing regional and global challenges. Azernews reports that the declaration, adopted at the 2nd trilateral meeting of the foreign, trade, and transport ministers of the three countries, includes a comprehensive Action Plan aimed at enhancing connectivity and transport collaboration. Key points of the Ankara Declaration include: A reaffirmation of commitment to expanding cooperation on regional and international issues of common interest. A joint pledge to counter any attempts undermining sovereignty and territorial integrity. A commitment to fully explore potential in key sectors, including economy, trade, investment, logistics, infrastructure, digitalization, environment, and climate change. A call to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of the Middle Corridor. Support for Azerbaijans reconstruction and demining efforts in the liberated Garabagh and East Zangazur regions. Recognition of positive developments in economic, trade, connectivity, and climate cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States. Acknowledgment of Azerbaijans role as the host of COP29 and its presidency in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Emphasis on a unified approach within the framework of the Turkic Development Council (TDC) concerning security and development in Afghanistan to ensure stability in Central Asia. A welcome for the ceasefire declaration in Gaza, calling for its strict implementation and reaffirming support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Ankara Declaration marks a step forward in the strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan, reinforcing their collective vision for economic integration, regional security, and sustainable development. January 28, 2025: Ukraine has been fighting the Russian invaders for three years now. The expensive Russian failure to conquer Ukraine is largely due to Ukrainian ingenuity and innovations. Russia responds but rarely gets ahead. One area where Russia fell behind was drones. Ukraine revolutionized warfare with its many drone-based innovations. Russia tries to keep up but economic sanctions and continuous new drone developments from Ukraine get in the way. By late 2024 Ukraine had come up with another gaggle of drone ideas. The most visually obvious one is the remotely controlled drone swarm. The usual Russian defense is jamming the control signals. The Ukrainian swarm has drones capable of operating independently when jammed and continuing the attack with less accuracy but, because it is a swarm with dozens of drones, some are still going to hit the target. The swarm concept has been tested successfully and the next step is using it against the Russians. Ukrainians are able to modify their tactics and technology quickly, often in hours if all that is involved is a software modification. One new concept that has already been used is First Person View/FPV drones to plant magnetic mines on the edge of a road or trail Russian armored vehicles are headed for. When the armored vehicles show up, all that moving metal activates the magnetic mines, blowing the tracks or wheels off the armored vehicles. Thus immobilized the crews usually bail out and run before another FPV drone with more explosives arrives to finish off the motionless vehicles. Ukraine has developed the Flamingo VB140 anti-drone interceptor, a meter-long, fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft that can operate at altitudes up to 4,500 meters and fifty kilometers from its launch site. Flamingo VB140 will intercept, by crashing into them, any airborne drone in its target list which it encounters. If no targets are found Flamingo VB140 will just fall to the ground when its battery is out of power. Flamingo VB140 is meant to destroy Russian reconnaissance and surveillance drones, especially the Orlan-10, which is the most common Russian recon drone. Introduced in 2011, Orlan-10 is one of few UAVs that Russia developed locally. Orlan-10 is propeller-driven, weighs about 15 kilograms and can carry a payload of up to 6 kilograms of various kinds of recon equipment, including infrared cameras, or an array of multiple cameras used for creating 3-dimensional maps. Its 95-octane gasoline-powered engine provides a cruise speed of 90 to 150 kilometers an hour, a service ceiling of about 5,000 meters, and a flight endurance of 18 hours. Together with control and launch equipment, the Orlan-10 costs about half a million dollars. The aircraft is launched by a portable folding catapult and lands by shutting down the engine and deploying a parachute. Russia has produced over two thousand Orlans so far and they continue to be produced despite the difficulty in obtaining some electronic components. Oran-10s required several Western electronic boards and chips. These components could not be manufactured in Russia and had to be imported. By 2017 it was clear that Russia was not simply using existing stockpiles of now banned components to build new Oran-10s. This was a major problem because Orlan-10 was a key observation asset as it could spot targets for Russian artillery or rocket fire. Oran-10 can operate high enough to be safe from rifle or machine-gun fire and it is difficult for a lightweight anti-aircraft missile like Stinger to hit. At night it is even less vulnerable to ground fire. In Ukraine some Orlan-10s continued to be shot down or crash because of equipment failure. Their wreckage was examined for the presence of banned components and these items were still there. The banned items were common, not custom-manufactured for Orlan-10s. There were dozens of distributors you could order from. Government efforts to sort out which distributors were selling the Oran parts to a firm with a link to Russia have come up empty. Russian forces have lost over a hundred Orlans in Ukraine so far and have replaced these losses because Orlan-10 is their principal means of spotting targets for Russian artillery. Orlan-10s entered were used in Ukraine and Syria before 2022. Russia has recently faced another Ukrainian anti-drone system that involves deploying a net to foul a Russian drones propellers and cause it to crash. As long as the drone delivering the net is cheaper than the Russian drones it takes down, it is a worthwhile system. Ukraine is relying more on drones to intercept relatively slow moving Russian cruise missiles. Most of these cost over $50,000. Bringing them down with drones that cost less than a thousand dollars is how you win wars. Ukraine still receives aid from NATO nations, while the Russian economy is a mess because of three years of sanctions. Russia has used up most of its national cash reserve and building more drones is not at the top of their to-do list, not when the Ukrainian drone destruction efforts have been so successful. Orlan drones are a necessity because reconnaissance and surveillance are essential. Orlans get built first and other types of drones are obtained with whatever cash is left. The Rest Is Politics has been crowned political podcast of the year. The show hosted by Alastair Campbell, former aide to Tony Blair, and ex-Tory MP Rory Stewart won the top prize at the Political Podcasts Awards ceremony in Westminster on Wednesday night. Launched in March 2022, The Rest Is Politics is Britains most popular politics podcast and regularly features in Spotify and Apples overall top 10 rankings for listener numbers. Alastair Campbell, former aide to Tony Blair, co-hosts The Rest Is Politics with Rory Stewart (Ian West/PA) The show is produced by Goalhanger Podcasts, co-founded by Gary Lineker, and normally releases two episodes a week. On Wednesdays, Mr Campbell and Mr Stewart typically discuss UK news and politics and on Thursdays they answer questions from listeners. The judges said the show has truly changed political podcasting in the UK. Former Tory MP Rory Stewart co-hosts The Rest Is Politics with Alastair Campbell Other winners included Sky Newss Electoral Dysfunction, hosted by Labour peer Baroness Harriet Harman, former leader of the Scottish Conservative party Ruth Davidson and journalist Beth Rigby. The trios podcast won best newcomer, and comedy moment of the year for its segment about Boris Johnson forgetting to take his ID to the polling station when he was voting in the local elections last May. Scooping the peoples choice award were former Labour MP Ed Balls and ex-Tory chancellor George Osborne for their podcast Political Currency. The BBC is to air a TV adaption of Anthony Horowitzs Marble Hall Murders novel starring Lesley Manville. The story is the third book in the authors Susan Ryeland murder mystery series, which will be released later this year, with the adaption following series based on its predecessors Moonflower Murders and Magpie Murders. Manville, 68, will return as book editor Susan, with Tim McMullan, 62, returning as literary detective Atticus Pund, after Moonflower Murders was one of the BBCs most watched scripted series last year, with almost five million viewers. The pair previously appeared in Netflix royal drama The Crown, with Manville playing Princess Margaret and McMullan playing bishop Robin Woods. Speaking about the latest adaption, Horowitz, 69, said: Im so happy to bring the team back stars, director, producers, and crew for a third instalment of what has been a fantastically successful TV series. I have a feeling this could be the best yet. The Susan Ryeland trilogy follows the book editor as she finds herself involved with baffling murders, prompting detective Atticus to step out of the novels and help her solve them. The series executive producer, Jill Green, added: Anthony has once again brought his unique and original perspective to the world of murder mystery. Marble Hall Murders completes the trilogy, and the scripts and lead actors are once again at the top of their game. A release date for the series has not been announced, with filming in Dublin, Corfu, and London beginning in March. The series will be made by Eleventh Hour Films in association with Salt Films, while it will be directed by Rebecca Gatward and produced by Suzanne McAuley. Beatrice and husband besotted with tiny and absolutely perfect baby Athena Princess Beatrice has welcomed her tiny and absolutely perfect baby daughter Athena after giving birth several weeks premature. The late Queens granddaughters second child was born a week ago weighing 4lb 5oz and both mother and baby are said to be healthy, doing well and now at home, Buckingham Palace said. Beatrices husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi posted an emotional tribute to his daughter, saying he and the princess were completely besotted with the new arrival, adding our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena. Mr Mapelli Mozzi also thanked the staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London for their exceptional care after Athena Elizabeth Rose her second name a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II arrived several weeks early on January 22. Beatrice, 36, was due to give birth in early spring, and in December received medical advice and was told not to travel long distances. She joined the royal family at church in Sandringham on Christmas Day after changing her travel plans from spending the festive period overseas, with doctors said to have warned that a premature arrival was a possibility. Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi released a photograph of their daughter taken by Mr Mapelli Mozzi, showing Athena with dark hair, wearing a white long-sleeved garment, and wrapped in a pink blanket with her face hidden by her arm. Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Wolfie on Christmas Day after changing their travel plans on medical advice (Aaron Chown/PA) The family is said to be enjoying spending time together at home with Athenas older siblings, three-year-old Sienna, and Mr Mapelli Mozzis son and Beatrices stepson, eight-year-old Wolfie. The couple chose the name Athena because they loved it, rather than any other inspiration. Mr Mapelli Mozzi wrote: We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect. We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her. Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena. Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in the royal box at Wimbledon last summer (Zac Goodwin/PA) He added: A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time. The King and Queen have been informed and are delighted, the Palace said. Athena is the Kings great niece and a new grandchild for the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. Beatrice with her parents the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York at Eugenies wedding in 2018 (Danny Lawson/PA) The duchess wrote on social media that she was overflowing with love and joy. She is already so adored and Im incredibly blessed to be a Granny once again, Sarah said. So proud of Edo, Beatrice and the rest of my little 5-a-side team! Athena is 11th in line to the throne, and also a niece of Beatrices sister Princess Eugenie, who celebrated the news on her Instagram Stories with the post Welcome Baby Girl. Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces. The King and pic.twitter.com/uPYk4bXBRG The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) January 29, 2025 Buckingham Palace announced on Wednesday: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday January 22 at 12.57pm, at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces. Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the royal family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 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 The name Athena is Greek in origin; in ancient mythology, Athena was a goddess of wisdom, war and handicrafts, and a daughter of Zeus. Beatrices older daughter Sienna also has Elizabeth as a middle name in honour of the princesss beloved grandmother the late Queen, who died in 2022. Beatrice married millionaire property tycoon Mr Mapelli Mozzi in a secret lockdown wedding in 2020 attended by her grandparents the Queen and Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, after her planned ceremony was postponed because of the pandemic. Known as Edo, Mr Mapelli Mozzi is the son of former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi and Nikki Williams-Ellis. The princess, who is not a full-time working royal, is an adviser for Afiniti, an artificial intelligence software firm, and a co-founder of The Big Change Charitable Trust. She has a number of royal patronages including the Forget Me Not Childrens Hospice, the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre. Athena is not the first royal baby to be born prematurely. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburghs daughter Lady Louise Windsor was born four weeks early, weighing 4lb 9oz, in 2003, with Sophie rushed by ambulance for an emergency caesarean. Beatrice is not thought to have attended hospital by ambulance. January 28, 2025: In November 2024 there was another outbreak of antisemitism in Europe when pro-Palestinian groups in Amsterdam sought out and attacked Jews, real or suspected, in many parts of the city. Antisemitism is hatred of Jews, who are members of a religious minority of 16 million worldwide compared to 2.4 billion Christians, 1.9 billion Moslems and 1.2 billion Hindus. Radical Palestinians want Israel eliminated and all Jews out of the Middle East. Their motto, From The River To The Sea, aptly describes Palestine replacing Israel. Pro-Palestinian movements have become popular in the West because some Palestinian groups are funded by wealthy Arabs in the Persian Gulf. That money also goes to pro-Palestinian groups in Europe and the United States. This is related to another problem, the plunging Christian population in the Christian holy places of the Middle East, especially places like Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Bethlehem, which for centuries was largely Christian, Arab Christians for the most part, is now only 12 percent Christian. When Israel was founded in 1948, Jerusalem was 15 percent Christian, now it is only 1.2 percent Christian. The decline is not just in the traditional Christian holy places but throughout the Middle East and Moslem countries in general. This is all the result of long standing Islamic disdain for other religions. During the last century that disdain has increasingly turned to violence and outright hatred. Most Christians, and other religious minorities, fled to the West, often the United States. Until a decade ago most Arab Americans were Christian. Iraq is another example. Before Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1990, there were 1.5 million Christians in Iraq. Now there are fewer than 300,000. Many were expelled by Islamic fanatics because they were not Moslem, but there was also Iraqi Moslem hatred of Christians because they were supporters of Saddam. Religious and ethnic minorities are often recruited by tyrants, or foreign invaders, to prop up a dictatorship or colonial rule. When the British took over Iraq, from the Moslem Turks, in the 1920s, they trusted the local Christians, and other religious minorities more than the majority of Moslems for security chores and government jobs in general. The Turks did the same thing but to a lesser extent because the local Christians were also Arabs, and all Arabs resented centuries of rule by the alien Turks. But Iraqis also hated fellow Moslems, mainly the four million strong Sunni Arab minority who supported the Turks and later Sunni Arab dictators like Saddam. A lot of this violence stems from a passage in the Moslem scriptures, which instructs a Moslem man when encountering a non-Moslem to ask the man to convert. If the man refuses, he must be killed. Throughout the Moslem world there is an ancient antipathy against non-Moslems or Moslems who are different from you. The infidels or non-Moslems are seen as potentially disloyal, and what happened in Iraq over the last century just confirms that attitude. Currently you find Moslems attacking Buddhists in Thailand, Jews everywhere, Baha'is in Iran, and Christians in Egypt, Iraq, the Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia, and elsewhere. This is not a sudden and unexpected outburst of Moslem violence against non-Moslems. It is normal and at the root of Islamic terrorism. While this violent behavior represents only a small number of Moslems, it is a large minority of from a few percent of a population to over half depending on the area, and as verified by public opinion polls. Moreover, the majority of Moslems have not been willing, or able, to confront and suppress the Islamic radicals that not only spread death and destruction but also besmirch all Moslems. This reveals a fundamental problem in the Islamic world, the belief that combining righteousness with murderous tactics is often the road to power and spiritual salvation. Throughout history when these tactics were applied to non-Moslems they often failed. The non-Moslems were unfazed by the religious angle and, especially in the last five hundred years, were better able to defeat Islamic violence with even greater violence. Thus, until quite recently, the Moslems fought among themselves and left the infidels out. But after World War II that began to change. During the Lebanese civil war of 1975-1990, Christian and Moslem Arabs fought bitterly over political, cultural, and, ultimately, religious differences. Few realized it at the time but this war was but the first of many between Christians and Moslems in the 20th and 21st centuries. Many of the earliest Moslem converts were former Christians. And many of those that Moslem armies unsuccessfully sought to conquer were Christian. The original Crusades, which modern Moslems portray as Western aggression, were actually a Western attempt to rescue Middle Eastern Christians from several centuries of increasing Islamic terrorism and violence. Islam as a political force was in decline for several centuries until the 1970s. Then things changed and they continue to change. Fueled by oil wealth and access to Western weapons and technology, Islamic radicals saw new opportunities. Islam was again on the march and few have noticed the many places it was turning into religious war with Christians and other non-Moslems. The Middle East still contains many non-Moslems. None have their own country, except for Israel. But Egypt contains five million Copts, native Christians who did not convert to Islam. Similar small Christian communities exist throughout the Middle East, and growing hostility from Moslem neighbors causes many to migrate or get killed. Moslems also have turned their righteous wrath on dissident Moslem sects. The Druze and Alawites are considered by many Moslems as pagans pretending to be Moslems. Similarly, the Shias of Iran and neighboring areas are considered less orthodox, not just for their admitted differences but because many adherents openly practice customs of the pre-Islamic Zoroastrian religion. These differences are less frequently overlooked today. To survive, many Druze have allied themselves with Israel, and most of the recently vanished Syrian governments leadership were Alawites who pretended to be more Shia than they really are. Radicals throughout the Moslem world continue to take advantage of dissatisfaction among the people and recruit terrorists and supporters. To help this process along they invoke the ancient grudges popular among many Moslems. Most of these legends involve Christian violence against Moslems. To most radicals it makes sense to get people agitated over faraway foreigners rather than some strongman nearby who make react violently to their denunciations of them. Most radicals lack the skills, money, patience and ability to carry their struggle to far-off places. So most of the agitation takes place among Moslem populations. Any violent attitudes generated are easily directed at available non-Moslems. The more violence you generate, the more really fanatical fighters are developed. These are the people who are willing to travel to foreign lands and deal with non-believers and kill them for the cause. We call it terrorism; the fanatics call it doing what has to be done, defending Islam with jihad. Not surprisingly Moslems get motivated to do something about Islamic radicalism when the violence comes to their neighborhoods. That's why terror attacks in the West are so popular. The infidels are being attacked without any risk to those living in Moslem countries. Iraq changed all that and during the course of the 2004-7 war the popularity of Islamic terrorism, in Moslem countries, declined sharply because the terrorists were killing so many Moslems. That, in the end, is what has killed, for a while, most Islamic terrorism in Iraq. But this time around it would be nice if the Moslem world got their act together and expunged this malevolent tendency once and for all. Business groups and economists have said Chancellor Rachel Reeves latest plans to grow the economy are welcome, but that measures in the October Budget will still weigh on companies. Ms Reeves announced plans to turn Oxford and Cambridge into Europes Silicon Valley with a raft of housing and infrastructure development in the area. And she said the Government is backing a new third runway at Heathrow Airport, adding that she wants proposals to be be brought forward by the summer. Our Policy Chair @tinamckenz had a great chat with the Chancellor after her much-welcomed speech on economic growth. It sends a strong, confident message that from now on growth comes first exactly what small firms and our economy need. pic.twitter.com/G1AyWAYH0w Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) (@fsb_policy) January 29, 2025 Shevaun Haviland, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the Chancellor has laid down a clear marker and that the plans will make companies sit up and take notice. They can lift the gloom that has settled over the economy and give firms real confidence, she said. She added that the Government must make sure the reality does not fall short of the promise, adding that companies are still struggling with increasing costs from the October Budget. Tina McKenzie, policy chairwoman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said the rallying cry for Government to choose growth is exactly what the economy needs. It sends a strong, confident message that from now on growth comes first, and any barriers to that will be erased. This decision on Heathrow is totemic, and faster action to unblock decisions on infrastructure projects is entirely right. Small firms are the ones who will help us achieve big growth in the areas that need it the most. Our response to the Chancellors speech announcing the Governments Plan for Change https://t.co/N4r2RXh1Uy Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) (@fsb_policy) January 29, 2025 EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the airport expansion would provide consumer and economic benefits, adding that it would allow the airline to operate from the airport at scale for the first time. Dr Mairi Gibbs, boss of Oxford University Innovation, which is owned by the university, praised the plans for the Oxford and Cambridge region, which Ms Reeves said would add 78 billion to the UKs economy by 2035. She said the Chancellor rightly highlights the critical role of innovation and scale-ups in driving Britains economic growth. Ms Reeves also reiterated plans to take on blockers of major projects with new rules coming in the spring to speed up the planning system, saying decisions have previously been too slow and ridiculous. She also pointed to new development schemes in Manchester, Doncaster and other areas to improve transport and infrastructure, including redevelopment of the area around Manchester Uniteds Old Trafford stadium. Stephen Phipson, boss of manufacturers trade body Make UK, said the speech was upbeat and helps inject a much-needed reset into the debate. He said expanding Heathrow Airport is vital if we are to drive economic growth more connectivity with the rest of the world provides British exporters with more markets to sell their goods and drives inward investment to every part of the country. But he said there is a clear contradiction between implementing the new measures while applying a handbrake with those announced in the Budget. Businesses face an increase in national insurance contributions (NICs) in April, which they say could lead to job cuts because of the increased cost of employing people. Steve Perez, chief executive of drinks manufacturer Global Brands, criticised the speech, saying measures in the Budget had disincentivised smaller businesses from investing. On Wednesdays measures, he told PA news agency: This is all big, long-term infrastructure. We need something more immediate. Following the Budget, the Chancellor killed off the goose that lays a golden egg, which is small private family businesses. In short, those who want Britain to be a more prosperous and more dynamic country should cheer on every word. But there are two major caveats.' Read @rcolvile's full verdict on the Chancellor's speech in Oxfordshire this morning https://t.co/zYaI7HJgOZ Centre for Policy Studies (@CPSThinkTank) January 29, 2025 The reservations were echoed by Robert Colville, director of think tank the Centre for Policy Studies, who said that, while the vast bulk of the Chancellors speech was hugely welcome, the Budget had done a huge amount to damage economic growth. Karim Fatehi, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that, while the Heathrow plan is much needed, he is concerned that Budget measures like the increase in NICs are casting a shadow over our economy. He added: If growth is to extend to all corners of our economy, we must see policies introduced swiftly to mitigate them. Tom Clougherty, executive director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said the Chancellor should be applauded for the policies but the challenge now is to make sure that rhetoric becomes reality. A Chinese PhD student accused of drugging and raping 10 women appears to be a smart and charming young man but is in fact a persistent sexual predator, a voyeur and a rapist, a jury has been told. Zhenhao Zou, 27, appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday to face prosecution claims that he filmed himself raping nine of the women to keep the footage as souvenirs. He denies 11 counts of rape as well as three counts of voyeurism, 12 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and eight of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply. The student, who moved to Belfast in 2017 to study at Queens University before coming to London in 2019 to do a masters degree and then a PhD at UCL, denies all the charges. He is accused of raping the women between September 2019 and May 2023, while he was studying in London. Opening the prosecution case on Wednesday, Catherine Farrelly KC told jurors: To the outside world, he undoubtedly presents as a smart and charming young man. However, as you know from the indictment in this case, the document which contains 35 separate criminal allegations against him, the prosecution say that he is also a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist. The prosecution case at this trial is that he would meet women, he would stupefy them, either with drink or drugs, and, once they were significantly under the influence of those drinks or drugs, he would then rape them. Often, he would record himself doing so and during this trial, you will be shown several recordings which the prosecution says are the defendants souvenirs of many rapes that he had committed. Items that he kept for his own private sexual gratification so that he could watch, at his leisure, his rapes of these women, who he had rendered often unconscious and totally vulnerable to his will. Zou sat in the dock wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt, and navy blue tie as the prosecution case opened. Police have identified two of the alleged victims but not the remaining eight, the court was told. Ms Farrelly told the jury that one of the identified women contacted police in May 2023 to claim that he had raped her after not allowing her to leave his flat in Elephant and Castle, south-east London. She did not pursue the allegation at that point but later, in February 2024, investigators found a social media post in which the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave her account of what had happened. The trial is taking place at Inner London Crown Court (John Stillwell/PA) When contacted by detectives, the alleged victim told them that on May 18 2023 Zou invited her to his friends flat for a drink, and then back to his apartment. They were drinking wine together but she began to find him odd and boring and wanted to leave, but he would not let her go, the court heard. She said she was crying on the floor, and when she tried to run away he dragged her back by her clothes, before pushing her to drink a big glass of vodka. She told him that she didnt want the vodka and she just wanted to leave but he told her that she had to stay, Ms Farrelly told the court. The woman claims that he raped her while she was unconscious. Police found video footage of the alleged attack and graphic photographs of the alleged victim in Zous possession, the jury was told. The second alleged victim who has been identified by police, got in contact with the first woman in response to social media posts she had made on LittleRedBook and WeChat giving her account of what had happened. She had consensual sex with Zou on one occasion in September 2021 then, the following month after a dinner with friends, she found herself alone with him in the street in Chinatown and remembers vomiting. Her next memory is Zou allegedly raping her at his flat. She told police that she had asked him to stop before she lost consciousness. It is claimed that Zou had video recordings of him raping a number of other women while they were unconscious and unable to consent. Footage shows two of them telling him to stop as they struggle to stay awake, it is claimed, with the student telling one of them: The sound insulation here is very good. Zou will argue that the sexual interactions were consensual, that drugs and alcohol were consumed by the women voluntarily, and that some of the footage captured involved role playing, the judge told jurors. It is the prosecution case that Zou had the drugs MDMA, ketamine, butanediol and alprazolam that he could covertly use by slipping them into a drink to stupefy his victims so that he could rape them. Zou denies possessing MDMA or ketamine, and says the butanediol and alprazolam were for personal use. His trial continues on Thursday. David Tennant and Toby Jones are to star in a new ITV drama about phone hacking. Doctor Who actor Tennant, 53, will play investigative journalist Nick Davies, who uncovered evidence of phone hacking at the News Of The World and went on to write an award-winning book about it. The scandal led to the newspapers closure in 2011 and since then News Group Newspapers (NGN) has settled a number of damages claims from high-profile figures concerning unlawful information-gathering. Most recently, the Duke of Sussex settled his legal action against the publisher of The Sun and received an apology from NGN. David Tennant and Toby Jones (ITV/PA) In The Hack, Detectorists star Jones will play Alan Rusbridger, former editor-in-chief of The Guardian, which covered the story in depth, while Scottish actor Robert Carlyle will star as former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook. Jones, 58, won an award at the National Television Awards last year for his role in ITV drama, Mr Bates Versus The Post Office, which renewed attention on the subpostmasters who were wrongly prosecuted during the Horizon IT scandal. Set between 2002 and 2012, the new seven-part series interweaves two real-life stories, the work of journalist Davies (Tennant), and the investigation into the unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan, led by former Met Police detective Cook (Carlyle). Mr Morgan, a 37-year-old father-of-two, was killed with an axe in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London, on March 10 1987. Former editor-in-chief of the Guardian Alan Rusbridger (Ian West/PA) His brother, Alastair, claimed the News Of The World had followed and spied on Mr Cook during his inquiries into the death. A string of inquiries over the decades have unearthed allegations of corruption and led to accusations the Met put its reputation above finding the killer. The new drama has been directed by Sherwoods Lewis Arnold and written by Jack Thorne who also executive produces alongside Joe Williams and Patrick Spence, who both executive produced Mr Bates. Abi Bach is the series producer. Toby Jones celebrating winning an award at the National Television Awards (Ian West/PA) Thorne said: This is a strange and deceptive piece of our recent history. One with so many layers to it. I thought, as someone who is interested in politics, I understood everything that happened. I did not. Its a fight for the truth that really shocked me. That is why it matters to tell this story now in an age where the truth seems more in danger than ever. It is a true honour to be bringing this story to the screen alongside David, Robert, Toby, Lewis, Patrick, Joe and Abi. I hope we find a way to do justice to the complexity of what happened and of celebrating the incredible reporting that sits underneath it. ITV director of drama, Polly Hill, said: I am very proud to be making this important drama with Patrick Spence, Jack Thorne and Lewis Arnold. They are a brilliant team and the perfect people to bring this story to screen. And its testament to them that we have such an incredible cast led by David Tennant, Robert Carlyle and Toby Jones. Annalisa Dinnella has written one of the episodes and is co-writing two of the episodes with Thorne. The Hack will air on ITV and STV and be available for streaming on ITVX and STV Player. The series is currently in post-production having filmed during 2024. The late Twin Peaks director David Lynch is to be honoured with the 2025 Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement. Lynch, who also directed Blue Velvet (1986), Mulholland Drive (2001) and Eraserhead (1977), had accepted the award in late 2024 prior to his death aged 78 earlier this month. The award is given to members of the guild who have advanced the literature of motion pictures and made outstanding contributions to the profession of the screenwriter. The director recently died aged 78 (Anthony Harvey/PA) WGAW president Meredith Stiehm said of the director: Writer-director David Lynchs uncompromising vision pushed the boundaries of filmmaking, were proud to honour him and his legacy. The award will be presented by Kyle MacLachlan, who starred in Lynchs Blue Velvet, Dune (1984), and Twin Peaks, at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles on February 15. Past recipients of the award include Oliver Stone, Nancy Meyers, Charlie Kaufman and Eric Roth. During his career Lynch had been Oscar-nominated four times, including two nods for The Elephant Man (1980) for directing and adapted screenplay, and two more directing nominations for Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. In 2019 he received an honorary Academy Award, which recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry but have not won an Oscar. The award comes after Lynchs children honoured him with a worldwide group meditation for 10 minutes on January 20, which would have been his 79th birthday. Drivers and riders could be fined for parking cars, e-bikes and e-scooters on pavements under a potential law put forward by a Labour MP. Marsha de Cordova, who is registered blind, said pedestrians were at risk of being injured as people are often forced into the road to navigate the obstacles. Ms de Cordova told the House of Commons 95% of people with sight loss have had to walk in the road due to vehicles parked on pavements. Marsha de Cordova, pictured during a speech in the House of Commons in 2023, said the problem stops people from getting to work, school and socialising (Jessica Taylor/PA) The figure rose to 99% for people in wheelchairs and riding mobility scooters. MPs heard wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, and those with visual impairment were among those affected by the problem. The Battersea MP is calling for existing laws in London that give councils the power to take action against drivers and cyclists to be rolled out across the rest of England. A similar policy has already been introduced in Scotland. Transport policy is devolved in Wales and Northern Ireland. An existing law against parking cars on public paths has been in place since 1980, but requires the police to enforce it. Introducing her Ten Minute Rule Bill, Ms de Cordova said: Pavement parking prevents many people from living their lives, from working, from socialising, from taking their children to school or getting to that vital appointment, and that has to change. She added: Between the lack of a clear definition of what constitutes an obstruction, and the lack of police resources, relying on police enforcement has not proven effective. There is a clear need for a law that brings the rest of England in line with London and Scotland. Councils needs to be empowered to take action as they know their areas best. This Bill would give them the flexibility to create limited exemptions in response to consultation with their local areas and communities. She continued: We have clear evidence that laws like this can, and do work, and I urge the house to support this Bill. She said the problem of deserted dockless e-bikes and e-scooters was also causing a problem, as schemes have grown ever popular in cities including London, Greater Manchester and Nottingham. The Government announced potential new powers for local authorities in the English Devolution White Paper last year which would allow them to regulate the schemes. While we should commend progress made on pavement parking in London, increasingly we are seeing abandoned rental e-scooters and e-bikes obstructive pavements. This remains a problem in my Battersea constituency, she said. The Bill would increase the power of local authorities to introduce penalties for operators and riders of e-bikes and e-scooters left on pavements. The previous Conservative government opened a consultation on stopping pavement parking in 2020, however ministers did not publish its findings. I welcome the minister for the future of roads (Lilian Greenwood) commitment that this Government is looking at all options and will come forward with a response to the consultation in due course and I look forward to working with her on that, Ms de Cordova said. The proposed legislation will be debated at its second reading on May 16. A stronger economy is likely to make little difference to the poorest UK households unless there is targeted support to tackle poverty, a report has warned. Anti-poverty charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said it is deeply unjust to expect struggling families to wait for wider economic growth, and re-emphasised its plea for the two-child limit on benefits to be scrapped. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously indicated he would like to scrap the limit but that the Government cannot currently afford to do so, and has repeatedly stressed the focus on growing the economy. According to its analysis of Office for Budget Responsibility and Bank of England forecasts, levels of poverty and deep poverty will remain broadly flat for the next four years without additional action from the Government. It warned poverty levels could even rise if economic growth is not accompanied by employment growth. According to its modelling, the JRF said none of the nine English regions are likely to see a fall in child poverty over the four years to January 2029, with five regions East Midlands, South West, South East, East of England, and Yorkshire and the Humber even possibly seeing rises. The JRFs report, published on Wednesday, stated: It is almost certain that economic stability is necessary to sustainably reduce poverty. However, economic growth on its own wont reduce poverty, and it is deeply unjust to force families to wait for economic growth before they feel their situation improve, especially given the picture of deepening poverty. The latest official statistics, released last year, showed the estimated total number of people in relative low income in the UK was at 14.35 million in the year to March 2023, with some 4.33 million of those being children. The figure for children was the highest since comparable records for the UK began in 2002/03. A household is considered to be in relative poverty if it is below 60% of the median income after housing costs. The JRF said the figures equate to around two in every 10 adults and three in every 10 children being in poverty. Child poverty rates are highest in England (30%) and Wales (29%), compared with Scotland (24%) and Northern Ireland (23%). The JRF analysis suggested the lower level in Scotland is likely to do with the Scottish Child Payment a benefit paid to low-income families with children in Scotland and noted the government north of the border had pledged to end the two-child cap on some benefits. The charity said its analysis showed only child poverty rates in Scotland would likely fall further by 2029. While lower average housing costs in Scotland and Northern Ireland were previously thought to drive lower poverty rates in the two nations, the JRF said its analysis looked at poverty before housing costs are taken into account and found Scotland still likely to have continued lower levels. It said this highlights the effect benefits can have in reducing poverty. The charity said while the new Labour Government had, as part of its October Budget, taken some steps around universal credit, boosted the national living wage, and increased investment in social housing, these were timid moves and fall a long way short of what is required to deliver the scale of change needed. The JRF said the Governments child poverty strategy, expected in spring, must abolish the two-child limit on benefits and introduce a protected minimum amount of support to universal credit to ensure households can afford the essentials. Paul Kissack, JRF chief executive, said for the strategy to be credible it must include policies that rebuild the tattered social security system. He said: Child poverty will only be driven down through focused, deliberate and determined policy action. Even very strong economic growth wont automatically change the picture. Policy action must start with the system designed to help people meet their costs of living social security. At the moment, that system is not only failing to do its job but, worse, actively pushing some people into deeper poverty, through cruel limits and caps. The report noted levels of poverty in working households, with 71% of children in poverty in a household where at least one adult worked, while just over half (52%) were in a family where at least one adult was working full-time. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said: Every worker deserves to earn a decent living. But many working households are struggling to keep their heads above water. This is unacceptable. Working people should be able to put food on the table for their families and keep their children warm during the winter. The unions general secretary Paul Nowak said: Better work is crucial for ending child poverty, but decent social security matters too. The Government must remove the two-child benefit cap which is keeping too many children in working households in poverty. A Government spokesperson said: No child should be in poverty thats why our ministerial taskforce is exploring all levers available across government to give children across the United Kingdom the best start in life, while our Plan for Change will raise living standards across the country. As we fix the foundations of the economy, were increasing the Living Wage, uprating benefits and supporting 700,000 of the poorest families with children by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions to help low-income families and make everyone better off. Security experts are urging people to be cautious if considering using emerging AI chatbot DeepSeek because of the apps links to China and the potential implications for personal data. The chatbot has upended the AI market with its emergence as a rival to the likes of ChatGPT and OpenAI, despite having been apparently developed for a fraction of the budget of its big US rivals. However, some experts have raised concerns about using the app because DeepSeek is based in China, and there could be risks to data privacy as a result. A number of major Chinese firms and technologies have found themselves sanctioned in recent years most notably Huawei and TikTok because of fears of data being harvested by the Chinese government for intelligence purposes. The US has already announced it is examining potential national security risks around DeepSeek. Bill Conner, chief executive of automation firm Jitterbit, and a former security adviser to UK and US governments, said DeepSeek represents a clear risk to any enterprise whose leadership values data privacy, security and transparency. Proactive and privacy-minded enterprises should do strict due diligence with all large language models (LLMs) and AI services, not just DeepSeek, he said. But in this case, and as stated in their own privacy policy, DeepSeek is a shared cloud service run in China with data being stored in China potentially introducing unknown risks to data privacy, compliance mandates and security controls. Industry analysts at Forrester echoed this concerns, with several of its experts noting in a joint blog post that DeepSeeks privacy policy acknowledged the app collected user data and could share it with public authorities at its discretion. The massive downloads of DeepSeek mean that thousands and even millions of users are experimenting and uploading what could be sensitive information into the app, the analysts said. According to its privacy policy, DeepSeek explicitly says it can collect your text or audio input, prompt, uploaded files, feedback, chat history, or other content and use it for training purposes. It also states it can share this information with law enforcement agencies and public authorities at its discretion. Educate and inform your employees on the ramifications of using this technology and inputting personal and company information into it. Professor Allen Tucker, professor of artificial intelligence and head of the intelligent data analysis group at Brunel University of London, said AI chatbots in general should be approached with caution. Both have been designed with no use-case in mind. They are essentially toys to make people go wow rather than solve any genuine problem, he said. Comparing DeepSeek with market leader ChatGPT, Professor Tucker added: They are also both deeply embedded in their countries politics and therefore need to be treated with a great deal of caution try asking either of them about controversial topics and they will cover up, change topics or shut down the conversation. Flog It! antiques expert Michael Baggott has died age 51 in hospital following a heart attack. A statement posted to his social media pages announced he had died after having a stroke in October. He was a dearly loved son, brother, nephew and uncle who will be deeply and profoundly missed, it added. Baggott brought his wealth of knowledge on collectables to BBC antiques-selling show Flog It!, with a speciality in silver and spoons. His interest in antiques began in his early years, and he progressed to work in Christies auction house and was head of silver at Sothebys Billingshurst for a number of years. He went on to work as a private consultant in antique silver and carried out research into provincial British silver. Baggott was also a published author, having written An Illustrated Guide To York Hallmarks 1776-1858 and As Found: A Lifetime In Antiques. The head of BBC daytime and early peak commissioning, Rob Unsworth, said he was deeply saddened to hear of Baggotts death, describing him as one of Flog Its most memorable characters. He added that Baggott was an expert in all manner of collectables but in particular with unrivalled knowledge and enthusiasm for antique spoons and silver. He said: Though the series hasnt been in production for several years, we hope Michaels family can take comfort from how much viewers have continued to enjoy his appearances on this ever-popular show. Auctioneer Charles Hanson, who has appeared on Flog It! and owns Hansons Auctioneers, hailed Baggott as a giant of our antique industry. He recalled how Baggott was never afraid to call out an expert when they were wrong, including himself. Michaels thirst for knowledge for the object within merited far more TV time too for a true and proper expert, he added. The announcement post confirmed a memorial service will be held for Baggott in the coming weeks. Flog It! ended in 2020 after first airing on BBC in 2002. A former US government adviser who flew to the UK to rape who he believed to be a nine-year-old child has been jailed, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said. Rahamim Shy, 47, travelled to Bedfordshire from New York in February last year to have sex with the girl after more than a month of planning involving messages with an individual posing as a woman called Debbie, the girls grandmother. Unbeknown to Shy, who previously worked as a senior adviser for Pakistan and Afghanistan during the Obama administration, Debbie was in fact an undercover Bedfordshire police officer and the child did not exist. Police found cuddly toys and condoms in Shys luggage (CPS{PA) Shy, of Jersey City in New Jersey, was found guilty of arranging the commission of a child sex offence, namely rape, and possessing indecent photographs of a child, at Luton Crown Court on Wednesday, the CPS said. Using an online forum and messaging apps, Shy described in detail disturbing acts he wanted to do to the girl and said he was prepared to travel to England to do so. He described the childs age of nine as a tad late to start sexual activity, and said it was an honour to be considered her first. Shy, an international investment banker, flew from the US to Gatwick Airport on February 23 2024 before driving to Bedford where he met the undercover officer and was arrested. Upon arrest, officers found cuddly toys and condoms in his luggage which the prosecution argued demonstrated a clear intent to win the child over before abusing her. At court, the jury heard bad character evidence from Shys phone including indecent images of children and messages in which he discussed his sexual interest in children. He was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison on Wednesday. Lorraine Telford, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: Rahamim Shy is a predator who was fully prepared to commit unspeakable acts against a child for his own sexual gratification. It was clear from his explicit conversations and items he brought to England that he had only one intention, to commit rape against what he knew was a vulnerable child. The fact the child in this case did not exist makes no difference, and it is a credit to the police operation and subsequent prosecution that Shy will no longer pose an immediate threat. Before the trial, the defence argued that because Shy was in the US at the time of the messaging, he was jurisdictionally exempt from prosecution, the CPS said. However, the prosecution successfully argued that English courts have the jurisdiction to try offences committed abroad that are intended to result in criminal offences in England. He was found not guilty of possessing a prohibited image of a child. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has given her support for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. In a speech in Oxfordshire on growth, she said the west London airports expansion is badly needed because for decades its growth has been constrained. Heathrows plan to build a third runway received parliamentary approval in June 2018, but has been delayed by legal challenges and the coronavirus pandemic. The airport needs to secure approval for a Development Consent Order to go ahead with the project. (PA Graphics) Ms Reeves said: I can confirm today that this Government supports a third runway at Heathrow and is inviting proposals to be brought forward by the summer. We will then take forward a full assessment through the Airports National Policy Statement. This will ensure that the project is value for money and our clear expectation is that any associated service transport costs will be financed through private funding. It will ensure that a third runway is delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate objectives. Mr Reeves said that by backing a third runway at Heathrow we can make Britain the worlds best-connected place to do business. That is what it takes to make decisions in the national interest and that is what I mean by going further and faster to kick-start economic growth, she added. Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye described the Chancellors speech as the bold, responsible vision the UK needs to thrive in the 21st century. He went on: It has given us the confidence to confirm our continued support for expanding Heathrow. Successfully delivering the project at pace requires policy change particularly around necessary airspace modernisation and making the regulatory model fit for purpose. We will now work with the Government on the expected planning reform and support ministers to deliver the changes which will set us on track to securing planning permission before the end of this Parliament. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said backing a third runway at Heathrow can help make Britain the worlds best-connected place to do business (Peter Cziborra/PA) The scheme would involve around seven years of construction to produce a third runway and a new terminal. It would also require more than 700 houses to be demolished and the M25 motorway to be moved into a tunnel. Environmental groups have expressed major concerns over the impact of airport expansion on climate change. Bob Ward, from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, said airport expansion should not proceed until the Government shows exactly how it will be compatible with the UKs carbon budgets and net zero target. Friends of the Earths head of campaigns, Rosie Downes, warned that giving the go-ahead to airport expansion while relying on new technology such as sustainable aviation fuels would be a reckless gamble. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Units Colin Walker warned that the pathway to net zero already relies on sustainable fuels, and a third runway will increase emissions way beyond the capacity of these fuels to offset them. London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said he remains opposed to Heathrow expansion because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets. He added: Despite the progress thats been made in the aviation sector to make it more sustainable, Im simply not convinced that you can have hundreds of thousands of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment. Asked if Sir Sadiqs opposition makes him a blocker, a Labour spokesman said: No, we agree with the Mayor of London that growth must come hand in hand with our climate obligations, and thats why the Chancellor set out that we support a third runway. That will be in line with our climate obligations and we look forward to working closely with the mayor throughout the process. International Airlines Group, owner of British Airways which operates the most flights from Heathrow said in a statement that it welcomes Ms Reeves announcement, but noted that Heathrow is the most expensive airport in the world and we look forward to working with the Government, the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) and Heathrow on fixing this for consumers. Kenton Jarvis, chief executive of easyJet, which has no flights from Heathrow, said a third runway would create a unique opportunity for easyJet to operate from the airport at scale for the first time. CAA chief executive Rob Bishton said it is important for the sector to remain safe and grow in a responsible way. January 29, 2025: As much as China wants to conquer Taiwan and absorb the tiny Island state and its 24 million people, that is not likely to happen even though China has 1.2 billion people and the largest navy in the world. China lacks the experience to carry out such an operation and the Americans have pledged to aid in the defense of Taiwan. This is nothing new. Twenty five years ago China was making plans to capture Taiwan. Back then China was very open in telling the world that it wanted Taiwan to be part of China again. A lot of this was pure nationalism, but the fact that Taiwan is one of the most advanced industrialized nations in the world also had something to do with it. Taiwan, a thriving democracy that has ruled itself for fifty years, has refused all offers of voluntary reunification. So what is China up to? Quite a lot, it turns out. When China fired missiles into the waters off Taiwan, that made the news. Most of China's bellicose press releases got some play as well. There were news reports about the missile bases being built on the Chinese coast opposite Taiwan, as well as the new warplanes bought from Russia and the additional air bases and anti-aircraft units established near Taiwan. China was building nuclear submarines and new surface warships. The army and air force were training more frequently. What you didn't hear much about was the diplomatic campaign China pursued. For years, China was using bribes and threats to get nations to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Until quite recently, Taiwan claimed to be the legitimate government of China. Many nations went along with this, as China was a bankrupt totalitarian state until economic reforms in the 1980s 1990s industrialized China for the first time ever. Once China began to grow economically, it offered lucrative trade deals, as well as outright bribes, to get nations to cut off diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Why go to all this trouble? Well, if you are going to try and conquer Taiwan, you don't want a lot of commotion worldwide by nations upset with this naked aggression. If you have most of the world's nations agreeing with you that Taiwan is not an independent nation, but rather a renegade province, then there won't be much support for American intervention. America has always been the major obstacle to China's trying to take Taiwan by force. China's diplomatic campaign to isolate Taiwan makes it more likely that America would have to go it alone in defending Taiwan. And China is well aware that U.S. policy has increasingly been one of only undertaking military action with a lot of allies along for the ride (even if American troops are doing most of the work). China also makes no secret of its increasingly capable weapons. China bluntly announced that it now had nuclear missiles that could reach the western U.S. Or, as one Chinese general was heard saying (openly), "does America want to trade Los Angeles for Taiwan?" We'll never know if the threat is real, but the mere existence of such a threat creates a debate in America if China ever does move on Taiwan. This could slow down the American military response, and that might make the difference between victory and defeat. China has been using its diplomatic weapon in other ways. Fences have been mended with neighbors and trade increased. While treaties with neighbors are nice, what really keeps them on your side is the fear of losing trade deals. Local unemployment is more important than missiles falling on Taiwan. Vietnam, both Koreas, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Russia have all been schmoozed, bribed and encouraged to be nice to China, and ignore anything that might happen in Taiwan. And then there are the Taiwanese themselves. There is a small minority that would like to be part of China again. But some 80 percent of the population wants nothing to do with unification, at least as long as the communist party is still running China. And most of those, mainly the ethnic Taiwanese, want nothing to do with China, ever. That's another point the Chinese take great pains to avoid, that before the defeated Nationalists descended on the island in the late 1940s, Taiwan was populated by a separate ethnic group. And these people still comprise the majority of the population. Taiwan is a democracy, and the ethnic Taiwanese want nothing to do with the Chinese. And they have a case. For most of the last few thousand years, China has largely ignored Taiwan and left it to fend for itself. The Taiwanese never had much chance to be Chinese, because they were only part of China now and then when the Chinese forced their way in for one reason or another. But the Chinese have addressed that problem as well by offering a carrot and a stick. The carrot is Hong Kong, where the Chinese have largely kept their pledge to allow local customs and government once Chinese rule replaced the British. The stick is the threat of a destructive military campaign to retake the island. Even if the Chinese fail, much of Taiwan's wealth would be destroyed, and many of its inhabitants killed or injured. So the implicit offer is; become Chinese and little will change. Refuse us and we will destroy all that you hold dear. While on the surface it appears that the Chinese have established a perfect plan for taking back Taiwan, one must not forget what the Taiwanese are doing to avoid this, and the emerging US strategy of blockading China to force it give Taiwan back if they ever do take it or, better, to destroy the Chinese Communist Party outright. Taiwan is a major economic power, particularly in electronics. Despite Chinese threats to trash the place, Taiwan has convinced some of its customers that Taiwan can defend itself. Lately, Taiwan has been making noises about creating a nuclear deterrent. Taiwan is one of those nations that possesses all the resources and skills to design and build its own nuclear weapons. Longer term, many Taiwanese believe that democracy will soon come to China, a process that they have convinced themselves the communists have unleashed and even encouraged. Once China is democratic, it is felt that an economic, and then political, union can be worked out. But for many Chinese leaders, it has become a matter of personal, and national pride to take back Taiwan sooner, rather than later. That was in 2000, now its 2025 and China still threaten and plans to take Taiwan by force. Though in 2023 Chinese President Xi made the awful discovery that his underlings had stolen the money which was supposed to have been spent on developing the military means of conquering Taiwan. It will take years more to fix this disaster, assuming that is even possible. Back then Taiwan announced that it was developing missiles and electronic devices to defeat the increasing number of modern weapons purportedly being acquired by China. Taiwan has increased its inventory of weapons since 2000. Taiwan also realized that what made them safe from Chinese attack was the high risk of failure and the realization that even if China did take Taiwan they would be confronted with massive disruption to their economy and economic sanctions imposed by the major trading nations, especially the United States. Chinese forces have not been in a war since 1953, and that was a ground war in Korea that ended in a stalemate. China suffered over half a million casualties. In 1979 there was a brief battle on the Vietnamese border and the battle-hardened Vietnamese repulsed a Chinese attack. China suffered over 20,000 casualties, declared victory and lost all interest in fighting the Vietnamese again. Getting beaten trying to invade Vietnam was survivable. A failed invasion of Taiwan would losses of ships, aircraft, lots of military personnel and any doubts that China is not ready to wage a modern war. Better to threaten Taiwan with a potential invasion that to try to invade and reveal how weak the Chinese military actually is. Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave her support on Wednesday for expansion of Heathrow airport. Here are answers to 14 key questions on the third runway project. Heathrow is one of the worlds busiest two-runway airports (Steve Parsons/PA) How busy is Heathrow? Heathrow is one of the worlds busiest two-runway airports, with planes taking off or landing up to every 45 seconds. Is Heathrow full? To increase passenger numbers under the current set-up, airlines must either use larger planes or increase the proportion of seats filled. Heathrow forecasts it will serve 84.2 million passengers this year, an increase of just 0.4% from the 83.9 million last year. Why does Heathrow want to expand? Building a third runway would create extra capacity which could be used to increase flight numbers and boost resilience during disruption. What would be the environmental impact of expansion? Planes emit CO2 when they burn jet fuel, which contributes to global warming. Climate and energy website Carbon Brief says a forest twice the size of London would need to be planted in the UK to cancel out the extra CO2 emissions from expansion of Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton Airports. An increase in flights could lead to more noise for communities near Heathrow (Steve Parsons/PA) What about the specific impact on local residents? Campaigners say airport expansion would lead to a severe increase in aircraft noise experienced by local communities. What is the UKs target for reducing aviation emissions? To reach net zero for CO2 by 2050. How does it hope to achieve this? The aviation sector is largely relying on the development of sustainable aviation fuels to reduce CO2 emissions. It is also developing aircraft powered by electricity and hydrogen, although the large-scale commercial use of these technologies remains a long way off. A plane flies past a Stop Heathrow Expansion sign near the airport (Jonathan Brady/PA) What do climate experts say about airport expansion? Independent advisers on the Governments Climate Change Committee recommend there should be no net airport expansion across the UK. How much will a third runway at Heathrow cost? Heathrow said in 2018 that it could complete the project for 14 billion. Who will pay for it? Generally, anything within the boundary of Heathrow will be privately financed by the airports owners. The airport will seek to recoup this money through fees paid by airlines, which have expressed concerns about being charged too much. A major modification of the M25 motorway is likely to be required if a third runway is built (Alamy/PA) Will any taxpayers money be used? Heathrow previously said there would need to be a discussion with the Government over how to pay for the extensive road and rail improvements away from the airport that will be required. A report by the independent Airports Commission in 2015 estimated that surface access projects such as changes to the M25 and M4 motorways, as well as a new rail link would cost 5 billion. Addressing the issue on Wednesday, Ms Reeves said: Our clear expectation is that any associated surface transport costs will be financed through private funding. When could the runway open? No timeline has been set out, but it is likely to be well into the 2030s before a third runway could be operational. How many more flights will be possible with a new runway? Heathrows current maximum annual number of flights is around 475,000. A third runway could enable it to reach around 740,000 flights a year. Where would the new flights go to? In addition to more long-haul routes, Heathrow previously proposed that flights to domestic airports such as Belfast International, Liverpool, Humberside, Prestwick and Durham Tees Valley could operate if its capacity is increased. Actor Jim Broadbent has said he knew Renee Zellweger was a special actress from her first rehearsal as Bridget Jones. The 75-year-old, who plays Bridgets father Colin Jones in the series, was speaking to the PA news agency at Wednesdays London world premiere of the franchises fourth and final film, Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy. Speaking about reuniting with Zellweger, Broadbent told PA: Shes just brilliant, absolutely, from the word go on the first film I thought, this is really an especially talented woman, and really clever, and funny, and delightful to be with. From the first day rehearsal, I thought oh here we go, this is different, shes different, special. Two-time Oscar winner Zellweger, 55, will return as Bridget after the character has been a widow for four years, following the death of her husband Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) while on a humanitarian mission in Sudan. The film follows her struggles with grief and return to the dating scene, which sees her try the apps in an attempt to find love again, eventually finding a younger man in Roxter (Leo Woodall). Jim Broadbent at the Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy world premiere (Yui Mok/PA) Sarah Solemani, who plays reporter Bridgets friend and work colleague Miranda, told PA she hoped the film would help people struggling with grief in real life. The 42-year-old said: Grief runs deep, and anyone whos ever experienced it will know that it feels like youll never be happy again. And the film reminds anyone whos had grief that if you just keep going, theres love on the other end, and you can love again, even with great loss, we all need to be reminded. Speaking about her character, Solemani added: Her role in life is to make sure that Bridget has fun, gets laid, feels joy and has a good time, and she commits to that, kind of. Hugh Grant was forced to keep a straight face while Sarah Solemani licked him during the premiere (Yui Mok/PA) The actress also prompted laughs at the Leicester Square premiere when she attempted to lick actor Hugh Grant, who plays Bridgets former lover Daniel Cleaver, while he kept a straight face. Director Michael Morris described the film as a comedy of grief. He told PA: This is about someone who is a joyful, optimistic, upbeat person, always has been, whos gone through something that is all too familiar to so many of us. And I think watching Bridget cope, and watching Bridget rediscover her life and all of that is the journey. The series began life as an anonymous column called Bridget Joness Diary in newspaper The Independent in 1995, written by Helen Fielding, intended to appear as an actual personal diary of a single woman in her 30s. It spawned four novels. The three previous Bridget Jones film adaptions, Bridget Joness Diary (2001), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) and Bridget Joness Baby (2016), have earned more than 640 million worldwide. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy will be released in UK cinemas on Friday, February 14. Johnny Herbert has left his role as a Formula One driver steward, the FIA has announced. The governing body said it had been mutually agreed Herberts work as a steward was incompatible with his job as a media pundit. Herbert attracted criticism from Max Verstappens camp last season for his comments about the Dutch drivers performance at the Mexican Grand Prix. It is with regret that we announce that Johnny Herbert will no longer fulfil the position of F1 driver steward for the FIA#FIA pic.twitter.com/e6CTWtAWJZ FIA (@fia) January 29, 2025 Verstappen picked up a 20-second penalty for forcing Lando Norris off the road twice during the race and Herbert claimed the driving had been harsh and over the top and felt Verstappen had a horrible mindset. A statement from the FIA on Wednesday said: It is with regret that we announce today that Johnny Herbert will no longer fulfil the position of F1 driver steward for the FIA. Johnny is widely respected and brought invaluable experience and expertise to his role. However, after discussion, it was mutually agreed that his duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit were incompatible. We thank him for his service and wish him well in his future endeavours. King reveals he does not like his curry too strong as he meets new MPs The King revealed he does not like his curry too strong as he welcomed newly elected MPs and members of the House of Lords to a reception at Buckingham Palace. The King and Queen, along with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, met the new MPs in the Ballroom on Wednesday afternoon. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, former prime minister Theresa May and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also attended. Deirdre Costigan, Labour MP for Ealing Southall, said she spoke to the King about his love of curries, adding that he said he did not like his curry too strong. She said: Hes very knowledgeable, isnt he? So I said, Im from Ealing Southall, and straight away he was like, oh yes, he knew it was Little India, and he talked about his love of curries. And he also said, youve got a very big Sikh community there, dont you? The King and Queen with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a reception at Buckingham Palace (Aaron Chown/PA) So I asked him to come to Ealing Southall and check out the curry, I hope he will. But he also recognised straight away I had an Irish accent. He said, youre Irish. And he said, it would be great to get a state visit as well. Asked if the King mentioned what sort of curry he liked, Ms Costigan replied that Charles said not too strong. The King also met Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling and his guide dog Jennie and gave the golden retrievers head a scratch. The King with Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling and his guide dog Jennie (Aaron Chown/PA) Charles said to Mr Darling: She knows her way around the house does she? Mr Darling said she knew the best place to go for the food. The King then asked Mr Darling how the food was in the Houses of Parliament. The Duchess of Edinburgh, who is patron of Guide Dogs, met Mr Darling and greeted Jennie by saying Oh my goodness, Im your patron, before making a fuss of her. Sophie knelt down on the floor to stroke Jennie and the dog gave her a paw. Before meeting the King and Duchess of Edinburgh, Mr Darling told reporters Jennie thinks the Palace of Westminster is her palace, and shes the Queen of it, and everybody comes there just to love her. The Duchess of Edinburgh with Lib Dem MP Steve Darlings guide dog Jennie (Aaron Chown/PA) He said: So when we get off the train at Paddington, her tail is on such a high wag as we make our way towards the Central line, she knows where shes going, and shes really excited. Mr Darling said Jennie is a good bridge builder for people from other parties, which he said was really important as he could have conversations he otherwise would not have had. Paul Waugh, Labour MP for Rochdale, said the King was very polite. He said: He was impeccably polite, as youd imagine. Knows a lot about every constituency, got the sort of incredible encyclopedic knowledge of every area of the UK, as you might imagine. Mr Waugh added that he told the King Rochdale was the home of the Co-op and that he jokingly asked the King if he shopped at the Co-op, to which Charles burst out laughing. He said the new MPs were honoured to be there, but the King was making (it) absolutely clear we are the VIPs as well. Labour grandee Lord Peter Mandelson is expected to be confirmed as the UKs new ambassador to the US, reports have suggested. Former MP and minister Lord Mandelson is thought to be set to become Sir Keir Starmers top diplomat in Washington DC, after earlier reports that concerns had been raised about his links to China. Reports on Tuesday evening, including in The Times, suggested that the role must still be formally signed off by President Donald Trump, but agreement is expected. Earlier on Tuesday, Downing Street defended Lord Mandelson amid a report that a dossier about him had been passed to the FBI. US senators reportedly handed a document outlining his links to China to federal investigators. The Prime Ministers spokesman said Lord Mandelson has declared all his interests as part of the clearance process. He said: On that specific report, the Foreign Office dont recognise the reports of a dossier. More broadly, theres obviously an established regime in place for the management of interests held by ambassadors or high commissioners. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest, and all candidates are subject to background checks and security clearance. Whilst we do not usually comment on individuals, Lord Mandelson has made all relevant declarations as part of this process. And this ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. A dossier prepared by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China has been seen by senators and passed on to the FBI, news site The Nightly reported. Prime Minister Sir Keir had his first phone call with Mr Trump since the inauguration on Sunday. It is understood that Lord Mandelsons appointment was not discussed during the conversation. The Apprentice star Lord Sugar has joked that US president and former The Apprentice US host Donald Trump claims he works for me. The 77-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur owner was speaking to the PA news agency ahead of the launch of series 19 of the BBC business show, which he presents. Asked whether he would consider going into business with the president, Lord Sugar told PA: He will tell you I am in business with him. Lord Sugar says US president Donald Trump tells people he works for him (Aaron Chown/PA) Because The Apprentice format, which was originally owned by someone called Mark Burnett, he sold it to MGM, and apparently, according to President Trump, he has a little shareholding, a small shareholding in the format. So he always reminds people that Lord Sugar works for me. Would I ever go in to business with him? I dont think that opportunity will ever arise, because hes too busy at the moment being president, hes just taken over and started to implement some of his promises and plans. Mr Trump, who is now in his second term as president, hosted the first 14 series of the shows American edition between 2003 and 2015, when he was replaced by former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger until the show was cancelled in the US in 2017. The Hackney-born entrepreneur, who has recently been spending time in the US, also spoke about the atmosphere in the country following his election. He added: There is a kind of nervous atmosphere amongst people here about being deported, because theres a lot of non-US citizens here that have got jobs and help to boost the economy, and I dont know where you draw the line to leave them here, but get rid of the criminals. The upcoming series of The Apprentice will see contestants vying to become Lord Sugars next business partner, challenged on their skills with the latest technology including AI and holograms. The former Amstrad boss said the show had to include it as it was what the younger element of its audience wanted to see, even if he had to learn the technology himself. The next series of The Apprentice will launch on Thursday (Ray Burmiston/BBC) Lord Sugar said: The production crew are a very, very clever bunch of people, they come up with these tasks that include technology, and the first person they have to explain it to is me. So I have to understand it, and I have to make out I understand it deeply, and I do spend quite a bit of time going through it. So I do understand it in order for me to project my questions at the candidates on it. We have to have some up-to-date stuff, people are talking about AI, theyre talking about online stuff, we have to include it, because thats what the younger audience wants to see. The star explained that he hoped his show would inspire young people to become entrepreneurs, having explained that he felt work ethic was becoming too relaxed, but Lord Sugar said he was sure there were still youngsters who wanted to graft towards their goals. He said: I hope that my programme encourages (hard work) of course. I would like those people to grasp something and realise youve got to physically go and do something, physically work somewhere, or have a passion for something that you want to do. So Im not painting every young person with the same brush. Running for almost 20 years with Lord Sugar at the helm, The Apprentice sees 18 budding business people compete for 250,000 worth of investment from its host. Contestants attempt to impress Lord Sugar and his associates Baroness Brady and Tim Campbell by completing a range of business-related tasks in each episode, with participants being fired for poor performance. The prize was previously a job working alongside Lord Sugar, but this was changed to investment in 2011. The first episode of The Apprentice series 19 will air at 9pm on Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Marcus Rashford worked with his team-mates on the eve of Manchester Uniteds Europa League game in Romania against FCSB as Luke Shaw returned to group training. The latter featured in Ruben Amorims first three matches in charge, only for the left-back to suffer his latest injury setback that has kept him out since the start of December. Shaws return to the fold comes as a boost for United, who are seeking to bolster the left by bringing in Lecces Patrick Dorgu before Mondays transfer deadline. There is plenty of other transfer speculation swirling around the Old Trafford club in the final days of the window, with homegrown forward Rashfords future a key matter that needs resolving. The 27-year-old has not played for United since their last Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen on December 12, and admitting that he was ready for a new challenge. Amorim has been repeatedly asked Rashfords future since then and questioned his commitment after Sunday evenings 1-0 win at Fulham. The forward trained with his team-mates on Wednesday, as did Casemiro and Alejandro Garnacho as talk of potential exits around them also continues. Marcus Rashford joined his team-mates as Luke Shaw returned to group training on the eve of Manchester Uniteds Europa League game against FCSB but neither made the trip to Romania. Shaw featured in Ruben Amorims first three matches in charge, only for the left-back to suffer his latest injury setback that has kept him out since the start of December. Shaws return to the fold comes as a boost for United, who are seeking to bolster the left flank by bringing in Lecces Patrick Dorgu before Mondays transfer deadline. There is plenty of other transfer speculation swirling around the Old Trafford club in the final days of the window, with homegrown forward Rashfords future a key matter that needs resolving. The 27-year-old has not played for United since their last Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen on December 12 before admitting in an interview that he was ready for a new challenge. Amorim has been repeatedly asked about Rashfords future since then and questioned his commitment after Sunday evenings 1-0 win at Fulham. The forward trained with his team-mates on Wednesday, as did Casemiro and Alejandro Garnacho as talk of potential exits around them also continues. But, while the latter duo were named in Uniteds 21-man squad to face FCSB, there was no place on the plane for Rashford. A Liberal Democrat MP has said meeting his attacker transformed his life, as he called on the Prime Minister to place greater emphasis on restorative justice. Paul Kohler told the Commons his life was saved by two police officers after he was brutally attacked by four men in his own home in 2014, before becoming an MP. Speaking at Prime Ministers Questions, the Wimbledon MP said: I entered politics, active politics, after an attack on my home was misused by others to promote their anti-EU, anti-immigrant agenda. My life was saved by two brave police officers from Wimbledon police station. As a family, our lives were transformed by a restorative justice session organised by the charity Why Me, where we met one of our four attackers in prison. Will the Prime Minister meet with me to discuss how this Government can give restorative justice greater emphasis, and put victims at the centre of the criminal justice system, reduce recidivism and cut crime and costs? Sir Keir Starmer replied: Can I extend my sympathy for what (Mr Kohler) experienced? It must have had a profound impact on him and of course his family. I too have seen the power of restorative justice, which does enable victims to receive answers, and perpetrators have to face the human cost of their crimes. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and MP Paul Kohler during the general election (Yui Mok/PA) Under the Victims Code, all adult victims must be told about restorative justice and how to access it. We can always do more and Ill ensure that he gets the meeting he wants with the relevant minister. The MP received facial reconstruction surgery after he suffered a fractured eye socket, a fracture to his left jawbone, a broken nose and bruising. Mr Kohler has previously said he believes the only reason he survived the beating was because officers were able to get to his home from the station within eight minutes of a 999 call made by his daughter. Following the attack, the former university lecturer went on to campaign against the London Mayors Office for Policing and Crimes decision to close more than half of Londons police stations. In 2018, Mr Kohler lost a High Court challenge against the decision to close 37 of the 73 police stations across the capital, but won a ruling from two leading judges that a decision to close his local station in Wimbledon was unlawful and must be reconsidered. Joao Augusto Santos Batista, 33, AKA Joao Diamante, is a famous Brazilian chef who aims to become a citizen of Benin. Photograph: Joao Laet/The Guardian Joao Diamante was gripped by a sense of belonging as he stepped out of the airport terminal thousands of miles from his birthplace in Brazil. The first thing I felt was that I was at home, recalled the 33-year-old celebrity chef from Rio. Nobody looked at me like they were afraid of me because of the colour of my skin On the contrary, I saw people just like me. I saw similarities. Id never been there before, Diamante said of his arrival in Benins largest city, Cotonou, last year. But I was certain this was a place I knew: its smell, its music, its dance, its sound, the noise of car horns, the atmosphere. The Brazilian chef was familiar with his surroundings in a way, despite it being his first trip to Africa. Diamante was born in Salvador the Blackest major city in the country with the largest black population outside Africa and grew up steeped in the Afro-Brazilian culture and cuisine produced by the uprooting of millions of enslaved Africans who were forced to travel to the South American country to work in goldmines or sugar and coffee plantations. Related: The year the rainforest dried up: how the climate crisis beached Brazils floating communities About 40% of the estimated 12 million enslaved Africans shipped across the Atlantic between the 16th and 19th centuries came to Brazil, which was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery, in 1888. Diamante, whose full name is Joao Augusto Santos Batista, believes his ancestors were forcibly brought to Brazil from the west African region around what is today the Republic of Benin in the 19th century. Two centuries later, he is reconnecting with his familys African roots and even hopes to become a citizen of Benin thanks to a new law that offers Afro-descendants from around the world a pathway to citizenship. Im already trying to work out the paperwork I want a Brazilian passport and a Beninese passport, the chef said during an interview at his restaurant in a port-side area of Rio known as Pequena Africa (Little Africa) because of its well-established Afro-Brazilian community. Its about belonging, about who I am, where I come from, my lineage and my family, he added. Lots of people dream of having a US or a European passport. I dream of having a Beninese passport because Africa is where Im from. Benins citizenship scheme proposed by its president, Patrice Talon, and approved by lawmakers in October calls itself an attempt to heal the deep wounds inflicted on Africa and those taken from it during centuries of enslavement. According to the law, the initiative is open to any person in the world who has sub-Saharan African ancestry [and was] deported outside the continent in the context of slavery. Such people, it says, have the right to consider Benin their homeland and request a passport. The law has sparked particular interest in Brazil given the large number of enslaved people transported there from ports along what was called Africas slave coast, between what is today western Nigeria and Benin and Togo. Theres a really strong connection [between the two countries], said Marcelo Sacramento, Benins honorary consul in Salvador, the capital of Bahia state in north-eastern Brazil. More than a million Beninese came to Bahia during the days of slavery Just think what that means [in terms of todays population] Thats millions and millions of Brazilians, added Sacramento, who reported having already been approached by numerous Brazilians interested in taking up the offer. Sacramento said the government of Benin, which has a population of about 15 million people, did not expect tens of millions of citizens of Brazil, which has a population of 215 million, would suddenly seek citizenship because of the new law. Rather, Talon wanted to turn Benin into the gateway for the African diaspora to return to Africa and boost the number of Afro-descendant tourists traveling back to their motherland. Brazilian and Beninese authorities hope a low-cost flight connecting Salvador with Cotonou will be inaugurated at the end of the year, slashing the time it takes travelers to move between the two nations from more than 20 hours to less than six. Benin is not the first country in the region to embrace a return of the descendants of enslaved people. In the 1970s, the American superstar musician Nina Simone enjoyed a three-year stint living in Liberia, where thousands of formerly enslaved African Americans had migrated to in the 19th century, to escape the impact of racial segregation. More than a million Beninese came to Bahia during the days of slavery ... Thats millions and millions of Brazilians Marcelo Sacramento Nearby in Ghana, 2019, the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans in the United States, was dubbed the Year of Return. The president, Nana Akufo-Addo, granted citizenship to 200 African Americans and removed visa requirements for a number of Caribbean countries. His government also lobbied for diaspora Blacks to return and live in the country, citing the example of the prominent intellectual and civil rights activist WEB DuBois who accepted the governments invitation in 1961 and lived there with his wife until his death two years later. Since then, thousands of tourists have flooded the west African state, especially in December, further entrenching the party culture now known colloquially there and in Nigeria as Detty December. But locals also say the influx of returnees has triggered a cost of living crisis and the strange case of dollar-denominated real estate listings in Ghana. Elsewhere, Gabon has also offered citizenships to a few prominent African Americans including the rapper Ludacris and actor Samuel L Jackson. In order to prove their sub-Saharan ancestry, those wishing to become citizens of Benin will have to provide documentation and take a government-approved DNA test a method some question. DNA tests are not ancestry tests, said Agustin Fuentes, an anthropology professor at Princeton University. Fuentes said genetic testing services could reach certain conclusions about someones ancestry by comparing their DNA samples with samples from different parts of the world. Theyre just saying Given our whole database, you look a lot like these folks whose DNA we have from Lagos, Nigeria So were going to tell you that your ancestry is in west Africa. But such tests could not specify from which point in the past the indicated geographic ancestry came. I think Benins intent is good, said Fuentes, but he believed DNA testing was not a totally scientific way of ascertaining someones ancestry. Diamante, who made a four-part documentary about his return to Benin, voiced excitement about the prospect of deepening his ties to the land of his forefathers. While traveling through Benin, he visited The Door of No Return, a beachside memorial arch built to remember the Africans shipped to the Americas. It was devastating We were shamelessly pillaged it was one of the cruelest things humanity could have done, Diamante said of the monument in the town of Ouidah, which was one of Africas busiest ports for the trafficking of enslaved people during the 18th and 19th centuries. Two centuries later, Diamante has opened a restaurant near the ruins of Rios Valongo wharf, where hundreds of thousands of enslaved people were sold at the start of the 19th century. Its menu celebrates Afro-Brazilian culture and food, fusing the flavors of Rio, Bahia and Benin. After obtaining Beninese citizenship, the chef wondered if he might one day run a restaurant in the west African country too. Our mission now is to resist and to celebrate all those who died so we could be here today, Diamante said. National Police Chiefs Council said it could cost about 1,000 a month to keep an XL bully in kennels. Photograph: Jacob King/PA Enforcing a ban on XL bully dogs is placing a huge burden on policing with millions of pounds spent on veterinary bills and kennelling, police chiefs have said. The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) said kennel spaces were reaching capacity, with costs increasing by the day. It said veterinary bills and the cost of kennelling banned dog breeds had risen from 4m in 2018 to more than 11m between February and September 2024. It can cost about 1,000 a month to keep an XL bully in kennels. The policing body said the figure was expected to rise to as much as 25m for the period from February 2024 to April 2025 representing a predicted 500% increase in police costs from 2018. Since February 2024, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate, meaning unregistered pets will be taken and owners possibly fined and prosecuted. Similar legislation came into effect in Scotland in August. As well as the XL bully, other banned types of dog under section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 include the pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro. Mark Hobrough, the NPCCs lead for dangerous dogs, said the ban was placing a huge burden on policing. Hobrough, the chief constable of Gwent police, said: We are facing a number of challenges in kennel capacity, resourcing and ever-mounting costs, and as of today we have not received any additional funding to account for this. We urgently need the government to support us in coping with the huge demand the ban has placed on our ever-stretched resources. Hobrough said conversations were ongoing with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs but there was no formal agreement whereby any funding has come into any police force to account for these additional demand factors. Police forces seized 4,586 suspected section 1 banned dogs throughout England and Wales between February and September 2024. There were 120 dog liaison officers across England and Wales before the ban, with 100 subsequently trained, and a further 40 to be trained, according to the NPCC. Hobrough said this meant in some areas established dog handlers have been called away from other policing duties. The NPCC said about 560,000 had been spent by police forces on staff overtime between February and September last year in relation to canines. The NPCC tactical lead, Supt Patrick OHara, said he did not think all XL bullies were automatically dangerous but they had the propensity to be by their sheer size and power. OHara said: In the right hands, with the right socialisation, with a really responsible owner, a lot of those dogs will never come to notice. A government spokesperson said: The ban on XL bullies is an important measure to protect public safety, and we expect all XL bully owners to comply with the strict conditions. We continue to work with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to prevent dog attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog, addressing dog control issues before they escalate and using the full force of the law where needed. One woman accused Perumbalath of kissing her without consent and groping her, and another woman accused him of sexual harassment, according to Channel 4 News. Photograph: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo The bishop of Liverpool has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by two women. John Perumbalath denies the allegations from 2023, which come months after the Church of England was embroiled in an abuse scandal that triggered the resignation of the archbishop of Canterbury. Perumbalath said police had investigated the allegations but taken no further action. He added that while he did not believe there had been any wrongdoing, he had taken seriously the lessons learnt. One woman accused Perumbalath of kissing her without consent and groping her, and another woman accused him of sexual harassment, according to Channel 4 News. The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present, he said. I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. Perumbalath, who became bishop of Liverpool in 2023, said he had complied with an investigation by the National Safeguarding Team (NST). The allegations, which were raised in Essex, had also been investigated by the police, he said, who took no further action. Whilst I dont believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others, he said. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area. The Church of England said a complaint of alleged misconduct had been brought against the bishop in 2023, after Perumbalath formally and legally assumed the role. A spokesperson said the NST had concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring a complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM). They also said the complaint had been investigated by police, who took no further action, and that support had been offered to the woman. A second complaint was made shortly after the first complaint, according to the C of E. The spokesperson said the second complainant did not bring a CDM complaint within the one-year deadline. The individual later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which was supported by the archbishop of York, but was refused by an independent judge, the deputy president of tribunals. Anyone who comes forward to make a complaint will be taken seriously, treated with respect and their voice will be heard, the C of E spokesperson said. The information brought by the second complainant was explored and assessed not to be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct. Pastoral support has been provided throughout for the second complainant and is ongoing. The allegations against the bishop of Liverpool come months after questions about the future of the C of E were raised late in 2024, after a review of how the church handled allegations of sexual abuse, and the resignation of the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, Welbys temporary stand-in, has also faced calls to stand down after allegations emerged that a priest at the centre of a sexual abuse case was twice reappointed under him while he was serving as bishop of Chelmsford. The Rev John Perumbalath denies the allegations against him A female bishop has accused the Bishop of Liverpool of sexual harassment, according to Channel 4 News. The senior member of the Church of England is one of two women who have complained about the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rev John Perumbalath. Bishop Perumbalath is also accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the Chelmsford diocese on separate occasions between 2019 and 2023. The allegations have emerged after the two women separately made disclosures to victims advocate Andrew Graystone last summer. The female bishop said she filed a formal complaint last year. The earlier allegations of sexual assault relate to when Bishop Perumbalath was the Bishop of Bradwell in Essex. He was interviewed voluntarily under caution by police about the alleged sexual assault in March last year. He was interviewed under caution last March but no charges were brought because of insufficient evidence, the broadcaster reported. Mounting pressure The accusations place further pressure on the Archbishop of York, the Very Rev Stephen Cottrell, who the broadcaster reported was aware of the allegations after Bishop Perumbalath was promoted but before he was enthroned as Bishop of Liverpool in April 2023. The whistleblower told Channel 4 News she had been assaulted during a Diocese of Chelmsford away day in 2019 and groped at the end of a meeting in May 2022. She told the broadcaster: He held me there and kissed me forcefully on my mouth, which I did not like and I did not want. I tried to move away, but he was holding my head too tightly. I could feel his mouth pressing on my mouth. I could feel some of his saliva, and the texture of his beard around my mouth. She said of the 2022 meeting: As he was letting go of hugging me, he ran his hands past the side of my breasts on both sides, with a medium pressure until he reached the edge of the areola. I consistently deny the allegations On Tuesday evening, Bishop Perumbalath said: The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present. I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. I have complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team. The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the Police who took no further action. Whilst I dont believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others. I will comply with any investigation deemed necessary. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area. The Church of England confirmed in a statement that a complaint of alleged misconduct against Bishop Perumbalath was brought to the National Safeguarding Team (NST). A spokesman said that the complaint, which was made after Bishop Perumbalath had formally and legally become the Bishop of Liverpool, was looked into according to statutory safeguarding guidance in an NST-led process and an independent risk assessment undertaken. They added: This process concluded that there were no ongoing safeguarding concerns, but a learning outcome was identified with which the bishop fully engaged. The complaint was also investigated by the police which resulted in no further action. Insufficient evidence The spokesman said the NST found insufficient evidence for a safeguarding complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure against the Bishop but continues to support the woman and remains in contact with her at her request. They added that this offer had been reiterated by the lead safeguarding bishop. They added: Shortly after the start of this process a further disclosure was made by another woman. The information brought by the second complainant was explored and assessed not to be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct. Pastoral support has been provided throughout for the second complainant and is ongoing. The second complainant did not bring a CDM complaint within the one-year deadline. She later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which the Archbishop of York fully supported. However, this was refused by an independent judge, the Deputy President of Tribunals. Archbishop Stephen has supported the complainant pastorally throughout the process and continues to offer practical help. He had no part in the decision making around safeguarding or disciplinary matters. One woman accused John Perumbalath of kissing her without consent and groping her, and another woman accused him of sexual harassment, according to Channel 4 News. Photograph: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo The bishop of Liverpool is under pressure to quit after senior clergy in his diocese said his position was untenable following allegations of sexual misconduct. John Perumbalaths senior leadership team said he should step aside from all ministry while a claim of sexual harassment by a female bishop was properly investigated. A separate allegation of sexual assault was also made against Perumbalath. The statement from senior clergy, which followed consultations with local clergy, congregations and staff, will put intense pressure on Perumbalath to consider his position. The allegations about Perumbalath come less than three months after the Church of England was thrown into unprecedented crisis after Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, was forced to resign over a separate abuse scandal. A statement from six senior clergy on Wednesday evening said: Having listened to clergy, congregations and staff at the diocesan offices and the cathedral, it is with deep regret that the senior leadership of the diocese of Liverpool feel that the position of the Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath is currently untenable. We believe that the allegations made by the female bishop need to be fully and properly investigated. We also believe that while these proper investigations are conducted the bishop of Liverpool will need to step aside from all ministry in the diocese of Liverpool. The statement was issued 24 hours after Channel 4 News revealed that two women had come forward with allegations about Perambalath. One woman accused Perumbalath of kissing her without consent and groping her, and a female bishop accused him of sexual harassment. Both incidents allegedly took place in Essex in 2023. Perumbalath, who became bishop of Liverpool in 2023, said police had investigated the allegations but taken no further action. He added that while he did not believe there had been any wrongdoing, he had taken seriously the lessons learnt. Perumbalath said he had complied with an investigation by the national safeguarding team. The allegations had also been investigated by the police, he said, who took no further action. Whilst I dont believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others, he said. The Church of England said a complaint of alleged misconduct had been brought against the bishop in 2023, after Perumbalath formally and legally assumed the role. A spokesperson said the NST had concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring a complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM). They also said the complaint had been investigated by police, who took no further action, and that support had been offered to the woman. A second complaint was made shortly after the first complaint, according to the C of E. The spokesperson said the second complainant did not bring a CDM complaint within the one-year deadline. The individual later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which was supported by the archbishop of York, but was refused by an independent judge, the deputy president of tribunals. The information brought by the second complainant was explored and assessed not to be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct. Pastoral support has been provided throughout for the second complainant and is ongoing, the C of E spokesperson said. The archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, Welbys temporary stand-in, has also faced calls to stand down after allegations emerged that a priest at the centre of a sexual abuse case was twice reappointed under him while he was serving as bishop of Chelmsford. The Rt Rev John Perumbalath is facing calls to step aside Senior clergy have called the Bishop of Liverpools position untenable after two women accused him of sexual misconduct. Diocesan leaders have told Rt Rev John Perumbalath to step aside so that allegations that he sexually harassed an unnamed female bishop can be investigated. He is also accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the Chelmsford diocese on separate occasions between 2019 and 2023. The allegations include groping and non-consensual kissing. In a statement issued on Wednesday night, five senior clergy in the Diocese of Liverpool, including the Dean of Liverpool, the Rev Canon Dr Sue Jones, said: It is with deep regret that the senior leadership of the Diocese of Liverpool feel that the position of the Rt Rev Dr John Perumbalath is currently untenable. We believe that the allegations made by the female bishop need to be fully and properly investigated. We also believe that while these proper investigations are conducted the Bishop of Liverpool will need to step aside from all ministry in the Diocese of Liverpool. The allegations, first reported by Channel 4 News, place fresh scrutiny on the churchs safeguarding processes after Justin Welby was forced to resign over his handling of a sex abuse scandal. The female bishop made a formal complaint of sexual harassment last year, while a second woman alleged she was sexually assaulted by the Rt Rev Dr Perumbalath when he was the Bishop of Bradwell in Essex. Last March, the Rt Rev Dr Perumbalath was interviewed voluntarily under caution by police, in relation to the sexual assault allegations, but was not charged because of insufficient evidence. Despite facing calls to step down from his own diocese, on Wednesday night the Bishop of Liverpool remained in post. Any decision to suspend the Bishop of Liverpool falls under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of York, the Very Rev Stephen Cottrell, and cannot be initiated by the diocese. The accusations place further pressure on the archbishop, who the broadcaster reported was aware of the allegations after the Rt Rev Dr Perumbalath was promoted as Bishop of Liverpool, but before he was enthroned in April 2023. The revelations also put the churchs safeguarding and formal disciplinary procedures, called the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) under further scrutiny. On Wednesday, the woman who accused him told the Church Times that the churchs National Safeguarding Team (NST) discouraged her from filing a CDM complaint. I was talking to my [NST] caseworker... and she said that they had talked to the church lawyers, and were not going to put in a CDM on my behalf, because the evidence was on a knife edge as to whether it would succeed, she said Horrible process On another occasion, she says, a safeguarding team member told her: We dont even like our own processes; its a horrible process, going through a CDM. The Church of England has disputed this account, saying that there was no attempt to dissuade her, but that efforts were made to explain the process, which is not survivor-focused, in order to be both honest and trauma-informed. A spokesman said that, while the information received did not meet the threshold for the NST to take out a CDM, it would have supported her through the process. Last night, the Diocese of Liverpool issued a pastoral letter claiming that the allegation of sexual harassment brought by a female bishop was not fully investigated and called for a review. The letter said: However, we understand that an allegation of misconduct was not fully investigated, and we believe that in the interests of justice this should now happen. The Church of England said the bishop tried to file a CDM complaint after the one-year deadline, but it was rejected by an independent judge, despite the Archbishop of Yorks support. They said the archbishop had no role in safeguarding or disciplinary decisions. Bringing a second complaint Following criticism of their handling of this complaint, a spokesman added: A remaining option is for someone nominated by the Bishops Council in Liverpool diocese to bring a CDM on the second complainants behalf. It would be for an independent judge to decide if the CDM could be brought. On Tuesday evening, the Bishop of Liverpool said: The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present. I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. I have complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team. The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the police who took no further action. Whilst I dont believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others. I will comply with any investigation deemed necessary. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area, he added. New South Wales premier, Chris Minns told reporters on Wednesday that there were more than 100 counter-terrorism police investigating the incident. Photograph: Steven Saphore/AAP More than 100 counter-terrorism police are investigating after a caravan was found laden with explosives at a residential property in greater Sydney with indications the explosives would be used in an antisemitic attack. Police said they had found the caravan on a property in Dural, on the outskirts of Sydney on 19 January after a report was made. The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, told reporters on Wednesday that it had the potential to have led to a mass casualty event. There will be absolutely no tolerance under any circumstances for these acts of criminal violence in our community, he said. Coming after a string of antisemitic attacks on synagogues and other targets in Sydney and Melbourne, Jewish leaders and community groups expressed their shock at the news. The Zionist Federation of Australia called it undoubtedly the most severe threat to the Jewish community in Australia to date. NSW deputy police commissioner David Hudson said that some people on the periphery of the incident had been arrested, and that the risk had been mitigated, but not yet eliminated. He also said the incident may be linked to some people already charged for their alleged involvement in the spate of recent antisemitic attacks. We believe there is some connection between some of the targets weve charged under Strike Force Pearl, and this particular investigation, he said. Hudson told reporters on Wednesday the caravan laden with explosives represented a different level of danger from the attacks seen recently in Sydney, such as graffiti and arson attacks. This is certainly an escalation of that with the use of explosives that have the potential to cause a great deal of damage. Asked how much damage the explosives could have caused, Hudson estimated the blast zone could have been 40 metres in diameter. Hudson said the joint counter-terrorism team including the NSW police force, the Australian federal police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation were investigating the incident. Hudson said over the past 10 days the police investigation had progressed, however he said there is a lot to do. Related: Experts urge caution over use of Chinese AI DeepSeek Last week, the AFP revealed it was investigating whether foreign actors had paid local criminals to carry out some of the recent antisemitic vandalism, which has included arson attacks and graffiti on synagogues and in suburban streets. Hudson was asked on Wednesday if the investigation into the explosives indicated it involved paid criminals. We cant speculate about what happened until we actually investigate that, he said. One of the main lines of inquiry was who had placed the caravan and who may have orchestrated the placement. He said police did not know what the alleged perpetrators ideological motivation was, but nothing was being ruled out. We [will] pursue everything until we get to the truth, he said. Hudson said police were appealing for assistance from anyone who may have seen the caravan parked in a hazardous position in Dural between 7 December and 19 January. Police believe the explosives were Powergel an emulsion-based explosive and may have been obtained from a mining site. He said it would not be appropriate to reveal the suspected targets, and there was no information pointing to further explosives in our community in relation to any potential antisemitic attacks. We believe that we have contained appropriately this current threat, Hudson said. We will not rest until these matters are resolved. Asked what reassurance he could give the Jewish community that the attacks would not escalate, Minns said: Its with great regret that I cant make that guarantee. Theres bad actors in our community, badly motivated, bad ideologies, bad morals, bad ethics, bad people. Theyre intent on doing damage and harm to others in our community, people theyve never met before, purely on the basis of their religion, he said. Its hateful. Its an ideology that we need to stamp out. What I can promise is the full force of the law and a massive, massive and growing police response. Anthony Albanese also condemned the incident, saying hate and extremism have no place in Australian society. The prime minister said the AFPs special Operation Avalite continued to investigate threats to the Jewish community. Liberal MP Julian Leeser, who is the federal member for Berowra which takes in Dural, said he was deeply disturbed by news of the incident and encouraged Australians to stand together against hatred. I am deeply disturbed at todays revelations about a potential terror plot targeting the Jewish community with a potential mass casualty event, he said. This is another sad reminder of the hatreds Jewish Australians have endured over recent times. It keeps escalating. But equally it stands as a stark contrast to the goodness, decency and stoicism of Jewish Australians. The Zionist Federation of Australia said in a statement: This is undoubtedly the most severe threat to the Jewish community in Australia to date. The plot, if executed, would likely have resulted in the worst terrorist attack on Australian soil. Amir Maimon, the Israeli ambassador to Australia, said he was also deeply alarmed. He said the police and the premier had assured him that every measure is being taken to protect the community. Peter Dutton called the news as sickening as it is horrifying, adding it was a grave and sinister escalation. The shadow minister for home affairs, James Paterson, said the discovery was an incredibly disturbing development in an escalating domestic terrorism crisis. The police have not designated the incident as a terrorist attack. A researcher from the CERMEL Sindara station en route to set up flytraps on the banks of the Ngounie River - Nyani Quarmyne/Nyani Quarmyne Albertine Badole does not remember when a worm first wriggled across her eyeball. It was many years ago, but what she can still recall is the itching and the swelling in her face. Sometimes when I slept, I could feel the worms, there were little lumps on my body, and my eyes... It was like things were moving inside me, the 54-year old says, sitting outside her house in the remote village of Sindara in the rainforests of Gabon. It was too much. Ms Badole suffers from loiasis, a chronic filarial disease caused by the Loa loa parasite, also known as the African eye worm, which can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms including intense itching, swollen joints, headaches and fatigue. Albertine Badola peeling cassava at her home in Sindara, Gabon - Nyani Quarmyne/Nyani Quarmyne Loiasis predominantly affects rural populations living in the forests and savannahs of Central and West Africa. Up to 20 million people are living with the infection. The parasites larvae are transmitted to humans by the bite of infected bloodsucking Chrysops deer flies. Inside the body, they grow to become worms measuring up to seven centimetres long which crawl through the tissue beneath the skin in search of a mate. A loa loa microfilaria on a microscope slide in the parasitology lab at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaracna, Gabon - this the initial larval stage of the Loa loa nematode worm, which causes the parasitic disease loiasis - Nyani Quarmyne/Nyani Quarmyne After mating, their blood-borne offspring, known as microfilariae, are then picked up by the biting flies again and develop to the infectious stage within the insects, ready to continue the cycle at the next meal. Ms Badole made a difficult 30-kilometre trip to the nearest hospital. But when she got there she was dismayed to be told that there was nothing that could be done. So I just lived with it, she recalls, and tried to treat herself. Sometimes I used vinegar, either rubbing it on or drinking it, to stop the itching. Other people infected with loiasis have been known to rub chilli into their eyes, or tried to remove the worm from the eye with a needle or a thorn. People making their way to the Cermel satellite research station for medical consultations in the village of Sindara, Gabon - Nyani Quarmyne/Nyani Quarmyne At times the itching was so bad, says Ms Badole, that I would just sit and scratch. Sometimes I couldnt work for two days. Most people in the area are subsistence farmers or fishers. Loiasis was neglected for decades, and was mistakenly seen as benign. What treatments exist are inadequate. Some medications have to be taken over many weeks, a challenge in endemic areas which are typically remote and lacking health infrastructure. Other medications, such as the antiparasitic ivermectin, can do more harm than good. If the patient has a high microfilarial load in the bloodstream, the sudden die-off can provoke a severe immune reaction leading to brain inflammation and death. It is for this reason, says Rella Zoleko-Manego, from the Gabonese research institute Centre de Recherches Medicales de Lambarene (CERMEL), that young doctors are taught at university that it is best not to prescribe any medication. So when I saw the patient, I [just said]: there is no treatment, please go back home. In an effort to change this, two years ago CERMEL and the German Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine established a small research station in Sindara, which Dr Zoleko-Manego heads. People leaving after being seen by a doctor at the Cermel satellite research station in Sindara, Gabon - Nyani Quarmyne/Nyani Quarmyne Its purpose is to trial various regimens of existing drugs, test veterinary drugs repurposed for use in humans, research prevention, transmission and vector control and give loiasis patients the care they need. Research funding is difficult to come by, and there is little commercial incentive for investment in drug development as loiasis overwhelmingly affects those who can ill afford treatment. Loiasis is not on the World Health Organizations list of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which recognises 21 conditions as requiring urgent public health attention. A Chrysops fly, the vector for loa loa under a microscope at a satellite research station in Sindara, Gabon - Nyani Quarmyne/Nyani Quarmyne The NTD list has significant impact on the priorities of donors and government health services, and Dr Zoleko-Manego believes the inclusion of loiasis would be justified. Research by her and colleagues indicates that in Gabon the burden of disease is comparable to that of schistosomiasis, which is a listed NTD, and studies attribute to loiasis an excess mortality of up to 15 per cent. Further investigation is needed, but it is thought that this could be due to organ complications arising from an immune reaction to microfilariae in the blood. As with all neglected tropical diseases, the challenges of addressing loiasis extend beyond the medical. In Sindara there are few jobs and few roads. Most people have neither electricity nor running water. Until the research station opened, there were no medical facilities. Few and poor roads and a lack of public transport make it necessary for the station to pick up research participants and then return them home after their consultations - sometimes this necessitates trips of 80km or more - Nyani Quarmyne/Nyani Quarmyne Such social realities must be taken into account, says Lilian Endamne, one of the doctors at the station. Infectious diseases are not even a medical problem here; it is about solving the problems of poverty, he says. The team in Sindara sees it as their responsibility to do more than just help loiasis patients. Many other diseases are prevalent in the area malaria, bilharzia, tuberculosis are just a few and anyone who is ill can see a doctor for free. Whenever I feel unwell, says Ms Badole, I rush there, and they always take care of me. She recently took part in a clinical trial at the station where different drug regimens were tested for efficacy, safety, and tolerability. For her, it was relief at last her symptoms have gone, and it has been weeks since she has watched as a worm crawled across her eyeball. This project was funded by the European Journalism Centre through the Solutions Journalism Accelerator, a programme supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Migrants are rounded up by Tunisian authorities, then taken across the border into Libya Migrants in Tunisia are being sold as slaves to Libyan gangs for as little as 10 per person with the complicity of the EU, a damning report claims. They are rounded up in towns and cities in Tunisia, kept in detention centres and then sold to militia and traffickers on the border with Libya. Women migrants fetch more up to 75 each because they are used as sex slaves, according to the report, which was compiled by a group of humanitarian organisations after months of research carried out in the shanty camps and desert detention centres of North Africa. The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) claim that the capture and sale of black sub-Saharan African migrants is being enabled by the EU and Italy, which have struck deals with the Tunisian government to crack down on migrants and stop boats from trying to cross the Mediterranean. They sold us to the Libyans. I really mean buying and selling, like for objects, they sold us like slaves, one young migrant told the researchers. We didnt understand, because they spoke Arabic, but there were Sudanese people in the group who translated. They sold the men for 100 Tunisian dinars (25) and the women for 300 dinars. Men, women, and children [were sold]. One of my brothers was sold before my eyes, he and his family, with his one-year-old son. Migrants looking to cross the Mediterranean into Europe are seized by the Tunisian National Guard with some allegedly sold as slaves - Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images A 25-year-old migrant from Cameroon said: We saw the money they count it in front of you. Women cost more because in Libya women are considered sex objects. Another Cameroonian, a 26-year-old man, told the researchers: Its a business they have with the Libyans. Its about selling human beings, trafficking n-----s. Its shameful. Tunisian police and Libyan militia reportedly refer to the captured migrants as black gold, in a chilling echo of the transatlantic slave trade. The report, entitled State Trafficking: Expulsion and Sale of Migrants from Tunisia to Libya, offers a grim insight into the human cost of a crackdown that last year succeeded in reducing the number of migrants and refugees crossing from North Africa to Italy by 59 per cent. The drastic drop in numbers has been hailed by Giorgia Meloni, Italys prime minister, as a triumph, but it has come at the expense of immense suffering, the report alleges. The dossier sheds light on systematic human rights violations in Tunisia and Libya, with the complicity of the EU, said the NGOs, which include campaign groups Border Forensics and On Borders. They added: The findings reveal a horrific logistical chain of abuse and exploitation, enabled by agreements between the EU and Tunisia. Tunisias police and military are involved in the capture, detention and sale of migrants, the report alleged. Since 2017, Italy has spent almost 75 million (62.8 million) on training and equipping Tunisias border guards, the research team said. The report was based on the testimony of 30 migrants from Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Guinea and Ivory Coast who said they were expelled from Tunisia to Libya between June 2023 and November 2024. It alleges that Tunisian police and soldiers round up and arrest migrants living and working in Tunisias coastal cities. Some are there illegally, while others have legitimate work permits. They are put onto buses, with some of them manacled with plastic zip ties, and transported south to the border with Libya. On the buses, the Garde Nationale [Tunisian police] touch women. They touch our private parts, they rape women in front of men on the buses, said one migrant. Migrants are kept for a few days in detention camps near the border towns of Ras Jedir and Ben Gardane, which are allegedly run by the Tunisian army or the Garde Nationale. The most notorious camp is known to migrants as the cage. It is a cramped, fenced area beneath some sort of tall pylon, in the middle of the desert. Giorgia Meloni, right, signs an agreement with Tunisian president Kais Saied, second right - Tunisian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images They took us close to the Libyan border. Thats where all the hatred in the world was unleashed. They beat us, they gave us electric shocks, said a 28-year-old man from Cameroon. The migrants are then taken to the border and sold to Libyan military officials or militia members. Payment is made in money, fuel or hashish. They are taken to squalid desert holding centres, from where the Libyans contact the migrants families in their home countries and try to extort money from them in exchange for the migrants freedom. Some are reportedly sold as forced labourers. One of the desert prisons is near the town of Al Assah and is controlled by the Libyan Border Guard, a unit which is a beneficiary of the European Union Border Management Assistance and Training programme, the report said. Migrants are taken to squalid desert detention centres by Tunisian and Libyan authorities - Patrick ROBERT/Corbis via Getty Images Many migrants are unable to pay for their release from such prisons and are held for long periods of time, the researchers said, adding: Like other prisons in Libya, Al Assah also functions as a forced labour market. Prisoners are sold to local people and businesses to do little daytime jobs. Others are subjected to savage beatings and torture. Many die and are buried in mass graves, the report said. A 30-year-old Cameroonian man said: Prison in Libya is hell, its hell. You have to be really strong. The water to drink is salty. There are no toilets. You eat in the same place where you shit. Once a day at 6pm you eat macaroni. They beat you in the morning, they beat you at night. They break body parts A 25-year-old man from Guinea testified: They took us to Al Assah, to a prison. They beat you with Kalashnikovs, they break all your body parts. A 29-year-old from Guinea said: European governments are complicit in the violence and torture inflicted on tens of thousands of refugees and migrants in Tunisia. Piero Gorza, an Italian human rights campaigner and one of the reports authors, said: This is not some casual deviancy or collateral effect which has somehow eluded the authorities. Its a systematic phenomenon. Its state-sponsored slavery. The report alleges that there is structural anti-Black racism in Tunisia. Kais Saied, Tunisias president, said in 2023 that hordes of irregular migrants from sub-Saharan Africa had come to the country with all the violence, crime, and unacceptable practices that entails. He added that this was an unnatural situation and part of a criminal plan intended to change the demographic make-up and turn Tunisia into just another African country that doesnt belong to the Arab and Islamic nations any more. The report was presented by a group of Left-wing MEPs to the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday. It is an appalling act of irresponsibility that European funds are being used to facilitate the trafficking of human beings between Tunisia and Libya, reducing lives to mere commodities valued at just 12 [10] to 90, said Estrella Galan, a Spanish MEP. The EU must confront this atrocity. The EUs role in the migration crisis was condemned by MEP Estrella Galan - Alberto Ortega/Europa Press via Getty Images The MEPs said the EU should set up safe and legal routes for refugees and migrants to reach Europe. But after years of the migrant crisis, there is little appetite for such measures in most EU countries, least of all in Italy, which has been the unwilling recipient of hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers in the past decade. Ms Meloni was elected in October 2022 on a promise to dramatically cut the number of boats crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. On Tuesday, she revealed that she is under investigation by Italian judges for allegedly allowing the release of a Libyan warlord who is accused by the International Criminal Court of murdering, raping and torturing migrants. Opposition parties have accused her government of deliberately freeing the general, Osama Almasri Najim, so as to ensure Libyas continuing support in blocking migrant boats. A spokesman for the European Commission told The Telegraph: We are aware of the challenges that irregular migration poses for Tunisia and we are following the situation with concern. Any allegations of wrongdoing by the Tunisian security forces should be duly investigated by the competent Tunisian authorities. The national authorities in partner countries are in charge of their law enforcement bodies. In Tunisia, the European Commission is providing support to the efforts of national institutions, primarily the Tunisian Coast Guard, to save lives at sea, improve maritime border management and fight smugglers operating in the region. Bob Menendez arrives at federal court in New York on Wednesday. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP The Democratic former US senator Bob Menendez was sentenced in federal court on Wednesday to 11 years in prison over his 2024 conviction for taking bribes, including receiving gold bars in exchange for doing favors for Egypt and for New Jersey businessmen. Last year he also became the first former senator to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent. The US district judge Sidney Stein handed down the custodial sentence at a hearing in court in New York City. Menendez was an influential and long-serving lawmaker and high-profile figure in the Democratic party. He spent almost 19 years representing New Jersey in Washington DC. He was found guilty last July on all counts after being indicted on 16 felony charges, including bribery and fraud. Menendez reluctantly resigned from the Senate last August, proclaiming his innocence. Prosecutors with the Manhattan US attorneys office had urged Stein to sentence Menendez to 15 years in prison. They say he shepherded military aid to Egypt, provided assistance to Qatar and interfered in local prosecutions of allied businessmen in exchange for bribes including gold, cash and a Mercedes-Benz. Menendez, who swore an oath to represent the United States and the state of New Jersey, instead put his high office up for sale in exchange for this hoard of bribes, prosecutors wrote in a 9 January court filing. Related: US senator Bob Menendez found guilty on all counts in corruption trial Among the bribes he was accused of taking were 13 gold bars found in his New Jersey home during a 2022 raid by the FBI. Menendez, 71, had pleaded not guilty and has vowed to appeal. His lawyers said the former chair of the Senates foreign relations committee should spend no more than a little over two years behind bars, citing his age, decades of public service, charitable works, devotion to family, and financial and professional ruin. Earlier on Wednesday, Stein sentenced two convicted co-defendants. The New Jersey businessman Fred Daibes received seven years in prison and Wael Hana just over eight years. Menendezs wife, Nadine Menendez, was to be tried with her husband on corruption charges, but her trial was postponed after her lawyers said she needed treatment for breast cancer. Her trial is scheduled for 18 March, and she has pleaded not guilty. Speaking to reporters outside of court, Menendez appeared to appeal to Donald Trump to help him out. Welcome to the southern district of New York, the wild west of political prosecutions, Menendez said. President Trump is right: this process is political and its corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool, and restores the integrity to the system. Reuters contributed reporting Only one small shipment of contraceptives oral and injectable, not condoms were sent to the Middle East in the past year, to Jordan. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Donald Trump boasted that his administration had stopped $50m being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas, doubling down on a claim first made by his press secretary which appears to be contradicted by the facts. As the Guardian reported on Tuesday, a comprehensive report issued in September by the US Agency for International Development (USAid), not a penny of the $60.8m in contraceptive and condom shipments funded by the US in the past year went to Gaza. In fact, the accounting shows, there were no condoms sent to any part of the Middle East, and just one small shipment, $45,680 in oral and injectable contraceptives, was sent to the region, all of it distributed to the government of Jordan. The claim was first made by White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, as she tried to justify Trumps sweeping order to freeze federal funding by citing what she called important new research from Elon Musks department of government efficiency (or Doge), a special group that Trump has created, and the office of management and budget (OMB). Related: USDA inspector general escorted out of office after defying Trump order Doge and OMB also found that there was about to be 50m taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza, Leavitt claimed. That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So thats what this pause is focused on: being good stewards of tax dollars. While Leavitt did not offer any evidence to support this claim, and did not immediately reply to a request for comment from the Guardian, the idea that the United States government planned to spend $50m to send condoms to Gaza quickly went viral, with an assist from Musk himself. The Fox pundit Jesse Watters even claimed that the condoms were being used by Hamas militants as balloons to float explosives into Israel. A review of the available evidence, however, suggests that the claim is almost certainly not true. For the financial year 2023, the most recent for which data is available, only about $7m worth of condoms were distributed globally by USAid, and the vast majority of family-planning funds, 89%, were spent on programs in Africa. No USAid funding for family planning was budgeted for Gaza. In a thread on Musks social-media platform X, state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce cited, as Example 1 of unjustified and non-emergency spending that had been blocked: Condoms. Prevented $102 million in unjustified funding to a contractor in Gaza, including money for contraception. Bruce told CNN the contractor that was supposed to get $102m is the International Medical Corps a US-based organization that operates two field hospitals in Gaza. But the International Medical Corps posted a statement on its website detailing its emergency work in Gaza with this clear denial: No US government funding was used to procure or distribute condoms. CNN also reported that experts on US aid to Gaza were baffled by the claim. We have asked around, and no one is sure what this is referring to, Steve Fake, a spokesperson for Anera, a non-profit that has partnered with USAid on a five-year, $50m health initiative in Gaza told the broadcaster. Fake added that the Anera program has definitely no purchase of condoms. As Dan Evon of the non-profit News Literacy Project pointed out in a comment on the USAid funding for family planning in other parts of the world: Its also worth noting that this is not a Biden program. Trump, too, spent funds on sending contraceptives around the globe. In 2019, about $40m was spent on contraceptives by the Trump administration. A La Fayette class frigate under way - AFP Vive notre ami lennemi, wrote a patriotic French songwriter sarcastically in the 1820s, after peace had returned and multitudes of British tourists again flocked to Paris. No need to ask who the friendly enemy was. For more than two centuries we have been peaceful neighbours and indeed allies in three major and a few minor wars. We have had two ententes cordiales one was clearly not enough and now have a close defence relationship. Yet there has always remained a certain sensitivity on both sides of the Channel. One highly-strung 19th century visitor to London got annoyed after his cab drove him from Waterloo Station via Waterloo Bridge and Waterloo Square to the Waterloo Hotel: he gave the cabby a good thrashing. Perhaps someone in Whitehall received a verbal thrashing from our French friends when they discovered that the latest Astute Class submarine was to be named HMS Agincourt, adding insult to the injury of the Aukus pact which so upset M Macron. Or could it be that the French didnt care what we called the submarine, and that the person in Whitehall was simply showing a reflex desire to apologise? The French are not so meek. After all, their navys glorious traditions are based above all on its battles against perfidious Albion. At least six of its major warships today bear the names of men who fought against us, and sometimes fought dirty. The frigate Surcouf is named after Robert Surcouf, a highly successful slave trader (whoops!) and privateer who made a fortune attacking British merchantmen. The submarine Duguay-Trouin honours Rene Trouin, Sieur du Gue, another privateer and occasional slave trader who preyed successfully on English and Scottish merchantmen and captured several Royal Navy warships, for which he was ennobled and rose to be an admiral. The submarine Suffren honours Pierre Andre de Suffren de Saint Tropez, bailli de Suffren (the French navy, with its notably aristocratic tradition, has many heroes with splendid names). He fought the British to a standstill in the Indian Ocean. The frigate La Fayette is named after the famous Marie-Joseph Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, who helped the Americans rebel in 1776. The submarine Tourville commemorates Anne-Hilarion de Costentin, Comte de Tourville, who inflicted a serious defeat at Beachy Head in 1690, when he captured or sank seven ships. The destroyer Forbin recalls Claude, comte de Forbin-Gardanne, who sank or captured many British ships, and also helped Bonny Prince Charlie to invade in 1745. The frigate Chevalier Paul honours Jean-Paul de Saumeur, whose many exploits include sinking a British ship that had failed to salute the French flag (nearly all the crew drowned). Until it retired recently, the submarine Casabianca commemorated Luc-Julien-Joseph Casabianca, a French Revolution politician and later naval officer under Napoleon, killed by Nelsons fleet at the Battle of the Nile when his ship blew up. His young son, who also died, was the hero of the poem that begins The boy stood on the burning deck Given the pride shown by la Royale in its glorious history of bashing the Brits and being bashed in return, I would be surprised if it had been upset by our calling a submarine Agincourt. After all, we already have HMS Iron Duke. Roderich Kiesewetter is crisis prevention spokesman for centre-Right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) - dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo Germany is under attack from China, a senior opposition MP has warned, as Berlin grapples with a fresh wave of cyber attacks and espionage plots. Roderich Kiesewetter, the crisis prevention spokesman for the centre-Right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said Germans needed to stop thinking of China as a partner. Many in Germany are turning a blind eye China is no longer a partner, but a systemic rival that is attacking us, Mr Kiesewetter, a former colonel in the Bundeswehr, told The Telegraph. Germany is at the centre of Chinese hybrid influence operations in Europe it uses all the tools in its toolbox; espionage, sabotage, lawfare, repression and disinformation, added Mr Kiesewetter, who is also the deputy chairman of the German parliaments intelligence committee. His comments are a major intervention in Germany, where China wields immense influence over the economy despite rising tensions over Beijings tacit support for Russias invasion of Ukraine and apparent plans to invade Taiwan. Xi Jinping, the president of China, right, with German chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has been criticised for appeasing Beijing - KAY NIETFELD/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Polls suggest Mr Kiesewetters CDU party, led by Friedrich Merz, will comfortably win next months elections and lead the government, but it will have to contend with the far-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as opposition. Mr Kiesewetter warned that China, which is accused of planting spies in the AfDs European parliament offices, had recently become particularly interested in German military technology and in buying up critical infrastructure, such as wind turbines in the North Sea. He said China felt more confident engaging in espionage in Germany than other EU member states due to Germanys naive foreign policy and security stance. China has been particularly active in espionage, not only in terms of cyber attacks but the extraction of data through various methods and platforms, he said. Espionage activities are also enormous and fall on fertile ground in Germany in view of China-friendly naivety, a lack of sensitivity and weak protective measures, particularly in the area of counter-intelligence. Germany earlier this month arrested three German citizens on suspicion of spying for China, accusing them of trying to pass on military secrets. Roderich Kiesewetter says China has been particularly active in industrial and military espionage - Meta Last summer, Jian Guo, an aide to an AfD MEP, was arrested as a suspected Chinese spy, with his alleged accomplice Yaqi X arrested in October. German prosecutors allege that Yaqi X gathered information about German military technology, and an unnamed German defence firm, and then transferred it to Mr Jian. China has rejected such accusations as an attempt by Germany to politically manipulate the image of China and defame China. A study by German IT trade body Bitkom found that nearly 50 per cent of German businesses were hit by Chinese cyber attacks in 2024, whereas just 39 per cent of cyber attacks in the same period came from Russia. The most severe recent data breach concerned Volkswagen, which between 2010 and 2015 lost 19,000 documents including intellectual property material to Chinese hackers, according to a 2024 investigation by German broadcaster ZDF. Mr Kiesewetter expressed concerns that if Germanys China policy did not change then its response to any future invasion of Taiwan would be just as weak as its initial response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Germany wants to avoid being as slow to back Taiwan as it was Ukraine (above) - Vincenzo Circosta/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images I am afraid that support for Taiwan would be even lower if there is no fundamental change in our China policy. Germany is pursuing an approach of appeasement and self-deterrence towards China, allowing itself to be lulled into complacency, he said. Germany faced an avalanche of criticism over its initial reaction to Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, such as offering helmets to Kyiv instead of urgently needed weapons and ammunition. The sluggishness of Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, was largely due to fears of angering Russia, as well as Germanys heavy reliance on cheap Russian gas. Mr Merz has said he wants to face up to China with confidence and prove himself as far tougher on global security than Mr Scholz. In a further hardening of his stance, Mr Merz last week told German business leaders that there was great risk in investing in China and that they should not come to the state for help if their businesses fold. My heartfelt request to all companies... limit the risk you take in order to avoid endangering your own company if it triggers an immediate write-off. If you take this risk and if you have to write off these investments from one year to the next, then please do not, under any circumstances, come to the state... for help, he said. Vulcan Energy is Germanys attempt to wean itself off the need for Chinese lithium - ARTIS - Uli Deck But experts say Germany is extremely misaligned with Europe as it continues to invest billions in Chinese trade at a time when other allies, such as France and Britain, are pulling away from Beijing over security concerns. You still have policymakers and especially a chancellor [Olaf Scholz] intent on building the relationship with China and terrified of China retaliating, and closing off access for those big German firms, Agatha Kratz, a senior China analyst at Rhodium Group, said. Earlier this month, The Telegraph revealed that Germany had launched a new initiative, Project Lionheart to try to wean German companies off Chinese imports of lithium, a crucial ingredient in car and phone batteries. The project, led by energy firm Vulcan, aims to locally produce enough lithium from brine water in the Rhinelands for up to half a million electric car batteries per year. The issue of Heathrow expansion was first raised in 2003. Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian The saga of Heathrows third runway has been continuing for decades, with ministerial resignations, U-turns from politicians against the backdrop of climate disaster, including 0.2C of global heating since the expansion was first proposed. Now, the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is hoping to kickstart the expansion again in a push for economic growth. But critics including the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, say it will do little for growth, cause disruption, and fly in the face of the UKs climate commitments. Heathrow first publicly calls for a third runway May 2003 After years of rumours during the approval process for Heathrow Terminal 5, and despite repeated denials, BAA plc admitted publicly for the first time that it aimed to get approval for a third runway at Heathrow, in its response to the governments airport consultation. The push for a third runway is widely condemned by local groups, London politicians and even by the sector because of the airports previous denials that it was seeking expansion. Government cautiously backs expansion but airs pollution concerns December 2003 The then transport secretary, Alistair Darling, launches the governments aviation white paper, which says Heathrow would have been the preferred location for the next runway in south-east England but that it is concerned about air pollution. It says it expects a third runway to be built within 12 years. Campaign grows against third runway August 2007 Protesters set up the Camp for Climate Action near Sipson, on the northern edge of Heathrow, which leads to clashes with police. The government reaffirms cautious support for Heathrow expansion in its updated white paper the previous year. Cameron says Tories will oppose expansion Summer 2008 A Conservative government is likely to block a third runway for Heathrow airport, David Cameron says, criticising the then prime minister, Gordon Brown, for pig-headedly pressing ahead with the scheme. He says there will be no third runways no ifs, no buts. The EU warns that the UK will miss EU-imposed nitrogen oxide targets if expansion proceeds. Brown approves plan, with criticism from Labour and Boris Johnson January 2009 The transport secretary, Geoff Hoon, officially gives the go-ahead to a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow, but promised the toughest climate change regime for aviation anywhere in the world. Cabinet opponents, led by the environment secretary, Hilary Benn, and energy secretary, Ed Miliband, express considerable concerns. Boris Johnson, then the Conservative mayor of London, denounces the decision and there is a Commons revolt by Labour MPs. Cameron formally cancels plans for third runway May 2010 The coalition government, with Cameron as prime minister, formally says there will be no third runway. The new government says it will also refuse any additional runways at Gatwick and Stansted. Cameron and Osborne reconsider Heathrow plans June 2012 In March, it is reported that Cameron and his chancellor, George Osborne, have been convinced of the need to re-examine long-term policy on Heathrow after lobbying by overseas leaders and business figures. By June, the government says it will not block BAA from submitting proposals. Conservatives and coalition split over Heathrow September 2012 Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, promises the Lib Dems will not accept Heathrow expansion. Johnson describes the idea as a disaster, while Zac Goldsmith threatens to quit as MP for Richmond Park and trigger a byelection. Justine Greening, the transport secretary and Heathrow critic, is removed in a reshuffle. Heathrow chief apologises for broken promises December 2014 John Holland-Kaye, the airports chief executive, says Heathrow should never have ruled out building a third runway. I am shocked by that commitment. It should never have been made. And it could never be kept. That is not an excuse. It is an apology, he says. Johnson pledges to keep opposing expansion May 2015 Standing for election to parliament in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Johnson says he will lie down with you in front of those bulldozers and stop the building, stop the construction of that third runway. Davies commission backs expansion July 2015 The Airports Commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, the former director general of the CBI, publishes a report calling for a new runway north-west of Heathrow. It says conditions should include a ban on night flights, legally binding caps on noise and air quality and legislation to rule out ever building a fourth runway. Local groups and environmental campaigners are dismayed. May delays Heathrow vote amid Tory divisions October 2016 Theresa May delays the vote on airport expansion amid warnings Tory MPs could resign their seats. Longstanding opponents are in the cabinet, including Boris Johnson, now the foreign secretary, and Justine Greening, now the education secretary. Commons backs Heathrow as Johnson skips vote June 2018 The Commons backs Heathrow expansion by 415 votes to 119 a majority of 296. But Boris Johnson, now foreign secretary, faces sharp criticism from fellow Conservative MPs over his decision to skip the crunch vote on Heathrow expansion by flying out of the UK on an official visit to Afghanistan. John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, says it is a threat to the planet and that an iconic, totemic battle will be unleashed over climate change. But more than 100 Labour MPs vote in favour. Court of appeal blocks expansion February 2020 The court of appeal finds the governments approval of the runway is illegal because ministers has failed to take into account the UKs commitments under the 2015 Paris climate accord, which requires keeping the global temperature rise as close to 1.5C as possible. Supreme court overturns block on Heathrow December 2020 The ruling means the airport can now seek a development consent order, a type of planning permission for nationally significant infrastructure. However, Covid-19 travel restrictions devastate aviation and Heathrow says the runway could be delayed by five years, having previously set 2028 as a completion date. The Stay Grounded campaign calls it a betrayal of our childrens future and incompatible with the UKs climate commitments. Experts question how expansion can be compatible with new legally binding commitments to net zero. Reeves backs third runway January 2025 The Labour chancellor, Rachel Reeves, gives her support for a third runway at Heathrow, as part of a speech on plans to boost the economy. There are fears expansion will mean the UK will break its legally binding carbon budget. In a major speech in Oxfordshire on growth, she says the expansion is badly needed because for decades its growth has been constrained. She says that by backing a third runway at Heathrow we can make Britain the worlds best-connected place to do business. WWF said the chancellor was making a serious mistake by prioritising costly projects like airport expansions that take decades to build, send carbon emissions skywards, and leave real growth stuck on the runway. Yoshua Bengio, the chair of the International AI Safety report, is a world-leading computer scientist. Photograph: Andrej Ivanov/AFP/Getty Images The International AI Safety report is a wide-ranging document that acknowledges an array of challenges posed by a technology that is advancing at dizzying speed. The document, commissioned after the 2023 global AI safety summit, covers numerous threats from deepfakes to aiding cyberattacks and the use of biological weapons, as well as the impact on jobs and the environment. Here are some of the key points from the report chaired by Yoshua Bengio, a world-leading computer scientist. Jobs In a section on labour market risks, the report warns that the impact on jobs will likely be profound, particularly if AI agents tools that can carry out tasks without human intervention become highly capable. General-purpose AI, especially if it continues to advance rapidly, has the potential to automate a very wide range of tasks, which could have a significant effect on the labour market. This means that many people could lose their current jobs, says the report. The report adds that many economists believe job losses could be offset by the creation of new jobs or demand from sectors not touched by automation. Related: Everything you wanted to know about AI but were afraid to ask According to the International Monetary Fund, about 60% of jobs in advanced economies such as the US and UK are exposed to AI and half of these jobs may be negatively affected. The Tony Blair Institute has said AI could displace up to 3m private-sector jobs in the UK, though the ultimate rise in unemployment will be in the low hundreds of thousands because growth in the technology will create new roles in an AI-transformed economy. These disruptions could be particularly severe if autonomous AI agents become capable of completing longer sequences of tasks without human supervision, the report says. It adds that some experts have pointed to scenarios where work is largely eliminated. In 2o23, Elon Musk, the worlds richest person, told the former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak that AI could ultimately replace all human jobs. However, the report says such views are controversial and there is considerable uncertainty over how AI might affect labour markets. The environment The report describes AIs impact on the environment as a moderate but rapidly growing contributor as datacentres the central nervous systems of AI models consume electricity to train and operate the technology. Datacentres and data transmission account for about 1% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, says the report, with AI constituting up to 28% of datacentre energy consumption. It adds that models are using more energy as they become more advanced and warned that a significant portion of global model training relies on high-carbon energy sources such as coal or natural gas. Use of renewable energy by AI firms and improvements in efficiency have not kept pace with rising demand for energy, says the report, which also points to tech firms admitting that AI development is harming their ability to meet environmental targets. The report also warns that water consumption by AI, used for cooling equipment in datacentres, could pose a substantial threat to the environment and the human right to water. However, the report adds that there is a shortage of data about the environmental impact of AI. Loss of control An all-powerful AI system evading human control is the central concern of experts who fear the technology could extinguish humanity. The report acknowledges those fears but says opinion varies greatly. Some consider it implausible, some consider it likely to occur, and some see it as a modest-likelihood risk that warrants attention due to its high severity, it says. Bengio told the Guardian that AI agents, which carry out tasks autonomously, are still being developed and so far are unable to carry out the long-term planning necessary for those systems to eradicate jobs wholesale or evade safety guidelines. If an AI cannot plan over a long horizon, its hardly going to be able to escape our control, he said Bioweapons The report states that new models can create step-by-step guides to creating pathogens and toxins that surpass PhD-level expertise. However, it cautions that there is uncertainty over whether they can be used by novices. There is evidence of advancement since an interim safety report last year, the experts say, with OpenAI producing a model that could meaningfully assist experts in the operational planning of reproducing known biological threats. Cybersecurity A fast-growing threat from AI in terms of cyber-espionage is autonomous bots being able to find vulnerabilities in open-source software, the term for code that is free to download and adapt. However, relative shortcomings in AI agents mean the technology is not able to plan and carry out attacks autonomously. Deepfakes The report lists an array of known examples of AI deepfakes being used maliciously, including tricking companies into handing over money and creating pornographic images of people. However, the report says there is not enough data to fully measure the amount of deepfake incidents. Reluctance to report may be contributing to these challenges in understanding the full impact of AI-generated content intended to harm individuals, the report says. For example, institutions often hesitate to disclose their struggles with AI-powered fraud. Similarly, individuals attacked with AI-generated compromising material about themselves may stay silent out of embarrassment and to avoid further harm. The report also warns that there are fundamental challenges to tackling deepfake content, such as the ability to remove digital watermarks that flag AI-generated content. King Charles meets new MPs and the recently ennobled at Buckingham Palace - Aaron Chown/PA Wire The King has an encyclopaedic knowledge of every area in Britain, an MP has said. The monarch hosted a Buckingham Palace reception for newly elected MPs, leaving many of them impressed with his knowledge about their constituencies. Around 270 MPs and 45 peers gathered in the State Ballroom for the reception, hosted by the King and Queen to welcome those newly elected or ennobled. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also on hand, while guests included Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and former prime minister Theresa May. Paul Waugh, the Labour MP for Rochdale who unseated George Galloway, added: He is impeccably polite and knows a lot about every constituency. Hes got an incredible encyclopaedic knowledge of every area of the UK. The King and Queen with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and the PM Sir Keir Starmer - Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP Asked if they spoke about Rochdale, he said: Yes, I mentioned that it was the home of the Co-op [supermarket] and I said I hope he shopped at the Co-op and he burst out laughing. I took that as a yes. Deirdre Costigan, MP for Ealing Southall, said he knew her constituency was sometimes known as Little India and had a big Sikh community. Hes very knowledgeable, isnt he? she said afterwards. He talked about his love of curries, she added, revealing that he likes them not too strong. Nigel Farage said he had always laughed with the King over his refusal to give him a standing ovation. In 2008, when he was the leader of Ukip, Mr Farage refused to take part in an ovation for the then Prince Charles at the European Parliament after he had delivered a speech on climate change. Reform leader Nigel Farage and Reform deputy leader Richard Tice with the Duke of Edinburgh - Aaron Chown/PA Wire He said at the time that his protest was due to the Prince advocating an increase in EU powers. Weve had a laugh about it ever since, he said on Wednesday. Its not nasty. The Reform leader acknowledged that he and the King did not always see eye to eye. He joked: If I see him I know some of the exchanges will be interesting because we have disagreed in the past over a few things. One of the biggest stars of the show was Jennie the guide dog, which belongs to Lib Dem MP Steve Darling and has amassed almost 20,000 followers on X. A number of MPs were impressed with King Charless encyclopaedic knowledge of Britain - AFP/AARON CHOWN The Duchess of Edinburgh, who has been the patron of Guide Dogs since 2021, made a beeline for Jennie, making a fuss of the pet as she said: Im your patron. Mr Farage was full of praise for the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, whom he said had been doing a lot of heavy lifting in recent months. But he could not resist taking a pop at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Theres one or two gaps out there, he said. Its been a difficult few years. Wonderboy and wondergirl disappear off to America, the Queen dies, the Kings not been well, Andrews not in the public eye, Princess Anne is 74, so theyre doing a lot of the heavy lifting and, I think, doing it very well. Pilgrims bathing on the banks of the River Ganges on Tuesday. It appears police were struggling to manage the large numbers in the build-up to the crush. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian At least 30 people have been killed and 60 injured after fatal crowd crushes took place at the Kumbh Mela festival in India. The incident took place on early Wednesday morning as large numbers of devotees went to bathe in the river, on one of the holiest days of the Hindu gathering. What is the Kumbh Mela? The Kumbh Mela is the worlds largest religious gathering, widely seen as the festival of festivals in the Hindu religious calendar. This year it is being held in the north Indian city of Prayagraj, where it takes place every 12 years. Its origins lie in ancient Hindu mythology and the legend of demons and gods fighting over a pitcher, or kumbh, of the nectar of immortality, and drops falling on to the earth in four Indian cities. During the 45-day festival, Hindu holy men, known as sadhus, and hundreds of millions of devotees set up camp and take a dip in the triveni sangam, the sacred confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, which they believe will cleanse their sins and free them from the cycle of reincarnation. Smaller versions of the Kumbh Mela take place every three years but the iteration held in Prayagraj is considered to be the biggest and most spiritually significant. This years celebration, which is expected to continue until 26 February, is particularly auspicious as it is the Maha, or grand Kumbh Mela, which takes places once every 144 years. It marks the 12th Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj and a special celestial alignment of the sun, the moon, Jupiter and Saturn. Just how big is the Kumbh Mela? Even in a country as big and populous as India, the scale of the Kumbh Mela is staggering. This time round, the government said it expected 400 million visitors larger than the population of the US to turn up over the total 45 days of the Kumbh Mela, which would be a record crowd for the festival. In 2019, a smaller version of the festival in Haridwar attracted 240 million people. Over the course of the festival, a sprawling temporary city of tents, stalls, toilets and elaborate temple facades are constructed along both banks of the Ganges, across a 40 sq km area. Each day, millions gather at the triveni sangam to take a dip in the water, many having travelled for days to do so. As well as pilgrims, it is mandatory for tens of thousands of sadhus, who are part of monastic sects known as Akharas, to attend the Kumbh Mela and take part in several ritual bathes in the river. It offers pilgrims a rare opportunity to offer devotion to the naga sadhus, the naked, ash-smeared holy men who largely live an isolated life of meditation and prayer in ashrams. Spending for the festival has also increased to record highs this year, with the Uttar Pradesh state government reported to have spent 70bn rupees (670m) on setting up the site and bringing in new technology to update the ancient festivities. What caused the crowd crush? Wednesday 29 January was considered one of the most auspicious days to take a dip in the holy river waters during the Kumbh Mela and was always expected to draw in huge numbers of pilgrims. According to government estimates, 100 million people were due to take a holy dip in the waters over the course of the day. It is also when the Akharas, the 13 monastic sects of sadhus, take part in the shahi snan, one of the biggest spiritual bathing rituals of the Kumbh Mela, which begins before sunrise. In the build-up, it had appeared the police had already struggled to manage the large numbers of pilgrims who were arriving. Many of the pontoon bridges and walkways were highly congested or shut off by police, leaving pilgrims and sadhus frustrated at the restricted movement around the site. As large numbers arrived on the riverbank late on Tuesday evening, the authorities began to urge pilgrims to take only two dips in the water and then leave the riverside quickly. But by the early hours of Wednesday, millions of pilgrims had continued to squash on to the area around the sangam, many falling asleep on the ground after the holy dip. According to witnesses, in the early hours of Wednesday, the crowd around the riverbank surged in multiple directions and people began to try to push their way out. Many fell over and were trampled, while many of those sleeping on the ground were crushed. What has the government response been? In the aftermath, dozens of bodies were seen lying on the ground around the banks of the river, and families sitting outside hospitals gave accounts of relatives who had been injured and killed in the crush. Local officials counting casualties into hospital tents said at least 39 were feared dead while other officials and doctors have given death tolls ranging from 15 to 50. A senior police officer, Vaibhav Krishna, told a news conference that 30 people had died. In a statement, the prime minister, Narendra Modi, offered condolences for the lives lost. The incident could have significant political implications for the government. The Kumbh Mela has taken on major political significance under the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party (BJP). The state and central BJP government launched a huge national publicity campaign around the Kumbh Mela, which is seen as a politically lucrative symbol of Hindu unity and strength, and posters of Modi and the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, adorned every corner of the Kumbh Mela. Modi had earlier praised the unforgettable crowds that were attending the festival. Is this the first deadly crush at the Kumbh Mela? The Kumbh Mela has a chequered history when it comes to the safety of pilgrims. In 1954, at the first festival held after independence, nearly 800 people were trampled to death or drowned as they gathered to bathe in the river. There was another crush of people during the 1986 Kumbh Mela, which took 200 lives, and again in 2003, when 39 people died. At the 2013 Kumbh Mela, 42 people were killed in a crowd crush of devotees arriving at a train station, prompting an overhaul of security arrangements. Zhenhao Zou denies all charges against him and the court heard he would argue the encounters, which were caught on videos he made, were consensual. Photograph: Elizabeth Cook/PA Media A PhD student accused of raping 10 women drugged his victims before filming his attacks as souvenirs for his own sexual gratification, a court has heard. Zhenhao Zou, 27, a Chinese national, was described as seemingly charming and smart, but was in fact a predator, voyeur and rapist who ignored pleas from his victims to stop, a jury was told. He denies all charges against him and the court heard Zou will argue the encounters, which were caught on videos he made, were consensual. The jury at Inner London crown court heard that video footage of Zous alleged attacks shows his victims were at times motionless, with some begging him to stop and telling of the pain he was causing them. Eight of the women in the clips used as evidence against Zou are yet to be identified. Zou was at University College London from 2019 studying for a masters degree in engineering and then a PhD. He came to Britain in September 2017 and studied first at Queens University in Belfast. When he was arrested in London and his electronic devices searched, a document on Club Drugs and Their Acute Toxic Effects was found. The prosecutor, Catherine Farrelly KC, said: To the outside world, he undoubtedly presents as a smart and charming young man. The prosecution says that he is also a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist. The prosecution case at this trial is that he would meet women, he would stupefy them, either with drink or drugs, and, once they were significantly under the influence of drink or drugs, he would rape them. Often, he would record himself doing so. The jury heard that Zou faced 35 counts on the indictment against him and they would be shown some of the videos, which the crown said showed his guilt. Farrelly said: Often, he would record himself doing so and you will be shown several recordings during this trial, which the prosecution says are the defendants souvenirs of many rapes that he had committed; items that he kept for his own private sexual gratification, so that he could watch, at his leisure, his rapes of these women, who he had rendered often unconscious and totally vulnerable to his will. In all, Zou faces 11 counts of rape against 10 women, three counts of voyeurism, 12 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and eight of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply. It took 15 minutes to read all the counts to the jury. Zou was helped to follow proceedings by an interpreter. Farrelly said: The prosecution bases its case upon videos that police have found on the defendants mobile telephone and two cameras belonging to the defendant. The jury was told it would hear from two women whom detectives had identified. Videos, the prosecutor said, were recovered by police of attacks on nine of the 10 women. Searches of Zous home found various drugs alleged to be MDMA, butanediol, ketamine and alprazolam. He claimed he had one of them to use as a skin moisturiser. Farrelly said: The prosecution case is that these are the exact kinds of drugs that the defendant could covertly use by slipping them into a drink to stupefy his victims so that he could rape them, and this was the reason that he was in possession of them. Police in London were first contacted in May 2023, by a woman. Farrelly said: In the call, she explained that shed been given alcohol and that the male had not let her leave. She said that he had forced her to drink a lot of alcohol and had then raped her. Later this woman posted on social media naming Zou, and was contacted by another woman who had said she had had a similar experience, the jury was told. The jury was told during one video alleged to show an attack, a woman said: I really dont want I beg you, dont do this and Zou replied: dont push me, its pointless The sound insulation here is very good. The jury was told that Zous defence was that one complainant agreed to have sex and had asked him for money and was angry when he didnt pay her. Farrelly said that victim went to Zous then south London home for drinks and felt tired. Zou had sex with her and she told police: I cant fight back, I have no strength, and was raped while unconscious, the court heard. Video recovered later of the incident shot by a camera on a bedside table shows the young woman and Zou talking in a Chinese language. Farrelly said the womans speech becomes slurred, she complains of feeling unwell and wanting to go home, later telling him not to restrain her, screaming and trying to get up from the bed on several occasions and the defendant pushes her back down each time. The trial continues. A 55-year-old man was flying the drone in a temporary no-fly zone at a classic car event in Rattvik, central Sweden. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA A man has been convicted for drunk-driving a drone in what is thought to be the first case of its kind in Sweden. The 55-year-old man was found guilty in July of flying the device at a classic car event in Rattvik, a town in Dalarna, central Sweden, in a temporary no-fly zone. Police noticed the drone while flying their own device to monitor the event. When they found the spot where the drone was being controlled, a man whose bloodstream contained 0.69 parts alcohol for every 1,000 parts blood admitted to flying it. Under Swedish law, anything above 0.2 parts alcohol in 1,000 parts blood is punishable; 1.0 is a serious offence. Drink-driving laws are strict in Sweden compared with other parts of Europe. In the UK, the limit is 0.8; in Spain, France and Belgium it is 0.5. In Romania and Hungary it is 0. The man later claimed he did not fly the drone under the influence and blamed a friend who was not present when police arrived. He was fined 32,000 SEK (2,341) to be paid across 80 days in daily fines of 400 SEK (29). It is understood to be the first case in Sweden in which a person has been prosecuted and convicted of drunkenness while flying a drone. I have not seen a case like this before, Jenny Holden Nystrom, prosecuting, told the broadcaster SVT. I am satisfied with the verdict. Karin Hellmont, the district court president, said it applied the same punishment scale as it would for drink-driving to the drone case. It is an aircraft. Even though it is flown by itself, it is controlled by someone down on the ground and can fall from a high height and injure someone, she said. Mark Zuckerberg speaks in Menlo Park, California, last year. Photograph: Manuel Orbegozo/Reuters After an unprecedented delay, Meta reported earnings more than half an hour after market close on Wednesday. The company posted $48.39bn in fourth-quarter revenue and earnings per share of $8.02, handily beating Wall Street projections of $46.9bn and $6.75 in earnings-per-share. We continue to make good progress on AI, glasses and the future of social media, said Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO. Im excited to see these efforts scale further in 2025. The day before, an internal memo leaked that said Metas Reality Labs division, which oversees its Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, had grown by nearly 40% and beaten all its sales and revenue targets. Related: Microsoft to report fourth-quarter earnings amid uproar over DeepSeeks AI This is going to be a really big year, Zuckerberg said on a call with analysts. More than usual, it feels like the trajectory for most of our long-term initiatives are going to be a lot clearer by the end of this year. Earnings were preceded by a Wall Street Journal report that Donald Trump signed an agreement to call on Meta to pay $25m to settle a lawsuit he filed against the company in 2021. Trump filed the lawsuit after Facebook banned him from the platform following the January 6 Capitol attacks. It is unclear if that caused the delay in reporting earnings. The company was not providing full-year revenue outlook for 2025 but expects first-quarter total revenue to be in the range of $39.5-41.8bn, according to a press release. That projection is less than analysts were expecting for the first quarter, which analyst Debra Aho Williamson, founder and chief analyst of Sonata Insights, said was concerning. Metas solid revenue growth in the fourth quarter masks a looming problem, said Williamson. Its revenue outlook for Q1 was lighter than Wall Street was expecting, and it is planning exorbitant capital expenditures for AI infrastructure in 2025. That adds up to a concerning situation. Earlier this week, Meta announced it was rolling out a more personalized AI assistant. The tech giant also maintains that Meta AI is the most used virtual assistant, though it is difficult to avoid using it on platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp by design. Some analysts remain bullish about Metas AI capabilities despite the overnight success of Chinese competitor DeepSeek. Related: Who is behind DeepSeek and how did it achieve its AI Sputnik moment? DeepSeek is a great LLM model that is competitive with Metas Llama and OpenAIs ChatGPT. The comparisons end there, as tonight we expect a doubling down on the AI vision/build-out from both tech stalwarts Meta and Microsoft, which will be another strong sign of confidence this AI revolution is just starting, said Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities. Microsoft reported its quarterly earnings the same day as Meta. Analysts also expected AI would take a back seat to concerns over Zuckerbergs decision to get rid of third-party factchecking programs. Forrester VP and research director Mike Proulx said: Metas typical AI progress update will get overshadowed by analyst concerns about advertiser brand safety and user backlash. However, Zuckerberg said people were interpreting the announcement as a sign that the company didnt care about adding context to things or did not take misinformation on the platform seriously. But he said that was not true. The community notes system is just going to be more effective than what we had before, Zuckerberg said on the earnings call. Meta chief financial officer Susan Li said the company had not seen a noticeable impact on advertising in the aftermath of announcing the content policy changes. Were continuing to see strong advertiser demand, Li said. Our commitment to brand safety is unchanged. Days after Meta announced it was doing away with its third-party factchecker program, news broke that the company would reduce its workforce by 5% this time targeting what it called low performers. Despite a rather frenzied start to 2025, Metas Q4, 2024 results will likely demonstrate continued company momentum heading into this year, Proulx of Forrester said. With yet another 5% reduction in workforce announced, Metas 2024 year of efficiency gets trumped in 2025 with an apparent year of intensity. Zuckerberg said he was also watching to see whether TikTok is banned which could provide a windfall for Meta products. He said that regardless of what happens he expects Reels to continue to grow on Instagram and Facebook. Related: Meta to fire thousands of staff as Zuckerberg warns of intense year A leadership shake-up at Reality Labs had been reported. According to the Information, Reality Labs will be brought closer to the main business and be led by Metas chief operating officer, Javier Olivan. It is unclear if Reality Labs current COO, Dan Reed, would remain at the company. The Microsoft Europe headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux, a suburb south-west of Paris, France, on 13 January 2025. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Microsoft reported its second-quarter earnings for fiscal year 2025 on Wednesday, beating market expectations even as questions over multibillion-dollar spending on artificial intelligence continue to mount, spurred by DeepSeeks shock to the US stock market just days ago. The tech giant reported earnings per share of $3.23, an increase of 10% on a year earlier, and revenue of $69.6bn, an increase of 12%. Wall Street had expected $3.11 a share from revenue of $68.9bn. Shares in the company, worth a total of $3.28tn, are up roughly 8% over the past 12 months as it has poured capital investment into AI and plans $80bn on new AI spending this year. Meta has made similar commitments; US tech giants are rushing to gain an edge over their competitors in the AI race. Related: What is DeepSeek and why did US tech stocks fall? We are innovating across our tech stack and helping customers unlock the full ROI of AI to capture the massive opportunity ahead, said Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft. Already, our AI business has surpassed an annual revenue run rate of $13bn, up 175% year-over-year. Amy Hood, executive vice-president and chief financial officer at Microsoft, said revenue from its data cloud business was $40.9bn, up 21% year-over-year. We remain committed to balancing operational discipline with continued investments in our cloud and AI infrastructure, Hood said. The companys earnings report comes in the shadow of a sell-off in AI-exposed companies on Monday when a Chinese company, DeepSeek, said its AI model had achieved similar results to those of US companies at a fraction of the cost. Chipmaker Nvidia lost some $600bn in market capitalization, though it recovered part of that value in the ensuing days of trading. The implications of DeepSeeks apparent AI cost breakthrough it claims to have spent mere millions training its model raises questions over the past years $5tn AI-related run-up in the overall market value of the tech giants known as the magnificent seven on Wall Street: Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Nvidia and Tesla. The gains accounted for much of the S&P 500s roughly 70% advance over that period, which has slowed as concerns that returns on AI-capital spending, estimated at more than $200bn over the past year with more scheduled for this year, are still elusive. Related: Meta to report fourth-quarter earnings amid DeepSeek mania and ballooning AI investments 2025 is likely to be the most pivotal year on record for the AI revolution on the development side but also on the financial side, as investors expect to get the returns for the trillions of dollars invested over the past two years, said Thomas Monteiro, senior analyst at Investing.com, after the results were released. He called Microsoft the undisputed AI leader on the software side and a stable bet for investors looking to cash in on AI. Microsoft and AI partner OpenAI are investigating whether data output from OpenAIs technology was obtained in an unauthorized manner by a group linked to DeepSeek, according to Bloomberg. David Sacks, the White Houses AI and crypto czar, told Fox News that it was possible that DeepSeek had stolen intellectual property from the United States. In an earnings call after the company results were released, Nadella said DeepSeek had shown real innovations and what was taking place was no different in optimization and improvements to AI than in regular computing. For a hyperscaler like us, this is all good news, he told investors. The Microsoft CEO was also asked about the Stargate Project, a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank that did not include Microsoft, OpenAIs top investor, announced by Donald Trump last week. He pushed back on a suggestion that Microsoft would now be taking a backseat: We remain very happy with the partnership with OpenAI. The day before, OpenAIs Sam Altman had posted a picture with Nadella, suggesting the alliance between his company and Microsoft was still strong. Altman wrote that the next phase of the partnership was gonna be much better than anyone is ready for. MBABANE In a highly unusual incident, a principal magistrate allegedly poured himself a glass of beer, took a sip, lit a cigarette and smoked while presiding over a court case. The case involved a man against whom an order for maintenance was sought at the Siteki Magistrates Court. Fanile Mabuza (57) of Nsulutane, under Chief Ndlondlo, alleged that Principal Magistrate Donald Mavuso consumed Stella Artois beer and smoked a cigarette during the court proceedings. He further claimed that the principal magistrate ordered him to appear in court on a Saturday, despite the fact that magistrates courts typically do not operate on weekends, as per the practice directive. maintenance Before these maintenance proceedings, Mabuza was arrested and charged with depriving and dispossessing his wife, Simangele, of a herd of 29 cattle, to which she was entitled under Eswatini Law and Custom. He was also charged for evicting Simangele from their marital home. Both charges fell under the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act, 15/2018. In the third charge, he was accused of violating the Childrens Protection and Welfare Act by failing to provide basic necessities for his four children. When he appeared at the magistrates court, he was granted bail of E1 000. As a bail condition, Mabuza was ordered to return the herd of cattle to Simangeles matrimonial home immediately. The court also ordered Simangele to return to her home, and the police were instructed to assist in executing this order. This occurred on December 20, 2024. On December 27, 2024, Mabuza appeared for a remand hearing, and his trial was scheduled to resume on February 28, 2025. However, on January 3, 2025, Mabuza was unexpectedly arrested again and brought before the court. He stated that the court ordered him to pay E1 000 in maintenance without even hearing my side of the matter, which he argued violated the principles of natural justice, particularly the right to a fair trial. Mabuza claimed that the matter was heard in Magistrate Mavusos chambers. He alleged that during this hearing, Magistrate Mavuso consumed beer and smoked a cigarette. While the matter was being deliberated upon by the court, the learned magistrate poured Stella Artois beer into a glass and took a sip right in front of me and my attorney. As if that were not enough, the learned magistrate took out a pack of Stuyvesant Blue Switch cigarettes and smoked inside the chambers while reprimanding me for not being supportive to my wife and children, Mabuza alleged. review He made these allegations in an urgent application filed at the High Court, seeking to review and set aside the orders issued by the Siteki Magistrates Court, specifically the order to return the herd of cattle to his wifes matrimonial home and the order for his wife to return home.In the review application, Mabuza argued that Mavuso misdirected himself and/or failed to properly apply his mind to the matter, resulting in gross irregularity. He alleged that Mavuso considered irrelevant factors and/or ignored relevant ones. Mabuza informed the High Court that Mavuso failed to consider the entire issue presented before him and made a decision based on a fixed principle, leading to an unwarranted outcome. Judge Magagula reserved judgment in the matter. Noel Clarke is suing Guardian News and Media over a series of articles, which included allegations of sexual misconduct - Jordan Pettitt/PA Noel Clarke accused the publisher of The Guardian newspaper of perversion of the course of justice by deleting evidence in his High Court libel claim against the publication. The actor, 49, is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) over a series of articles, including one from April 2021, which said 20 women who knew Clarke in a professional capacity had come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct. In a statement at the time, the former Doctor Who star denied sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing. GNM is defending the legal action on the grounds of truth and public interest. A full trial of the claim is expected to be heard in March, but at a hearing on Wednesday, Clarkes lawyers applied for GNMs defence case to be struck out. Mrs Justice Steyn rejected the application, saying that written reasons for her decision would be provided at a later date. In written submissions, Philip Williams, representing Clarke, said: The claimant submits there is overwhelming evidence not just of an attempt to pervert... but actual perversion of the course of justice. He added: Because of the deliberate and permanent deletion of personal correspondence between the three journalists that undertook the purported investigations, as well as fabrication, it is the claimants contention that it is impossible for the defendant to legitimately put forward a positive case that it reasonably believed publishing the defamatory articles were in the public interest. Mr Williams claimed that two freelance journalists had been instructed to carry out wholesale deletion of threads on Signal an encrypted messaging app. He also told the hearing in London that one of the messages said: Delete this entire thread. Ill create a new thread which will likely be disclosable in court. Another message said: Can we delete all these threads and use the final thread from now on? In his submissions, Mr Williams said the messages illustrated intent and taking steps to fabricate evidence. He added: The defendants destruction of evidence was widespread and wholesale. It is something which they frankly admit. For example, the claimant maintains that four other group chats were set to auto-delete. This is admitted by the defendant. Mr Williams said it was notable that the messages instructed the two junior journalists to delete messages, and there was also the creation of a carefully curated thread which would assist the publishers case. He added: The crux of the strike-out application is whether there had been perversion of the course of justice, or spoliation of evidence which renders a fair trial impossible. Gavin Millar KC, for GNM, told the court in written submissions that Mr Clarke sought to deprive the publisher of its right to the trial of its defences of truth and public interest. He said: The application is a poor and opportunistic one for which there is no adequate evidential basis. It seeks to smear Guardian journalists and editors without any proper justification. In the light of the lack of evidence, it should be inferred that this is done purely tactically, in order to launder defamatory allegations about the defendants employees into the public domain. He added: There is no evidence either that any evidence was fabricated. Mr Millar told the court: None of this evidence raises an arguable prima facie case of bad faith, still less criminal conduct against anyone. Announcing her decision at the end of the hearing, Mrs Justice Steyn said: The decision on the application to strike out is that I am going to reject that application. Two residential towers under construction by Related Group on the Miami River site where archaeologists unearthed remnants of a 3,000-year-old Indigenous village in September 2024. Photograph: Matias J Ocner/Miami Herald via Getty Images Native American tribes in Florida have accused a development company of freezing them out of a discussion on the future of a trove of historical artefacts from a downtown Miami construction site, and hawking them around the US without their consent or knowledge. A member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the chair of the American Indian Movement of Florida told the Guardian that they were angered by the Related Groups approach to a number of out-of-state universities to see if they were interested in curating and housing the relics believed to be from an ancient Tequesta Indian village. More than a million mostly fragmentary items that experts say date anywhere from 2,000 to 7,000 years ago are currently stored at Relateds office in the Brickell neighborhood where the company is building two residential tower blocks, and where they were uncovered in archaeological digs since 2021. The site is a stones throw from the Miami Circle national historic landmark, known as the citys Stonehenge, which was discovered in 1998 along with similarly aged artefacts including pieces of pottery, tools, and animal bones and teeth. Some scattered human ancestral remains were recovered where Related was clearing land, and reburied off-site in consultation with local tribal leaders, but otherwise, the representatives say, they have not been listened to. The tribes say Related has broken an agreement made with the city of Miami in 2023 to present an action plan to preserve, catalog and display significant parts of the collection locally in exchange for being allowed to press ahead with the development. They also feel betrayed by the companys exploration of a possible new home for the artefacts by offering them to educational institutions far from their origin, including the University of California, Berkeley. That occurred, the tribes say, at the same time Related broke two deadlines to present a plan to deliver on a promise made to the city by the companys founder, Jorge Perez, two years ago of doing the right thing for this community. They wont listen to the tribes, to the descendants of the ancestors, that we dont want the artefacts displayed or shopped around to universities, but put back into the ground, said Betty Osceola, an environmental activist and Miccosukee tribe member. They havent had any meaningful discussion with the tribe. Theyre looking more at it from an archeological standpoint, and not from the tribes, or as an Indigenous person. In their mindset its OK to put these items on display, in our viewpoint we want them reburied somewhere, and there hasnt been any type of discussion as to where that location would be. Osceola said another disappointment was how Related had downplayed the discoveries, at least until the 2023 agreement. From the beginning we understood the importance of that area and how its connected to Miami Circle, which is protected, that its all interconnected with the sites on the north side of the Miami River as well. But there was some downplay of the significance, [they said] no, it wasnt connected, she said. Now they realize the connection, theyre acknowledging the significance, but its frustrating they didnt listen to us, not taking credence in what we had to say. Robert Rosa, chair of the American Indian Movement of Florida, said the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes were still waiting to see a promised full inventory of items in Relateds possession. They said both tribes would be able to go through every artefact so they can determine what is a a patrimonial item and a burial item, but that hasnt happened, he said. Theyre trying to be sly about it and send it away for research. Well, the tribes dont want research. They want everything reinterred. You have all these archeologists here, all they want to do is dig and make a name for themselves and preach and tell the Native story without being Native. Related did not respond to the Guardians request for comment. At a meeting of the city of Miamis historic and environmental preservation board earlier this month, the companys land-use lawyer, Iris Escarra, said the approach to external institutions was exploratory and preliminary. We were just asking for proposals to see what opportunities are available. This is nothing more than that, she told members, according to the Miami Herald. Related, the newspaper said, promised to deliver a detailed plan, including proposals for exhibition spaces along Brickells waterfront, at the next board meeting on 4 March. The company said it planned to link its site with the Miami Circle landmark via an educational pathway it intends to call the Tequesta Trail. Meanwhile, the University of Miami (UM) and Florida International University say they are still waiting for a response to their joint proposal for a conservation and research center in the city. The action plan is the guarantee the public has of access to some of the information from the capital of the Tequesta, the largest Indigenous pre-contact settlement in south Florida, said Traci Ardren, professor of anthropology at UM. What they showed at this last meeting was very disorganized. Theyre not speaking with museum curators, theyre not speaking with scholars, theyre not speaking with the archeological community, and most importantly theyre not speaking with the local Indigenous population. Its extremely disappointing they would consider farming out the curation of the artefacts to an institution outside of south Florida. Reaching out to other universities and institutions is inappropriate for lots of reasons, but fundamentally its about their unwillingness to fund this educational component. It costs money to do this work. Perfectly balanced Construction. Grey Lines on Pink Ground (1938), by Paule Vezelay. Photograph: Sam Day/Tate; The Estate of Paule Vezelay In 1926, Paule Vezelay invented herself. Born Marjorie Watson-Williams in Bristol, she moved to Paris and became the artist she had always imagined being, brand new name and all. She thrived at the centre of Pariss swirling avant-garde currents, quickly building a rich community for herself among the hotbed of artistic radicalism and experimentation. She exhibited regularly and found solace in her friendships. But when she returned to Britain at the onset of the second world war, she found herself out of step with its art world and found neither the fame nor the success she had been working towards in Paris. The RWA in Bristol has brought Vezelay home, hosting the largest exhibition of her work since her death in 1984 at the age of 91. It is only two rooms, but its packed with paintings, prints, sculpture, textiles, letters and photographs from her own collection. Moving chronologically through her life and work, the show gives a powerful sense of Vezelays fierce, prickly personality. Even in her very earliest paintings and prints, made while a student at the RWA itself, then at the Slade in London, Vezelays style is clear. She was already interested in volume and line, depicting bodies and spaces that spring off the page with dramatic modelling and cross-hatching. Her early paintings are made with a heavy impasto and, although they depict the classic modernist subject of the crowd, they are much more interested in shape and colour than in social commentary. When she arrived in Paris for the first time in 1920, Vezelay was struck by what was happening there. People including Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Jean Arp, Joan Miro and Alexander Calder were pushing against the boundaries of visual art, creating new ways of depicting the world abstractly. Vezelay eventually met them all and joined Abstraction-Creation, the group that exhibited works grappling with the interplay of abstraction and surrealism. The RWAs exhibition includes two sculptures by Vezelays peers, one by Calder, one by Marlow Moss. Even though they are only two of the 60-plus works in the exhibition, they give a strong sense of the aesthetic questions Vezelays circle was addressing. The echoes of their lines, particularly those of the Calder mobile hanging from the ceiling in the first gallery, are eerily visible in the Vezelay painting hanging below it. Construction. Grey Lines on Pink Ground, 1938, is a large pink colour field with a map of 11 straight lines crisscrossing it. Some lines end in spheres, others have little flags planted in them, and the seemingly random composition comes together to look perfectly balanced just like Calders mobile. There is no record indicating that the two works are related, but both artists were members of Abstraction-Creation, so they certainly knew each other. The letters and photographs add to the sense of Vezelays rich community in Paris. One letter, from Sophie Taeuber-Arp, describes the difficulty of doing art with one arm while the other is being pulled into the kitchen, or to the telephone, or off on errands. The challenge of being an artist and a woman was always present for Vezelay, although she was outspoken in her desire to be seen as simply an artist, not a female artist. She wrote to the British surrealist Ithell Colquhoun, saying she had chosen a somewhat androgynous name to avoid this question of sex [being] dragged into discussions about my work. Playing in the exhibition is an interview she did with Germaine Greer the year before her death. She pushes back against Greers suggestion that she wanted to be mistaken for a man. It was, she said, just the work she was concerned about making good work regardless of her gender. When she returned to Britain, Vezelay took an active role in the war effort in Bristol, drawing harsh, dramatic scenes of destruction in the city that marked a brief return to figurative art. She then went back to painting largely abstract work and eventually began designing textiles, some of which are in the exhibition. The curtains that hung in her apartment are there, looking slightly faded around the edges where the light hit them. Its an intimate, tactile element that, like her letters, evokes a tangible sense of who Vezelay was, in all her complexity. Related: Major show to celebrate UKs forgotten female trailblazer of abstract art Her Lines in Space series spanned her time in Paris and her return to England. These works combine sculpture and painting, often featuring threads strung across a canvas to create a sort of relief sculpture that hangs on the wall. At first glance, they look like her other abstract paintings, but a closer examination shows their three-dimensionality. The phrase lines in space seems to nicely sum up Vezelays artistic ethos: her works all return to this fundamental idea. The RWA is the perfect venue for this renewed examination of Vezelays rich life and work, in the very building where she began to pursue a career as an artist. The exhibition illuminates the dramatic differences in aesthetic sensibility between Paris and Britain in the mid-20th century. Vezelays work is distinctly Parisian, fostered and formed in the melee of avant garde personalities that made Paris the centre of modernism. Its tempting to wonder how her legacy would have evolved had she returned to Paris after the war, but we must take her as she is: a cosmopolitan 20th-century woman who constructed her identity, and her art, exactly as she wished. At RWA Bristol until 27 April Foreign Office officials expect Peter Mandelson to be formally confirmed in his role next month. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA Peter Mandelson has said his past remarks that Donald Trump was a danger to the world were ill-judged and wrong before his expected confirmation as ambassador to the US. Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday morning, Lord Mandelson said Trump had won fresh respect with his dynamism and energy. Mandelsons volte-face came amid reports he had received his diplomatic agrement or agreement in principle from the US to serve as the UKs ambassador to Washington, despite concerns in Trumps team about his links to China and the client list of his consultancy, Global Counsel. Foreign Office officials said that, barring any unexpected obstacles, Mandelson would be formally confirmed in his role next month. Related: Appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to US divides Labour MPs Mandelson, a former Labour minister who now sits in the House of Lords, has also been critical of Trump in the past, describing him as a bully and reckless and a danger to the world. Speaking to Fox News, Mandelson said: I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong. I think that times and attitudes toward the president have changed since then. I think people have been impressed not just by the extraordinary second mandate that he has received from the American people, but the dynamism and energy with which he approached not just the campaign but government as well, he added. I think that he has won fresh respect. He certainly has from me, and that is going to be the basis of all the work I do as his majestys ambassador in the United States. Asked about reports of concerns in Trumps team about his appointment, Mandelson said: Ive heard nothing from the president or the White House or anyone working for him that suggests that theres going to be any difficulty about my appointment. He added: Ive been appointed as his majesty the kings ambassador in the United States. That means Im both his and my countrys representative in the US. I think that as an experienced and longstanding friend of the US as I am, I think that President Trump will look at my credentials and consider whats best for the relationship going forward. I think, you know, the president is a nice person, hes a fair-minded person, and thats why I feel quite confident. Chris LaCivita, a campaign aide to Trump, described Mandelson as an absolute moron in December and questioned why Keir Starmer was replacing the professional, universally respected outgoing ambassador, Karen Pierce, who built links with Trump. Government sources stressed that LaCivita was not due to have any role in Trumps administration. Mandelson is known to have strong connections in China and has held meetings with senior Chinese Communist party figures as recently as 2023. The Guardian revealed that Global Counsel worked for Shein, the Chinese fashion company, until early last year. The company has lobbied for TikTok, which is banned on government devices in the US, UK and EU. The Nightly, an Australian news outlet, reported this week that a dossier on Mandelsons China links compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) had been handed by US senators to the FBI. The city of Otaru, on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. Tourist crowds have forced officials to deploy security guards to keep tourists safe. Photograph: imagenavi/Getty Images Authorities in Japan are stepping up measures to deter crowds of overseas visitors from taking risks in their quest for the perfect photo, in another attempt to address the negative impact of a record surge in inbound tourism. Tourism officials in Otaru, a small city in the northernmost main island of Hokkaido, deployed security guards this week to prevent people congregating on Funami-za, a steep street and the perfect spot for photos of the port and sea in the distance. Earlier this month a Chinese woman died when she was struck by a train after walking onto railway tracks in Otaru. Her husband reportedly told police his wife had been trying to photograph a location from the 2015 Chinese film Cities in Love and had not noticed the approaching train. The deployment of security guards is in response to complaints that groups of visitors are clogging up the narrow street when they stand to take photographs of the area, which was also a location in Love Letter, a 1995 Japanese film that was also a hit in China and South Korea. Related: Everyone has the same dream: Mount Fuji grapples with rise in tourism The latest crackdown on shoddy behaviour by visitors coincided with figures showing that a record 36.7 million people visited Japan last year, with the government aiming to increase the figure to 60 million by the end of the decade. This road is lined with houses and has heavy traffic, a city official told the Mainichi Shimbun. Tourists standing on the street or walking side by side often make it impossible for vehicles to pass. The impact on residents has been significant, and this fiscal year has been particularly severe. People are even entering private property without permission to take photos, Hidetoshi Itagaki, an 80-year-old local resident, told the Kyodo news agency. Otarus popularity has soared beyond pre-pandemic levels. Almost 98,000 foreign tourists spent at least a night in the city in the six months from April last year, the highest number since records were first kept in 1997. The actual number is believed to be even higher, as many tourists stay in nearby Sapporo, the biggest city in Hokkaido, the Mainichi said. Related: Wish you werent here! How tourists are ruining the worlds greatest destinations Officials have been encouraging visitors to visit Japans regions to take the strain off must-see locations such as Kyoto, the countrys ancient capital, and the megalopolises of Tokyo and Osaka. But the surge in visitors is putting a strain on infrastructure and causing resentment among locals. In Otaru, the problem has come to a head in recent months, despite the introduction last year of multilingual signs asking visitors to respect their surroundings and local residents. A weak yen and an increase in international flights to Japan have fuelled the surge in inbound tourism, with South Koreans comprising the single biggest group, followed by people from China and Taiwan. The influx has proved a boon for hotels and shops as tourists spent a record 8tn yen ($50.8bn) last year, according to government data. Japans seven major convenience store chains said their combined sales had reached a record high in 2024, thanks in part to prodigious consumption of snacks and drinks by foreign tourists. But overtourism has also led to a rise in complaints about overcrowding, littering, drinking on the street and other nuisance behaviour. Last year a Chilean Instagram influencer was forced to apologise after filming herself doing pullups on a sacred torii shrine gate in Hokkaido, while a video of a man who appeared to be a foreign tourist kicking one of Naras famed deer prompted outrage on social media. In another high-profile incident, an American man was arrested for using his fingernails to scratch letters representing his family members names into a torii at Meiji Jingu shrine in Tokyo. Authorities have introduced fees and capped visitor numbers on Mount Fuji and erected a screen to prevent people from congregating at a spot popular for taking photos of the mountain. This week the Japan Tourism Agency released 22 pictograms encouraging visitors to be better behaved. They include signs urging them to travel light to avoid heavy luggage blocking access to trains and buses, and to refrain from queue jumping. James Tooley, known for his pro-free speech views, has been cleared of wrongdoing after allegations from his ex-wife Cynthia - Instagram/cynthia_munachiso Prof James Tooley was appointed as vice chancellor of the University of Buckingham just after its annus horribilis of 2019. The university was in dire financial straits. Accounts from that year revealed a deficit of 19.8 million, a significant shortfall for a small university. Soon after Tooleys appointment, it was back on an even keel. Student numbers are up and the university now has a surplus of 6 million, an astonishing turnaround in Britains beleaguered higher education sector. At the same time, Tooley used his role to push back against cancel culture on campuses, transforming Buckingham into a bastion of free speech. He quickly found favour among those worried about the treatment of figures such as Kathleen Stock, the philosophy professor who quit her post at the University of Sussex after being accused of transphobia for her views on gender identity. But Tooleys anti-woke approach rankled, it seems, with some of his left-leaning colleagues at the university. The email arrived in October. Sent to around four thousand staff and students by the chair of the university council, Mark Qualter, it said that Tooley, aged 65, had been suspended with immediate effect from his 229,000-a-year post. This was following serious allegations brought to the university by his estranged wife, Cynthia Tooley. Later that day, he was evicted from Ondaatje Hall, his grace-and-favour home in Buckingham. Four agonising months later, he has been exonerated. The allegations eventually found to be unsubstantiated were very serious indeed. Although the university did not disclose them directly, sources revealed to The Telegraph that they concerned his possession of a firearm (which on inspection turned out to be a junior air rifle which does not require a firearms licence) and details of a previous relationship with a woman in India. Tooley used his vice-chancellorship to resist wokeism on campus - Facebook Over the course of a protracted investigation that was lengthened, friends say, by a university sub-committees decision to draw out his suspension, Tooleys mental and physical health has suffered. He was not given the details of the allegations until several weeks into the process. To his allies, this was seen plainly as a plot to oust him; a coup detat many months or even years in the making. Tooley, a staunch free speech advocate, has long railed against cancel culture on British campuses. The University of Buckingham is the oldest of the countrys private universities; it was founded in 1973 and had close links with Margaret Thatcher, who oversaw its creation as a university college as education secretary and was pivotal in elevating it to university status as Prime Minister. On her retirement from politics, she became its second chancellor, and remained in post until 1998. It was built on that Thatcherite foundation. Sir Roger Scruton, the philosopher and writer who lectured at Buckingham in later life, described it as a unique institution, probably the least politically correct university in Europe. Cynthia, 42, Tooleys estranged wife, moved to England from Nigeria in 2004 to study an MBA at the University of Buckingham. It was there she and Tooley met when she was invited back as part of the vice chancellors speaker series in 2021. They married in 2022. Ms Tooley runs a cake making business and has been made an MBE for her services to the community, which include running a food poverty charity with locations in Hertford, Buckingham and Northampton. She has also carved out a career appearing as a judge on TV cookery programmes including the Canadian show The Great Chocolate Showdown. In October, she called police to Tooleys university residence, alleging he was in possession of a firearm. Police found a junior air rifle a low powered air gun made for young hobbyists and took no further action. She is also understood to have brought allegations to the university, claiming that Tooley had an inappropriate relationship with a young woman in India that pre-dated their marriage by some years. Cynthia Tooley appeared as a judge on several TV cookery programmes, including The Chocolate Show - Laura De Meo/Shutterstock A university spokesman said: Due to the nature of the investigation and to protect the privacy of all parties involved we are unable to disclose specific details regarding the allegations. The woman in question has since confirmed to a newspaper that she was, in fact, 25 years old when the relationship began and that they remain on good terms. On completion of a thorough, fair and independent investigation, in the universitys words, a report concluded there was no wrongdoing. Tooley has, however, spent tens of thousands of pounds of his own money on legal fees to defend himself against the allegations. The university was made aware of a number of serious allegations involving our Vice-Chancellor. The nature of the allegations were such that the University had to investigate them and we took the decision to suspend the Vice-Chancellor, a neutral act pending the outcome of the investigation, a University of Buckingham spokesman said. The report found that the allegations were not substantiated, and after consideration by Council the suspension has been brought to an end. The University is liaising with the Vice-Chancellor in relation to his return to work. In recent years, Buckingham has been seen as a citadel of academic freedom; a holdout against the bureaucratic creep that has blighted other universities. This is partly down to Tooleys appointment in 2020. Formerly a professor of education policy at Newcastle University, he is a champion of low-cost private education who wrote a book, published in 2017, about his experience being arrested and thrown into an Indian prison while conducting research on private schools serving the poor in Hyderabad. The work was for an earlier book which also documented state corruption in India and attempts to shut the schools down. He has held fast to Buckinghams founding ideals, offering public support to academics cancelled by other universities, such as Stock, who resigned in 2021 after facing heavy criticism for her gender-critical views. In the lead up to his suspension, Tooley was making greater strides in the free speech arena than ever before. In February last year, he announced the launch of the University of Buckingham Centre of Heterodox Social Science, established with the aim of redressing balance in academia. The Verney Park Campus in the University of Buckingham - Paul Hackett/Corbis News An online course exploring the origins and intellectual history of progressive illiberalism, also known as wokeism, was already running. It was led by Prof Eric Kauffman, who was appointed by Tooley after he resigned from his previous post at Birkbeck, University of London, over political differences. Tooley was also overseeing the development of a university code of practice on freedom of speech. When he was suspended with immediate effect in October, he was on the brink of appointing Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a fierce critic of Islam, as the universitys inaugural Margaret Thatcher chair. Friends of Tooleys familiar with Buckinghams inner workings say that several members of the leadership team have long been keen to close this chapter in the universitys history. One claims that Tooleys right-wing politics were seen as problematic in some quarters long before his wife came forward with allegations of misconduct, which were then pounced on as a way to oust him. I do believe it was politically motivated, the friend says. I think [his wife] contacted the leadership knowing they would jump at the opportunity to smear James in any way. Ms Tooley did not respond to requests for comment. Another friend regards the suspension of Tooley as a nakedly political act with the ultimate goal of defenestrating him due to his anti-woke views. Diana Blamires, the universitys former head of PR, says the leadership is certainly left-leaning One would have to question whether James well-documented anti-woke stance was an issue. She added that it is disgraceful there is no apology in the statement from the university. The university declined to respond specifically to the claims that the action taken against Tooley was politically motivated. A close friend tells The Telegraph that the whole point of Buckingham is supposed to be free speech and you have in there a whole cabal of people who dont share the values of the university, adding that: If you want to get rid of someone, you make the process the punishment. It seems that Tooley long a champion of the cancelled has narrowly survived an attempt at his own cancellation. The New South Wales police commissioner says an investigation into a caravan found in Sydney allegedly containing explosives and a list of Jewish targets was compromised by leaks to a Sydney media outlet. On Wednesday afternoon, police said a caravan had been found at a Dural property containing explosives that had the potential to cause a mass casualty event. The revelation came 10 days after authorities were notified about the caravan on 19 January by a Dural local who had noticed it parked next to a road in early December. The local had moved it to his property because he believed it was a road hazard, the police deputy commissioner, David Hudson, told 2GB radio on Thursday. But the man didnt open the padlocked caravan until six weeks later. Authorities had been conducting a covert investigation but were forced to go public when details were leaked to News Corp Australia. The police commissioner, Karen Webb, on Thursday defended the decision not to alert the community earlier. She said the source of the leak was being investigated and noted the joint terrorism investigation included federal police and state agencies. The fact that this information is now in the public domain has compromised our investigation and its been detrimental to some of the strategies we may have used, Webb told reporters. There is so much in the public domain but to talk further about this to any great extent I dont want to compromise that investigation any further. Related: Renewables break record for share of Australias main energy supply in December quarter, data reveals On Thursday, the Daily Telegraph crime editor, Mark Morri, responded to Webbs accusations the media had compromised the investigation. Morri told Sky News the Daily Telegraph would never compromise an investigation and the criticism from Webb was unfair. They [the police] knew it was never going to be kept secret for ever, because they were knocking on doors and issuing search warrants in the Dural area, he said. We didnt just go bang, this is here, were going to put this on the internet or put this in the paper and publish it without going to police and saying are we going to cause any problems here? Morri said the newspaper went to the police early on Wednesday with the story, and would have delayed publishing if theyd been asked. He also said police had asked the newspaper to withhold parts of the story, which he says they did. Police on Thursday confirmed that Scott Marshall in whose name the caravan was allegedly registered was in custody on drugs and weapons charges peripheral to the Dural matter but that had been investigated under Strike Force Pearl. He has not been charged in relation to the caravan in Dural. (December 7, 2024) A caravan is parked on the side of the road in Dural, a semi-rural suburb in Sydneys north west. A local resident, believing it was parked in a hazardous position for road users, towed the caravan to his property. The van is padlocked. The man leaves it parked on his property. (December 19, 2024) The property owner busts open the caravan, to discover it contains explosives. He contacts police. He is not accused of any wrongdoing. In addition to Powergel explosives capable of creating a 40-metre wide blast radius, in the caravan there is also a note containing the name of targets including a Sydney synagogue and remarks about Jews. No detonator was found. State and federal police launch a covert joint counterterrorism investigation. At the time of the discovery, the registered owner of the caravan is in custody on separate matters related to weapons and drug charges. (January 21, 2025) Police raid properties, including a Dural address next to the property where the caravan had been towed. Another home in Sydneys west is also raided. Anthony Albanese convenes national cabinet to address the shocking rise of antisemitic hate crimes. Leaders agree to set up a national database, and federal police reveal foreign actors may be orchestrating recent attacks. (January 29, 2025) Details of the caravan are leaked and reported by The Daily Telegraph, which prompts New South Wales police and the premier, Chris Minns, to call a press conference. They make public the investigation into the potential mass casualty event. A potential terrorist event State police have not officially declared the incident an act of terrorism, but Anthony Albanese, when asked if he classified it as terrorism, stated: I certainly do. I agree with [the premier] Chris Minns. Its clearly designed to harm people but its also designed to create fear in the community. And that is the very definition. Minns said the incident was a potential terrorist event. Webb said that people could be charged with terrorism-related offences without NSW police having to make a terrorism declaration. The deputy commissioner on Thursday reiterated that the threat posed by the explosives had been mitigated. Hudson said the Powergel allegedly found in the caravan was almost exclusively used in the mining industry. Hudson said the caravan allegedly contained written notes with Jewish entities nominated on them. There was also an antisemitic note found, police said. Asked about speculation it was potentially a setup given the caravan with the explosives and notes had been left on a public road, the deputy commissioner told 2GB radio: Thats a consideration that we are looking at as well. Hudson said it was not unusual for criminal elements to tip off police but the caravan may have been recovered by the resident of Dural prior to that being able to occur. Hopefully there was no threat, he said. But we cant confirm that so we are treating it at its highest and investigating it to its fullest. Last week, the Australian federal police said foreign actors could be behind some of the recent antisemitic attacks across Sydney with people potentially being paid to commit crimes. Hudson said on Thursday that police were investigating if some of them [the attacks] are being orchestrated by others not the individuals. We havent identified any of the individuals, of the 10 weve charged, with any specific ideology that would cause them to commit the acts that they have [allegedly] committed, the assistant commissioner said. That indicates to us that they are being orchestrated in some manner. We have identified links between certain jobs, which gives us some indication there is a level of coordination above those [allegedly] perpetrating the offences. Hudson told ABC radio on Thursday at this stage we believe that [alleged coordination] is domestic rather than international. Jewish community Webb said a police community engagement unit had informed the Jewish community about the caravan being discovered. But Jewish leaders claimed they were in the dark for 10 days until reading about the incident in the media. Peter Wertheim, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said none of the 200 organisations his group represented were aware of the incident before Wednesday. They shouldve told us earlier because the impact on the community then could have been managed, he said. We could have understood better what we are facing. Wertheim said there are sometimes very good operational reasons for keeping an investigation secret but that has to be balanced against other considerations. The feelings in the Jewish community are not only of understandable concern and anxiety but increasingly, one of anger. Separately, there were more antisemitic graffiti attacks across Sydneys eastern suburbs overnight. Mount Sinai College a Jewish primary school in Maroubra next to a synagogue and a few hundred metres from a childcare centre that suffered an arson attack last week and a nearby home were vandalised with fucking Jews graffiti and slurs that included calling Jewish people dogs and the real terrorists. Antisemitic graffiti was also discovered on a residential street in Eastlakes and a car park in Eastgardens. Police foiled a further incident in the eastern suburbs, responding to the incident on the spot, they said. Screenshot from Police Scotland advert Police Scotland has recruited an OnlyFans porn actor to star in a domestic violence campaign. The force used Ross Rankin, a Glasgow-based content creator known online as Rossy, to feature in a campaign that targets young men, urging them to recognise toxic behaviour to prevent abusive relationships from developing. But it has faced severe criticism for casting the 25-year-old, who has published a series of gay porn videos on his publicly available X account, in which he describes himself as a little Scottish boy that can take a lot. In the video, which Police Scotland published on its TikTok account, Mr Rankin is pictured in a car with another man, taking part in a common trend on the platform in which couples answer questions about their relationship. Innocent initial questions such as Who has better taste in music? become more sinister, including Who demands to know where the other one is at all times? The couple become increasingly uncomfortable and after a computer-generated voice asks Who threatens to leave if they dont get their way? Mr Rankin looks unhappy and turns the video off. TikTok/Scottish Police A voice-over then reads: Controlling behaviour can turn a loving relationship into an abusive one. Is your behaviour becoming a problem? Police Scotland claimed it had carried out all reasonable checks to ensure campaigns met its values and said it had pulled the advert while it investigated concerns. But campaigners said the force had been recklessly stupid and irresponsible to use a porn actor who they say promoted the very acts that the campaign was designed to stamp out. On Wednesday, Mr Rankin criticised the force for failing to properly vet him and said an agreed fee of 780 had now been reduced to just 300 after his advert was pulled. I got an email from a casting agent for a Police Scotland domestic abuse ad. I sent in a tape and got the job, Mr Rankin told The Telegraph. If you see what I do, and you dont know the difference between consent and no-consent, then youre an idiot. A porn creator is exactly the kind of person who knows the difference. Police Scotland has failed to carry out a vetting process properly, theyve made an a--- of themselves. Nobody cares what I do, everyones been supportive, the only people who seem to care are Police Scotland. Ross Rankin uses social media to promote sexually explicit content While there is no suggestion any of the content is not consensual, other videos show Mr Rankin apparently carrying out an act of public indecency, having sex with another man in the open in the Scottish Highlands. Asked about the video, he said it had absolutely nothing to do with what were talking about. The X account is used to promote paid-for explicit content, including an OnlyFans page where a monthly subscription costs 6.44. Growing concerns over porn Unlike other domestic abuse campaigns, the latest advertising drive prominently features young men, with police stating that in 80 per cent of cases the perpetrator is male. Police Scotland said in December it was launching a campaign in response to domestic abuse crimes surging by more than 10 per cent. The latest figures reveal there were 63,867 recorded incidents of domestic abuse by Police Scotland in 2023/24. Mr Rankin is depicted as part of a same-sex couple, despite statistics showing these account for just 3 per cent of domestic abuse cases. There are growing concerns that violent practices depicted in porn videos, which are easily accessible online, are giving young people a warped view of normal sexual practices and potentially putting partners at risk. Susan Smith, a director for For Women Scotland, said: Along with many other groups, we have been raising the dangers associated with consumption of violent pornography for some time and the normalisation of harmful practices. It is recklessly stupid and irresponsible of Police Scotland to lend any credibility to the notion that such acts can ever be safe whether in gay or straight relationships. She added: There is nothing edgy or liberating in promoting an exponent of extreme kink in any instance, but to do it in a domestic violence campaign is beyond belief. Deeply inappropriate Pam Gosal, the Tory MSP, said it was clearly deeply inappropriate for Mr Rankin to be a face of a domestic abuse campaign. Serious questions must be asked as to why Police Scotland gave the green light for him to front it up, when his disturbing content is so readily available for everyone to see, she said. At a time when domestic abuse cases are shamefully continuing to soar in Scotland on the SNPs watch, this sends out completely the wrong message to victims. A force spokesman said: We have been made aware of an issue with our most recent domestic abuse advert. The advert has been removed while we look into the concerns raised. Proportionate checks were carried out in advance of the adverts launch, however following a review of this matter, an additional level of vetting has now been introduced for anyone taking part in future campaigns. Different levels of vetting are available to us and are always used proportionately for the role or service being provided. The Prince of Wales grinned as he used his sample-collecting syringe to shoot pond water at watching reporters - Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire The Prince of Wales asked a research scientist whether she could find the Loch Ness Monster, insisting that it was what everyone wanted to know. The Prince expressed a previously unknown interest in the existence of the mythical Scottish creature on a visit on Wednesday to NatureMetrics, a DNA research organisation that was a 2024 finalist in the Earthshot Prize he founded. He appeared fascinated by the organisations work extracting environmental DNA (eDNA) from water, air or soil samples. The Prince tried his hand at pond dipping and was delighted to then be given the chance to spray cloudy pond water at the media, declaring: This is the best day of my life. As he was shown examples of the companys work, the Prince asked Dr Kat Bruce, its founder: Everyone will want to know. Does this mean you can find the Loch Ness Monster? The Prince of Wales was briefed by Dr Kat Bruce on her companys work around the world - Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire Dr Bruce told him that despite numerous efforts, only eels had been discovered in the loch. People have tried, she said. People came from New Zealand to try that and they took about 500 eDNA samples and no, they said they had found eels. It might be a very big eel, but it felt like it was clutching at straws a little bit. All they needed to find was one unidentified piece of eDNA and they could have had a story. Dr Bruce admitted that NatureMetrics had been asked to use their technology to find all sorts including the Yeti and Bigfoot, the giant hairy creatures reportedly sighted in the Himalayas and North America respectively. The Prince visited the company, based in Guildford, Surrey, to learn more about its work analysing environmental data to provide clients with comprehensive maps of life in a forest, lake or the air. The Prince joined scientists in the NatureMetrics lab to extract DNA from a sample - Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire He joined a group of schoolchildren collecting DNA samples to identify the local wildlife and bacteria present in a nearby lake. Asked to expel the excess water, Dr Bruce suggested he shoot from his syringe in the direction of journalists. The Prince took three attempts before joking: Oh nearly, so nearly This is the best day of my life great fun. As he was shown a DNA extraction machine, which produces the DNA code sequence that can identify everything from bacteria to a blue whale, he told Dimple Patel, the NatureMetrics chief executive: So much of what the environmental world needs right now is data. And you guys have got the ability to tell us whats there. Theres a lot of guesswork, theres a lot of painstaking volunteers and science going into this, but actually what we need is to be able to understand bigger, large-scale projects as to what is in each area. There is a reasonable expectation that government decisions prioritise expert advice over ideological views, Dr Nick Yim says. Photograph: Tetra Images/Getty Images/Tetra images RF The head of the Australian Medical Associations Queensland branch says the state must listen to doctors ahead of it own ideological views, after the government moved to block new child patients from accessing puberty blockers and other transgender hormone therapies. The health minister, Tim Nicholls, announced the temporary ban on Tuesday, saying potential governance issues at a Cairns clinic had raised concerns about paediatric gender therapies state-wide. The Cairns and Hinterland Health and Hospital Service released a statement clarifying that a review had found process issues with the clinic, but that there had been no evidence of patient harm. Staff at the clinic reported receiving abuse after the announcement. Dr Nick Yim, president of AMA Queensland, said claims of non-compliance with clinical guidelines should be investigated, but that investigations must be free from political pressures. This is a highly sensitive practice area with a unique and vulnerable patient cohort, he said, and it is crucial that a knee jerk reaction to an isolated incident does not prevent these patients from accessing the support and care they need. LGBTQIASB+ patients are at high risk of suicide and self-harm, with a recent Australian Government report showing nearly 75 per cent consider suicide at some point in their life. It is vital these patients have access to safe health services that are free from judgement and discrimination. Related: Elizabeth Struhs trial verdict: members of Queensland religious sect guilty of killing of eight-year-old Yim said the government should implement the recommendations of last years independent review of the Queensland Childrens Gender Service, which had recommended the expansion of the service amid long waitlists. There is a reasonable expectation that government decisions prioritise expert advice over ideological views, Yim said. Before the 2024 election, Guardian Australia twice sent questions to the LNP opposition asking about their positions on puberty blockers and gender-affirming care. Those questions sent in September and October received no response. Asked about its refusal to comment prior to the election, Nichollss office said on Wednesday they could not speak to questions you may have asked in the past. In response to other questions, including whether process issues at one clinic justified the statewide suspension of hormone treatments, Nichollss office referred to his media statements and press conferences this week. Dr Portia Predny, vice-president of the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health, told ABC Radio National on Wednesday the decision was shocking and disappointing. She said puberty blockers have been used for decades and not just for gender-affirming care but for precocious puberty and endometriosis. Theres ample evidence that supports these medications as being safe, effective and reversible, Predny said. All of the concerns that are being expressed about the safety of these medications are only being expressed in the context of gender-affirming care. In Cairns on Wednesday, Nicholls said about 450 to 500 people were on the waitlist for the Queensland Childrens Gender Service at the time of the block on hormone treatments. He said the review was a calm and methodical approach and that there was contested evidence related to the use of hormone therapies. The health and wellbeing of children is our prime concern, he said. There is a very significant amount of concern about children going down that pathway and the long-term effects without an understanding of those long-term effects. Nicholls said abuse of staff in Cairns was clearly unacceptable and that those staff were not involved in the circumstances that has prompted the reviews. With Australian Associated Press MBABANE CSC Chairman Simanga Mamba says the Public Service PSs matter was reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) was responding to the application that has been filed by the principal secretary (PS) in the Industrial Court, challenging the decision of the commission that he should retire on February 3, 2025. In his answering papers, Mamba submitted that he only intervened after the matter had been reported to the ACC for investigation on how the alteration of his date of birth had been carried out. My intervention was that the matter should not be referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission, but should be first dealt with internally since the applicant (Tsabedze) is a senior officer, Mamba informed the court. He stated that upon perusing Tsabedzes file, he found that his registered date of birth for the Employment Form was February 3, 1965, even though there are many other dates of birth in the other documents as mentioned in the Civil Service Commission (CSC) ruling. Mamba also told the court that his awareness of the matter was only informal and did not extend to the alteration of the date of birth. The process leading to Tsabedzes alteration of the date of birth, according to Mamba, was wrong.He said, therefore, the requirement of the law was not complied with on the purported waiver. He informed the court that the under secretary (US) was not authorised in terms of General Order 9(2) to act as principal secretary. However, Mamba said he was not aware of the circumstances surrounding this matter since it was never referred to the CSC. I even asked the applicant to respond to the legal opinion by the attorney general, which he never did. I also asked the secretary to Cabinet to also follow the attorney generals legal opinion in the matter. To therefore suggest that I condoned this unlawful act is not true. Mamba submitted that the decision of the commission was communicated to Tsabedze and the minister through their respective offices, when it was delivered on January 8, 2025. According to the CSC chairman, the present proceedings are misplaced. The applicant ought to have approached the commission for the alteration of the date. The commission would have performed its constitutional mandate and resolved the matter expeditiously. The CSC as employer has the power in terms of the Constitution to ensure that officers do not illegally alter their dates of birth. Therefore, the commission has the requisite power to consider the applicants matter, said Mamba. He informed the court that the CSC exercised its constitutional mandate in terms of Section 186 when determining the PSs matter. In terms of Section 186(c), the commission can exercise appellate functions, with power to vary, in respect of certain decisions by persons or authorities exercising delegated powers. He said this mandate was properly exercised in Tsabedzes matter. Meanwhile, Tsabedze has filed an urgent court application in the Industrial Court, arguing that the ruling of the CSC is based on a series of unfortunate misunderstandings surrounding his date of birth. The heart of the matter lies in the conflicting dates appearing on official documents. Tsabedze revealed in his founding affidavit that his initial date of birth was recorded as January 1, 1963, a date he attributes to his illiterate grandfather who raised him and made an educated guess. Years later, with the assistance of his biological mother, he obtained an amended birth certificate reflecting his true date of birth: November 27, 1967. Adding to the confusion, Tsabedze included February 3, 1965, on his initial employment application in 1988. This, he explained, was based on information from his biological father who was uncertain of the exact date. Rachel Reeves agreed to publish her tax return shortly after a major speech on the economy, where she did not rule out further tax rises - Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg Rachel Reeves has agreed to publish her tax return, just hours after refusing to share it with the public. In an abrupt U-turn, the Treasury confirmed the Chancellor would release her tax affairs shortly after No 10 said Sir Keir Starmer would put his details in the public domain. However, Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, refused to do the same, with a spokesman saying she had no plans to publish the information. The reversal comes ahead of the deadline for submitting self-assessment tax returns for the 2023-24 financial year on Jan 31. Ms Reeves initially said she did not intend to publish her tax return following a major speech on the economy on Wednesday in which she refused to rule out more tax rises in the spring. Taking questions from journalists, she insisted there was no precedent for chancellors or prime ministers to make the details public. She said: Chancellors and prime ministers havent published their tax returns in the past, and I dont have any plans to do so. However, it was quickly pointed out that both Rishi Sunak, the former Tory prime minister, and Jeremy Hunt, his chancellor, published information on their tax affairs while they were in government. Sir Keir Starmer released his tax returns when he was leader of the opposition and intends to do the same as Prime Minister - Benjamin Cremel/Reuters Sir Keir also released the information when he was leader of the opposition. In 2024, a summary of his return showed he paid almost 100,000 to the taxman in 2022-23. When the issue was raised in a briefing with reporters after Prime Ministers Questions, No 10 confirmed that Sir Keir would continue to publish the details in Downing Street. The Labour leaders press secretary said: He published his tax return in opposition and will do so as Prime Minister. A Treasury source subsequently confirmed Ms Reeves would do the same. However, Mrs Badenoch refused to make the same promise. A spokesman for the Tory leader said she had no plans to publish her tax details. All of her declarations are made in line with the register of members interests, the spokesman said. A spokesman for Kemi Badenoch said the Tory leader had no plans to publicise her tax return - Edward Massey/CCHQ Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, said he would not publish his tax return for 2023-24 because he was not in the political post during that period. He also said it was unlikely that he would release his details for the 2024-25 financial year, telling GB News: I will think about it but I doubt it. Do they want my inside leg measurements? A summary of Mr Sunaks tax affairs published while he was in No 10 showed he paid more than 500,000 in UK tax for 2022-23 as his total income rose to 2.2 million. Equivalent details for Mr Hunt showed he paid a total of 117,418 in UK tax in 2022-23. His total income before tax was 416,605, including 27,370 in rental income. Chancellor Rachel Reeves Who was Rachel Reeves trying to convince with her much-trailed growth plan? Her speech contained many of the reforms we have urged on successive Chancellors, such as less red tape and relaxed planning laws. Yet it exposed a complete misunderstanding of how economies function effectively, a classic socialist belief that the state is the provider of growth rather than a hindrance to it. It is just a few short months since Sir Keir Starmer delivered his first conference speech as Prime Minister, promising the return of decisive interventionism. He believes that if the state wills something strongly enough then it must happen. Latterly he has likened his enthusiasm for growth to that of Margaret Thatcher, but his approach is more that of Harold Wilson a naive faith in the power of government to micromanage the economy. The state is the problem, not the solution. But to Ms Reeves a long wish list of infrastructure projects is proof that Labour has suddenly morphed into a great champion of the free market, innovation and wealth creation. She promised to tear down barriers to investment and junk dozens of pointless rules and regulations holding back businesses. Developments will no longer be thwarted by the presence of newts and bats; environmental blockers will be pushed out of the way; local objectors to nationally important infrastructure projects will be ignored; and a positively Trumpian approach to economic advancement will be adopted. Growth will be kick-started through a range of major schemes, including the expansion of Heathrow and other airports, new towns linked by upgraded road and rail networks and a big push for technology hubs in cities like Cambridge and Oxford. Will any of this really happen? There was an element of desperation about it all, as though no one had ever thought of any of this before. She professed her shock at discovering how long it took to get planning permission and how expensive many projects have become. Where has she been? The problem with this much-trailed address is that none of it made any sense. How could the Chancellor promise to supercharge growth when she has imposed new tax burdens on the businesses that actually produce wealth and create jobs? How could she promise deregulation when the Government is bringing in workplace rights that will make it more difficult to employ people. Everything the Government has done since it came to power has been inimical to growth. Yet, listening to the Chancellor, you might have thought the economy was powering ahead rather than flatlining. Ms Reeves sounded upbeat after months of down-in-the-mouth rhetoric, but that merely served to make the whole exercise sound phoney. She would not accept that her Budget, with its tax rises on employers, farmers and family enterprises has proved to be a drag on growth; nor will she concede that new union-friendly, day-one workplace rights will be a burden on businesses, even though they keep telling her they will be seriously affected. Any government serious about growth would drop these measures, but Labour wont. They are good for workers, the Prime Minister told MPs. They refuse to see that the dash to decarbonise the National Grid by 2030, coupled with the highest electricity prices in the industrialised world, is costly and reckless. They have nothing to say about the unsustainable costs of welfare (indeed, Sir Keir committed to the state pension triple lock in Prime Ministers Questions), or about declining productivity in the public sector, where it is hard to get officials to even return to their offices. These are massive brakes on growth. There was nothing about how to get millions of people of working age back into the labour market and little detail about how to reduce immigration. The big announcements were all long-term. A contrived internal row about Heathrow and net zero, intended to show the Government was ready to face down critics like Ed Miliband (who snubbed the speech) and Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, is irrelevant because it will never happen anyway. The damage to the economy is happening now. If the Chancellor is serious about growth, then she needs an emergency Budget to reverse the tax and regulatory policies already introduced. Otherwise, why would anyone invest in Britain? Rachel Reeves would rather talk about a future that might never arrive than a present that, thanks to her, is looking bleak - Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg The slogan on the podium read kickstart economic growth, but over the course of 45 minutes, Rachel Reeves delivered what felt more like a televised plea to keep her job. For anyone lucky enough to still be in work after the Chancellors jobs-killing Budget, and therefore too busy to watch her speech live, the gist of it was this: I might have made things worse, but I can make them better if you let me carry on for another 10 years. The key to prosperity, she said, is stability. At a time when Sir Keir Starmer is having to contemplate whether to sack her, this felt like a less-than-subtle hint about her own position. We stand at a moment of global change, she said, grandly. I want to see the sights and the sounds of the future arriving. Ms Reeves, of course, would far rather talk about a future that might never arrive than a present that, thanks to her, is looking bleak. By shifting the focus onto projects that will take at least a decade to realise, she avoided having to talk about the anti-growth measures she has championed, such as increasing employers National Insurance contributions, which has stifled growth and could cost 150,000 jobs according to some estimates. To her credit, the Chancellor did acknowledge that the tax rise has consequences for business and beyond but instead of fixing that problem in the here and now, she talked only about grand schemes that, conveniently enough, the Government will not have to deliver before the next election. As expected, she backed a third runway for Heathrow, which is unlikely to be ready before 2035 at the earliest, with years of planning and legal rows to come. She resurrected the idea of an Oxford-Cambridge arc an idea to connect the two university cities by developing thousands of new homes and better transport between them to create Europes version of Silicon Valley, which has been on, then off, then on again for decades. Britain, she said, should be the best place in the world to be an entrepreneur, which makes her decision to make it more expensive for wealth creators to employ people all the more incoherent. Taken at face value, there were plenty of positives in the Chancellors speech. Heathrow expansion and the Oxford-Cambridge arc have been big asks for British business for longer than most people can remember. Speeding up the planning system, and spending less time worrying about protecting bats and newts, is something most voters can get behind. Building an extra Thames crossing to unblock a bottleneck to Channel exports will help trade. Never mind the now, just think about tomorrow. However, journalists who had made the trip to a Siemens medical technology site in Eynsham, near Oxford, quickly pricked her bubble. If she is so committed to growth, the man from Channel 5 News asked, would she rule out any further tax increases on businesses, which have been the biggest barrier to growth since Labour came to power? Ms Reeves, looking like the Wizard of Oz after the curtain was pulled back, could not rule that out. What about Angela Rayners workers rights package, forecast to cost businesses 5 billion per year? Scrapping that could boost growth now, one reporter pointed out, rather than having to wait 10 years. Ms Reevess rather odd response was that the workers rights package gives people the confidence to go out and spend, perhaps unaware that people dont go out and spend if they have lost their job because Labour has made it too expensive for firms to employ them. When The Telegraphs own reporter asked if she could rule out further tax and spend measures in March, after the Office for Budget Responsibility publishes its spring forecast, she chided him for not having enough optimism. Optimism for tomorrow, though, does not pay any bills today. Ms Reeves had just better hope that the Prime Minister doesnt realise that. Robert F Kennedy Jrs combative Senate confirmation hearing for health secretary erupted into fierce exchanges on Wednesday morning, as Democrats confronted one of the USs most prominent vaccine skeptics, who will possibly be handed the reins of Americas public health system. The Senate finance committee ranking member, Ron Wyden, challenged the 71-year-old Kennedy over seemingly contradictory statements, reading quotes from podcasts in which Kennedy had claimed no vaccine is safe and effective while testifying under oath that he supports vaccines. He read another quote from 2020 how Kennedy claimed he regretted vaccinating his children. All of these things cannot be true, Wyden said. So are you lying to Congress today when you say you are pro-vaccine, or did you lie on all those podcasts? Kennedy disputed Wydens characterization, claiming his podcast comment was taken out of context. [The host] asked me, Are there vaccines that are safe and effective? And I said there are no vaccines that are safe and effective for every person, Kennedy responded. I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing, as HHS secretary, to make it difficult or discourage people from taking it, Kennedy said. Related: RFK Jr reportedly sought to block Covid-19 vaccinations at height of pandemic The Colorado senator Michael Bennet accused Kennedy of peddling half-truths throughout his career, demanding yes or no answers about past controversial statements. When asked if he had called Lyme disease a highly likely military bioweapon, Kennedy said, I probably did say that, although he disputed other claims. Bennet said: Out of 330 million Americans, were being asked to put somebody in this job who has spent 50 years of his life peddling theories that create doubt about whether things we know are safe are unsafe. Under tough questioning from the senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican and physician, Kennedy appeared to confuse Medicare and Medicaid, the government health programs for seniors and low-income people respectively. Medicaid is not working for Americans and is not working for the target population, said Kennedy. Most people on Medicaid are not happy, the premiums are too high, the deductibles are too high, the networks are too narrow, he said. Medicare, run by the federal government, has premiums and deductibles. Most Medicaid plans, run jointly by the state and federal governments, do not have premiums and deductibles, though it is true that networks can be narrow. Kennedy then said Medicaid could be reformed with pilot programs and perhaps telemedicine, artificial intelligence and direct primary care a doctors office business model that operates like a subscription model. Americans dont, by and large, do not like the [Obamacare], they dont like it, they dont like Medicaid and they like Medicare and they like private insurance, said Kennedy. They would prefer to be on private insurance. Most Americans, if they could afford it, would be on private insurance. As health and human services secretary, Kennedy would oversee everything from vaccine policy to food safety, wielding enormous influence over public health decisions affecting millions of Americans. His controversial views including debunked claims about vaccines and autism, fluoride safety and raw milk regulations have put him at odds with mainstream medical consensus. Kennedy told NPR in December that as a member of the administration, he was not going to take vaccines away from anybody, but he also added he wanted people to make informed choices. Related: Caroline Kennedy calls cousin RFK Jr a predator ahead of confirmation hearing In a letter to senators obtained by the Washington Post, Kennedys cousin Caroline branded him a predator, claiming he privately vaccinated his own children while publicly stoking vaccine hesitancy among worried parents. The accusation, from a former ambassador to Australia and Japan, lands as more than 15,000 medical professionals and 75 Nobel laureates have similarly mobilized against his confirmation. Kennedys pledge to make America healthy again through stricter regulation of food additives has found a number of allies, even as Republican senators demand clarity on his stance toward abortion rights and vaccine policy. The confirmation fight comes against a backdrop of shifting public attitudes: polling from Gallup over the summer showed nearly a third of Republicans now view vaccines as more dangerous than the diseases they prevent, a fivefold increase since 2001. Despite the opposition, Kennedy will probably survive the hearings. The final voteis scheduled for next week. Migrants are given warm clothing such as puffer coats in winter - Jeremy Selwyn The taxpayer is providing new clothes and shoes to illegal Channel migrants at a cost of more than 3,000 a day, The Telegraph can reveal. Men, women and children arriving at Dover have been handed the free clothes including puffer coats, hats and gloves in winter and flip-flops in summer at a total cost of almost 4 million over the past three years. They are kept in a quayside store house, said by one former official to be as big as a Matalan or M&S store, with changing rooms to try the clothes on. The Home Office stocks thousands of different sizes and shapes to replace all the migrants clothing, which it says is necessary because they are often soaked through with sea water and occasionally splashed with fuel, posing a health and safety risk. Some are also offered free mobile phones to ensure that ongoing contact with immigration officials can be maintained, although the Home Office said this was rare and it could provide no figures on these costs. The disclosure, revealed under freedom of information (FoI) laws, comes ahead of the Government unveiling its new border security legislation to deploy counter-terror-style powers to tackle people smuggling gangs. The Government has also confirmed it will repeal the Tories legislation that would have allowed migrants to be deported to Rwanda. A group thought to be migrants on a coach in Dover wear blue and yellow coats - Jordan Pettitt/PA The figures have prompted calls for migrants to be required to reimburse the taxpayer if they are subsequently granted the right to remain in the UK as a refugee. About 66 per cent of Channel migrants in the year to September 2024 were granted asylum. Tony Smith, a former director general of Border Force, said: If they are allowed to stay, then they are going to be able to work and earn money. To me, thats a chargeable deduction on our investment in them like universities, where you have to borrow 30,000 to get your child in to study. The new clothes cost the taxpayer 3,733,145 for 2022-23 and the first 10 months of 2024, equivalent to 3,624 a day for the 105,853 migrants who crossed the Channel during that period. It works out at 35.27 per migrant. In 2022, the record year for crossings when 45,755 migrants reached the UK in small boats, the clothing cost the Home Office 2,047,756.77. In 2023, when crossings fell to 29,437 migrants, the bill dropped to 959,327.66 and for the first 10 months of 2024, it was 726,062.79. It is understood the migrants are allowed to keep their old clothes, which are stored while the migrants are processed at the Manston reception centre in Kent. A group of people thought to be migrants disembark from a Border Force vessel wrapped in matching blankets - Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters Each migrant who arrives first hands back their life jacket, then has to point on a board to the number for their age and a flag for their nationality. They are checked by medics before going to the clothing store, where they check they have the correct fitting clothes in a changing room. They are then transferred to Manston. In its FoI response, the Home Office said: They are provided with a basic clothing pack similar to those issued via the Prison Service, consisting of underwear, socks, T-shirt, trousers/jogging bottoms, sweatshirt and weather-appropriate footwear such as flip-flops/sliders, plimsolls or trainers. In colder weather, a coat, hat and gloves are included in the clothing pack. Children are also provided with age and weather-appropriate clothing packs, and where necessary nappies are also provided for babies. The Home Office declined to give details on the brand of clothes. It added: It has been the case since 2018 that some very basic (non-smart) mobile phone devices have been issued to a small number of arrivals on an exceptional basis for reporting purposes, where it was considered necessary to ensure that ongoing contact was maintained with the Home Office. However, this is not a regular practice, and we hold no central data of the number of occasions on which it has occurred since 2018, or the cost involved. Migrants who arrive on inflatable dinghies after crossing the Channel receive new clothing from the British authorities - Dan Kitwood/Getty Charity sector should provide second-hand clothes Critics demanded that the costly practice stop, and the Government should use the voluntary and charity sector to provide second-hand clothes instead of the taxpayer picking up the bill. Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, said: The taxpayer should not be footing any new clothing bill. If Care for Calais and other Leftie luvvies care so much, they can source clothing from their donations. Hard-working British taxpayers are sick and tired of being ripped off by these illegal arrivals. Alp Mehmet, the chairman of Migration Watch, said: There seems to be no end to the Governments largesse with taxpayers money. You arrive illegally, get dried off, re-clothed and put up in comfort to await the inevitable good news that you can stay for good. Thats why record numbers will continue to come, and smashing the gangs is a pipe dream. The Government is advertising a six-year contract worth 521 million to manage Western Jet Foil in Dover, where the migrants arrive, and the Manston reception centre. In November, it was revealed the UKs bill for asylum seekers had hit a record 5.4 billion to pay for processing, accommodating and financially supporting the backlog of asylum seekers. About 35,000 migrants were living in hotels costing the taxpayer more than 4 million a day. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: Illegal immigrants crossing the Channel are disrespecting our laws and should not be getting free clothes and accommodated in hotels costing billions a year. These illegal immigrants do not need to cross the channel France is safe and has a perfectly good asylum system. Labour scrapped the Rwanda removals deterrent before it even started and numbers of illegal immigrants crossing have subsequently gone up by 30 per cent since the election. Labour has no plan and has lost control of our borders. A Home Office spokesman said: We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. Dismantling the people-smuggling gangs will not only save lives, but also continue to drive down costs such as these. A Labour source added: This is rank hypocrisy from Chris Philp. The decision to hand out these clothing packs was made under a Tory government and half the spending highlighted in this release took place when he was personally working in the Home Office. It also beggars belief for Philp to be criticising hotel costs when it was under his watch that spending on asylum hotels rose to 9 million a day. Terror-style offences for people traffickers Ministers have already announced that the Border Security Bill, due to be published on Thursday, will impose mobile phone and travel bans on suspected people smugglers to prevent them committing further offences as part of the new counter-terror-style powers. Investigators from the National Crime Agency, police and Border Force will be able to use interim court orders to ban suspected people smugglers from using mobile phones, laptops and accessing social media even if they have not got enough evidence to prosecute them. People smugglers caught with equipment such as boats, engines and life-jackets could also face new terror-style offences of preparing to traffic migrants. Border Force officials are expected to get expanded powers under the 2000 Terrorism Act for enhanced stop and search powers for anyone suspected of being a people smuggler. The new powers will enable officers to carry out personal searches, examine and seize mobile phones and copy any data on the devices of any suspects at ports and border control. Assisted dying The terminally ill do not have free choice on assisted dying because palliative care is so poor, a Marie Curie boss has warned. Sam Royston, Marie Curies executive director of research and policy, told MPs the assisted dying bill offers inadequate guarantees over end-of-life care, risking vulnerable people feeling pressured into ending their lives due to lack of support. The hospice charity has a neutral stance on the Bill, which was proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, but Mr Royston said he was disappointed with its palliative care provisions. He said it was not sufficient to require a doctor to inform a patient on the available options for palliative care, pointing out that the Bill does not ask them to say whether there should be any available palliative care, but instead just to tell them if it is available. He said: That could be, no, theres nothing available, Im afraid. But that, I think, is inadequate. He told MPs: We need to get palliative care sorted out and improved right now as part of this Bill because theyre fundamentally connected. This Bill is about choice. Its about choice at the end of life. If people cant choose to access palliative care, they cannot make a free choice about the care and support that they receive. Mr Royston told MPs the Government has no plan at all to address the crisis in end-of-life care, noting that, unbelievably, the UK hasnt had a national strategy on this issue since 2000. His speech was so passionate that, when he later reiterated Marie Curies neutral stance on assisted dying after being asked if the Bill should proceed without palliative care improvements, the committee burst into laughter. On the second day of evidence, the 23 MPs scrutinising the Terminally Ill Adults Bill which is currently in committee stage were repeatedly warned about the legislations potential harm to vulnerable, elderly, mentally ill and disabled people. Richard Robinson, chief executive of Hourglass, the UKs only elder abuse charity, told MPs they were witnessing an epidemic of abuse against older people. The charity supports 75,000 people annually, though the true extent of the problem is much larger, affecting 2.6 million people. He was only invited to give evidence after The Telegraph reported that MPs had twice voted against hearing from the charity. Baroness Falkner, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said no human rights assessment had been conducted. She said: Even now, as the Bill is going through, it is not too late for the Government to do that, she urged, stating that the Commission was not entirely clear that a private members Bill is a suitable vehicle for this, to be entirely honest. She added: I cant remember the Bill of such import going through as a private members Bill since perhaps David Steels 1967 Abortion Act. Witnesses disagreed on whether Ms Leadbeaters assisted dying Bill would breach the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). If it is challenged and is found to be discriminatory against groups it excludes, Parliament could be pressured to expand access. Lady Falkner told MPs the ECHR was engaged by the Bill and, because it was untested, it remained unclear whether the legislation would be found discriminatory. Lord Sumption disagreed, saying he was very surprised by the debate. He said: We must all be conscious of the fact that coercion, even when it is overtly applied, is extraordinarily difficult to detect. We have to live with the limitations of what human beings can do, so that, in the end, I come down in favour of the principle behind this bill, but I regard it as an extremely difficult balance to draw, notably for that reason. Chelsea Roff, a researcher and eating disorder expert, told MPs that her research has found that at least 60 people have been euthanised or assisted in suicide under assisted dying laws, including cases in Colorado, California and Oregon. Mrs Roff told MPs that the wording of the Bill reads like a formula for coercion, explaining that if a physician were to say to a young woman with an eating disorder we have done all we can, the treatment options are exhausted your prognosis is poor, it leaves you with a feeling that you have nothing left to choose from, especially if you are struggling to access services. This image made from a Nasa live stream shows Nasa astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore onboard the International Space Station in September 2024. Photograph: AP Donald Trump has asked Elon Musks SpaceX to bring back two astronauts stranded in space, despite the fact that there is already an agreed plan for SpaceX to bring them back in March and Nasa saying they are not stranded anyway. Trump said that he had asked Musk and SpaceX to get the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. The US president added on Truth Social: Good luck Elon!!! The two astronauts are Nasas Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were blasted into space in Boeings Starliner capsule in June, arriving at the International Space Station where they were expected to stay for just 10 days. Technical issues, such as thrusters that did not work fully, delayed the duos return. The spacecraft returned to Earth without them and Wilmore and Williams have been at the space station ever since. Nasa has insisted that the two astronauts are not stranded in space, akin to Matt Damon in The Martian, and that they could be returned at any time, but that bringing them back now could leave the space station understaffed and jeopardize the science and maintenance of the outpost, which is why new astronauts are generally brought up to replace returning ones. Related: Nasa astronauts stuck in space since June face further delay Indeed, the Biden administration already did partner with SpaceX to bring the duo home. A SpaceX capsule (Crew-9) is currently docked at the space station and waiting for the replacement capsule (Crew-10). That mission, jointly conducted by Nasa and SpaceX, will bring four new astronauts to the space station and bring back Wilmore and Williams. Last month, Nasa said the launch was been put back slightly, to March, because SpaceX needed more time to prepare. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long, Musk, SpaceXs founder and CEO, nevertheless posted on social media. Donald Trump holds a signed executive order in the Oval Office. The presidents directive has sparked concerns it could affect Medicaid, FAFSA and other federally funded programs. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters A federal judge has temporarily blocked a move by US president Donald Trump to pause trillions of dollars in federal loans, grants and other financial assistance, moments before it was due to take effect. Trumps acting head of the office of management and budget (OMB), Matthew Vaeth, had earlier instructed all federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to obligations or disbursement of all federal financial assistance in a two-page internal memo. The directive was seen as part of Trumps desire to unravel programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Is the pause currently in effect? The court order prevents the Trump administration directive from being implemented until at least next Monday, 3 February. US district judge Loren AliKhan granted the temporary halt after several advocacy groups argued the freeze would devastate programs ranging from healthcare to road construction. Federal grants and loans reach into virtually every corner of Americans lives, with hundreds of billions of dollars flowing into education, healthcare and anti-poverty programs, housing assistance, disaster relief, infrastructure and a host of other initiatives. A coalition of non-profits, businesses and others in affected sectors grouped under a coalition called Democracy Forward are expected to proceed with a case that argues the Trump policy is unconstitutional. The court will revisit the issue on Monday. What did the memo say? The White House issued the directive in a circulated memo as part of an across-the-board ideological review of its spending. The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve, the memo reads. The memo was met with widespread confusion in Washington where civil servants struggled to understand its full extent scope and application. How did Washington respond? The White House did not immediately comment on the court order. It has said the freeze was needed to ensure federal aid programs were aligned with the Republican presidents priorities, including executive orders he signed ending diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Democrats have called the Trump directive unprecedented and devastating, with Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate leader, describing it as a dagger at the heart of the average American families, in red states and blue states, in cities and suburbs and rural areas. The US constitution gives congress control over spending matters, but Trump said during his campaign that he believes the president has the power to withhold money for programs he dislikes. What were the immediate effects? Even before the policy had come into effect it has caused widespread disruption to social provision in education, housing, and healthcare, and left millions fearing they would lose their jobs and access to healthcare and other services. Despite the court-ordered pause, reimbursement portals for Medicaid, the largest program providing medical and health-related services to low-income people, were down on Tuesday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X that the government was aware of the Medicaid portal outage and no payments had been affected. If the legal challenges against the Trump directive fail, everything from cancer research, food assistance, suicide hotlines, community health, universities, federal student aid (FAFSA), and the non-profit sector is expected to be affected. Donald Trump (left) and Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on 26 July 2024. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Donald Trump has invited Benjamin Netanyahu to be the first foreign leader to visit the White House, in a major concession to a US ally who is wanted by the international criminal court for war crimes. The invitation was made in a letter from the US president, which invited the Israeli prime minister to come to the White House on 4 February to discuss how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries. It will be my honor to host you as my first foreign leader during my second term, the letter read. Trump has said he is not confident that the ceasefire in Gaza will hold. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel and Hamas should soon commence negotiating a longer-term peace that many fear will fail and lead to a return to bloodshed following more than 15 months of fighting. Trump and Netanyahu have had a difficult personal relationship, but Israel remains the USs closest ally in the region. Steve Witkoff, Trumps Middle East envoy, is said to have had a tense conversation with Netanyahu in the days before a hostages-for-ceasefire deal was negotiated between Hamas and Israel, on the day before Trumps inauguration. Since then, Trump has lifted a ban on supplying Israel with 2,000lb bombs that had been held back by the Biden administration in opposition to Israels overwhelming use of force against Gaza. Related: The inside story of how an unlikely alliance of Trump and Biden led to historic Gaza ceasefire deal Trump late last week suggested that the Gaza Strip could be just cleaned out and that more than 1.5 million people be sent to other Arab countries, in offhand remarks that appeared to reflect plans for an ethnic cleansing of the region. Netanyahu has been accused by the international criminal court of bearing responsibility for targeting civilian populations and using starvation as a method of warfare during the Israeli militarys campaign in Gaza, which followed the 7 October raid by Hamas that killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and saw hundreds more taken hostage. More than 120 member countries of the ICC should arrest Netanyahu if he sets foot on their territory, including most of Europe. The United States is not a party to the agreement and Republicans have introduced legislation to sanction the ICC for the warrants against Netanyahu and the former Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Democrats on Tuesday blocked that legislation. Donald Trump said the move would bring us one step closer to eradicating the scourge of migrant crime - Alex Brandon/AP Photo Notorious military prison Guantanamo Bay will be used to detain thousands of criminal illegal aliens under plans announced by Donald Trump. The detention centre in Cuba, which was opened in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, will hold up to 30,000 migrants who are living illegally in the United States and cannot be deported to their home countries, the president said. Mr Trump made the announcement moments before signing the immigrant detention measure, the first law of his new administration. Calling Guantanamo a tough place to get out of, he said the measures would bring us one step closer to eradicating the scourge of migrant crime in our communities once and for all. The detention centre in Cuba was opened in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks - Joe Raedle/Getty We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people, Mr Trump said. Some of them are so bad we dont even trust the countries to hold them, because we dont want them coming back. The president said the move would double our capacity immediately to hold illegal migrants, amid a crackdown that he has promised at the start of his second term. The plans were met with hostility from Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel, who described using the naval base to house migrants as an act of brutality. Mr Diaz-Canel, the Communist Party leader and long-term opponent of the US, said that Guantanamo is located in illegally occupied Cuban territory and is a place of torture and illegal detention. It comes after Joe Biden, the former president, moved to shut down Guantanamo Bay, freeing a number of detainees and the US moving towards a plea deal with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged orchestrator of 9/11. The president called Guantanamo a tough place to get out of - Shane T McCoy/US Navy/Getty Images The last prisoner release during his days in office left 15 people in the military-run camp, which at its peak held almost 800 Muslim men who had been captured by the US in the aftermath of 9/11. Mr Biden had cut the population of Guantanamo down from 40, much of which has happened in a push in his last weeks in office. International deal-making and court battles were deciding the future of the few remaining inside the naval base, which has housed some of the worlds most dangerous terrorists. During his first term, Mr Trump signed an executive order to keep the gates of Guantanamo open, reversing Barack Obamas policy to close the site, known for its use of torture techniques. The efforts to wind down the number of detainees culminated last year when Khalid Sheikh Mohammed struck a plea deal that would spare him and two co-defendants the risk of the death penalty. Mr Trumps announcement came as he hosted the parents of Laken Riley, the murdered 22-year-old US nursing student whose name the new migrant crime bill act bears, at the White House. It is the first bill Mr Trump has signed since his return to the White House, and was passed by the Republican-led US Congress passed the law just two days after Mr Trumps inauguration on Jan 20. Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, a Venezuelan with no papers, was convicted of murdering Riley in 2024 after she went missing on her morning run near the University of Georgia in Athens. We will keep Lakens memory alive in our hearts forever, Mr Trump said. With todays action, her name will also live forever in the laws of our country, and this is a very important law. MBABANE Two suspects, including a liswati national, were arrested in Mpumalanga, South Africa, after police intercepted a vehicle carrying over a tonne of dagga with an estimated street value of E1.2 million. According to IOL News, the incident occurred on the R538 Road near Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) during a routine patrol by officers from the White River Flying Squad Unit. Police spotted a suspicious white Toyota Quantum with two occupants and pulled it over for inspection. A subsequent search revealed 50 compressed bags of dagga weighing approximately 1 020kg. The suspects, aged 23 and 30, were arrested and charged with dealing in dagga. The liswati national also faces an immigration-related charge for being in South Africa without valid documentation. Mpumalanga acting police commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, commended the officers for their vigilance. He emphasised that there is no room for criminals to operate freely and that police will continue to work tirelessly to ensure public safety. The suspects are expected to appear at the White River Magistrates Court soon, to face charges related to drug trafficking and immigration violations. Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday. Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA The Trump administration has offered buyouts to almost all of the roughly 3 million people who work for the US government if they leave their jobs by 6 February, as the White House attempts to gut the civil service. The US office of personnel management (OPM), the governments human resources agency, sent an email to the entire federal workforce on Tuesday evening with four directives that it says Trump is mandating. They included a full-time return to the office for most employees. The email said that the federal workforce would be subjected to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct, aiming to retain only employees who were reliable, loyal, trustworthy. It warned that most agencies would be downsized. If you choose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country and you will be provided with a dignified, fair departure from the federal government utilizing a deferred resignation program, the email reads. It offered workers more than seven months salary, and asked them to reply with the word Resign. The email had the same subject line Fork in the road as one sent by Elon Musk to employees at Twitter in 2022 when he bought the social media platform. Musk has been tasked by Trump with cutting as much as a quarter of all government spending. He does not work at the office of personnel management but a former employee of Musks, Amanda Scales, was recently made its chief of staff. The unprecedented move appeared to defy rules that protect government employees from political interference and to immediately kneecap all federal government agencies. Unions representing federal workers immediately condemned the offer. The Virginia senator Tim Kaine called it a trick. If you accept that offer and resign, hell stiff you, Kaine said, referencing Trumps well-documented history of attempting to avoid paying contractors. He doesnt have any authority to do this, Kaine said. Do not be fooled by this guy. Trump has pledged to radically remake government, including significantly shrinking the federal workforce and cutting trillions of dollars of spending an agenda his administration is attempting to implement at breakneck speed. Since Friday, the US president has fired a dozen independent federal government watchdogs, as well as Gwynne Wilcox, a senior official at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), who described her dismissal as unprecedented and illegal. On Monday, the administration moved to freeze all grants and loans disbursed by the federal government an effort that a judge blocked on Tuesday. The American Federation of Government Employees denounced the latest move. The unions president, Everett Kelley, argued the offer was an effort to pressure workers who are not considered loyal to the new administration to leave their jobs which could cause upheaval in federal programs. Purging the federal government of dedicated career federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government, Kelley said in a statement. Between the flurry of anti-worker executive orders and policies, it is clear that the Trump administrations goal is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to. The mass departure of federal workers from frontline healthcare workers in the veterans affairs department to the officials charged with processing loans for homebuyers or small businesses could have sweeping consequences for Americans. The New York Times reported that it could seriously disrupt American life on a vast scale, including most benefits traditionally termed welfare including Medicare, social security and food stamps as well as travel, tax returns, the normal function of national parks and national museums, passport renewals, medical research, other forms of science, the inspectors and regulators who make sure that food, water and pharmaceutical drugs are safe to consume, and even the accurate functioning of the National Weather Service. The US government is the nations largest workforce with more than 2.4 million employees, not including post office workers. Project 2025, the conservative manifesto that has guided much of Trumps policy goals, calls for mass firings of federal workers and suggests replacing many of them with political appointees. This article was amended on 29 January 2025. An earlier version said that the US government is the 15th largest workforce, with more than 3 million employees. This has been corrected to say that the US government is the nations largest workforce with more than 2.4 million employees. USAid has sent more than $7.6bn (6.11bn) in humanitarian and development aid to Ukraine since the start of Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022. Photograph: Alina Smutko/Reuters Ukraine is reeling from the shock decision by the Trump administration to pause all US foreign aid programmes immediately, as a variety of projects in the country from military veteran rehabilitation programmes to independent media and anti-corruption initiatives have effectively been stopped overnight. It was seen as inevitable that the incoming administration would overhaul USAid, the US development agency, but there was an expectation that spending on Ukraine, or at least some of the most critical programmes, would be subject to a waiver or there would at least be a winding-down period. Instead, a stop work order issued last Friday has left hundreds of projects without funding, initially for a 90-day review period. Attempts by the Kyiv USAid office to save funding for some of the most important programmes have reportedly been rebuffed in Washington. They requested a waiver for some of the things they considered critical but didnt get it, said a source familiar with discussions over the future of USAid in Ukraine. Its clear that the new administration wants to destroy what was there before and build something completely new. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said his government would prioritise the most important USAid-funded programmes and try to cover them with alternative funding solutions. There are programmes like those for prosthetic limbs, or those on special rehabilitation, which obviously cant just be ended abruptly. There will be a prioritisation, said Zelenskyys adviser Mykhailo Podolyak in an interview on Wednesday. Military aid and direct budgetary assistance to Ukraine have not so far been affected, but USAid had sent more than $7.6bn (6.11bn) in humanitarian and development aid since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 and backed a remarkable range of projects across many sectors. Related: Charities reeling from USAid freeze warn of life or death effects This was the worst-case scenario, said George Chewning, the executive director of US-Ukraine Veterans Bridge, an organisation devoted to fostering links between military veterans in the two countries. He said several partner organisations in Ukraine had suddenly found out their projects would no longer be continued. One, Veteran Hub, said it was closing a telephone hotline that had provided support and counselling to traumatised veterans. A lot of people thought there might be a thorough review and were prepared to justify their work and their projects but there certainly wasnt an expectation that the funding would be halted, said Chewning. For veterans organisations, the cuts could not have come at a worse time, said Chewning, as Donald Trumps desire to negotiate an end to the war could result in hundreds of thousands of newly demobilised veterans needing to re-integrate into society. All our partners are now scrambling for additional funding, which was not easy to come by in the first place, he said. USAid also handled a large number of regional humanitarian aid projects, many of which were left pondering how to fill the newly created gaps, and without any idea what would remain after the three-month review period. It just impacts our morale Do we wait for their continuation? Do we redirect these projects to other agencies? We dont really know what to do, said Vitalii Lukov, the deputy mayor of the southern city of Mykolaiv, which has been reliant on international aid since being severely damaged in the early months of the war. USAid was the quickest to provide us with diesel generators and the energy efficiency projects are almost finished. But what will we do if Russia attacks our energy again tomorrow? Lukov asked. The US development agency was also a supporter of many of Ukraines independent media outlets. Bohdan Lohvynenko, the founder of the Ukrainer online news portal, said more than 80% of the sites funding came from the US, and the outlet was now in serious trouble. There is no viable advertising market for war reporting, leaving us with community support or a paywall model, he said. However, raising money in this way during wartime was very difficult, he said, with most citizens preferring to use their money to support the military. Some [media outlets] will survive but many will not. Already a lot of people are losing their jobs, said Katerina Sergatskova, a co-founder of the 2402 foundation, which provides support and training to Ukrainian journalists. If places have a cash reserve they may be able to survive for the next three months, she said, until it became clear which USAid projects would be continued. The stop work order meant that projects were abruptly ended with almost no warning. Oleh Velhan was one of thousands of Ukrainians to receive an email earlier this week informing him that his service agreement would be suspended, starting from Wednesday and until further notice. Velhan worked for a company that provided services to an organisation working in the healthcare sector. The suspension was in order to assess the effectiveness of programmes and their compliance with United States foreign policy, said the email. A few minutes after receiving the message, Velhan found he was locked out of his work email account. I felt frustrated and angry. All the projects I had been working on are gone. Ive been notified that the contract might be renewed but the uncertainty is killing me, he said. A woman and child in front of a UN refugee agency location in Kenya. Photograph: Agencja Fotograficzna Caro/Alamy UN agencies have begun cutting back their global aid operations following the 90-day suspension of all foreign assistance ordered by the Trump administration. Filippo Grandi, the head of the UNs refugee agency, UNHCR, responsible for providing life-saving assistance to the 122 million people forcibly displaced from their homes across 136 countries, sent out an overnight email to employees ordering an immediate clampdown on expenditure, including a 90-day delay in ordering new supplies except for emergencies, a hiring and contract freeze, and a halt to all international air travel, as the agency tries to adapt to the US funding freeze. The new US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, claimed that the US freeze would not affect life-saving aid defined as core medicine, medical services, food, shelter, subsistence assistance and supplies, and that it was focused on aid programmes involving abortion, family planning or gender ideology. However, the initial impact of the freeze immediately cut humanitarian assistance across the board and around the world. Grandi said the majority of UN agencies and other international aid organisations have been affected. Around the world, humanitarian assistance programmes have been forced to fire staff and slow down operations following the unprecedented US funding suspension ordered by Trump, pending a review of all aid programmes. Only emergency food programs and military aid to allies Israel and Egypt have been exempt. Related: Charities reeling from USAid freeze warn of life or death effects In his all-staff email, Grandi said: We must proceed very carefully over the next few weeks to mitigate the impact of this funding uncertainty on refugees and displaced people, on our operations and on our teams. These steps will help us manage resources while we navigate this challenging period, he added. What is clear is that more than ever, we must continue to demonstrate the impact and efficiency of our work. The US provided 2bn ($2.49bn) in funding to the UNHCR, according to the latest figures for 2024 a fifth of the agencys total budget. The Trump funding suspension, ordered by Rubio, comes at a time when more of the worlds population than any time since the second world war have been forced from their homes by war or unrest, either as refugees beyond their nations boundaries or displaced within their own countries. For far too long, the United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy have not been aligned with American interests and, in many cases, antithetical to American values, the state department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, said. They serve to destabilise world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries. The American people have demanded an end to policies that have harmed our nation for far too long and expect a return to commonsense initiatives and priorities. The time for that is now, Bruce added. The Trump administration sought to make an unspecified aid programme sending condoms to Gaza an emblem for wasteful aid spending. At a press conference on Tuesday, the White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said: There was about to be 50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza, without providing evidence of the programme. That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So thats what this pause is focused on, being good stewards of tax dollars, whether that affects Meals on Wheels or Head Start or disaster aid. The Trump administration placed nearly 60 senior officials at the US Agency for International Development (USAid) on leave on Monday, on suspicion they had been helping humanitarian organisations cope with the freeze. Related: Trump administration puts about 60 USAid officials on leave after aid freeze We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the presidents executive orders and the mandate from the American people, Jason Gray, the agencys acting administrator, previously its chief information officer, wrote in an email seen by the Devex development news agency. As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions. A copy of a US stop-work order seen by the Guardian told a European grantee that the recipient must stop all work on the program and not incur any new costs after the effective date [of 24 January]. The recipient must cancel as many outstanding obligations as possible. Current and former USAid officials warned that the stop-work orders that have gone out around the world could put millions at mortal risk, especially if coupled with a natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood. If theres a tropical cyclone that hits Coxs Bazar tomorrow, then how are you going to save all those people, and then how are you going to rebuild if theres a stop-work order? said a former senior USAid official, referring to the city in Bangladesh where more than 1 million Rohingya refugees are living. You could have people sitting there for 90 days and sitting and waiting for what? Thats what worries more. The state department on Tuesday said that it would be investigating egregious funding that included $102,236,000 to fund the International Medical Corps in Gaza, $16,840,876 to fund institutional contractors in the gender development office and $612,000 to fund technical assistance for family planning in Latin America. The sweeping moves in the first days of the Trump administration are causing increasing friction with US allies. In the UN security council on Tuesday, the French envoy condemned the Israeli governments implementation of a ban on operations of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa something the Trump administration has emphatically supported. There is no credible alternative to Unrwa. Unrwa plays an essential humanitarian role, but it also provides public services. And it does so at a third of the cost of other UN agencies, the envoy, Nicolas de Riviere, said. The Gaza Strip must be part of a future Palestinian state, de Riviere said, a day after Trump had mused about transferring Gazas Palestinian population to Egypt or Jordan. He added that Saudi Arabia and France would host an international conference in New York in June to pursue a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Spanish military police searching for missing people in Pedralba, Valencia, on Wednesday, almost three months after the flash floods. Photograph: Kai Forsterling/EPA A Peoples party (PP) politician in the city of Valencia has apologised after cameras appeared to capture him shopping online for wine and spirits as his fellow city councillors debated additional funding for areas affected by Octobers deadly floods. Nearly three months after flash floods ravaged part of the Valencia region, turning streets into rivers, sweeping away cars and killing more than 220 people, many continue to reel from the worst natural disaster to hit Spain this century. In the city of Valencia, as part of Tuesdays plenary session, councillors weighed a proposal to set aside an additional 25m (21m) to help areas where people were still struggling to recover. Instead the focus ended up on Jose Mari Olano, after the councillor was caught on the sessions livestream appearing to scroll through bottles of wines and spirits and add them to his online basket, according to the news site eldiario.es. Opposition politicians reacted with fury. Buying wine while the reconstruction of the affected areas is being debated is one of the saddest things I have ever seen in politics in my life, said Papi Robles of the leftwing Compromis coalition. Related: Were still in survival mode: anger persists in Valencia weeks after floods Olano was the latest PP politician in Valencia to come under fire. Since the floods swept through Valencia, tens of thousands of people have taken to streets across the region to call for the resignation of Carlos Mazon after it emerged the regional president had taken a three-hour lunch on the same day that the flood waters were rising. As images of Olanos online shopping jaunt began to make the rounds on social media, the politician stood up in the plenary to acknowledge what he described as his incorrect conduct. He said: I ask to address the floor to apologise publicly to all of you and the citizens, whom we all represent. Victoria Smillie was one of the Watford Five chosen to present the acceptable face of feminism and womens lib in the media in the early 70s Photograph: none My wife, Victoria Smillie, who has died aged 75, was a force of nature. In 1972, under her earlier married name of Lesley Mitchell, she was one of five women (nicknamed the Watford Five) invited by the Women in Media group to take on the task of presenting the acceptable face of feminism and womens liberation in lobbying both the media and MPs for the passing of the sex discrimination bill. The five (the others were Eileen Vielvoye, Rosemary Todd, Blanche McCorkell and Pat Howe) were friends who met in Watford to discuss feminism and womens liberation matters and came to wider attention when they were interviewed by the Daily Mirror journalist Marjorie Proops. Then Shirley Conran, who was doing publicity for Women in Media, got in touch and became their campaign manager. They were interviewed by national papers including the Sunday Times, and heard and seen on national broadcasts including Pebble Mill at One, and were instrumental in raising 100,000 signatures in support of the bill. It was passed into law as the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. Victoria was born Lesley Victoria Nelson in Liverpool, the younger daughter of David Nelson, a senior accountant at Hendersons department store, and Jean (nee Anderson). In 1967 she was unceremoniously thrown out of Waterloo Park girls grammar school when she became pregnant with her first daughter, Cathy, and was thus unable to take her A-level exams. She married soon afterwards, and had another daughter, Jenny both daughters were born with progressive Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome and became wheelchair users. While raising her children, she found work as a journalist on the Bucks Examiner. When her marriage ended in divorce, she decided to break with the past by changing her name by deed poll to Victoria Smillie, in recognition of her Scottish roots. After moving to East Anglia, she worked on the local paper in Hadleigh, Suffolk, where she also developed a love of amateur dramatics, playing the heroine in a local production of Sweeney Todd. She studied for a history degree at Essex University, graduating in 1981, and at the Henley Business School. Victoria joined BT in 1981, as it became independent from the Post Office, working as a senior manager responsible for the recruitment and training of those boffins who drove the ongoing research into advanced telecommunications technology. She was also a trailblazer in getting disabled people accepted in industry, for which she received a Churchill fellowship. Taking early retirement in 1996, she retrained as a person-centred counsellor at the University of East Anglia, and went on to become senior counsellor at Norwich Union insurance. In 2005 Victoria became the CEO of the Mancroft advice project, and helped its transition into a charity helping address the many needs and issues facing young people in Norwich. She finally retired in 2009. Victoria was a woman of extraordinary drive, wit, fun and empathy for others. She and I met in June 1999 at an Archers Addicts convention in Torquay I have been playing Mike Tucker on The Archers since 1973. We settled together in Bawburgh, near Norwich, and were married in 2004. She is survived by me and her daughter Jenny, and her sister, Margaret. Cathy died in 2005. Rachel Reeves will pledge to fight for growth and say that Britain can do so much better in a major speech, after Cabinet ministers were ordered to ditch policies that could stand in the way of growing the economy. The Chancellor will say that Britain has fundamental strengths but has been held back and accepted stagnation in her address in Oxfordshire on Wednesday. Ms Reeves will also use the speech to claim the so-called Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor has the potential to be Europes Silicon Valley and offers huge economic potential for our nations growth prospects. Centred around growth, it is also expected to include support for the expansion of Heathrow Airport an issue which some Cabinet ministers have opposed in the past and reiterate the Governments support for the redevelopment of Manchester Uniteds Old Trafford. During her speech, Ms Reeves is expected to describe Britain as a country of huge potential but also say that for too long, that potential has been held back. For too long, we have accepted low expectations, accepted stagnation and accepted the risk of decline. We can do so much better, she will say. Low growth is not our destiny. But growth will not come without a fight. Without a Government that is on the side of working people. Willing to take the right decisions now to change our countrys course for the better. It comes as the Chancellor and Sir Keir Starmer suggested to business leaders that Cabinet colleagues have been ordered to ditch policies which could stand in the way of their efforts to grow the economy. New reservoirs and a new train station are among the measures set to be announced by the Chancellor during the speech, which will include plans to boost connectivity in the region around the two university cities. As part of the delivery of what Ms Reeves will call the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor, she will also touch on funding for East-West rail, a long-proposed railway line that would connect the cities, as well as a new railway station in Tempsford. She will say the cities are two of the least affordable in the UK and existing transport options mean that to travel between them by train takes two-and-a-half hours while there is no way to commute directly from towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes to Cambridge by rail. Oxford and Cambridge offer huge economic potential for our nations growth prospects, she is expected to say. Just 66 miles apart, these cities are home to two of the best universities in the world, two of the most intensive innovation clusters in the world and the area is a hub for globally-renowned science and technology firms in life sciences, manufacturing and AI. It has the potential to be Europes Silicon Valley. The home of British innovation. She will later add: In other words, the demand is there but there are far too many supply side constraints on economic growth in the region. It is also expected the Chancellor will touch on the Environment Agency having dropped its objections to a new development near Cambridge that could see 4,500 new homes being built. In December, South Cambridgeshire District Council announced that planning permission had been issued for up to 4,500 new homes at Waterbeach after the Environment Agency had withdrawn their opposition. Sir Patrick Vallance is to be appointed as the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor champion (Lucy North/PA) As well as proposals to update transport in the region including an upgrade to the A428 there are also plans for nine new reservoirs after ministers reached agreement over billions in water company investment over the next five years. Alongside support for a proposed third runway at west Londons Heathrow, it is expected the Treasury will also endorse expansion at Gatwick and Luton airports. There has also been speculation that Ms Reeves will support the Lower Thames Crossing a proposed road crossing between Kent and Essex as well as a Universal Studios theme park near Bedford. Science minister Sir Patrick Vallance will be appointed as the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor champion. Sir Patrick, who was seen regularly during the Governments Covid briefings in his then-role as the governments chief scientific adviser, will make sure the Governments ambitions in the region are delivered, the Treasury said. On Tuesday, it emerged that Ms Reeves and the Prime Minister have ordered Cabinet colleagues to ditch policies that could get in the way of their efforts to grow the economy. Sir Keir told business chiefs at a meeting in the City of London that he was hard-wiring growth into all the decisions of the Cabinet and that what Rachel and I have done is to make it clear to each of our Cabinet colleagues that in each of their briefs, growth is the number one mission. Ministers will be expected to set out the growth credentials of new policies in order to get approval from their Cabinet colleagues, in a shake-up to the usual system to get collective agreement on substantive changes. The Prime Minister has asked Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald to implement the changes. The rules mean the economic impacts of proposals will be subjected to the same rigorous assessment that already applies to new public spending. But Downing Street acknowledged the new requirement would not necessarily block all policies that harmed growth. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The decision-making will continue to be for the Cabinet; we are not going to pre-empt Government decision-making. The point is the growth impact, the growth credentials, must be presented much like public spending implications must be presented such that in reaching collective agreement it is very clear what the impact of those decisions will be on growth. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride has claimed that the biggest barriers to growth are Sir Keir, Ms Reeves and their financial plans. Ahead of the speech on Wednesday, Mr Stride said: Hastily cobbled together announcements of growth in the 2030s will do nothing to help the businesses cutting jobs right now because of Labours punishing jobs tax, the companies being crushed under their barrage of new regulations, or the farmers facing bankruptcy over the cruel family farm tax. Rachel Reeves has given her backing to a new 9 billion road crossing between Kent and Essex. The Chancellor said the 14.3-mile Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is an important project and the Treasury is exploring options for it to be privately financed. Preparatory work on the scheme has been ongoing since 2009, and hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers money has been spent on planning. (PA Graphics) Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is expected to make a final decision on whether to approve National Highways application for a development consent order to build the scheme by May 23. The Lower Thames Crossing proposal is aimed at reducing congestion on the Dartford Crossing with a motorway-style road. It would connect the A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 and M25 in Essex through a 2.6-mile tunnel under the Thames, which would be the UKs longest road tunnel. National Highways says the plan will almost double road capacity across the Thames east of London, describing it as our most ambitious scheme in 35 years. It is aiming to start construction in 2026, with the road opening in 2032. In a speech on growth in Oxfordshire, Ms Reeves said: We will work with the private sector to deliver the infrastructure that our country desperately needs. Chancellor Rachel Reeves described the Lower Thames Crossing as an important project (Peter Cziborra/PA) This includes the Lower Thames Crossing, which will improve connectivity at Dover, Felixstowe and Harwich, alleviating severe congestion, as goods destined to export come from the North and the Midlands and across the country to markets overseas. To drive growth and deliver value for money for taxpayers, we are exploring options to privately finance this important project. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: Any regular user of the Dartford tunnels and bridge knows just how badly the Lower Thames Crossing is needed. Given there was always an expectation of the new crossing being tolled, the search for a private financier to help meet the construction costs is not surprising. Road Haulage Association managing director Richard Smith said this was a major victory for our sector and claimed the nationally significant scheme has the potential to turbocharge the economy. He added: After many years of delays in giving LTC the green light, todays announcement will be a welcome relief to operators of lorries, coaches, and vans who must navigate the daily knock-on economic impact of persistent delays. Thurrock Council in Essex has consistently opposed the project, citing negative economic, social and environmental impacts, but the leader of Kents Dartford Borough Council is in favour of it. Friends of the Earth has described the scheme as damaging. Responding to Ms Reevess comments, campaign group Transport Action Network said: Exploring options for privately financing the LTC does nothing to address its fundamental flaws: generating ever more traffic and harmful emissions, devastating the market for international rail freight, and damaging the competitiveness of our seaports north of the Thames. With tolls at Dartford and the LTC set to be equalised, they will inevitably rise even higher to pay back investors. Reeves looks to the skies in search of economic growth with support for Heathrow Rachel Reeves promised to systematically remove barriers to growth as she set out Government support for the Heathrow expansion in the hope of kickstarting the UKs stuttering economy. The Chancellor insisted she was prepared to fight for new housing, infrastructure and business projects, including tearing up environmental regulations which hamper construction to protect the bats and the newts. Her support for Heathrow will see her face down Labour critics and environmental campaigners, but she insisted support for the runway would support the economy across the country and showed the Governments seriousness. Official figures have shown little or no economic growth since Labour took office in July, with Ms Reeves Budget imposing national insurance hikes on businesses, hitting confidence and potentially costing 50,000 jobs. Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out support for a series of major infrastructure schemes around Oxford and Cambridge during her speech in Oxfordshire (Peter Cziborra/PA) But Ms Reeves used a speech at a medical equipment firm in Oxfordshire to give a notably upbeat assessment of the UKs economic prospects saying the Government had begun to turn things around. We have fundamental strengths in our history, in our language and in our legal system to compete in a global economy, but for too long that potential has been held back. For too long we have accepted low expectations and accepted decline, she said. We no longer have to do that. We can do so much better. Low growth is not our destiny, but growth will not come without a fight, without a government willing to take the right decisions now to change our countrys future for the better. She highlighted the long-delayed Heathrow expansion project as an indication of the problems that had beset the UK economy. For international investors, persistent delays have cast doubt about our seriousness towards improving our economic prospects, she said. (PA Graphics) Ms Reeves said the Government wanted proposals for a third runway to be produced by the summer, which will then face a full assessment through the airport national policy statement to ensure it is delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate objectives. Environmental campaigners staged a protest against the decision outside the venue for her speech. Confirmation of support for Heathrow was one of a series of measures outlined by Ms Reeves, including: Plans for the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, which she said could become Europes Silicon Valley and add 78 billion to the UKs economy by 2035. New reservoirs will be built near Abingdon in Oxfordshire and in the Fens near Cambridge. They will be among nine new reservoirs built as the Government has agreed for water companies to invest 7.9 billion to improve infrastructure. Funding for the East-West rail link joining Oxford, Cambridge and towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes that sit between them will be confirmed, as well as upgrades to the A428 road. Activists from Fossil Free London and Green New Deal Rising protest against airport expansion plans outside Siemens Healthineers in Eynsham, Oxfordshire (Jacob King/PA) A new Cambridge cancer research hospital will be prioritised as part of the new hospitals programme. Oxford will get a growth commission, similar to one set up in Cambridge, aimed at helping the city and surrounding region to grow its economy. The Government will back the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport as South Yorkshire Airport City. A 65 million investment by the National Wealth Fund in expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Government guidance on appraising major projects will be reviewed in order to support investments outside of the wealthy and productive South East of England. The Trade Secretary will travel to India to restart negotiations on a free trade agreement with the country. Farmers gathered to protest against Rachel Reeves budget (Jacob King/PA) The Chancellor used her speech to defend the decisions she took in her first Budget, saying that taking the right decisions for the economy does not always mean taking the easy decisions. She added: I accept that there are costs to responsibility, but the costs of irresponsibility would have been far higher. Those who oppose my budget know that too. A group of farmers angry at the Budgets inheritance tax changes staged a noisy protest outside the Siemens Healthineers plant in Oxfordshire while Ms Reeves spoke. The Chancellor also insisted the Governments package of new employment rights went hand in hand with a strong economy, despite concerns from businesses about the economic impacts. She said having job security gave ordinary working people the confidence to go out and spend in the economy. But other forms of red tape were firmly in the Chancellors sights: The problems in our economy, the lack of bold reform that we have seen over decades, can be summed up by a 100 million bat tunnel built for HS2, the type of decision that has made delivering major infrastructure in our country far too expensive and far too slow. So we are reducing the environmental requirements placed on developers when they pay into a nature restoration fund that we have created, so they can focus on getting things built and stop worrying about the bats and the newts. Suggesting that the major projects set out in her speech could start being built on a faster timetable than previous schemes, she said: We are systematically, one by one, removing the barriers that held back our growth performance for too long. She said the Government wanted to crack on with things so people could feel the effects of economic growth in their own pockets by the time that this Parliament comes to an end. But shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: The biggest barriers to growth in this country are Rachel Reeves, Keir Starmer and their job-destroying budget and nothing in the Chancellors speech proved otherwise. Rachel Reeves has rejected criticism of the Governments support to expand Heathrow Airport after she set out plans to remove barriers to growth in the hope of kickstarting the UKs stuttering economy. The Chancellor said the economy will stagnate if you always give in to objections and that the answer to new infrastructure cant always be no as Labour Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he would seek to halt a third runway going ahead. Her support for Heathrow will see her face down Labour critics and environmental campaigners, and figures from the aviation industry have voiced scepticism about the plans. Ms Reeves said in a speech at a medical equipment firm in Oxfordshire that she was prepared to fight for new housing, infrastructure and business projects, including tearing up environmental regulations which hamper construction to protect the bats and the newts. She insisted support for the runway would support the economy across the country and showed the Governments seriousness. Official figures have shown little or no economic growth since Labour took office in July, with Ms Reeves Budget imposing national insurance hikes on businesses, hitting confidence and potentially costing 50,000 jobs. But Ms Reeves gave a notably upbeat assessment of the UKs economic prospects in her speech, saying the Government had begun to turn things around. We have fundamental strengths in our history, in our language and in our legal system to compete in a global economy, but for too long that potential has been held back. For too long we have accepted low expectations and accepted decline, she said. We no longer have to do that. We can do so much better. Low growth is not our destiny, but growth will not come without a fight, without a government willing to take the right decisions now to change our countrys future for the better. Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out support for a series of major infrastructure schemes around Oxford and Cambridge during her speech in Oxfordshire (Peter Cziborra/PA) She highlighted the long-delayed Heathrow expansion project as an indication of the problems that had beset the UK economy. For international investors, persistent delays have cast doubt about our seriousness towards improving our economic prospects, she said. She later said she wanted spades in the ground on new projects announced today during this Parliament. We want that to happen in this Parliament. I want spades in the ground, I want people to see in their areas things happening, growth happening, she told BBC News. London Mayor Sir Sadiq said he remains opposed to Heathrow expansion because of its impact on noise, air pollution and meeting the UKs climate change targets. He said the last plans for a third runway at Heathrow involved building a tunnel under the M25 motorway and bulldozing a village. (PA Graphics) I will as the Mayor of this great city, as a pro-business Mayor, somebody who takes tackling the climate emergency seriously, but also thinks a green transition is one of the greatest opportunities we have this century, Ill use any tool in the toolkit to stop a third runway happening, he told Andrew Marr on LBC. The Chancellor was asked on the same programme what her message to Sir Sadiq and others opposing Heathrow expansion would be. She said: Look, the answer to new infrastructure cant always be no. Thats what happened under the last government. And nothing got built and nothing got done and living standards deteriorated. So, it does mean having to take on people who are against new developments, whether it is wind farms, airports or new rail lines. And the problem is, is if you always give in and say, Oh, okay, there some objections to this, well end up in a situation where the economy continues to stagnate, living standards decline, and will be no further forward than we are now. She has declined to put a timeline on when the runway could be operational. The Government wants proposals for a third runway to be produced by the summer, which will then face a full assessment through the airport national policy statement to ensure it is in line with legal, environmental and climate objectives, she said. Ryanair boss Michael OLeary described Heathrow expansion as a dead cat, saying it would not happen before the 2040s at the earliest and would not bring any growth. He urged the Chancellor to instead scrap air passenger duty (APD) during a press conference. Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, said the hurdles ahead of a third runway were very significant and cast doubt on Ms Reeves plans for sustainable aviation. Sustainable fuel is a real thing, but we need it in significantly greater volumes than are available today So mandating airlines to use a fuel source that doesnt exist today doesnt make an awful lot of sense, he told LBC. Environmental campaigners staged a protest against the decision outside the venue for her speech. Confirmation of support for Heathrow was one of a series of measures outlined by Ms Reeves, including: Plans for the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, which she said could become Europes Silicon Valley and add 78 billion to the UKs economy by 2035. New reservoirs will be built near Abingdon in Oxfordshire and in the Fens near Cambridge. They will be among nine new reservoirs built as the Government has agreed for water companies to invest 7.9 billion to improve infrastructure. Funding for the East-West rail link joining Oxford, Cambridge and towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes that sit between them will be confirmed, as well as upgrades to the A428 road. Activists from Fossil Free London and Green New Deal Rising protest against airport expansion plans outside Siemens Healthineers in Eynsham, Oxfordshire (Jacob King/PA) A new Cambridge cancer research hospital will be prioritised as part of the new hospitals programme. Oxford will get a growth commission, similar to one set up in Cambridge, aimed at helping the city and surrounding region to grow its economy. The Government will back the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport as South Yorkshire Airport City. A 65 million investment by the National Wealth Fund in expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Government guidance on appraising major projects will be reviewed in order to support investments outside of the wealthy and productive South East of England. The Trade Secretary will travel to India to restart negotiations on a free trade agreement with the country. Farmers gathered to protest against Rachel Reeves budget (Jacob King/PA) The Chancellor used her speech to defend the decisions she took in her first Budget, saying that taking the right decisions for the economy does not always mean taking the easy decisions. She added: I accept that there are costs to responsibility, but the costs of irresponsibility would have been far higher. Those who oppose my budget know that too. A group of farmers angry at the Budgets inheritance tax changes staged a noisy protest outside the Siemens Healthineers plant in Oxfordshire while Ms Reeves spoke. The Chancellor also insisted the Governments package of new employment rights went hand in hand with a strong economy, despite concerns from businesses about the economic impacts. She said having job security gave ordinary working people the confidence to go out and spend in the economy. But other forms of red tape were firmly in the Chancellors sights: The problems in our economy, the lack of bold reform that we have seen over decades, can be summed up by a 100 million bat tunnel built for HS2, the type of decision that has made delivering major infrastructure in our country far too expensive and far too slow. So we are reducing the environmental requirements placed on developers when they pay into a nature restoration fund that we have created, so they can focus on getting things built and stop worrying about the bats and the newts. Suggesting that the major projects set out in her speech could start being built on a faster timetable than previous schemes, she said: We are systematically, one by one, removing the barriers that held back our growth performance for too long. She said the Government wanted to crack on with things so people could feel the effects of economic growth in their own pockets by the time that this Parliament comes to an end. But shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: The biggest barriers to growth in this country are Rachel Reeves, Keir Starmer and their job-destroying budget and nothing in the Chancellors speech proved otherwise. A stage adaptation of Neil Gaimans book Coraline has been scrapped following sexual misconduct allegations about the author. Gaiman, 64, has denied the allegations and said he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever. Co-production partners, Leeds Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and Home Manchester, said in a joint statement: We have decided our production of Coraline A Musical will not proceed. After careful consideration, we feel it would be impossible to continue in the context of the allegations against its original author. Writer Neil Gaiman, Josie Lawrence, Director Douglas Mackinnion, Jon Hamm, Adria Arjona and David Tennant attending the premiere of Good Omens (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Ticket holders have been contacted directly via email. Coraline is a dark fantasy childrens novel that tells the story of a young girl who unlocks a door into a different and unusual world. Hollywood actress Dakota Fanning and comedians Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders were among the stars who lent their voices to a film adaptation in 2009. The musical was due to be staged at Leeds Playhouse from April 11 to May 11 before touring to Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. In a blog post, earlier this month, the author said he had read the allegations with horror and dismay, following claims made by eight women against the writer in an article published by New York Magazine. The allegations were made public in July 2024 when a Tortoise Media podcast series reported on sexual assault allegations against Gaiman by five women. Since the allegations first surfaced, several film and TV adaptations of Gaimans stories have reportedly been affected, including season three of Good Omens, which he jointly wrote with Terry Pratchett, and a film of The Graveyard Book. On Saturday, Dark Horse Comics, a publisher of Gaimans graphic novels and comic books, said it was no longer releasing his work. Confirming that the Anansi Boys comic series and collected volume have been cancelled, the company said in a statement. In January 2023 a police report was made in New Zealand accusing Gaiman of sexual assault. The investigation was later dropped. Sir Keir Starmer has claimed the Conservatives are the coalition of blockers as he defended his Governments growth proposals and employment law reforms. The Prime Minister highlighted opposition to airport expansion and a rail project from Tory frontbenchers, which prompted Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch to brand Labour hypocrites for raising their own objections in the past. Sir Keir, who dubbed the Government the coalition of builders, was also urged by Mrs Badenoch to drop a series of measures contained in the Employment Rights Bill because they fail his growth test. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch speaking during Prime Ministers Questions (House of Commons/UK Parliament) After Mrs Badenoch told Sir Keir to stop being a lawyer and start being a leader, the Prime Minister replied: We know she is not a lawyer, she is clearly not a leader, if she keeps on like this, she is going to be the next lettuce. His remark was a nod to Liz Trusss 49-day long premiership, which saw the Daily Star live-stream a lettuce to see if it would last longer than her tenure in No 10. The Bill raised at Prime Ministers Questions includes measures to introduce day-one protections from unfair dismissals, make changes to sick pay and ensures guaranteed hours on zero-hours contracts. The exchanges in the House of Commons came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves had outlined the Governments growth agenda, which includes backing a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Mrs Badenoch said the Government has embraced a series of Conservative policies before urging Sir Keir to drop the Bill as it clearly fails the Prime Ministers growth test, adding Whitehall analysis suggests it will cost businesses 5 billion a year. Sir Keir said the Government was not taking lectures from the Conservatives. Mrs Badenoch said the legislation would make it harder for business to hire new employees, adding: This isnt an employment Bill. Its an unemployment Bill. Given these clauses, will he drop his Bill and show that he is not anti-growth? Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaking during Prime Ministers Questions (House of Commons/UK Parliament) The Prime Minister replied: We believe in giving people proper dignity and protection at work. Thats why were proud of our record of supporting workers. They consistently vote against any protection for working people. Tory leader Mrs Badenoch later said all of his ideas are the ones that we thought up, adding to Sir Keir: To grow our economy we must get more people off sickness and welfare and into work. Clauses eight and nine of the unemployment Bill take us in the opposite direction by increasing entitlement. His Government itself estimates that these changes will increase business costs from 600 million to 1 billion-a-year in sick pay. That will mean higher prices, fewer jobs, less growth. Will he drop these measures from the Bill? Sir Keir replied: No, I think theyre good for workers and good for growth. This is the same argument they made against the minimum wage and every protection for workers. And she says theyre their ideas she says shes in support of a third runway at Heathrow, her shadow transport secretary (Gareth Bacon) says it would be calamitous, her shadow business secretary (Andrew Griffith) is busy writing letters opposing airport expansion in his own backyard. The shadow chief secretary (Richard Fuller) says the Oxford-Cambridge (rail link) is flawed and hes against it. Were the coalition of builders, theyre the coalition of blockers. Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir was forgetting that Ms Reeves blocked an airport in her Leeds West and Pudsey constituency, adding: They are hypocrites. Lets talk about this employment Bill. Part one of the Bill means a new employee could start a job in the morning and take their employer to a tribunal that afternoon. It is no wonder that this Bill has been called an adventure playground for lawyers. This Bill is terrible for business but is great employment for lawyers. I know the Prime Minister loves the legal profession but he needs to stop being a lawyer and start being a leader. This is another measure in the Bill that fails his growth test. Will he show some leadership and drop it? Sir Keir replied: I understand she likes straight talking, she is talking absolute nonsense. She knows that anybody that understands anything about the Bill or any employment law will know you cant start in the morning and go to the tribunal in the afternoon. Now, we know she is not a lawyer, she is clearly not a leader, if she keeps on like this, she is going to be the next lettuce. Mrs Badenoch said the Bill also delivers the biggest expansion of trade union powers for a generation. After some Labour MPs cheered, Mrs Badenoch said: Exactly, thank you, the public will have heard them cheer. Rather than deregulating for business who create growth, hes deregulating for the unions. Clause 61 alone reduces the notice period for strikes to just one week. Given strikes are catastrophic for growth, will he drop part four of the Bill? Sir Keir, in his reply, said: Its good for working people, its good for the economy. Mrs Badenoch went on to accuse Sir Keir of arrogance for thinking the Government creates growth rather than business. She said: Other countries are serious about freeing business from red tape. President Trump is doing it in America, Argentina is taking a chainsaw to regulations. Even the EU is not going as far as this left-wing Government. This Bill will put us at the bottom of the pack. Sir Keir replied: Shes got a nerve. They broke the economy, completely destroyed it. They broke the health service, completely destroyed it. They ruined us on prisons and everything else you can mention, they failed on every front, theyre in no position to give us lectures on anything. Sir Keir Starmer has praised John Prescott for his tenacity and vision as well as his fighting spirit ahead of the former deputy prime ministers funeral service. More than 300 family members, friends and colleagues have been invited to the service at Hull Minster. Senior figures from the past and current Labour governments are expected to attend. Lord Prescott, who served as deputy prime minister under Sir Tony Blair between 1997 and 2007, died on November 20 last year aged 86 in a nursing home where he had been living with Alzheimers. Hosted by the Rev Canon Dominic Black, the service will include singing from the Choral-Hull childrens choir, made up from pupils across the city. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations for Alzheimers Research UK. The Prime Minister said Lord Prescott will be remembered as a man who stood up for working people and fought for what he believed in. Sir Keir said: John Prescotts funeral is a moment to reflect on his legacy alongside those that loved him most. Since his death, I have been moved to hear countless people relate their stories of John tales of characteristic generosity, humour and charisma. Amongst the public, its clear that he had legendary status. He was held in huge affection by people across the country who admired his straightforward authenticity and knew that he would always have their back. His place in our history is assured not, as he expected, for that one famous moment, but for his fighting spirit across an entire lifetime of service. He will be remembered as a man who stood up for working people, fought for what he believed in, and changed our nation for the better. We have his tenacity and vision to thank for that early action on climate change, regional inequality, the minimum wage, and public transport. This is a day to give thanks for a remarkable life well lived. I know many people will be raising a glass to John today. A former trade union activist and merchant seaman, Lord Prescott served as MP for Hull East for 40 years before he was ennobled in 2010. Then-prime minister Tony Blair, deputy Labour Party leader John Prescott and chancellor Gordon Brown at the Labour Party conference in 1998 (Owen Humphreys/PA) As deputy prime minister, he oversaw the environment, transport and the regions, a brief which included helping to negotiate the international Kyoto Protocol on climate change, while acting as a mediator in the often turbulent relationship between Sir Tony and then-chancellor Gordon Brown. A former boxer, he was also remembered by many for punching a protester who threw an egg at him during an election campaign visit to North Wales in 2001. Paying tribute to Lord Prescott in November, Sir Tony described him as one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics and one of the most committed and loyal, and definitely the most unusual. Mr Brown, Sir Tonys successor in Number 10, said Lord Prescott was key to holding the ring and keeping things together during difficult times such as over Iraq. Tesco is to cut about 400 jobs across its stores and head office as part of plans to simplify the business. The UKs largest supermarket chain said managers in its head office and Tesco Mobile phone shops, as well as staff at some of its in-store bakeries, will be affected. Tesco said it is having to seek more efficient ways of working due to the increasingly competitive nature of the UK grocery industry. The supermarket chain said managers at its head office will be among those affected (Jonathan Brady/PA) The retail giant said the shake-up will see it change how it operates in certain parts of the business, including changing its bakery model in some stores. It is also altering the management structure it uses in Tesco Mobile stores. Matthew Barnes, Tescos UK boss, said: These are difficult decisions affecting our colleagues, but we believe they are necessary to enable us to invest in what matters most to our customers. Our priority is to support impacted colleagues and we will do everything we can to help them find alternative roles within our business. Today, we have almost 1,000 vacancies available. Separately, Tesco said it will soon launch a consultation over the closure of its Snodland distribution centre in Kent. It said this follows plans to open a new warehouse site in Aylesford, around three miles away, with all affected workers at Snodland being offered roles at the new site. Earlier this month, Tesco bosses cheered the retailers biggest ever Christmas as it increased its share of the UK grocery market to its highest level since 2016. It reported UK and Ireland like-for-like sales, excluding fuel and VAT, up 3.7% over the six weeks to January 4 and record trading in the week before Christmas. The cuts at Tesco come a week after rival Sainsburys said it would axe around 3,000 jobs as part of a major overhaul. The UKs second-largest grocer will close down its in-store cafes and remove its pizza and hot food counters from stores as a result. Fellow rival Morrisons said it planned to cut around 200 jobs earlier this month, while Asda cut 475 head office jobs in November as part of efforts to arrest a recent slump in performance. All retailers were among firms to warn that jobs will be impacted by Labours autumn Budget, which included plans to increase National Insurance contributions for businesses and rise the minimum wage. Andrew Griffith, the Conservatives shadow business secretary, said: With all the big four supermarkets having announcing job cuts, Labours choices are having the real-world impact we predicted. A Government spokesman said: While this is a commercial decision for Tesco we understand this will be a concerning time for workers at Tesco and their families. A broad range of support is available for those who may be affected. Acas can also provide employees and employers with free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. We had to take difficult decisions in the Budget to restore economic stability and clear the path for growth as part of our plan for change. As part of this, we are providing the certainty businesses need by capping corporation tax for the duration of Parliament and locking in permanent full expensing to boost investment. Around 156,500 properties across the island of Ireland remain without power following Storm Eowyn. Efforts to repair the damaged network continue into a sixth day, with 133,000 premises in the Republic of Ireland and 23,500 in Northern Ireland still waiting for their electricity supply to be restored. In Ireland, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met on Wednesday to continue to co-ordinate and concentrate efforts to restore power, water and telecommunications following Fridays storm. ESB Networks crew working to restore power in Avoca Avenue in Blackrock, Co Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) Ireland is expecting the delivery of several large-capacity generators, following a request under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The generators, from Poland and Denmark, will be deployed to support Uisce Eireann and telecommunications operators to bring water, phone and broadband services to homes and businesses. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said: This historic storm has required an unprecedented response, and the Government is throwing everything it can at helping those still suffering and getting their services restored as quickly as possible. Chair of the NECG Keith Leonard said: With over 250 Emergency Response Hubs now running across the country, and more coming on stream all the time, the NECG is continuing to support local authorities in these important relief efforts. Local Co-ordination Groups are also now in place across 19 counties making sure supports and resources are directed to where they are most needed, and that our most vulnerable people are prioritised for help. Electricity engineers inspect damage by fallen trees in Co Down (Jonathan McCambridge/PA) NIE Networks said it had now restored power to 261,500 properties in Northern Ireland following Storm Eowyn. A spokesperson said: Our primary focus is to restore power to all affected customers across Northern Ireland. We have over 1,400 staff escalated, as well as additional electrical and industrial employees from other agencies and jurisdictions. Over the coming days there may be occasions when householders experience interruption to their electricity supply as we undertake permanent repairs and work to restore all those impacted. Employees from our contact centre may also be in contact to check that supply has been restored. We are particularly keen to again remind the public to maintain safety around any damaged electricity equipment and never approach a broken pole or overhead power lines, and keep children and animals away. The company also warned about scam messages targeting victims purporting to come from NIE Networks. The spokesperson added: Our staff will not ask customers to share financial details or click URLs. We ask that customers do not engage, and block and report the suspicious number. Northern Ireland Water said all customers whose water had been interrupted should now have their supply restored. Director of customer and operations, Stephanie McCullagh said: We would like to take this opportunity to thank local councils, agencies and elected representatives who have been working alongside us to distribute bottled water, assist with access to our sites and help identify vulnerable customers. This has been a massive joint effort, made much easier by the patience and understanding of the customers impacted. While the commitment and dedication shown by NI Water staff does not surprise me, the sheer efforts and lengths they have gone to under unprecedented weather conditions are truly commendable, and once again shines a light on how vital water and our water workers are to our daily lives. Cash access network Link has confirmed its 200th banking hub recommendation to help plug gaps in the cash access network, as consumer campaigners raised concerns about access to physical banks being cut to the bone. Links latest wave of recommendations will help to fill potential holes left behind and maintain cash access as banking giant Lloyds makes cuts to its branch network. Lloyds Banking Group announced on Wednesday that it will shut 136 more high street branches. Sam Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money, said: More people are banking digitally nowadays, but there remains a significant minority of consumers across the country who still rely on bank branches to access vital face-to-face services. The UKs bank branch network has been cut to the bone in recent years, often leaving people struggling and having to travel long distances to access cash or banking services. Its therefore vital that banking hubs are rolled out quickly so consumers can feel their effects. The Government has committed to opening 350 hubs in the next few years and it should be prepared to revise that figure upwards if necessary. Twenty out of 22 new hubs announced by cash access and ATM network Link stemmed from local bank branch closures, with two others Penistone in Yorkshire and Knutsford in Cheshire due to requests made from within the community. The remaining new hubs will be in Alexandria in Scotland; Annan, Scotland; Bishopbriggs, Scotland; Brigg, Lincolnshire Caterham, Surrey; Falmouth, Cornwall; Glossop, Derbyshire; Helensburgh, Scotland; Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear; Hucknall, Nottinghamshire; Horsforth, Yorkshire; Leominster, Herefordshire; Harpurhey, Manchester; Nelson, Lancashire; Peterlee, County Durham; Seaton, Devon; Sleaford, Lincolnshire; Tunstall, Staffordshire; Thornbury, Gloucestershire; and Wymondham in Norfolk. Penistone marked Links 200th recommendation. Lloyds Banking Group is set to close 61 Lloyds, 61 Halifax and 14 Bank of Scotland branches between May this year and March 2026. The group said that customers can now use branches of other brands within the group for their in-person banking. Once all previously announced closures are complete, the banking group will have 757 branches remaining. Link carries out assessments to understand how the closure of a bank branch will affect access to cash for the community. Communities can also ask Link to carry out an assessment if they feel they need better access to cash. A banking hub is a shared space on the high street that can be used by customers of different banks. The Government has set a target to roll out 350 hubs by 2029. According to Link, 79.5 billion was withdrawn from ATMs connected up to its network in 2024, which was a 1.2% decrease compared with 2023. The network has seen a trend towards people visiting ATMs less often but withdrawing more cash when they do visit. A recent survey by Link found that half (50%) of people have recently been somewhere that did not accept cash or discouraged its use. Economic secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds told the Treasury Committee this week that the Government has no plans to force businesses to accept cash. She told the hearing: We have no plans to regulate businesses to compel them to accept cash big or small. Since 2022, Link has assessed the closure of 1,784 bank branch closures. John Howells, CEO, Link said: The hubs will make a real difference for the millions of people who still rely on cash. Were committed to keeping cash on the high street, and well continue recommending banking hubs where they are needed. Gareth Oakley, CEO, Cash Access UK said: We already have 105 banking hubs open and these are proving extremely popular. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Crucially, there needs to be enough cashpoints to serve the local community. Under new FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) rules, banks and building societies must assess whether changes to local services, like closing branches or cash machines, leave local communities lacking ways to take out or pay in cash. Any residents, businesses or charities who believe their access to cash is sorely lacking in their areas can request a review. If Link, the UKs main ATM network, believes there is a hole in provision, additional cash services will need to be provided, either through a banking hub, post office or an ATM. UK cannot afford to not build runways, says Reynolds ahead of key Reeves speech The UK cant afford to be a country that doesnt build runways or other major projects, a senior minister has said ahead of a major economic speech by Rachel Reeves. The Chancellor is due to set out policies on Wednesday to encourage economic growth, including an expected expansion of Heathrow Airport. Critics of the Government have said the plans are in conflict with the UKs environmental commitments, but Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds warned the UK risks being left behind if it does not go for growth. He told BBC Breakfast: I want people to know that things that have been too difficult in the past will be focused on, will be changed, will be delivered on, by this Government. Its not just about aviation expansion, theres a whole range of things. He added: Were not going to have endless judicial reviews effectively try to second-guess democratically-elected decisions from the elected government of the day. We will follow process, but that process has got to be one that can deliver the things. We simply cannot afford to say we dont build reservoirs any more, we dont build railways, we dont build runways. Thats not good enough, we will be left behind. Ms Reeves speech in Oxfordshire on Wednesday is expected to lay out plans for projects around the Oxford and Cambridge region, which she will hail as having the potential to be Europes Silicon Valley. The UK is a country of huge potential but for too long, that potential has been held back, Ms Reeves will say. An announcement of a new third runway at Heathrow is also expected, and Ms Reeves will reiterate the Governments backing for the redevelopment of the area around Manchester Uniteds football stadium Old Trafford. The Government has ambitions for the wider housing and residential and leisure offer that could be put in that place around the stadium, Mr Reynolds told the BBC. Ahead of the speech, Sir Keir Starmer vowed to clear out the regulatory weeds to encourage growth in a Times newspaper opinion piece. The Prime Minister added: In the 1980s, the Thatcher government deregulated finance capital. In the New Labour era, globalisation increased the opportunities for trade. This is our equivalent. Ecotricity founder Dale Vince has criticised the expansion of Heathrow Airport (Ben Whitley/PA) Among the critics of Heathrows expansion is Dale Vince, the boss of energy company Ecotricity, who donated 5 million to Labour in the run-up to the general election. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I think its a mistake. Actually, I think its an illusion of growth. Itll take 10 years to build a runway, cost maybe 50 billion. Itll create the wrong kind of growth well be exporting tourism money abroad, creating a bigger imbalance than we already have, and it will come at the expense of our carbon-cutting effort. The key points of Ms Reeves speech are expected to include: Plans to boost economic growth in the region between Oxford and Cambridge to transform it into Europes equivalent of Silicon Valley and add up to 78 billion to the UK economy by 2035. New reservoirs will be built near Abingdon in Oxfordshire and in the Fens near Cambridge. They will be among nine new reservoirs built as the Government has agreed for water companies to invest 7.9 billion to improve infrastructure. Funding for the East-West rail link joining Oxford, Cambridge and towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes that sit between them will be confirmed, as well as upgrades to the A428 road. A new Cambridge cancer research hospital will be prioritised as part of the new hospitals programme. Oxford will get a growth commission, similar to one set up in Cambridge, aimed at helping the city and surrounding region to grow its economy. Alongside support for a proposed third runway at west Londons Heathrow, the Treasury is expected to endorse expansion at Gatwick and Luton airports. Ms Reeves will back the redevelopment of Manchester Uniteds stadium, Old Trafford. Government guidance on appraising major projects will be reviewed in order to support investments outside of the wealthy and productive south east of England. Water companies are to undertake thousands of actions totalling 22 billion in investment to improve the environment, under a programme agreed with regulators. The 24,000 actions utilities must undertake in the next five years to meet their environmental requirements include upgrading storm overflows to reduce sewage pollution, protecting thousands of miles of rivers and improving newly designated bathing sites. They form part of the water industrys national environment programme which represents a 22.1 billion investment to support nature and tackle environmental pressures, quadruple what was spent in the previous five years. The programme is part of the price review process led by water regulator Ofwat which approved an overall 104 billion investment package by water companies in December, paid for by an increase in consumer bills. Under the process, the Environment Agency assessed actions proposed by water companies and, alongside Ofwat and Natural England, provided technical guidance to make sure they will deliver for the environment and nature. Companies have submitted plans to establish trials to remove nitrate pollution from the water system, restore important chalk streams and install measures to remove invasive species. The programme also sets goals to reduce the amount of water abstracted from the environment, protecting and enhancing 13,500km (more than 8,000 miles) of rivers, upgrading 2,340 storm overflows, and improving 21 newly designated bathing water sites across England. It also has goals to reduce phosphorus inputs to the environment at more than 800 sewage treatment works and installing 3,500 monitors at emergency overflow sites. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said our rivers, lakes and seas are choked by pollution (Alamy/PA) The programme is being published amid intense scrutiny of the water sector and its regulators over the degraded state of rivers, lakes and coasts, rising bills, shareholder dividends and executive bonuses. Alan Lovell, chairman of the Environment Agency said: This unprecedented level of investment represents a vital step forward towards ensuring we have clean, safe and abundant water now and for future generations. Working with the water companies on this 22bn programme is a crucial way to realise the governments goals of stimulating development and boosting economic growth, while ensuring the sector can meet its ambitious environment commitments. We will work closely with Defra, Ofwat and other regulators to monitor water company progress and ensure they deliver what has been promised. If water companies fail to carry out their legal obligations to the environment, we will take action. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: It is no secret that our water system needs fixing and that our rivers, lakes and seas are choked by pollution. Customers deserve the money they pay in bills to go towards improving the service they receive, and that is why the Government will ringfence money earmarked for investment, so it can only be spent on projects like these. David Henderson, chief executive of industry body Water UK, said: This programme will be the largest amount of money ever spent on the natural environment. It will help to support economic growth, build more homes, secure our water supplies and end sewage entering our rivers and seas. Released Israeli hostage Naama Levy is reunited with loved ones at Beilinson Schneider complex in Petah Tikva, Israel, on January 25, 2025. (Haim Zach/Israeli Government Press Office via Reuters) A freed Israeli hostage says she drew hope and strength from other captives while she was being held by Hamas in Gaza. Naama Levy, 20, who was kidnapped by the Palestinian militant group during the October 7, 2023, attacks, was freed alongside three other female Israeli soldiers on Saturday, as part of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. After 477 days I am finally home. I am secure and protected, and surrounded by family and friends, Levy posted on Instagram on Tuesday. Levy, 20, added that she feels better with each day that passes. I was mostly alone, then I was in captivity with my friends, observers and civilians who gave me hope and strength, Levy said. It is important for me to thank the IDF fighters and all the Israeli people. I saw how you were fighting for me when I was captive. Thank you all, I love you. Her parents have spoken to CNN several times in the past 15 months urging for her release, including in December, 2023, after she appeared in a cell phone video published by Hamas showing her being dragged by her hair at gunpoint. The footage showed her hands bound, and her pants soaked in blood. For her, time is running out, her mother, Ayelet Levy Shachar, said at the time. She described her daughter as a very fun-loving girl. When she comes back, she will make the world a better place, added Levy Shachar. Next steps in the hostage deal Levy is one of seven hostages who have been released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal agreed by Israel and Hamas. Her message came as an Israeli official told CNN that the US envoy to the Middle East would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss the second phase of the deal. Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trumps envoy to the region, is also scheduled to meet with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the official told CNN. The current ceasefire deal is set up to progress in three distinct phases. Phase one began on January 19 and is expected to last six weeks. During this time a further 26 hostages in addition to the seven already released are expected to be freed, while Israel is to release almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The second and third phases of the ceasefire are less developed and the details will be decided during the six weeks of the first phase. Over the past 15 months, Qatar, Egypt and the US have been key mediators in the discussions between Israel and Hamas. CNNs Bianna Golodryga and Sarah Boxer contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A pilot in Alaska safely ejected from an aircraft on Tuesday before it plummeted to the Earth, culminating in a fiery explosion at an Air Force base that was captured in dramatic video footage. It was the latest crash involving the F-35 stealth fighter jet, the military's most expensive weapon system that has been credited with revolutionizing modern American warfare but has also gained a reputation for its setbacks, high costs and safety concerns. Officials have not said what exactly led to Tuesday's crash, only that the pilot experienced an "in-flight malfunction." The accident mirrors several similar crashes in recent years in which pilots were forced to eject from the stealth fighters. A F-35 jet lands on the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises about 100 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii, U.S. July 19, 2024. Last May, a pilot in New Mexico was seriously injured after he ejected from an F-35 before the fighter jet crashed near an airfield in Albuquerque's main airport. In September 2023, a pilot ejected from an F-35 and parachuted into a backyard in Charleston, South Carolina. The jet flew unmanned for several minutes before it crashed into a field some 60 miles away. The manufacturer of the jet's ejection system used Tuesday's accident to brag about its reliability: "The pilot successfully ejected using the Martin-Baker US16E seat. This was the 10th successful ejection from the F-35," said a post from the official X account of Martin-Baker, the British manufacturing company. The F-35 program is estimated to top at least $2 trillion over the coming decades, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said in a report last year, citing the U.S. Department of Defense. Meanwhile, delays and high prices associated with the military's F-35 program has drawn the ire of President Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk. Elon Musk and President Donald Trump are pictured speaking at the 'Make America Great Again Victory Rally' at the Capital One Arena in Washington. Before becoming president, Donald Trump tweeted in 2016 that the F-35 programs cost is out of control, promising he would rein costs in once he took office. More recently, Musk who Trump tapped last year to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency took aim at the program, raising questions about the fighter jet's future. "The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people. This made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none," Musk said in a post on X in November. "Success was never in the set of possible outcomes. And manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed." In a statement, the F-35's manufacturer Lockheed Martin said "As we did in his first term, we look forward to a strong working relationship with President Trump, his team, and also with the new Congress to strengthen our national defense." The major defense manufacturer says the F-35 "is the most advanced, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, a vital deterrent and the cornerstone of joint all-domain operations." Brief history of the F-35 The F-35 was unveiled in 2006 but it was not used in military operations until 2015, when the Marine Corps declared it mission ready. The fifth-generation fighter made waves with its ability to fly stealthily past enemy radar and defense systems. A mapping system also allows it to accurately direct its own missiles or those from other planes, ships, submarines or ground stations to targets theyve identified while airborne. There are three variants of the F-35 for different branches of the military: F-35A for the Air Force, F-35B for the Marines and F-35C for the Navy. The F-35B can take off and land vertically, similarly to a helicopter. Two F-35 Lightning II aircraft take part in a flypast to mark the 100th birthday of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) on Canada Day, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada July 1, 2024. Last May, the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated there were about 630 F-35s across the military and plans to buy about 1,800 more by the mid-2040s. But, as recently as 2023, the percentage of fighters ready for use was about 55%, according to the nonpartisan government agency that provides reports and guidance to Congress and heads of executive agencies. F-35 plagued by manufacturing delays, soaring costs In a report to congressional committees, the watchdog agency said last year that the Department of Defense planned to spend over $2 trillion to buy, operate and maintain F-35s through 2088. In May 2023, the Government Accountability Office said the jet was more than a decade behind schedule and $183 billion over original estimates. Costs to maintain the fleet have increased 44%, from $1.1 trillion in 2018 to $1.58 trillion in 2023, the agency said. A flight deck crew member aboard the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier signals to an F-35 jet during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises about 100 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii, U.S. July 19, 2024. The increased costs and delays are, in part, to keep up with emerging technology. The Department of Defense in recent years has pursued a $16.5 billion modernization effort to outfit the jets with better radar, weapons and technology systems, according to the Government Accountability Office. The program has also worked to upgrade its engine to add some additional power and prevent it from overheating. The military is using F-35s less these days The military plans to use the fighters less often, mostly as a cost saving measure. Over the course of the last few years, the Air Force and Navy have reduced their projected annual flying times by 19% and 45%, respectively, the GOA said in a report to congressional committees. The U.S. Marines have also announced reductions in F-35 flying times. "In part because of this reduction in flying, the services are now projecting they will meet most of their affordability targets," the agency said. There was another main factor ensuring military services would hit affordability goals: "the Air Force increased its affordability target from $4.1 million per aircraft per year to $6.8 million per aircraft per year," according to the Government Accountability Office. (This story was updated to add additional information.) Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: F-35 jet crash another setback for controversial military plane Karl P. Loucks, standing, right, listens to a judge during his court hearing in Memphis, Tennessee, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2025. Loucks pleaded not guilty to killing a homeless man in downtown Memphis. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A U.S. Army veteran who served in the war in Afghanistan pleaded not guilty Wednesday to fatally shooting a homeless man with an automatic rifle in downtown Memphis. A lawyer for Karl P. Loucks, 42, entered the plea to a first-degree murder charge during a hearing in Shelby County Criminal Court. Loucks also pleaded not guilty to an aggravated assault charge in the stabbing of another homeless man in downtown Memphis, where Loucks lived in an apartment. Loucks is being held in jail without bond. He was arrested May 31 in the killing of Shaun Rhea. Loucks lawyer has suggested that he acted in self-defense. During a hearing in July, a security guard and a police investigator testified that Loucks attacked Rhea in the early morning hours of the day he was arrested. Tony Perry, a security guard at a downtown Memphis hotel, testified that he saw Loucks use pepper spray on Rhea while he was sleeping. Loucks also pepper-sprayed other homeless people that same night, Perry said. After he was pepper-sprayed, Rhea confronted Loucks, asking why Loucks did it and calling him the b-word, Perry said. Loucks took out a knife, and Rhea picked up an electric scooter that was nearby and threw it at Loucks. He missed. Perry said Rhea was angry, though he added that Rhea did not attempt to get physical with Loucks. Loucks then entered his apartment building, but he returned shortly afterward carrying an AR-style rifle under an orange jacket, Perry testified. Perry said several shots were fired. Rhea, who did not have a gun, was struck in the back, Memphis police Sgt. Jeremy Cline testified at the July hearing. Rhea died at a hospital. Police were called, and they found the rifle and the jacket in Loucks apartment, Cline said. During a police interview after his arrest, Loucks said he acted in self-defense after Rhea confronted him, Cline said. Loucks was a health care specialist in the Army from September 2007 to August 2013, according to an Army public affairs spokesman. Loucks served in Afghanistan from March 2009 to March 2010 and left the Army with the rank of private first class. Loucks was honorably discharged from the Army because he was disabled due to post-traumatic stress disorder, his lawyer, Blake Ballin, has said. Ballin said Wednesday that he was arranging a psychological evaluation to determine if Loucks mental health will play a role in his defense. Loucks also has been charged with aggravated assault after police said he cut another homeless man twice with a knife in the days before Rhea was shot. During the July hearing, Judge Bill Anderson said he could not help but think that Loucks experience in the Army during wartime could be a factor in the case. An Australian man who was feared dead after being captured by Russian forces is alive, foreign minister Penny Wong has announced. Oscar Jenkins, 32, a teacher who signed up to fight for Ukraine against Russia, was taken captive in December last year. A video showed him being struck by a Russian interrogator, sparking fears for his life. The Australian government has received confirmation from Russia that Oscar Jenkins is alive and in custody, Ms Wong said on Wednesday. Australia still has serious concerns for Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war, she said. We have made clear to Russia in Canberra and in Moscow that Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment. Canberra has called on Russia to release Mr Jenkins. If Russia does not provide Mr Jenkins the protections he is entitled to under international humanitarian law, our response will be unequivocal, Ms Wong said. Russia has previously warned that foreign fighters in Ukraine will not be afforded the rights given to lawful combatants according to international humanitarian law. I wish to make an official statement that none of the mercenaries the West is sending to Ukraine to fight for the nationalist regime in Kyiv can be considered as combatants in accordance with international humanitarian law or enjoy the status of prisoners of war, a defence ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying by TASS after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022. At best, they can expect to be prosecuted as criminals. We are urging all foreign citizens who may have plans to go and fight for Kyivs nationalist regime to think a dozen times before getting on the way. Ms Wong thanked Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha and the International Committee of the Red Cross president for their ongoing advocacy for Mr Jenkins. The Russian ambassador said Mr Jenkins was in the custody of the armed forces, The Guardian reported. His health condition is said to be normal. Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular support to Mr Jenkins family. Another foreign fighter who trained with Mr Jenkins said earlier this month that he believed the Russian forces had executed the Australian prisoner to make an example of him, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on 14 January. Soon after, prime minister Anthony Albanese said that his government was gravely concerned about the capture of Mr Jenkins and warned of the strongest action possible if reports of his death were correct. On 14 January, Australia summoned Russian ambassador Alexey Pavlovsky to answer questions about Mr Jenkinss status. The Russian Federation is obligated to treat all prisoners of war in accordance with international humanitarian law, a spokesperson said in a statement at the time. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Esta TerBlanche Esta TerBlanches cause of death has been revealed. On Wednesday, Jan. 29, The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner determined that the All My Children alum, who died at the age of 51 in July, suffered from an intracranial hemorrhage, according to a press release. The bleed was due to blunt force traumatic head injury likely due to a ground level fall and ruled the death as an accident. More details were also revealed in the release, which stated that TerBlanche had been found unresponsive in her home on July 19 at paramedics pronounced her dead shortly after 11 a.m. that day. Related: Esta TerBlanche, All My Children Star and Former Miss Teen South Africa, Dies at 51 Ron Galella Collection via Getty Esta TerBlanche TerBlanches manager Annie Spoliansky confirmed her death in a statement to PEOPLE on July 21. "We are deeply saddened by this news," she wrote. "As for a personal statement, Id like to say that Esta was such a kind, loving, giving, and caring person." "She cared so deeply for all people and animals," she added. "She had squirrels she fed and looked after daily, her two cats and recent kittens that she cared for as her own children." "Esta was never anything but generous and lovely to me, and Im grateful to have known her for the time that I did, and devastated to learn of her passing," the statement concluded. Lisa Rodrigo, TerBlanches publicist, also remembered the late actress in a statement to PEOPLE at the time. "I am heartbroken upon learning about Estas death, Rodrigo said. She was and always will be a beautiful soul who I will miss every day. I am proud to have known her and call her not only a client but a friend." Steve Fenn/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Esta TerBlanche and Cameron Mathison Related: The Cast of All My Children: Where Are They Now? The former soap opera star was born in South Africa on Jan. 7, 1973 and got her start playing Bienkie Naude Hartman on Egoli: Place of Gold, a popular drama in the country. She later landed her role as Gillian Andrassy Lavery on All My Children, which she held from 1997 until 2001. Her on-screen husband, Ryan Lavery, was played by Cameron Mathison, who paid tribute to TerBlanche on his Instagram Stories in July. 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. "RIP my Sweet Princess," he wrote in tribute over a photo of the pair in character. He then posted another image of the TV couple alongside broken heart emojis. "Esta helped me last year when Red was sick and paralyzed and I was struggling," he wrote over another more recent selfie of the pair. "One of the sweetest people ever." Read the original article on People Following President Donald Trump's return to office, immigration enforcement operations have started to sweep through major U.S. cities. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said it arrested 956 people on Sunday. But an NBC News report found immigration authorities had close to 1,200 arrests that day and just 613, or nearly 52%, were considered criminal arrests. The rest appeared to be nonviolent offenders or people who have not committed any criminal offense other than crossing the border illegally. Being undocumented is considered a civil offense, not a crime. Arrest numbers swelled again the following day, as the agency said it made 1,179 arrests and 853 detainers were lodged Monday. While the Trump administration has touted the crackdown as targeting criminals, there has been concern over law-abiding migrants and those with permits also being rounded up. Officials have not disclosed numbers differentiating migrants with criminal histories and those without who are in custody. The Trump administration is planning to conduct major immigration raids in three U.S. cities per week, according to three sources familiar with the planning. One of the sources described the operations as all hands on deck. Operations began Sunday in Chicago, New York City began Tuesday, and three officials said they were planning for the next operation to take place in Aurora, Colorado, on Thursday. However, two sources familiar with the planning said Wednesday the Aurora operation was called off temporarily due to media leaks. One source said the leaks posed an operational security risk for officers involved. The raids are being carried out with ICE; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI and other federal agencies. Next week, three more cities are expected to be targeted. ICEs 25 field offices were told in a meeting with senior leadership over the weekend to enhance their routine operations by meeting a quota of between 1,200 to 1,500 arrests per day, the sources said. The quota was first reported by the Washington Post. Asked about the reporting, Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, told NBC News that he did not have a quota and that the goal is to get as many criminals as possible. As of Tuesday afternoon, there have been at least 4,829 arrests in the crackdowns since inauguration. In September 2024 ,the latest data available, the Biden administration arrested an average of 282 people per day. Over the last six days, the Trump administration's daily average is 753. Here are the major cities where arrests have unfolded: New York City Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem joined immigrant enforcement operations in New York that began Tuesday. We are doing this right doing exactly what President. @realDonaldTrump promised the American people making our streets safe. Live this AM from NYC. Im on it, Noem wrote on X. She later shared video showing a person being detained, writing, criminal alien with kidnapping, assault & burglary charges is now in custody. Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement on what appeared to be the arrest Noem mentioned, confirming that a criminal suspect in New York City was taken into custody. I directed the NYPD to coordinate with DHS Homeland Security Investigations and other federal law enforcement agencies as allowed by law to conduct a targeted operation to arrest an individual connected with multiple violent crimes, both here in New York and in Aurora, Colorado, including burglary, kidnapping, extortion, firearms possession, menacing with a firearm, crime of violence, and other charges, he said. Adams said, we will not hesitate to partner with federal authorities to bring violent criminals to justice just as we have done for years. Our commitment to protecting our citys law-abiding residents, both citizens and immigrants, remains unwavering. The New York DEA office posted several photos on X saying it was working with other federal law enforcement partners in immigration crackdowns, showing the arrests of multiple people. Chicago In Chicago, migrant arrest crackdowns took place Sunday. Homan told NBC News that among the people arrested in Chicago, six were convicted of serious offenses, two were previously convicted of murder and aggravated sexual battery, and multiple others were gang members. Arrest efforts continued Monday. There were 10 teams of about 10 federal agents each fanned out across the city, a source familiar with the operations said Monday. ICE operations on Sunday in Chicago. Chicago is a sanctuary city that protects migrants seeking citizenship. Under those protections, cooperation between city police and immigration agents is prohibited, NBC Chicago reported. Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement on X that Chicago police were not involved in the ICE activity. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told CNN on Sunday he supports deporting people convicted of violent crimes, but disagrees with targeting those who follow the law. These are not people who are causing problems in our country, and what we need is a path to citizenship for them," he said. Los Angeles The Los Angeles offices of Homeland Security Investigations and the DEA said they were working with partners to conduct law enforcement operations in accordance with the Trump administrations immigration priorities. The offices shared photos of law enforcement agents taking people into custody. The City Council formally adopted a sanctuary city ordinance late last year that prohibits city resources or personnel from being used to aid in federal enforcement of immigration laws, NBC Los Angeles reported. Philadelphia Video showed several people being detained near a Philadelphia business on Tuesday. The immigration rights group Juntos said it was an ICE raid and that seven people were detained. The raid happened at a car wash in the Juniata Park neighborhood, NBC Philadelphia reported. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment or details Tuesday night. Phoenix The Phoenix office of the DEA said Sunday it was working with the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security with their immigration efforts, sharing photos of officers in law enforcement vests. DEA officers in Arizona assisting DHS with their immigration efforts on Sunday. San Diego The DEAs San Diego office also shared on X photos of agents arresting people on Sunday. Denver On Sunday, the Drug Enforcement Administrations Rocky Mountain Field Division executed a search warrant at a makeshift club in Denver and arrested numerous individuals associated and connected with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, or TdA. Forty-nine people were inside at the time, and ICE determined at least 41 were in the U.S. illegally. Miami Raids also unfolded in Miami on Sunday. The ICE Miami office said that among those arrested was a Nicaraguan national who was being held at the Broward County Jail with pending charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful carry of concealed weapon, discharging a firearm in public and driving with a suspended license. A Jamaican national was also arrested on charges of possession of oxycodone, displaying a firearm during a felony offense and operating a vehicle without a valid license. The Homeland Security Investigation office in Miami shared on X photos of agents detaining people. The office said the arrests were the result of excellent collaboration to enforce U.S. immigration laws and ensuring the safety of our communities. Atlanta The DEAs Atlanta office said Sunday it participated in an operation supporting the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security and other federal law enforcement partners with their immigration enforcement efforts in Atlanta. Wilson Rogelio Velasquez Cruz, a Honduran immigrant, was arrested at Iglesia Fuente de Vida, a church in Tucker, his family told NBC affiliate WXIA of Atlanta. His family said agents went to his home first, then his church. His wife told the station that he arrived in the U.S. in 2022 with his wife and three children under a work permit while awaiting a pending asylum case, and that permit was valid for four more years. He had been issued an immigration GPS monitor and his arrest marked the first time he was detained since crossing the border. Various cities in Texas ICE conducted targeted operations in North Texas on Sunday, including in Dallas, Irving, Arlington, Fort Worth and Collin County that resulted in at least 84 people apprehended, an ICE official told NBC News. Many of them were targeted due to varying degrees of criminality in their background, the official said. Some of the apprehensions were collateral arrests meaning people who happened to be where a targeted individual was located. Its unclear how many of the 84 were collateral arrests. Seattle The DEA office in Seattle wrote on X Monday that it was working with Department of Justice Partners and other federal agencies in immigration enforcement efforts and shared photos of two arrests: One being an alleged MS-13 gang member detained in Federal Way, Washington, and another being an alleged illegal alien encountered during a drug investigation in Wilsonville, Oregon. San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero acknowledged the implementation of Trumps immigration executive order on Sunday, saying: I would like to express my solidarity with all the families affected by these measures. Likewise, I would like to clarify that, up to this moment, I have not been officially notified by any federal authority about the details of the processes that are being carried out in our city. He said that neither municipal police nor government entities under San Juan's jurisdiction are collaborating or supporting the operations. The mayor said San Juan will offer support and provide orientation, citizenship classes and assistance to those who need it to ensure that their rights are respected and that due process of law is complied with. I have directed the Office of Immigrant Assistance to make available the necessary resources to maximize our efforts, Romero also said. Under my administration, San Juan will continue to be a place where diversity and inclusion are deeply valued, he added. A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire while it burns homes in Los Angeles on Jan. 8. The Summary The hot, dry, windy conditions that led to the recent Southern California fires were about 35% more likely because of climate change, a new report says. The findings come from the World Weather Attribution group, which analyzes the influence of global warming on extreme events. The fires have killed at least 29 people and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings. Climate change increased the likelihood of the extreme conditions that allowed the recent fires to roar across the Los Angeles area, an international group of scientists said Tuesday. The hot, dry and windy conditions that preceded the fires were about 35% more likely because of human-caused global warming, according to a new report from the World Weather Attribution group, which analyzes the influence of global warming on extreme events. The fires, which started during a ferocious windstorm and after almost no rain had fallen in greater Los Angeles since the spring, have killed at least 29 people and torched more than 16,000 buildings, including homes, stores and schools. This was a perfect storm when it comes to conditions for fire disasters the ingredients in terms of the climate enabling, the weather driving the fires and the huge built environment right downwind from where these ignitions occurred, John Abatzoglou, a professor of climatology at the University of California, Merced, who contributed to the report, said at a news conference. Compared to a preindustrial time before fossil fuels were widely used, there are now 23 extra days of dry season on average each year in the Los Angeles region, the report said, making it more likely that fires will coincide with seasonal Santa Ana winds. Park Williams, a professor of geography at UCLA and an author of the report, said fires during cool seasons in Southern California require four conditions: widespread grass or brush that can burn, abnormally dry conditions, an ignition (which almost always comes from a person; and extreme weather, like the recent windstorm. He described each of those conditions as an individual switch in a system that requires all four to be flipped on for light to emanate. The artificial warming due to human-caused climate change is making the light brighter, Williams said. The authors of the report analyzed weather and climate models to evaluate how a warmer atmosphere is shifting the likelihood of fire weather (meaning conditions that increase the risk of wildfire). They also tracked how a metric called the Fire Weather Index changed over time. The index tracks temperature, relative humidity and wind speeds, all factors that contribute to the likelihood of fire. The researchers found that the kind of conditions that drove the L.A. area fires are expected to occur on average once in 17 years in todays climate. Such conditions would have been expected once every 23 years without climate change and would have been less extreme when they did occur, the report says. Homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. As a group, World Weather Attribution is a loose consortium of scientists who publish rapid findings about climate changes role in extreme weather events. Although their research methods are peer-reviewed, this specific rapid analysis has not been through the rigor of a typical academic review process, which can take months or longer. The groups prior analyses of heat, wildfire and hurricane disasters have held up to scrutiny after initial release and were ultimately published in academic journals. For climate attribution scientists studying how much climate change is to blame for specific events, wildfire disasters are notoriously challenging to untangle, and local nuances are extremely important. In the case of the recent California fires, the report's authors found that although climate change played a role, it was not the sole factor. The hillsides surrounding Los Angeles are filled with brush that has evolved to burn with regularity, and more people are in these areas today than in the past to potentially start fires via cigarettes, power lines, fireworks, vehicles or other sources. Additionally, neighborhood development has pushed deep into areas prone to burn, which means houses are serving as fuel for wildfires and contributing to its rapid spread. Fire in Southern California is highly complex, right? Its a combination of a number of things. This is a landscape thats got a really distinct human imprint on it, Abatzoglou said, adding that the Los Angeles region has a large population, a lot of ignitions, a lot of land-use related issues. The influence of climate change on the Santa Ana winds, one of the driving factors behind the Los Angeles fires, remains murky. The report's authors said that some research suggests the winds will become less intense as the climate warms; however, other research suggests this wind pattern will persist and perhaps intensify during the cold months. We dont know of a direct mechanism that would link climate change to the winds, but there could be," Williams said. "We just dont know." Winter conditions on Sayram Lake, a high alpine lake and popular travel destination in northern Chinas Xinjiang territory, led to some spectacularly beautiful and surreal cold-weather sights. From frozen bubbles suspended like punctuation marks in the cold lake waters to frost flowers blooming above them, the whole thing looked otherworldly and marvelous. Heres how these sights were created. Extreme cold temperatures and light winds allowed for the lakes surface to freeze slowly, resulting in crystal clear ice. Methane bubbles from decaying plants rising from below became trapped at various levels of ice thickness as the lake continued to gradually freeze. Meanwhile, above the ice, extreme cold and saturated air allowed hoarfrost to form so-called ice flowers. According to the National Weather Service office in Riverton, Wyoming, the Old English dictionary (c. 1290) defines hoarfrost as "expressing the resemblance of white feathers of frost to an old man's beard. How Does Hoarfrost Occur? First, to produce any frost, you need water vapor (the gaseous form of water) in the air over cold ground, with a surface dew point at least as cold as 32 degrees. When these water vapor molecules contact a subfreezing surface, such as a blade of grass, they jump directly from the gas state to solid state, a process known as "deposition," leading to a coating of tiny ice crystals. What Provides The Boost For Frost To Grow Into Hoarfrost? Generally speaking, you want a much more moist air mass in place. In late fall, winter or early spring, one or more days in a row of freezing fog (fog with air temperatures of 32 degrees or colder) is a perfect scenario. With more moisture in the air, the interlocking crystal patterns of frost become more intricate and much larger, building up to a greater depth on tree branches, signs, fences, anything. This is hoarfrost. If there is a light wind, the hoarfrost can accumulate on the downwind side of objects. Officials said an F-35 fighter jet crashed in Alaska on Tuesday after the pilot managed to safely eject from the aircraft the latest mishap involving the U.S. military's most expensive weapon system. The crash occurred just before 1 p.m. local time within the fence line of Eielson Air Force Base, about 25 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, according to 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs. Officials said the pilot was safe and in stable condition at a local hospital. The incident was captured in a dramatic video that shows the jet falling out of the sky before it smashes into the ground, exploding on impact and sending a plume of smoke into the air. A F-35 jet lands on the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises about 100 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii, U.S. July 19, 2024. It's unclear what led to the crash. Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the pilot experienced an "in-flight malfunction." The jet was landing after a training exercise when the malfunction occurred, Townsend said. Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security, Townsend said. I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again. Asked about whether the crash harms the reputation of the F-35, Townsend said he remains "confident" in the jet's capabilities. "We will continue to look at the investigation and do our best to uncover any of the things that might have contributed to the incident. But, right now, I can stand and say that I have full faith in the capabilities of the F-35A," he said. Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35, said in a statement it was aware of the incident. "Safety is our priority, and we are standing by to support the United States Air Force as needed," the defense contractor said. It added, "The F-35 is the most advanced, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, a vital deterrent and the cornerstone of joint all-domain operations." A flight deck crew member aboard the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier signals to an F-35 jet during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises about 100 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii, U.S. July 19, 2024. Tuesday's crash is the latest mishap involving the F-35. Last May, a pilot was seriously injured after he ejected from an F-35 before the fighter jet crashed near the airfield at Albuquerque International Sunport. When the aircraft went down, it was headed from Fort Worth, Texas, to Edwards Air Force Base in California, and had stopped at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico to refuel. A year earlier, a jet flew unmanned into a field in South Carolina after the pilot ejected and parachuted into a backyard in Charleston. The F-35 is the U.S. military's costliest weapons program. The U.S. Department of Defense plans to spend over $2 trillion to buy, operate and maintain F-35s through 2088, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Since the jets were first unveiled in 2006, they have been plagued by rising costs, manufacturing delays and, more recently, crashes. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk who Trump tapped to co-lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency have both previously criticized the project. "The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people. This made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none," Musk said in a post on X in November. "Success was never in the set of possible outcomes. And manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed." There are an estimated 630 F-35s across the military, according to the Government Accountability Office. The Department of Defense plans to buy about 1,800 more by the mid-2040s. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: F-35 fighter jet crashes in Alaska; pilot is 'safe' after ejecting Mario Tama/Getty Ozempic The Food and Drug Administration has approved Ozempic to reduce the risk of kidney disease. On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the agency announced that the drug can now be used to reduce the risk of kidney failure and disease progression, as well as death due to cardiovascular disease, in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Ozempic is already widely used and was first FDA-approved in 2017 to treat type 2 diabetes. The medication taken weekly by injection in the thigh, stomach or arm is a brand name for semaglutide, which works in the brain to impact satiety. The FDAs new approval makes the drug the first GLP-1 treatment option for people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. "Chronic kidney disease is very serious and common in patients living with type 2 diabetes and represents a critical need for adults living with these comorbidities, said Anna Windle senior vice president of clinical development, medical & regulatory affairs for Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic in a press release. This approval for Ozempic allows us to more broadly address conditions within cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, which affects millions of adults and could have serious consequences if left untreated. Related: Ozempic and Similar Drugs May Offer Health Benefits Beyond Weight Loss, Including Reduced Alcohol Cravings Getty Ozempic injector 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 decision was made following a clinical trial of more than 3,500 people where researchers found that weekly injections of the medication reduced the risk of kidney disease worsening by 24% in people who had diabetes. Additionally, the risk of death from heart disease in adults with both type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease was reduced by about 5%. From my point of view as a doctor, you dont get [diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease] in isolation, Stephen Gough, Novo Nordisks global chief medical officer, told CNBC. These illnesses, unfortunately, co-segregate. They cluster within the same individuals. So if you have a medicine that can target each of these co-morbidities in one injection, then youre addressing what really matters to the patient. Read the original article on People It was a profoundly confusing Tuesday in Washington. After ostensibly ordering federal agencies to freeze vast swaths of government spending, the White House partially walked back its move in the afternoon, claiming it had only meant to pause a more narrow set of operations for review. By evening, a federal judge had blocked the funding halt from officially going into effect. At the same time, some spending for programs such as Medicaid and Head Start appeared to be at least temporarily clogged, as lawmakers, state officials, and reporters scrambled to understand what exactly was going on. The good news is that, at least for now, most Americans do not seem to be directly impacted by the circus. Student loan and health insurance payments are still flowing, and may not be impacted at all, despite initial fears that they might be. Heres what to know for now. What the heck just happened? On Monday night, the White House Office of Management and Budget circulated a memo calling on agencies to conduct an immediate review of all Federal financial assistance programs, amounting to $3 trillion in federal grants and loans, to make sure they were consistent with President Trumps recent blizzard of executive orders on issues such as foreign aid, immigration, climate and energy policy, ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and gender ideology. The letter also directed agencies to temporarily pause payments for programs that might be affected by Trumps orders. Critically, it did not include a list of specific programs to halt, leading to widespread questions about whether schemes like Medicaid, federal student lending, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were about to be put on ice since all of them fit the technical definition of federal assistance. The memo did state in a footnote that Medicare, Social Security, and assistance received directly by individuals would not be affected. But because programs like Medicaid and student loans deliver benefits through middlemen like state governments and colleges, their fate remained unclear. By the afternoon, the White House had issued a clarification, in the form of a Q&A, stating that officials were not ordering an across the board pause on federal assistance and that the freeze would be expressly limited to programs, projects, and activities implicated by the President's Executive Orders, such as ending DEI, the green new deal, and funding nongovernmental organizations that undermine the national interest." Spending for programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, as well as supports like Head Start, rental assistance, and Pell Grants would also continue, it added. (Separately, a Department of Education official said student loans were unaffected). However, reports quickly began trickling in that state health officials had been locked out of the federal website that allows them to manage their federal Medicaid reimbursements. My staff has confirmed reports that Medicaid portals are down in all 50 states following last night's federal funding freeze, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden posted to X. This is a blatant attempt to rip away health insurance from millions of Americans overnight and will get people killed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later wrote that the administration was aware of the problem, was working to get the Medicaid site back working, but that payments werent being affected. At the same time, other grant programs appeared to encounter trouble; Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin posted that some Head Start programs had already laid off workers because they could not access their federal funding; Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman wrote that his office had just received calls from over a dozen PA organizations serving low-income families that could not withdraw their money. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a briefing at the White House on Tuesday in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Is any of this legal? On Tuesday evening, a federal trial judge in Washington, D.C., blocked the spending freeze from going into effect. But in the meantime, the entire befuddling sequence of events seemed to preview a broader political and legal showdown. During his presidential campaign, Trump promised that he would attempt to cut the federal budget by executive fiat, using a maneuver known as impoundment to unilaterally withhold money for certain programs. Congress tried to effectively bar presidents from attempting such actions when it passed the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. But Trump vowed to challenge the laws constitutionality, potentially setting up a mammoth legal struggle over control of government spending. In its Q&A Tuesday, the White House said it was not attempting an impoundment. Instead, the pause was merely meant to "give agencies time to ensure that financial assistance conforms to the policies set out in the President's Executive Orders, to the extent permitted by law." But critics argue that even that would be unlawful, and that Trump appears to be testing the limits of his power. It is not legal to pause funding for policy disagreements, Michael Linden, a former OMB official in the Biden administration, told Yahoo Finance. Jordan Weissmann is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance. Click here for the latest personal finance news to help you with investing, paying off debt, buying a home, retirement, and more Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Tree trimmer dies in wood chipper accident in Ocean Ridge, Florida A Florida tree trimmer has died after getting caught in a wood chipper. The tragic accident occurred at around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28 as a contracted tree trimming vendor was working at Ocean Ridge Town Hall, the Ocean Ridge Police Department announced in a Facebook post. Upon arrival, Ocean Ridge officers found one person had died from injuries sustained in the accident, no other individuals on scene sustained injuries, police said. The OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health American Society] has been notified and is in route. The man has not yet officially been identified though he is believed to have family members in Mexico, according to CBS 12. He was reportedly working with Carlton's Tree Service at the time of the accident. Google Maps Ocean Ridge Town Hall Related: 17-Year-Old Penn. Boy Dies After Getting Pulled Into Wood Chipper While Working, Officials Say Lynne Ladner, the Town Manager of Ocean Ridge, shared in a news conference that the landscaper went head first into the wood chipper up to his shoulders, which resulted in him being decapitated by the machine. The individual was working by themself doing tree trimming and feeding a wood chipper, said Ladner, per WPTV. Other members of the crew saw it happening and immediately again responded as did our staff and officers. The accident reportedly happened within 30 minutes of the victim starting work. Ladner added that the wood chipper was built with an emergency shut-off switch, but the accident happened so quickly the man's co-workers didn't have time to activate it, reported CBS 12. Related: Colorado Man Survives Losing Both Legs in Freak Wood Chipper Accident During First Day on the Job: 'My Coworkers Kept Me Alive' 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. Local resident Debby Ritter, who was walking on the sidewalk with her husband at the time, told the outlet, "Should not happen. Should not have happened and you know, it's horrible. Shocking! Terrible tragedy. In their statement, the Ocean Ridge Police Department said that Boynton Beach Fire Rescue has provided grief counseling to town employees and vendor staff affected by the incident. The town manager shared that the owner of Carlton's Tree Service is helping the victim's family with arrangements for a funeral in Mexico and in the U.S., according to CBS 12. The investigation is ongoing. PEOPLE has contacted the Ocean Ridge Police and the town manager for further comment at this time. Read the original article on People By Akbar Novruz Mass protests continue in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with demonstrators targeting the French and Belgian embassies, setting fire to diplomatic buildings, Azernews reports. Tires were also burned in front of the U.S. embassy. The protests, which began earlier with attacks on the French, Rwandan, Belgian, and U.S. embassies, are fueled by anger over French President Emmanuel Macrons support for Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Demonstrators are demanding military intervention by the international coalition against the M23 rebels, who have intensified their offensive in eastern Congo. The situation in the east has rapidly deteriorated, with M23 rebels capturing the strategic city of Goma in a swift attack. Reports indicate that in some districts of Kinshasa, daily life has come to a standstill, with schools and businesses shutting down amid the unrest. The United Nations has reported hundreds of injuries from armed clashes in Goma, with many bodies found in the streets and a sharp rise in sexual violence cases. A large-scale exodus of local residents from the region has begun. At least 17 international peacekeepers have been killed in the ongoing battles between the M23 rebels and the Congolese army. People gather during a rally in support of federal funding and in opposition to President Donald Trump's order to pause all federal grants and loans, near the White House in Washington, DC, Tuesday. (Ken Cedeno/Reuters) Editors note: After this story was published, the White House rescinded a memo that froze federal grants and loans and created widespread confusion this week. Read our developing coverage here. A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked part of the Trump administrations pause on federal grants and loans, just hours before it was set to take effect, as a slew of advocacy groups, charities, foreign aid and public health programs warned of its potential to upend American lives on an unprecedented scale. US District Judge Loren L. AliKhans stay temporarily blocked part of Trumps plans, preventing the administration from pausing payments for open awards those already granted by the federal government through at least 5 p.m. ET Monday, February 3. Reactions to the freeze included a flurry of lawsuits, statements of concern from recipients of federal funds and warnings about what may be to come. What is the funding freeze? Hundreds of programs touching all corners of the US were placed under review, according to a document released by the Office of Management and Budget. The White House later issued a memo appearing to limit the scope of the federal freeze, saying it only encompasses types of programs that may run counter to Trumps recent executive actions on immigration; foreign aid; climate and energy; gender identity; ending DEI initiatives and preventing federal funding for elective abortions. Yet the planned freeze which could later resume and trigger a potential showdown at the Supreme Court has left many non-profit organizations and government agencies at local, state and federal levels in a state of flux. What programs arent included in the freeze? The initial order Monday said the pause would not affect Social Security, Medicare benefits, or assistance provided directly to individuals. But as confusion swept through organizations that rely on federal grants and loans for their operations, the administration had to further clarify the order. On Tuesday afternoon, the Office of Management and Budget issued a Q&A saying the following also would not see funding pauses: mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps) as well as funds for small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance, and other similar programs. This is not a blanket pause on federal assistance and grant programs from the Trump administration, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her first White House briefing. But the confusion appeared to have an effect: For several hours on Tuesday, state Medicaid agencies were unable to access federal funds for the health insurance program that covers more than 72 million low-income Americans. During the afternoon, states started regaining access to the funding system. The National Association of Medicaid Directors confirmed Wednesday it had received word Medicaid would not be part of the federal funding freeze. NAMD has been notified that Medicaid is exempt from the federal payment pause, NAMD Executive Director Kate McEvoy said in a statement to CNN. What are the impacts right now? Confusion reigns Meals on Wheels programs, which rely on federal grants and serve more than 2 million senior citizens annually, were unclear about whether they would be impacted. Were still dealing with a lot of conflicting information. In short, 37% of Meals on Wheels funding comes from the Older Americans Act, which is a grant on the freeze list, Jenny Young, spokesperson for Meals on Wheels America, told CNN on Wednesday. Right now, were battling conflicting information as the White House has said Meals on Wheels would not be impacted. Universities across the country are scrambling to figure out how a funding freeze could affect their research programs, students and faculty. Researchers at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, said they were told to stop work on grant-funded projects, according to The Associated Press on Tuesday. Scientists could miss deadlines to present and share their work if funding freezes go forward, said researcher Lorna Quandt, who has a grant application pending. The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities on Tuesday called the administrations move unnecessary and damaging, saying that a federal funding freeze would sideline American scientists. The National Science Foundation, which funds a wide range of scientific research through grants to universities and research institutions, has paused all of its grant review panels this week as it works to reconfigure its grant-making process in light of Trumps executive order, it said Tuesday. The United States has a unique government-to-government obligation to Tribal Nations, said Native American Rights Fund Executive Director John Echohawk in a statement following Trumps announcement. Because of this unique relationship, Tribal Nations and Native people are especially and disproportionately affected by any federal actions like todays funding freeze. NARF Deputy Director Matthew Campbell said Wednesday that despite the additional guidance, many Tribes and Tribal orgs are not able to access or draw down their federal funds. This has an immense impact and we are investigating the matter. Atlanta is impacted by the funding freeze, from affordable housing to salaries and public safety, Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement Tuesday before the district courts pause. Partner agencies were unable to access portals essential to conducting business, such as paying rent and operational costs, he said. In Colorado, the states Community Health Network said a pause in federal funding could impact more than 857,000 Coloradans who rely on care. Community Health Centers had difficulty accessing the system used to access grant money Tuesday, spokesperson Grace Trautman said, but those who were able to make requests did receive their funds Wednesday. Gian-Carl Casa, president of the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance, told the CT Mirror that taking away federal funding will cut a hole in the already-frayed safety net, through which tens of thousands of people who depend on nonprofit programs here will fall. To implement this kind of order without regard for the impact on living, breathing people is beyond comprehension. Tommy Sheridan, deputy director of the National Head Start Association, which serves nearly 800,000 low-income children from birth to age 5 and their families, told CNN that some Head Start programs were unable to access Payment Management Services the federal system used to draw grant money which could have forced some to close their doors as early as Wednesday. While Head Start programs are now able to access their federal funding, the association believes the brief glitch is connected to the administrations freeze order, Sheridan said. Impacts facing overseas humanitarian aid The uncertainty facing the freeze is not limited to within the US. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday added more exemptions to humanitarian programs that would otherwise be cut by the freeze on almost all US-funded foreign assistance. In a waiver obtained by CNN, Rubio agreed this week to keep spending on humanitarian programs that provided life-saving medicine, medical services, food shelter and subsistence assistance, leaving out programs that involve abortions, family planning and transgender surgeries. The move has caused more confusion among the humanitarian community many of whom are at risk of layoffs and program shutdowns from the initial directive. The groups say they have not been informed or received guidance on the waiver. Though it has only been a few days, implications have already been catastrophic for those in Gaza and Ukraine, humanitarian officials told CNN. One predicted that if the suspension continued for two more weeks, thousands could die. And the freeze, if continued, could cause a number of organizations doing humanitarian work to close permanently, as they are not receiving the funding to keep paying their employees. Is the funding freeze legal? The freeze of federal grants and loans is queuing up a Supreme Court showdown over the Constitution. Theres every reason to think that, unless this memo is quickly rescinded, the litigation it is going to provoke will get to the Supreme Court in one big hurry, Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University Law Center, said Tuesday. Some non-profit groups, including the National Council of Nonprofits, filed suit in federal court in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. That led to the federal judges temporary, partial block of the plans to freeze aid. From pausing research on cures for childhood cancer to halting food assistance, safety from domestic violence, and closing suicide hotlines, the impact of even a short pause in funding could be devastating and cost lives. This order could decimate thousands of organizations and leave neighbors without the services they need, said Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits. At least 22 states, including New York and California, in addition to Washington, DC, have also sued. CNNs Jennifer Hansler, Tami Luhby, Andy Rose and Tierney Sneed contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Umit Yldrm | Unsplash (The Center Square) New Hampshire lawmakers are making another push to approve a right to work law that would limit labor unions from collecting dues from non-members. A proposal being considered by the House Committee on Labor, Industrial, and Rehabilitative Services would, if approved, allow unionized workers in the private sector to opt out of paying their dues even while continuing to receive the benefits of a collective bargaining agreement. The proposal is backed by Americans for Prosperity-New Hampshire and other pro-business groups pushing for the changes, which have argued the move would "protect worker freedom" and improve the states economic competitiveness. John Reynolds, New Hampshire state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said studies have shown that right to work laws benefit entrepreneurs, workers and taxpayers by creating higher rates of upward economic mobility and lower rates of poverty and unemployment. He said the proposal would allow New Hampshire to "protect the ability of small businesses and workers to determine their own fates." "As New Hampshire seeks to boost economic growth, address chronic workforce shortages, and make the state an even more attractive place to live, Right to Work is the right policy at the right time," Reynolds said in testimony in support of the bill. Not surprisingly, union leaders oppose the 'right to work' legislation, arguing that it prevents workers from negotiating higher wages and conflicts with contractual agreements between workers and employers. Right to work legislation has been debated in New Hampshire for decades but has failed to win enough support to become a law. The Legislature approved a right to work bill in 2011 but was vetoed by then-Gov. John Lynch. The most recent effort came in 2021 when Democrats blocked a Republican-led proposal to prevent labor unions from collecting dues from private sector workers. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public sector workers cannot be forced to pay fees to unions that represent them in collective bargaining. The courts decision ended a provision in 26 other states that required public employees to pay whats known as "fair share" fees as a condition of employment, even if they dont want to be union members. The fees are meant to help offset the bargaining and contract administration costs that benefit them. However, the ruling doesn't affect private-sector unions unless they represent workers in one of the 27 states with right to work laws. In New Hampshire, about 70,000 employees or 10% of the workforce belonged to unions in 2022, with public sector employees representing about two-thirds, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Congress, Republican lawmakers have introduced several bills to pass a National 'Right-to-Work' Act allowing employees to choose not to join a union. To be sure, federal law already prohibits forcing employees to join a union. "Right to Work laws do exactly one thing: they make union dues a voluntary choice," Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee, said in a statement. "In a Right to Work state, a worker can join a union and pay union dues if he wants, but he cannot ever be fired for choosing not to do so." Unique Nicole/Getty Dave and Jenny Marrs in June 2024 A lawsuit that was filed against Dave and Jenny Marrs has officially been settled days before a trial was set to begin, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. Arkansas couple Matthew and Sarah McGrath claimed the HGTV stars' companies, Marrs Construction and Jupiter Rentals, failed to complete upgrades to their home, leading to an alleged breach of contract and warranty. They claimed both companies worked on the home, according to the original complaint filed in 2023. A settlement was reached days before the Fixer to Fabulous couple's trial was set to be held on Jan. 27, per a Jan. 24 filing. The document states that the Marrs and McGraths stipulate that all pending . . . have been fully compromised by settlement" and the lawsuit will be "dismissed with prejudice. Related: Dave and Jenny Marrs' 5 Kids: All About the HGTV Stars Sons and Daughters (Including Who Has a Knack for Home Design!) HGTV Dave and Jenny Marrs on 'Fixer to Fabulous' season 6 The McGraths' lawsuit first claimed that they entered into a contract to purchase their Arkansas home from Jupiter Rentals (through Dave Marrs) on May 22, 2022. They allegedly put a down payment of $15,000 on the $559,000 house and requested specific upgrades to be done by Marrs through Jupiter Rentals. The company allegedly agreed to perform the upgrades, amounting to $10,125 worth of work before the closing date. The McGraths performed an inspection and submitted a list of repairs to Jupiter, per the filing. However, the document alleged that not a single item on the list of repairs had been performed as of their closing date of Aug. 28, 2022. Related: Dave and Jenny Marrs Open Up About the 'Crazy Chaos' of HGTV Stardom, Raising 5 Kids and Life on the Farm The McGraths also claimed that a multitude of additional defects in the construction of the home were discovered after they acquired ownership. As they were provided a builders warranty from Marrs Construction, the McGraths attempted to seek an agreement with them to repair the issues per the warranty. But they claim the company declined. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The McGraths claim they tried to do the same via Jupiter Rentals, but the company did not respond. As a result, the McGraths alleged in the lawsuit that both Jupiter Rentals and Marrs Construction breached the warranty, while Jupiter Rentals allegedly also breached the contract. They stated that they were entitled all costs associated with the repair of their home that stemmed from the companies failure to perform. They also requested to be awarded their attorneys fees and costs of litigation, per the filing. Representatives for HGTV and the McGraths' attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Dave and Jenny Marrs rose to HGTV fame renovating houses in their hometown of Bentonville, Ark. Their show, Fixer to Fabulous, has been on the air since 2019. Read the original article on People Dozens of sexual assault complaints were filed against the citys troubled juvenile detention facilities this week, bringing the total number of claims to a shocking 539. The 115 new alleged victims, who each brought suit on Monday, joined hundreds of other survivors who have filed cases since last spring based on claims they were sexually abused at youth lockups in Brooklyn and The Bronx. The system should be a place of rehabilitation, not harm, Angel Sanchez, who says he was abused by a male staff member at the Crossroads Juvenile Facility in Brooklyn when he was 16, recalled on Tuesday. We cannot let the cycle of abuse continue, he said. Sanchez, speaking at a press conference announcing the suits, said that the sicko staffer molested and masturbated him several times over the three months he spent at Crossroads. The system should be a place of rehabilitation, not harm, said survivor Angel Sanchez at a press conference with his attorney, Jerome Block, and local elected officials including City Council Members Sandy Nurse, Carlina Rivera. Levy Konigsberg LLP. The staff member threatened me, telling me that if I reported what happened, I would place more time in detention, Sanchez said. Some of the lawsuits allegations date back decades, when the city Department of Correction operated the facilities. Since 2018, the citys Administration for Childrens Services has overseen the jails. Kendra Monsanto, claimed in her suit that she was repeatedly raped when she was at the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center in The Bronx where roughly 42% of the allegations took place for four months in 1998. About 15 percent of the abuse allegations took place at the Horizon Juvenile Detention Center in the South Bronx. J.C. Rice I was supposed to be safer there than in my own home, but what I encountered was far from safety, said Monsanto, who was 13 when the alleged attacks happened. At the facility, I was coerced, manipulated, and exploited by staff members, she said. At first, a pair of guards at first were kind to her and took an interest in her personal problems to gain her trust, her suit states. But soon, the depraved employees began raping her five times a week, leaving her to scream in pain until she passed out, according to the lawsuit. One of the guards would force the female inmates, including [Monsanto], to line up and perform oral sex on him, her complaint alleges. Jerome Block, a partner at Levy Konigsberg the firm behind the nearly 540 cases said that kids today are still being sent to Crossroads and Horizon Juvenile Detention Center in the South Bronx, where just under half of the alleged abuse occurred. According to Levy Konigsberg LLP, most of the abuse occurred at Spofford Juvenile Detention Center in the Bronx. Levy Konigsberg LLP. We have seen no evidence that the inadequate procedures and the conditions that enabled this sexual violence have been fixed, Block said Tuesday. These survivors want accountability. They want justice, and they want this cycle of sexual violence at these juvenile centers to end. The lawsuits are being brought because of a look-back window granted under the states Gender Motivated Violence Act, which closes at the end of February. The city has already moved to dismiss at least some of the claims, but a judge has yet to rule on their motion that argues some of the allegations took place before such civil claims were allowed to be made through the GMVA in 2000. While the overwhelming majority of these incidents predate this administration or ACSs involvement with juvenile justice, we take these allegations very seriously, said ACS spokesperson Stephanie Gendell. The three Israeli hostages due to be released in Gaza: Arbel Yehoud (left), Agam Berger (center) and Gadi Moses. (Hostages and Missing Families Forum) The three Israeli hostages due to be released in Gaza on Thursday have been named by the Israeli Prime Ministers Office (PMO), which also confirmed that five Thai nationals will be freed. The list of names received from Hamas today by the mediators Qatar and Egypt includes: Arbel Yehoud (29 years old), Agam Berger (19) and Gadi Moses (80), the PMO said. The names of the five Thai citizens to be freed have not been made public. Israeli authorities are also expected to release 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday. Of those, 32 were sentenced to life imprisonment, and another 30 are children, according to Hamas. A total of 33 Israeli hostages taken captive by Hamas and other armed groups in the October 7 attacks were set to be freed in phase one of the ceasefire and hostages release deal between Israel and Hamas. Two rounds of releases have already taken place. Meanwhile, Israel will release a total of almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first phase. Eight of the remaining Israeli hostages set to be released are dead, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said on Monday. All three Israeli hostages named for release on Thursday are believed to be alive, according to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum. Yehoud was kidnapped from her home in the Nir Oz kibbutz, along with her partner Ariel Cunio, the forum said on Wednesday. Moses, a grandfather and keen agronomist, also was taken from Nir Oz. The kibbutz was among the hardest-hit of the communities targeted by Hamas in the attacks of October 7, 2023, with more than a quarter of its population of 400 being either killed or kidnapped. Osnat Peri, the chairwoman of Kibbutz Nir Oz, described the news of the releases as an exciting moment for us, and another step on the long road to bringing all our loved ones home. However, she also noted that of the 76 people kidnapped from the community, 29 remained in Gaza, and said that the struggle will continue until all were returned. Many others were murdered, homes were burned, and the entire community was uprooted, she said, adding, The road to recovery and the return of everyone home is still long, but we are not giving up. Moses family said Wednesday they had received with great excitement the wonderful news of our beloved Gadis return to us tomorrow, thanking the people of Israel for their embrace and support. The third Israeli hostage to be returned Thursday, Berger, was a soldier abducted from a military base besid e the Nahal Oz kibbutz. The hostages forum said it too would not give up or stop at any stage until all hostages return home down to the very last one the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial. Hostage thanks Israeli soldier for saving her life The news of Thursdays releases comes as a former hostage thanked a female soldier freed last week for saving her life. Amit Soussana, who was released during an earlier, short-lived ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in November 2023, spoke in an emotional interview with Israeli TV about her experiences in captivity and the bravery of her fellow captive Liri Albag, who was freed on Saturday. Soussana credited Albag, 19, with talking one of her captors out of killing her. The 40-year-old lawyer spent the first three weeks of her captivity in solitary confinement, with only her captor who allegedly sexually assaulted her for company. But after Israel launched its ground offensive in late October, she was moved to another location within the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, she told journalist Ben Shani, in an episode of Uvda on Israels Channel Keshet 12, that there were four other hostages at the second site including Albag. The group immediately bonded with Soussana and told her about their captors, singling out one who she labelled a psychopath. On one occasion, she said, he hit her in the neck with his gun, and threatened to kill her. He and others then bound her arms and legs to two sticks and strung her up between two sofas, said Soussana. I was tied to one stick by my hands and one by my feet and hung upside down and with duct tape on my face, she added, while one of the men beat her. She said she quickly learnt that they thought she was an IDF officer and were trying to obtain information from her. Soussana alleged the other hostages were brought in to convince her to confess. Then, back in the room, she was threatened at gunpoint. After her captor left, Albag told her she didnt think that they would follow through, but asked nonetheless if Soussana had a message for her family. She said she loved them. Soussana said the psychopath liked Albag, so she asked her to explain that she was a civilian. Describing her as a force, Soussana said that she was something special who had power against him. But after two weeks together, the women were separated and Soussanna was transferred again this time to Hamas network of underground tunnels. Her stay there was short lived compared with some of the remaining hostages, who have been held for more than 15 months. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNNs Kareem Khadder and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Italian navy ship Cassiopea, carrying migrants as part of a deal with Italy to process thousands of asylum-seekers caught near Italian waters (REUTERS) An Italian navy ship has dropped off 49 migrants in Albania after intercepting them in international waters, in the third attempt to carry out a contentious plan to relocate migrants to be processed under a deal between the two countries. The attempt to process the migrants at special centres in Albania follows two failed attempts in October and November, when Italian judges refused to approve the detention of two small groups in the centres. Cassiopea, the navy ship which picked up the migrants, reached the Albanian pot of Shengjin early on Tuesday, where they will be identified at a facility before being moved to a detention centre 20km (12 miles) away. The 49 migrants were intercepted in international waters (REUTERS) The nationality of this group of migrants in the port of Shengjin, 66 kilometres northwest of Albanias capital of Tirana, was not specified by the Italian Interior Ministry. Italian media has reported that they were from Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Gambia. Two reception centres in Albania have been built by the Italian government of Giorgia Meloni, in the first such deal by a European Nation to divert migrants to a non-EU country as it looks to limit arrivals via sea. Judges in Rome have questioned the legality of the plan, with the first two batches of migrants detained in Albania afterwards relocated to Italy. The judges rejection of the plan derives from a ruling by the European Court of Justice last year, unrelated to Italy, which found that a nation of origin could not be considered safe if even just a part of it was dangerous. A migrant is seen aboard the Italian navy ship (REUTERS) Italian courts therefore ruled that the migrants countries of origin werent safe enough for them to face the possibility of being sent back by the asylum processing centres, undermining the Melon governments plan to repatriate them. Ms Melonis position was partially backed by a late December ruling by Italys highest court, which said Italian judges could not substitute for government policy in deciding which countries are safe for repatriation of migrants, if their asylum requests are rejected. Lower courts are therefore permitted to make such determinations on a case-by-case basis, but cannot set overall policy. Ilaria Salis, a European Parliament deputy from a left-wing Italian party, condemned the Italian government for forcibly transferring innocent people fleeing war and misery despite violations of international law and human rights. This year, 3,704 migrants have arrived in Italy, more than double the 1,305 from the same period last year. The European court will review Italys plan in the following weeks to clarify whether it complies with EU law. Nearly 30 years since the unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey, her father said he has great hope that police are on the right track to finally solve her killing. JonBenet Ramsey, a 6-year-old child beauty queen, was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her familys Boulder, Colorado, home in December 1996. Her murder dominated headlines and transfixed the public, but for decades has remained unsolved. The case saw her parents and brother cast under a cloud of suspicion until prosecutors apologized to them in a letter in 2008 and said they were not considered suspects. Authorities found male DNA on the childs body that did not belong to her family, which pointed an unknown outsider. John Ramsey, JonBenets father, 81, said he hasnt given up on solving her case. He met with the new Boulder police chief on Monday and said it was the first time in 28 years that he felt the case was in good hands. They were just open to sincerely discuss the case. Im just very impressed with the caliber of the leadership now and that gave me great hope, he told NBCs Stephanie Gosk. John Ramsey and Patricia Ramsey in 1996. Speaking on the male DNA that was previously withheld from the district attorney's office in the case, he said: They kept that result secret from the D.A., certainly from us. The problem that police had is itd conflict with their conclusion the family were the killers. The DNA was a focus of the Netflix documentary "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey" released late last year, which criticized Boulder police. Our family reputation has been damaged quite severely by the police. The only way it will be mostly restored is if there is a killer caught, John Ramsey said. JonBenets mother, Patsy, died of cancer at age 49 in 2006. In response to the documentary, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn acknowledged the investigation could have been better handled all those years ago and said the case is far from closed. Our goal is to find JonBenet Ramseys killer. Our commitment to that has never wavered, Redfearn said in a video message at the time. Ramsey is hopeful that forensic genetic genealogy, which has helped solve other cold cases, will lead to a break. Thats how its going to get solved, he said. NEW YORK (AP) Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes of gold and cash and acting as an agent of Egypt crimes his lawyer said hes been mocked for as Gold Bar Bob. The judge delivered the sentence after Menendez tearfully addressed the court, saying hed lost everything he cared about, except his family. The Democrat resigned last year after becoming one of only a handful of U.S. senators ever convicted while in office. You were successful, powerful, you stood at the apex of our political system, U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein told Menendez in a packed Manhattan courtroom. Somewhere along the way, and I dont know when it was, you lost your way and working for the public good became working for your good. The ex-senator was convicted of selling his once-considerable clout for bribes worth a fortune. FBI agents who searched his house found $480,000, some of it stuffed inside boots and pockets of clothing, and gold bars worth an estimated $150,000. Prosecutors said that in exchange for the loot, which also included a luxury car, Menendez did corrupt favors for three New Jersey businessmen. They said he tried to protect associates from criminal investigations, helped two of them in business deals with foreign powers, and also met with Egyptian intelligence officials and took steps to help that country access millions of dollars in U.S. military aid. Whats been the result?" Stein said. "You lost your senate seat. You lost your chairmanship and you lost your good name. Menendez, 71, portrayed himself to the judge as a sympathetic figure, stressing his decades of public service and declaring that he was chastened by the experience. Afterward, talking to reporters with TV cameras and microphones outside, he turned defiant. I am innocent," he proclaimed, vowing to appeal. Menendez, who beat a prosecution in another corruption case a decade ago, aligned himself with President Donald Trump's recent criticisms of the judicial system, particularly in New York City. This process is political and its corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system, Menendez said, reading from a sheet of paper. The judge ordered him to report to prison June 6. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said that despite Menendezs accomplishments, he will be remembered for putting his own interests and financial gain ahead of the public interest. Menendezs successor, Democratic U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, said the sentencing is a reminder that nobody should be above the law, no matter your title or the power you hold." Two of the men convicted of bribing Menendez also got substantial prison terms Wednesday. The judge sentenced real estate developer Fred Daibes to seven years in prison. Wael Hana, an entrepreneur, was sentenced to eight years. Daibes, 67, tearfully told Stein his conviction had left him borderline suicidal." Hana professed that he was innocent. A third businessman pleaded guilty and testified against Menendez at a trial last year. Menendez' wife, Nadine, faces a March trial on many of the same charges. A dozen U.S. senators have been indicted while in office, but only four before Menendez were convicted and had those convictions stand up on appeal. Menendez resigned last August, a month after his conviction, but hed been sapped of his power by then. After he was charged in 2023, he was forced to surrender his powerful post as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His trial traced his dealings with Egyptian officials and his quest to aid three men who showered him with lucrative gifts found during a 2022 raid on his home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Prosecutor Paul Monteleoni said Menendez committed a truly grave breach of the trust by serving Egypts interests as he worked to protect a meat certification monopoly Hana had established with the Egyptian government. His time in the Senate was a privilege. It should have been its own reward or would have been if he wasnt corrupt, Monteleoni said. Among other things, Menendez provided Egyptian officials with information about U.S. Embassy staff in Cairo and ghostwrote a letter to senators encouraging them to lift a hold on $300 million in military aid to Egypt. For other bribes, prosecutors said, Menendez attempted to persuade a federal prosecutor in New Jersey to go easy on Daibes, a politically influential real estate developer accused of bank fraud. Businessman Jose Uribe testified that he helped Nadine Menendez get a Mercedes-Benz convertible after the senator sought to pressure state prosecutors to drop criminal probes of his associates. Menendez has insisted that his interactions with Egyptian officials were normal for the head of the Foreign Relations Committee and that he always put American interests first. He denied taking any bribes and said the gold bars belonged to his wife. Your honor, I am far from a perfect man. I have made more than my share of mistakes and bad decisions, Menendez told the judge. Ive done far more good than bad. I ask you, your honor, to judge me in that context. Stein said he took Menendezs public service, age and health into consideration when deciding his punishment, which could have been as much as 24 to 30 years in prison under sentencing guidelines. Menendez's lawyers described how the son of Cuban immigrants emerged from poverty and the trauma of his father's suicide when he was 23 to become the epitome of the American Dream rising from mayor of Union City, New Jersey, to decades in Congress before his conviction rendered him a national punchline. Despite his decades of service, he is now known more widely as Gold Bar Bob, defense lawyer Adam Fee told the judge. FILE - Syria's de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, walks in the presidential palace ahead of his meeting with Walid Ellafi, Libyan minister of state for communication and political affairs, in Damascus, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) The Syrian factions that toppled President Bashar Assad last month named an Islamist former rebel leader as the countrys interim president on Wednesday in a push to project a united front as they face the monumental task of rebuilding Syria after nearly 14 years of civil war. The former insurgents also threw out Syrias constitution, adopted under Assad, saying a new charter would be drafted soon. The appointment of Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was once aligned with al-Qaida, as Syria's president in the transitional phase came after a meeting of the former insurgent factions in Damascus, the Syrian capital. The announcement was made by the spokesperson for Syrias new, de facto governments military operations sector, Col. Hassan Abdul Ghani, the state-run SANA news agency said. The exact mechanism under which the factions selected al-Sharra as interim president was not clear. Formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa is the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the lightning offensive that toppled Assad in early December. The group was once affiliated with al-Qaida but has since denounced its former ties. In recent years, al-Sharaa has sought to cast himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance and promised to protect the rights of women and religious minorities. The United States had previously placed a $10 million bounty on al-Sharaa but canceled it last month after a U.S. delegation visited Damascus and met with him. Top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, Barbara Leaf said after the meeting that al-Sharaa came across as pragmatic. Speaking at Wednesday's meeting, al-Sharaa, who was in military uniform, stressed the heavy task and a great responsibility that Syria's new rulers face. If the victor is arrogant after his victory and forgets the favor of Allah upon him, it will lead him to tyranny, he said, according to a video released hours later. Among the priorities for rebuilding Syria, he said, will be filling the power vacuum legitimately and legally and maintaining civil peace by seeking transitional justice and preventing revenge attacks" in the wake of Assad's disastrous reign. Syrians took to the streets in Damascus and elsewhere to celebrate the announcement, honking car horns and in some cases firing in the air. Many expressed support for al-Sharaa. This person is someone who is intelligent and has a good understanding and he was the leader of the battle that freed Syria, said Abdallah al-Sweid, who was among those celebrating at Umayyad Square in Damascus. He is someone who deserves to be president. Others even those who had rejoiced at Assads ouster appeared critical of the way the appointment was made and the lack of clarity on next steps. The problem is not in the decisions. The problem is in the timing, the previous promises and the confusion, said Mohammad Salim Alkhateb, an official with the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces a group formed by members of the opposition to Assad in exile. Qatar was the first to react to al-Sharaa's appointment, which had been expected, saying it welcomed decisions aimed at enhancing consensus and unity among all Syrian parties. The statement added that this should help pave the way for a peaceful transfer of power through a comprehensive political process. Western nations, although they have moved to restore ties with Damascus after Assad was overthrown, are still somewhat circumspect about Syrias new Islamist rulers. Abdul Ghani, the spokesman, also announced Wednesday that Syria's constitution adopted in 2012, under Assad's rule was annulled. He said al-Sharaa would be authorized to form a temporary legislative council until a new constitution is drafted. All the armed factions in the country would be disbanded, Abdul Ghani said, and would be absorbed into state institutions. Since Assads fall, HTS has become the de facto ruling party and has set up an interim government largely composed of officials from the local government it previously ran in rebel-held Idlib province. The interim authorities have promised they would launch an inclusive process to set up a new government and constitution, including convening a national dialogue conference and invite Syria's different communities, though no date has been set. As the former Syrian army collapsed with Assads downfall, al-Sharaa has called for creation of a new unified national army and security forces, but questions have loomed over how the interim administration can bring together a patchwork of former rebel groups, each with their own leaders and ideology. Even knottier is the question of the U.S.-backed Kurdish groups that have carved out an autonomous enclave early in Syrias civil war, never fully siding with the Assad government or the rebels seeking to topple him. Since Assads fall, there has been an escalation in clashes between the Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed armed groups allied with HTS in northern Syria. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were not present at Wednesday's meeting of the countrys armed factions Wednesday and there was no immediate comment from the group. At the World Economic Forums annual meeting in Davos this month, Asaad al-Shibani, Syrias new foreign minister and HTS official, said the country needs the international community's help as it begins rebuilding after the brutal civil war. ___ Sewell reported from Beirut. Madagascar Heron (Ardea humbloti) adult standing in lake, Madagascan endemic, endangered Lac Ravelobe, Ampijoroa Forest Station, Ankarafantsika Reserve, Madagascar November Neil Bowman/Shutterstock.com The Madagascar heron, also known as Humblots heron, is a species of heron endemic to the north and west coasts of Madagascar. It is also natively present in the Comoro Islands and Mayotte. Due to a declining population, experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) included the bird on its Endangered Species Red List in 2016. Lets look at the history of this gorgeous bird and how we can help its population recover in its endemic region. What Is the Madagascar Heron? Agami Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com Known scientifically as Ardea humbloti, the Madagascar heron was added to the red list in 2016 following a review of the populations size at the time. A team assessed the species for inclusion in the endangered species lists on October 1, 2016, and has not received a reassessment since. The IUCN believes that, within the native ranges in Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, and Mayotte, there are less than 1,000 mature Madagascar herons and that the population continues to decline in the present. One of the primary traits of the Madagascar heron is its wide range. It is classified as a terrestrial, freshwater, or marine animal, depending on the situation. Forests, inland wetlands, marine neritic, marine intertidal, and marine coastal/supratidal areas are all adequate for this bird. It can also live in artificial terrestrial zones designated for it. Since it is not a migratory species, relocating the species to more habitable areas would have to be intentional and human-directed. Unfortunately, its natural habitat is in decline as well, resulting in less habitable land for the species. There are many sources of habitat destruction for the Madagascar heron, which we will detail going forward. Threats Facing the Madagascar Heron The Madagascar heron faces a wide variety of external threats to its existence, the largest being agriculture and aquaculture expansion into its habitat. Expansion of perennial and annual non-timber farms in the area can result in major habitat destruction for animals like the Madagascar heron. In addition to agricultural and aquacultural expansion, human disturbances when crossing through heron habitats can cause the birds to face danger and stress, which can shorten lifespans and affect breeding behaviors. Climate change and severe weather disturbances also put stress on the species, causing mass deaths or habitat destruction. In addition to threats from the climate and agriculture, there is also the danger from poaching and hunting, which can sometimes target the Madagascar herons already dwindling population. Hunting and trapping, logging and wood harvesting, and fishing and other aquatic resource use can result in accidental killing or habitat destruction. Finally, pollution poses a significant risk to the Madagascar heron. The introduction of pollutants can have widespread effects on large areas of land, making them uninhabitable for the local flora and fauna. Locals in the area also kill the birds for food from time to time, but experts do not consider this a significant risk compared to poaching. How You Can Help Pav-Pro Photography Ltd/Shutterstock.com While most of the conservation efforts for the Madagascar heron requires more money and reach than the average person has available to them, there are still a few ways to get involved. The IUCN has implemented an action recovery plan that details the steps the organization plans to take regarding the conservation and repopulation of the species. Still, theres a great need for additional funding to provide the necessary equipment and materials and to provide the ability for the organization to plan charity events and lobby for legislation to protect the species. In addition to donations and attending charity events, citizens can participate in the education aspect of nature conservation. One of the biggest barriers to funding and legislation is a lack of public knowledge about nature conservation and its impacts. A great resource to learn more is heronconservation.org. By educating others through social media posts and in-person avenues, citizens can influence the outreach and impact legislation choices made by national and international bodies that impact this species. The post There are Less Than 1,000 of These Birds Left in the Wild appeared first on A-Z Animals. Law enforcement officials in North Carolina are searching for an inmate who escaped through a ventilation system at a local jail last weekend. According to the Craven County Sheriff's Office, the manhunt for John Matthew Nigh is ongoing, and all agencies in the state have been alerted about his escape. Authorities realized Nigh was missing from his cell at the Craven County Jail on Sunday afternoon. They learned his bunkies assisted in the breakout. "The inmate, assisted by his two cellmates, had removed a ceiling grating, entered a utility ceiling chase, and exited the roof through a ventilation housing," the sheriff's office said. "The cellmates concealed his escape by stuffing a mattress, making it appear that he was sleeping in his cell." More news: A former trooper claimed he was shot in the line of duty. Officials say he made it all up. Authorities say the escapee should be considered 'dangerous' Nigh of New Bern is described as a 6'2 ", 190-pound white man. He has a "JMN" tattoo on his upper left arm and a cross tattoo on his right arm. Due to previous interactions with officers, officials say Nigh should be considered a "dangerous" individual. According to ABC News, he has a criminal history and was arrested last summer after allegedly opening fire at authorities. The incident happened as deputies with the Onslow County Sheriff's Office tried to apprehend him in June 2024 for several pending charges in a different county. When they arrived at his location, officials allege he tried to flee and "fired two rounds from a small caliber handgun at the three deputies," a press release stated. The officers were not hit and were ultimately able to take him into custody. He was arrested on additional charges, including three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer by pointing a firearm, three counts of attempted first-degree murder, and resisting, delaying, or obstructing an officer. The U.S. Marshall's Fugitive Task Force has joined the investigation to track him down. WITN-TV reported that an internal probe into his escape is also underway. Craven County is about 60 miles from Goldsboro. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inmate John Nigh escapes Craven County Jail through ventilation system Microsoft said Wednesday that its profit for the October-December quarter grew 10% as it works to capitalize on the huge amounts of money it has spent to advance its artificial intelligence technology. But while its overall profits and revenue beat Wall Street expectations, it slightly missed projections for its closely-watched cloud computing business, a centerpiece of its AI efforts. The company reported net income for the quarter of $24.1 billion, or $3.23 per share, beating Wall Street expectations of $3.11 per share. The Redmond, Washington-based software maker posted revenue of $69.6 billion in the quarter, up 12% from the previous year, also beating expectations. Analysts polled by FactSet Research expected Microsoft to generate revenue of $68.87 billion in the last three months of the year. Sales from Microsofts cloud-focused business segment that includes its flagship Azure computing platform grew 19% from the same time last year to $25.5 billion, which was less than the $25.83 billion forecast by FactSet analysts. Microsofts productivity business segment, which includes its Office suite of email and other workplace products, grew 14% to $29.4 billion. Its personal computing business, led by its Windows division, remained steady at $14.7 billion, with a drop in consumer device sales offset by growth in advertising revenue tied to the Bing search engine. Microsoft shares dropped 5% in after-hours trading Wednesday but were still higher than Monday, when the tech giant was hit by a broader tech stock sale caused by a frenzy over the new ChatGPT competitor developed by Chinese tech startup DeepSeek. Microsoft is a close partner of ChatGPT maker OpenAI and also sells its own AI chatbot services, branded as Copilot. Part of what drove the Wall Street panic this week was concern over the startup's claims that it was catching up to U.S. tech titans on a fraction of their budget. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella downplayed those concerns on an investor call Wednesday, saying DeepSeek had some real innovations and it is good to have efficiency gains and lower prices in AI development because it means people can consume more and therell be more apps written. Microsoft also added DeepSeek's latest AI model to those available on its Azure computing platform Wednesday. Building and operating AI systems is costly, and Microsoft has said it plans to spend $80 billion this year as it expands its global network of energy-hungry computing centers and supplies them with specialized chips to train and run AI models. We have more than doubled our overall data center capacity in the last three years and we have added more capacity last year than any other year in our history, Nadella said. In far eastern Ukraine, the "Artan" special operations unit prepared for another raid. The volunteer soldiers carried high-tech equipment that appeared to have come from the U.S. or Europe. The unit has been carrying out daring acts of sabotage against the invading Russian forces often behind enemy lines. Their motto is: "We know, we find, we destroy." President Trump's repeated claim before he took office, that he could end in just 24 hours the war that Russia launched with its full-scale invasion in February 2022, has fueled fear in Ukraine and across Europe that he could cut off the vital supply of American weapons. Members of the Ukrainian The Artan commander told CBS News if that happens, he and his men will keep fighting, even if their weapons run out altogether. But after almost three years of grueling warfare, not everyone in Ukraine is still so gung-ho. The Ukrainian people have stood up to Vladimir Putin's invading army, and they've paid the price in blood and grief. A recent poll found that just over half of Ukrainians now believe their government should negotiate a ceasefire with Russia more than double the figure at the start of the war. But many Ukrainians told CBS News that, while they want peace, it cannot come without conditions. A Ukrainian man looks at photos of service members killed during the war sparked by Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion, Jan. 27, 2025, near the memorial Wall of Remembrance in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Credit: CBS News CBS News met Yevheniya Puzkiova in a therapy center run by TAPS, an organization founded in the U.S. to support the families of fallen service members. She lost her husband Oleksandr and her eldest son Oleksiy in the fight against Russia. "If not them, then who? My husband didn't think twice about signing up, and my son went because of his father's example," she said. Asked if she would support ceasefire negotiations with Russia, the grieving widow and bereaved mother said she would, "but with security guarantees for our people." "Simply freezing the front line will not do anything," she warned. "Because in a few years, Russia will invade again." Ukraine's government shares that fear. The country's leaders have said they will only agree to a ceasefire deal that comes with security guarantees, such as European peacekeeping forces on the ground, or NATO membership. Ukraine is fighting for its very survival. It is a nation on a life or death mission, just like the ambulance CBS News rode along in as it raced toward a hospital not far from the front line in eastern Ukraine. The soldier in the back was hit by shelling and suffered a shrapnel wound to his head. He was unconscious and on ventilation. A paramedic treats a Ukrainian soldier who suffered a shrapnel wound to his head as they race toward a hospital in an ambulance run by the MOAS international aid group, in far eastern Ukraine, amid Russia's ongoing invasion, Jan. 27, 2025. / Credit: CBS News The ambulance was run by MOAS, an international aid group founded by an American entrepreneur that operates a fleet of 50 vehicles along Ukraine's 600-mile front line. Dr. Mykhailo Ilyk is a pediatric anesthesiologist, but he left the safety of his hospital job two years ago to use his skills to help in the war effort. Asked if it was worth the horrendous suffering of the Ukrainian people, which he sees daily, to defend their country, Ilyk didn't hesitate. "Definitely," he said. "This is our land. We have to stand with it, to the last." Trump's statement on New Jersey drones issued at White House press briefing AI stocks plunge as China's DeepSeek sends shock wave through Wall Street U.S. troops head to southern border as deportations continue Teresa Youngblut (left), who is accused of killing border patrol agent David Maland (center) near the U.S.-Canada border is believed to be linked to Maximilian Snyder (right) who was arrested Friday and charged with a separate murder in California (Reuters/Newport City Inn and Suites in Vermont/AP/LinkedIn) On January 20, a Border Patrol agent was shot dead during a traffic stop in Vermont. It quickly emerged that a German citizen had also died and that a 21-year-old woman had been arrested. Now investigators are exploring whether those deaths are linked to a fatal stabbing of a landlord 3,000 miles away in California, and a mysterious alleged cult made up of highly educated young computer scientists obsessed with veganism, animal rights, and theories about the nature of human consciousness. Teresa Youngblut, 21, the woman accused of killing Border Patrol Agent David Maland in Vermont last week, is believed to be closely acquainted with 22-year-old Maximilian Snyder, the man arrested on Friday in the landlords death. The pair were in frequent contact with each other prior to the killings on opposite sides of the country, according to a motion filed Monday by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Vermont. So acquainted, in fact, that Youngblut and Snyder had applied for a marriage license on November 5, according to public records viewed by Open Vallejo. Teresa Youngblut, 21, had been under FBI surveillance since January 14 after a hotel employee in Lyndonville, Vermont, reported seeing her and another person dressed in black tactical clothing and protective equipment, with Youngblut carrying a holstered firearm (Newport City Inn and Suites in Vermont) They both studied computer science in Washington and appeared to follow the vegan Sith ideology of a fringe Bay Area group that has been described as a murder gang, the outlet reported, citing an interview with a person familiar with the group. Youngblut has been charged in the death of Border Patrol Agent David Maland, 44, who was killed on January 20 during the shootout in Coventry, about 20 miles from the Canadian border. Her passenger Felix Bauckholt, a German citizen, also died in the shooting. U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher said in the motion filed on Monday that the gun allegedly used by Youngblut, along with the one that Bauckholt was carrying, were both purchased by a third person in Vermont last February who is a person of interest in a double homicide investigation in Pennsylvania. In that case, Richard Zajko, 72, and 69-year-old Rita Zajko were found shot dead at their home in Chester Heights, near Philadelphia, according to the Toronto Sun. Police said the killings were not random. Drescher said Youngblut and Bauckholt are acquainted with and have been in frequent contact with the person who was detained during that investigation and who also is a person of interest in a homicide investigation in Vallejo, California, the motion said. On Monday, Maximilian Snyder was charged with murder in the stabbing death of 82-year-old Curtis Lind, the landlord who was killed on January 17. The Vermont shooting Youngblut and her passenger, Bauckholt, were driving a 2015 Toyota Prius with a North Carolina license plate in Coventry, Vermont, when the shooting unfolded. They had been under FBI surveillance since January 14 after a hotel employee in Lyndonville, Vermont, reported seeing them dressed in black tactical clothing and protective equipment, with Youngblut carrying a holstered firearm, according to the FBI affidavit. That day, investigators approached Youngblut and Baukholt, but the pair declined to have an extended conversation, according to the affidavit, which also stated that they claimed they were in the vicinity to look at purchasing property. Border Patrol Agent David Maland was killed without warning during the traffic stop (AP) Days later, on the afternoon of January 20, multiple Border Patrol agents conducted a traffic stop and pulled the Prius over for an immigration inspection. According to Open Vallejo, investigators discovered that Bauckholt appeared to have an expired visa, although they later determined it was current. Youngblut pulled out a gun and fired at an agent without warning, and Baukholt attempted to draw a gun when at least one of the border agents returned fire, according to the affidavit. Both Youngblut and Baukholt, along with Agent Maland, were struck by gunfire in the shootout. Baukholt was pronounced dead at the scene and Maland died at North Country Hospital, according to the affidavit. Youngblut was transported to a New Hampshire hospital for her injuries and has been charged with intentional use of a deadly weapon while forcibly assaulting or interfering with federal law enforcement, and use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to an assault with a deadly weapon, according to court records. Law enforcement follow a hearse carrying fallen border patrol agent David Maland after he was shot and killed on January 20 A search of the Prius revealed the pair had been traveling with a ballistic helmet, night-vision goggles, 48 rounds of ammunition, used shooting range targets, and a dozen electronic devices, including cell phones wrapped in aluminum foil, according to the affidavit. Agent Malands family told the Associated Press his career spanned nine years in the military and 15 years in the federal government, including working security duty at the Pentagon during the 9/11 terror attacks. He was a devoted agent who served with honor and bravery, they said. He had a tremendous respect and pride for the work he did; he truly embodied service over self. What in the world is going on with these people? Prior to the shooting in Vermont, Youngblut and Bauckholt were living in separate duplexes in the same neighborhood in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, according to the building owner, the Associated Press reported. Bauckholt rented one unit through Airbnb starting in July 2023 and moved to the second unit later that year, the owner said Tuesday. Youngblut began renting the original unit in November 2024 and had paid nearly $10,000 to extend her stay until the end of March, he said. The owner, who did not want to be identified for safety reasons, said he had sent messages to all his renters during a recent cold snap asking them to let their faucets drip to avoid frozen pipes. He never heard back from either one, but an individual renting the other half of Youngbluts duplex said her hot water wasnt working, so the owner went to check on the plumbing. The thing that struck me the most was that there was a stretcher in the living room. Like, what in the world is going on with these people? he said. The hair on the back of my neck is still up and I just cant believe its being connected to my Airbnb. The owner recalled that his last contact with Bauckholt was about a month ago when the tenant was trying to negotiate a more traditional lease instead of using Airbnb. Box trucks were parked outside of both units, he said, and Bauckholt was running an electrical cord to one of them. There would be times when I would come to get the trash and as Im coming up the driveway, hed be crawling out of the cab, he said. The California stabbing On January 17, three days before the shooting at the border, Curtis Lind was attacked and stabbed to death by a man wearing a mask and black beanie outside his gated property on the 300 block of Lemon Street in Vallejo, according to police. It wasnt the first time Lind had been attacked, according to court records and a GoFundMe account that describes Lind as a loving grandfather who was generous with what he had to help a friend or a stranger in need in need. In 2022, the landlord was impaled by a sword during a violent incident following a dispute with his tenants at the time, who were living in box trucks on his property. Lind shot two of his alleged attackers during the assault on him, killing 31-year-old Emma Borhanian and injuring another person, which authorities ruled to be self-defense, according to court records obtained by Open Vallejo. But he was left seriously wounded and blinded in one eye. Suri Dao and Alexander Jeffrey Leatham were charged with murder, attempted murder, and aggravated mayhem for the death of Borhanian, and the attempted killing of Lind, according to court records. Maximilian Snyder, 22, who is believed to be linked to Youngblut, was charged Monday in the murder of Curtis Lind, a landlord in California (Linkedin) Thomas Young, who was a friend of Linds, told Open Vallejo that when he searched the box trucks after the attack, he made a creepy discovery. Stashed inside the trucks, which were allegedly registered in Vermont, were used surgical equipment, more than a dozen laptops, and expensive electronics. It was actually very uncomfortable, Young said. You kinda wanted to put on a hazmat suit before going into it. It was really just creepy in the extreme. Before his death last week, Lind was set to testify against his alleged assailants at their trial in April, according to court records. In 2019, Leatham and Borhanian had been among four people arrested wearing black robes and Guy Fawkes masks at a protest against a Berkeley, California non-profit focused on rational thought. They were arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment, false imprisonment and conspiracy as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, wearing a mask while committing a crime and trespassing, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Who are the suspects and what is their alleged connection to the Zizians? Youngblut and Snyder, as well as Bauckholt, allegedly followed a self-described vegan Sith ideology, according to Open Vallejo, which reviewed their social media posts and spoke to a friend close to the group. Jessica Taylor said she was a friend of Bauckholt, who she knew by the name Ophelia. She recalled warning Baukholt about Zizians, a group she described as a murder gang. I remember warning Ophelia that Zizians were a death cult with a high local death rate, she wrote in a post on X after hearing about her friends death. Idk if this involved Ziz or associates but... well, Bayesian evidence (lefty radical violence + violent women). Several online posters attributed the attack to the Zizians, which was referred to as a cult on various online forums. The group is a radical offshoot of the Rationalist movement, an ideology centered on using scientific techniques to enhance human decision making, Open Vallejo reported. On the night of the shooting in Coventry, the US-Canada border was backed up for hours (AP) Taylor explained to the outlet that veganism and animal rights are central to the ideology and that the Zizians believe that there are two hemispheres in the brain, meaning that individuals can split their consciousness between two personalities by waking one side at a time. Court records have not explicitly linked Snyder and Youngblut to the ideology, but posts on their social media accounts appear to display beliefs consistent with Zizianism. Youngblut, who studied computer science and computer software engineering at the University of Washington, according to her LinkedIn profile, appeared in a federal court on Monday and was scheduled for a detention hearing on Thursday. Snyder, who studied computer science and philosophy at the University of Oxford, according to a LinkedIn profile matching his name, is being held without bail at the Justice Center Detention Facility. A woman found on the rooftop of a suburban Chicago hospital wearing nothing but a hospital gown was later pronounced dead. Now her family wants to know why she was out in the freezing cold for nearly seven hours, and one local official is demanding accountability from the facility. The woman, 28-year-old Chelsea Adolphus, was admitted to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, Illinois, at about 4 a.m. Jan. 22, said Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek at a news conference on Monday. Adolphus left her hospital room at around 2 a.m. Thursday, and at some point someone made an announcement to alert staff that a patient was missing. Adolphus wasn't found until roughly 8:45 a.m. after someone reported seeing her on the rooftop, Banek said. Hospital staff retrieved Adolphus from the roof and took her to the emergency department, where her body temperature was about 50 degrees. Staff tried to resuscitate and warm Adolphus for 14 hours, but she was pronounced dead just after 11 p.m., Banek said. The Lake County Coroner's Office said Adolphus died of hypothermia. Here's what we know about Adolphus' death and what to expect next. Coroner concerned about 'lack of care' at hospital Banek said she's concerned about the lack of care and safety measures at Vista Medical Center East and planned to notify to the Illinois Department of Public Health about the case. She said the Illinois Department of Public Health had revoked the hospitals Level 2 trauma designation for five weeks because the facility did not have proper blood supply and clinical staff. Vista hospital is the only for-profit hospital in Lake County, and what that means is that they are the only hospital that does not have to have transparency in terms of their operational expenses, she said. I think we need to take profits over patients out of health care. She said her office has directed Vista Medical leadership and American Healthcare Systems, the healthcare management company that owns the hospital, to preserve "all paper, video, digital and electronic evidence" and ensure it "is not destroyed. Nether Vista Medical nor American Healthcare Systems responded to USA TODAYs request for comment on Tuesday. How did Chelsea Adolphus end up on the roof? When Adolphus left her room early Thursday, the region was experiencing temperatures well below freezing and light snowfall, according to AccuWeather and local meteorologists. Banek said that Adolphus most likely exited a door she couldnt use to get back inside and that the door didn't have alarms. It is a very convoluted, difficult way to get to that part of the rooftop," Banek said. "It is not a regularly accessed way by patients. I have a lot of concerns that measures weren't being put in place to keep patients safe. When asked, Banek declined to say why Adolphus had been admitted to the hospital. Coroner said she warned health officials about hospital Banek said the medical center had furloughed 69 employees, including staff who monitor patients to ensure their safety. She said she noted in a news conference last February that something needed to be done. We rely on evidence-based practices, transparency and effective oversight as protective measures to make certain people do not die," she said. "A death is not the threshold by which we should be measuring the necessity for a call to action. Banek also said American Healthcare Systems owes $1 million in back taxes and has failed to meet its financial obligations to vendors, clinical providers and the city of Waukegan, including $200,000 in unpaid water bills and an unpaid bill for police services. She said Vista Medical Center recently applied to become a safety net hospital, which would allow the facility to receive financial assistance once it meets thresholds of Medicaid or charity care. While a safety net hospital designation from the state of Illinois could help with health care costs and improve access to the community, unless there is transparency, money should not be given to private equity entities at the taxpayers expense, especially to a company with such a poor track record, she said. Loved ones mourn the loss of kind, compassionate woman Adolphus' brother, Paul Adolphus, said Monday that his family is going through a horrible time mentally. Calling what happened to his sister most disturbing death ever in this town, he said their family wants to know what happened. The Adolphus family will be seeking justice for Chelsea Adolphus because this has to be stopped, he said. If there's anyone, any staff that was on board that day in the Vista hospital, me and my family ask that you guys come so we can get justice for my sister. He said in a Facebook post that Adolphus was his only sister and that "I will never be the same again." Another loved one shared a GoFundMe link in honor of Adolphus. The fundraiser organizer, who identified herself only as a family representative named Victoria, said the money would be used to cover memorial expenses, legal costs and support for her family. "Chelseas passing highlights a systemic failure, and we cannot let her story go unheard," she wrote. "Chelsea was loved deeply by her family and community. She was kind, compassionate, and full of life. We believe she deserves justice, and her family deserves answers." Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Lack of care': Chicago patient dies after being on roof over 6 hours By Michel Rose and Makini Brice PARIS (Reuters) -French budget talks teetered on the brink of collapse on Wednesday, a day after Socialist party officials suspended their participation in protest over remarks about immigration by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, threatening his government's survival. The flare-up over the comments by Bayrou, who said many French people felt "submerged" by immigration, underlines the complexity of his political balancing act. His comments were cheered by far-right lawmakers from the National Rally, the largest single party in parliament, but prompted the Socialists to abandon budget talks, threatening the passage of the bill and raising fresh doubts about the stability of Bayrou's administration. The Socialists' walkout comes at a crucial moment, with the 2025 budget bill entering its final stage. On Thursday, a small panel of senators and parliamentarians is due to thrash out a final text before it heads to the lower house floor on Monday. "We suspended our negotiations because the words from the prime minister were not dignified," Philippe Brun, a Socialist lawmaker involved in the budget talks, said in an interview with Sud Radio on Wednesday. Brun said the Socialists could return to the table if Bayrou withdrew his immigration remark. Government spokesperson Sophie Primas said the premier had no such plans and the budget must not be "taken hostage" by the dispute. Negotiations were not dead, she said, and Brun said he hoped they would resume. Failure to pass the 2025 budget has already rattled investors while sapping business and household confidence. The government has had to make billions of euros in concessions to forge a bill with a chance of getting passed. Without a majority, the government may use constitutional powers to bypass lawmakers, which would likely cause opposition lawmakers to trigger a vote of no-confidence. The government had been counting on the Socialists abstaining to survive a potential no-confidence vote, and had already retreated on numerous spending cuts to win them over. Bayrou was named prime minister in December and is seeking to avoid the fate of his predecessor Michel Barnier. Politicians from the left and right banded together to topple Barnier's government when he tried to pass a budget that lawmakers said went too far in a bid to cut spending. While Barnier had sought support from the National Rally, Bayrou has attempted to survive with the backing of the Socialists. He has agreed to reopen talks on pension reform, a key initiative of President Emmanuel Macron, and scrapped plans by his predecessor to cut thousands of teachers' jobs. So far, Bayrou has survived one no-confidence vote after the Socialist party did not support it. However, Brun said Socialists would consider backing another no-confidence motion if they could not come to an agreement on the budget. Laurent Baumel, another Socialist lawmaker, said in an interview with BFM TV that the government had not made enough concessions. He said Socialists wanted a minimum wage increase and more investment in the green transition, among other things. Market reaction to the flare-up was muted. The gap between French and German 10-year bond yields - a reflection of the premium investors require for holding French debt - was around 1 basis point wider on Wednesday at 73 bps. That gap has been trending narrower this year however, down from above 80 bps in mid January, and 90 in late November. (Reporting by Makini Brice, additional reporting by Leigh Thomas, Michel Rose and Alun John in LondonEditing by Ros Russell) BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday called U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion to relocate Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza to Jordan and Egypt "unacceptable." "Any resettlement plans, the idea that the citizens of Gaza will be expelled from there to Egypt or Jordan, is unacceptable," Scholz said, referring at a campaign event in Berlin to Trump's comments. He reiterated his support for a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians live peacefully side by side, adding that it must be clear that the Palestinian Authority would assume responsibility for Gaza. "The fragile hope for peace that is now possible must not be squandered," Scholz said, referring to the recent ceasefire agreement, adding that peace can be achieved only if people in Gaza can hope for a self-governing future. Jordan is already home to several million Palestinians, while tens of thousands live in Egypt, and both countries' governments have rejected Trump's idea. Gaza is land that Palestinians would want as part of a future Palestinian state. Germany is among Israel's main arms suppliers, with its defence exports to the country rising nearly tenfold annually in 2023, the year when the conflict with Hamas militants started. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke in Berlin, writing by Andrey Sychev; Editing by Matthew Lewis) Giorgia Meloni has been placed under criminal investigation (AP) Giorgia Meloni has revealed she is under judicial investigation over Italys surprise release of a prison officer wanted for war crimes in Libya. Osama Elmasry Njeem was freed last week and flown home by an Italian state plane just days after being arrested in the northern city of Turin by police acting on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. The ICC say Najim was the chief of Libyas judicial police and the presiding authority at Mitiga prisona facility notorious for arbitrary and lengthy detentions, torture, abuse of migrants and political dissidents. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reacts during a Senate hearing (LaPresse) In a video message posted on her Facebook account, the Italian prime minister said she is suspected of aiding and abetting a crime and embezzlement in connection to the case. The ICC say Njeem is alleged to have been in charge of a prison holding thousands in Tripoli. He is suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence, allegedly committed in Libya from February 2015 The ICC demanded an explanation, saying it had not been consulted over the decision to release the wanted police officer. The suspect was located in Turin, Italy, in the early hours of Sunday, 19 January and was successfully arrested by the Italian authorities. But on 21 January without prior notice or consultation with the ICC, Njeem was reportedly released from custody and transported back to Libya. Italys interior minister said the Libyan had been swiftly repatriated because of his social dangerousness. Meloni said in a message posted on social media that she had been placed under investigation for allegedly aiding and abetting a crime and misuse of public funds. She is under no obligation to resign, and being placed under investigation in Italy does not imply guilt, nor mean that formal charges will necessarily follow. I will not be blackmailed, I will not allow myself to be intimidated, which may be why I am, lets say, disliked by those who do not want Italy to change and become better, Meloni said in a video. She said she believed the investigation had been triggered by Luigi Li Gotti, a lawyer who announced last week that he had lodged a complaint over the release of Njeem and the use of an official jet to fly him back to Tripoli. Meloni also said the case was being led by the same prosecutor who investigated Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in Sicily for allegedly kidnapping 100 migrants aboard a boat that he had blocked at sea for nearly three weeks in 2019. Salvini was acquitted in that case last month. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani made light of the ICCs objections, telling reporters the international court is not the word of God, its not the font of all truth. Italy is a sovereign country and we make our own decisions, he added. By Kanishka Singh and Simon Lewis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's trip to Central America, including Panama, is partially about countering China, a State Department spokesperson told Fox Business, as new President Donald Trump is pushing to "take back" the Panama Canal. KEY QUOTE "Part of this trip is about countering China," spokesperson Tammy Bruce told Fox Business on Tuesday. Asked if Rubio would "lay down the law" with Panama over the canal, Bruce said: "It's not about laying down any law. I think it's clear this is an issue about developing a relationship ... Not about bossing other nations around, but making it clear that a partnership with the United States is something that they can trust, something that comes with benefits just like any good relationship does." WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Trump has been pushing to "take back" the Panama Canal, the world's second busiest interoceanic waterway, spurring concerns that the United States could invade the Central American nation. Trump argues that Panama has broken a pledge of neutrality made when the United States transferred the canal to Panama in 1999, falsely claiming that China is now operating it. The canal is operated by an autonomous agency overseen by the Panamanian government. China's economic influence has been growing in Latin America, fueling worries in Washington that the resource-rich region will tilt to Chinese interests rather than those of the United States. CONTEXT Rubio was scheduled to visit Panama and four other countries in Central America and the Caribbean starting this week during his first overseas trip. Trump has also put immigration from Central America through the U.S.-Mexico border at the center of his foreign policy agenda. Washington and Beijing have been embroiled in a rivalry for years over a range of issues from technology and cybersecurity to trade and tariffs. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Simon Lewis in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler) By Maggie Fick LONDON (Reuters) - The Trump administration's freeze on U.S. foreign aid globally has included a stop-work order to a program run by aid group Action Against Hunger helping severely malnourished children in refugee camps in Ethiopia, two sources said on Tuesday. A memo on Saturday made it clear to U.S. Agency for International Development staff that the pause on foreign aid spending meant "a complete halt." The only exceptions are for emergency humanitarian food assistance and for officials returning to their duty stations. But on Friday, the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration sent a memo to the aid group ACF ordering it to stop work immediately on a number of programmes funded by its grants, including the group's "therapeutic feeding centres" for malnourished children under the age of five and their mothers in camps in the Gambella region, the sources familiar with the matter said. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. A spokesperson for the aid group declined to comment. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A department spokesperson said on Sunday that the review of all foreign assistance programs is needed "to ensure they are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda." Last year, the aid group treated around 3,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, the sources said. In total, the aid group oversees nutrition assistance to 400,000 people living in these camps, which are on Ethiopia's border with South Sudan. As a result of the order they received from the State Department on Friday, the aid group is preparing to shut down the feeding centres by the end of this week, the sources said. Unlike United Nations agencies that work on emergency food aid, such as the World Food Programme or the U.N. children's agency UNICEF, aid groups including ACF often use specific funding streams for single projects, such as the nutrition support in the Gambella camps. The aid groups cannot take the financial risk of covering salaries or other expenditures given the immediate halt in financial support from their biggest donor. Hours after taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause in foreign aid to review if it was aligned with his foreign policy priorities. Then on Friday, the State Department issued a stop-work order worldwide even for existing assistance, threatening billions of dollars of life-saving aid from the world's largest single donor. But several aid workers have told Reuters that it is unclear what U.S.-funded assistance is covered by the emergency food aid exemption. (Reporting by Maggie Fick in London; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Washington; Editing by Josephine Mason and Matthew Lewis) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Implementation of a ban on the U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA in Israel - due to start on Thursday - will be disastrous, the UNRWA chief told the Security Council on Tuesday, as the United States accused it of being "irresponsible and dangerous." The law, adopted in October, bans UNRWA's operation on Israeli land - including East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognized internationally - and contact with Israeli authorities from Jan. 30. "UNRWA must cease its operations and evacuate all premises it operates in Jerusalem, including the properties located in Maalot Dafna and Kafr Aqab," Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the council. "Israel will terminate all collaboration, communication and contact with UNRWA or anyone acting on its behalf," he said. UNRWA said operations in the Gaza Strip and West Bank will also suffer. It provides aid, health and education services to millions in the Palestinian territories and neighboring Arab countries of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. "In two days, our operations in the occupied Palestinian territory will be crippled," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told the 15-member Security Council. "Full implementation of the Knesset legislation will be disastrous." 'IRRESPONSIBLE' U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council have described UNRWA as the backbone of the humanitarian aid response in Gaza, which has been decimated by 15 months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas. The United States, under new President Donald Trump, supports Israel's "sovereign right" to close UNRWA's offices in Jerusalem, acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea told the Security Council. Under Trump predecessor Joe Biden, the United States had urged Israel to pause implementation of the law. "UNRWA exaggerating the effects of the laws and suggesting that they will force the entire humanitarian response to halt is irresponsible and dangerous," Shea said. "What is needed is a nuanced discussion about how we can ensure that there is no interruption in the delivery of humanitarian aid and essential services," she said. "UNRWA is not and never has been the only option for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza," she said. Other agencies working in Gaza and the West Bank include the children's organization UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and the U.N. Development Programme. WHO FILLS A GAP? But the U.N. has repeatedly said there is no alternative to UNRWA and that it would be Israel's responsibility to replace its services. Israel has rejected U.N. claims that Israel would be responsible for filling any gap left by UNRWA. "Since October 2023, we have delivered two-thirds of all food assistance, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons and vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio," Lazzarini told the Security Council. "Since the ceasefire began, UNRWA has brought in 60% of the food entering Gaza, reaching more than half a million people. We conduct some 17,000 medical consultations every day," he said. Israel has long been critical of UNRWA. It says UNRWA staff took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The U.N. has said nine UNRWA staff may have been involved and were fired. A Hamas commander in Lebanon - killed in September by Israel - was also found to have had an UNRWA job. The U.N. has vowed to investigate all accusations made and repreatedly asked Israel for evidence, which it says has not been provided. Lazzarini also said on Tuesday that UNRWA has been the target of a "fierce disinformation campaign" to "portray the agency as a terrorist organization." (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Mark Porter) OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma State Board of Education on Tuesday approved a proposal requiring parents to report their immigration status or proof of citizenship when enrolling their children in public schools. The board voted unanimously to approve the proposed administrative rule, which still needs to be approved by the state Legislature and the governor before it can take effect. The controversial rule would require a parent or a child's legal guardian to provide proof of U.S. citizenship at the time of enrollment. The proposed rule would not prevent students from enrolling based on their legal status. In a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Plyler v. Doe, the court said all students had the right to enroll in public schools without regard to the immigration status of themselves or their parents or guardians. But according to the proposal, school districts would be required to "submit only information of the total number of students that lack of documentation, excluding any personally identifiable information to the Oklahoma State Department of Education." "Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit, or inhibit, any child from receiving the education they are entitled to receive under the United States Constitution, the Oklahoma Constitution, or state or federal law," the proposal says. "No data outlined in this Section shall be used to record an individual students citizenship status or legal immigration status. The proposal comes amid a rise in fear and anxiety across schools in the U.S. after the Trump administration authorized federal authorities last week to conduct immigration arrests on school campuses. The move was among a flurry of changes tied to immigration and refugee admissions. The proposed rule immediately received some backlash with Nicholas Espiritu, deputy legal director at the National Immigration Law Center, calling it a "direct violation of the rights and freedoms of Oklahomans" and a "clear attempt to instill terror in communities across the state." "All children living in the United States, regardless of their immigration status or that of their parents, have the right to attend K-12 public school," Espiritu said in a statement. "Requiring school districts to prove parents citizenship illegally chills access to this opportunity and interferes with schools ability to focus on their core mission: to educate children and give all students the ability to grow, thrive, and participate fully in our democracy." Under investigation: Teacher tells ICE to visit high school where many students 'don't even speak English' Oklahoma State Board of Education votes amid protests outside building Even as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Oliver Hodge Building, where the state board meetings are held, the board discussed the immigration rule for about a half-hour before voting without objection to approve State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters entire slate of the rules. Asked after the meeting if his agency would be tracking students or parents' data, Walters replied: "All of the above." Walters, a Republican, also has previously said his agency would work with federal law enforcement and would support them if they chose to raid Oklahoma schools. "Were a country of law and order," he said. "We have laws and rules in place. Clearly, you are supposed to enter the country legally. We are providing information and documentation over the students in our schools. It is incredibly necessary for us to continue to move up in the education rankings to have this information. We will continue to collect that information. We will move forward with these rules and listen, were being very open, very transparent about that process." Walters added: "President Trump has a clear mandate to get illegal immigration under control, so were going to continue to do those things to make sure that the information is there and the information is available." 'It's affecting our classrooms' Hundreds of Latino community members and allies gathered in front of the Oliver Hodge Building on Tuesday to protest against Walters' policy that requires schools to report the number of undocumented students in their districts. The rally was organized by a local organization called Advocacy for Immigrants. One of the organizers, Fernando Baquera Ochoa, is a teacher at U.S. Grant High School in southwest Oklahoma City. He's a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields him and other DACA recipients from deportation and allows them to work legally in the country. Baquera Ochoa, 31, told The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, in November that he heard concerns about Trump's promises of mass deportations from his undocumented students. Now, they ask Baquera Ochoa each day if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going to raid their school. "I had a student tell me that he's going to withdraw for a month and see where things are," Baquera Ochoa said. "It's affecting our classrooms. It's affecting the way we're learning and who is learning." Demonstrators held signs that condemned Walters, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, ICE, and anti-immigrant rhetoric. "Kids are supposed to be afraid of spiders. Not ICE," one sign read. "My mom is NOT a CRIMINAL 4 wanting to give me A BETTER LIFE!" read another. Know your rights, regardless of immigration status People living in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections provided by the U.S. Constitution, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. They are: You have the right to remain silent: You dont have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with police or immigration agents. Anything said to an officer can later be used against you in court. If an immigration agent asks if they can search you, you have the right to say no. Agents do not have the right to search you or your belongings without your consent or probable cause. To prepare for possible immigration crackdowns the National Immigration Resource Center recommends: Gather important documents for all family members showing the length of time each one has been in the United States. This can include birth certificates, U.S. income tax returns, utility bills, leases, school records, medical records, or bank records. Have an electronic folder that can be accessible by phone. Identify your emergency contacts, memorize their phone numbers, and make sure your contact can access all of your documents. Provide your childs school or daycare with an emergency contact to pick up your child in case you are detained. If detained by ICE, loved ones could use ICEs online detainee locator to locate you with the date of birth and country of origin at https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search. Legal experts recommend families with members who do not have legal status consult with an attorney and keep their contact information nearby. Contributing: Zachary Schermele and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY; Valentina Palm and Katherine Kokal, Palm Beach Post This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma education board approves controversial immigration rule President Donald Trump holds up an executive order he signed at an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena in Washington on Jan. 20. President Donald Trump made quick work of his first week-plus back in office ticking off a number of campaign-trail promises, issuing a boatload of pardons (some controversial) and enacting retribution on his political opponents. So far, the early polling shows Trump starting with more backing from voters and more wiggle room than he had going into his first term in the White House. But it remains to be seen how voters will judge his first actions as president. The former president entered his second term with a better image rating than he had in January 2017. NBC News/Wall Street Journal polling from the days before his first inauguration found just 38% of adults giving him a positive rating, while Fox News found 42% of registered voters viewed him positively at that point. Now, Fox News most recent poll showed Trump with a 50% positive rating among registered voters and a 50% unfavorable rating. A new Wall Street Journal poll found that 47% of registered voters viewed him favorably, while 51% viewed him unfavorably. Both polls were conducted before Trump took office. Polling is split on Americans expectations for Trump. According to CNN polling, 56% of American adults say they expect Trump to be a very good or fairly good president, while 43% expect him to be fairly poor or very poor. (CNNs preinaugural poll in January 2021 found slightly higher expectations ahead of Joe Biden's term, while its polling in January 2017 found adults split on their expectations for Trump, with 48% saying they think hed be very or fairly good and 48% saying hed be very or fairly poor.) A preinaugural poll from The New York Times and Ipsos found that 47% of adults are either excited or optimistic about his presidency, while 51% are either pessimistic or worried about his presidency. Meanwhile, when it comes to some of the key issues Trump has pursued in the earliest days of his second term, the polling shows both opportunity and peril for his presidency. Polling from CNN and The New York Times showed that the economy is far and away the most important issue on Americans minds. But many of the headlines Trump has made so far center around issues like immigration and pardons, particularly his decision to issue a sweeping pardon for those convicted over their conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Americans appear broadly more open to Trumps efforts on deportations than they do on the Jan. 6-related pardons. The polls also show that public support for Trumps actions falls off when voters consider the potential outcomes if (or when) Trump takes the hardest line on those issues. The Wall Street Journal found just 38% of registered voters backed blanket pardons for all Jan. 6 defendants (57% opposed it). Thats compared with 43% who said theyd back pardons for all except those convicted of assaulting police officers and 54% who opposed it. (Trump ended up pardoning virtually all who faced federal charges, including those convicted of violent offenses. A handful of others convicted on conspiracy charges got their sentences commuted.) On immigration enforcement, there appears to be a majority or strong plurality baseline of support for Trumps broad pledge of enacting widespread deportations. The Wall Street Journal found that 52% of registered voters favor a call to detain and deport millions of undocumented immigrants and 45% oppose it, while 55% of adults in the New York Times/Ipsos poll supported deporting all immigrants in America illegally and 42% opposed it. Restricting deportations to only those here illegally with criminal records is far more popular: 87% of adults support the policy, per the New York Times/Ipsos poll, and 74% of registered voters in the Wall Street Journal poll back it. But deporting others is less popular. Fully 70% of registered voters oppose deporting undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade and have paid taxes without having a criminal record, according to the Wall Street Journal poll. The survey also showed 57% oppose deporting undocumented immigrants with children who are American citizens (38% approved of the proposal). On foreign policy, 60% of adults (per the New York Times/Ipsos poll) agree broadly with the idea that the U.S. should "pay less attention to problems overseas and concentrate on problems here at home," aligning broadly with Trumps campaign rhetoric, compared to the 38% who said it's "best for the future of our country to be active in world affairs." Narrow majorities believe America is giving too much aid to Ukraine and Israel. (In each case, about 30% want to maintain the status quo, while less than 20% want to see an increase in aid.) And amid Trumps criticism of the Biden administrations policies about transgender people, and Trumps executive order declaring the federal government recognizes only two sexes, male and female, there are important divides in the country about transgender issues. American adults are broadly split on whether society has struck the right balance in accommodating transgender people. According to The New York Times/Ipsos numbers, 49% say society has gone too far in striking the right balance, 21% say society hasnt gone far enough, and another 28% say society has struck a reasonable balance. But theres far more support for another one of Trumps positions: banning transgender women (defined in the poll as "athletes who were male at birth but who currently identify as female") from womens sports. Fully 79% of adults in that same poll backed that proposal, compared with just 18% who disagreed. And 71% said they believed no one under age 18 should have access to puberty blocking drugs or hormone therapies used in transgender care. How much runway do voters typically give new presidents? While Trump comes into office in better shape than he did in his first term and the swing voters who backed him appear open to giving him some wiggle room an analysis of NBC News polling spanning the last five presidencies shows how short honeymoons can be in the White House. Biden saw his 51% approval rating in April 2021 slip to 45% by late October and down to 41% by March 2022. His approval rating never got above 46% for the rest of his presidency in NBC News polling. Trumps first approval rating in NBC News polling was 44% in February 2017, a number that slipped immediately to 39% by the third NBC News poll of that year, in May. But Trumps approval rating was more inelastic than other presidents of recent memory, staying inside a relatively narrow range of 39% to 47% for his entire presidency. Then-President Barack Obamas 60% approval rating in early March 2009 stayed consistent in an NBC News poll the following month. But his approval rating slid in four of the next five polls, though his low of 47% in December 2009 (the first NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll that found him below 50% approval) was substantially higher than the depths Trumps or Bidens numbers reached. After the initial dive, Obamas approval rating oscillated around 50% until the summer before the 2010 midterm elections. Then-President George W. Bushs first year was marred by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which makes comparison to the first years of other presidencies difficult. And while then-President Bill Clintons approval rating ticked up from 51% shortly after he took office to 57% in March 1993, it slid down to 41% by June 1993, before a long march up back to 60% on the first anniversary of his taking office. Clintons approval rating then proceeded to slide in 1994 all the way down to 43% before Republicans took over Congress in that years midterm elections. Bilingual sign on door of frozen food aisle, We accept SNAP food stamp cards, Walgreens, Queens, New York. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)/Bilingual sign on door of frozen food aisle, We accept SNAP food stamp car Bilingual sign on door of frozen food aisle, We accept SNAP food stamp cards, Walgreens, Queens, New York. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)/Bilingual sign on door of frozen food aisle, We accept SNAP food stamp car A White House memo ordering a broad freeze on federal grants and loans by 5 p.m. Tuesday has ordinary Americans who depend on such aid, as well as seasoned budget experts, scratching their heads. The memo suspending the federal funding was vague in its wording, causing confusion within federal assistance programs, at nonprofits and among Americans receiving government aid. Adding to the whiplash, a federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the freeze as she considers arguments from the U.S. government and the plaintiffs in the case. "If this was being undertaken pursuant to the executive orders on [diversity, equity and inclusion], why would the administration issue such broad, unclear and confusing directions?" Tad DeHaven, a policy analyst focusing on economic and fiscal policy issues at the libertarian Cato Institute, told CBS MoneyWatch. "I don't really understand it, and I think even people who are in positions of power don't really understand it," added Wendy Edelberg, director of The Hamilton Project at Brookings, a liberal-leaning public policy research group. Who isn't affected by the funding freeze? The memo, from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, indicated that Social Security and Medicare programs would be exempt from the suspension in federal funding. Additional guidance released Tuesday specified that "any program that provides direct benefits to Americans is explicitly excluded from the pause." "In addition to Social Security and Medicare, already explicitly excluded in the guidance, mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP will continue without pause," the updated guidance says. The memo adds that funds for small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance and other similar programs are also exempt. Even if the confusion is resolved within a matter of weeks, and the order is narrowly tailored to take aim at a couple of programs, it will still have serious economic implications for the millions of Americans who receive federal assistance. "If it's resolved quickly, the aggregate economic effects for the first quarter will be modest, but it will matter a whole lot to people on the other side of these expected payments," Edelberg said. "It could be the difference between having a job and not, getting evicted or affording food and the economic numbers won't fully reflect how individuals are going to feel this." Here's what we know about who the freeze effects. Will I still receive SNAP benefits? The freeze does not apply to all federal financial assistance, according to an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo Tuesday outlining what kinds of funding the freeze covers. In the memo, the OMB indicates that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are excluded, specifying that "... any program that provides direct benefits to Americans is explicitly excluded from the pause and exempted from this review process." "In addition to Social Security and Medicare, already explicitly excluded in the guidance, mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP will continue without pause," the memo reads. SNAP serves roughly 41 million Americans, who are nonetheless concerned that the program could be interrupted and that they could see delays in disbursements. While the program appears to be exempt from the freeze, "You are still going to be really worried in the near term whether the federal government is going to make good on those promises," Edelberg said. "And that kind of uncertainty is not good for the economy." Are meals for seniors affected? The Older Americans Act Nutrition Program, a federal program that funds community-based senior nutrition programs like Meals on Wheels, through grants, could be affected. If the order includes the Older Americans Act, it "would halt service to millions of vulnerable seniors who have no other means of purchasing or preparing meals," Meals on Wheels said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. "The lack of clarity is creating chaos for Meals on Wheels providers not knowing whether they should be serving meals today," it added. Housing assistance at risk The OMB memo added that rental assistance and other similar programs will not be paused. Still, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) issued a statement Tuesday maintaining that it believes Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs could be covered by the freeze. "Even a short pause in funding could cause significant harm to low-income families and their communities," NLIHC Interim President and CEO Renee Willis said. "The longer the freeze continues, the greater the risk that low-income households receiving federal rental assistance could face eviction, and in the worst cases, homelessness homeless shelters may be forced to close their doors, and nonprofit organizations may have to lay off staff." Head Start panic The memo also indicated that Head Start, a preschool program serving nearly 800,000 low-income children that receives federal health funds, is not impacted by the funding pause. But the National Head Start Association (NHSA) said that the OMB memo has already "created panic among Head Start grant recipients who are currently not able to draw down any funds." "While we understand that this is an evolving story, this disruption, at best, will slow down Head Start agencies' ability to pay hundreds of thousands of staff, contractors, and small businesses who support Head Start operations in every corner of the country," NHSA's Executive Director Yasmina Vinci said in a statement. "At worst, this means that hundreds of thousands of families will not be able to depend on the critical services and likely will not be able to work." Medicaid Despite the updated guidance issued Tuesday stating that programs including Medicaid are excluded form the pause, state Medicaid programs on Tuesday said they were locked out of the Department of Health and Human Services system used to track and disburse their money. The Payment Management Services web portal displayed a message reading: "Due to Executive Orders regarding potentially unallowable grant payments, PMS is taking additional measures to process payments. Reviews of applicable programs and payments will result in delays and/or rejections of payments." The National Association of Medicaid Directors is seeking further clarity on the interruption from the White House, according to a spokesperson. Will it affect student loans? The federal funding freeze does not apply to student loans and Pell grants, according to the Department of Education. The funding pause "only applies to discretionary grants at the Department of Education," DOE spokesperson Madi Biedermann said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. Still, families and students are anxious that funds from programs they depend on will evaporate under President Trump. "Any kind of freeze to federal financial aid across the board is incredibly harmful to working families just trying to pay for college," Aissa Canchola Banez, policy director at Student Borrower Protection Center, an advocacy group working to end the student debt crisis, told CBS MoneyWatch. Uncertainty about the order is fueling chaos and confusion, she added. "Lots of questions remain about what the freeze applies to and what programs it does not." She added that many student borrowers rely on different kinds of assistance to cover costs beyond tuition. "There are other types of federal work-study grants that go directly to colleges and universities, and supplemental education opportunities that go to some of the lowest-income students. People really rely on federal financial aid, and you could see families having to drop out of college or figure out how they will cover this gap," she said. AI stocks plunge as China's DeepSeek sends shock wave through Wall Street U.S. troops head to southern border as deportations continue New images of aid reaching Gaza after months of war A map showing the area PJM Interconnection serves. PJM Interconnection (The Center Square) A new deal could dampen the shock of anticipated price spikes from rising energy costs. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said PJM will support a new price cap meant to lower the cost of the power grid in the coming year after a recent auction forecasted an 800% increase. That spike would have translated to a 30% rise in utility bills. The price cap must receive official approval from the transmission, generation and distribution companies that supply the grid, as well as the O.K. from federal regulators. Sixty-five million people across 13 states, including Pennsylvania and Washington D.C., rely on PJM to manage the flow of power across the system minute-by-minute and plan for future electricity needs like more power to supply data centers, electric vehicle charging stations, and energy storage for solar and wind farms. The organization, however, can only plan within the parameters set by state and federal governments. That is, thick red tape and tax breaks meant to incentivize the development of new power producers as critics and independent market monitors have warned appear to have accelerated the retirement of fossil fuel plants faster than developers can get renewable replacements up and running. Those challenges, in part, fueled the dramatic rise in the grids operational costs. Shapiro said in December that PJM is to blame. In a complaint filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the administration said the power grid needs to adjust the math used in its auctions and speed up the approval of new energy projects to prevent a $20.4 billion hit to consumers. And as of Tuesday, that request had been taken seriously by the grid's executive officials. Backed by Democratic governors from four other states in PJMs territory, as well as consumer protection organizations, PJM agreed to submit a price cap adjustment to federal regulators that would lower the cost from $500 per megawatt day to $325. When PJMs next auction was set to result in historic price hikes, I filed a lawsuit to stop this price hike on consumers and defend Pennsylvanians, Shapiro said. PJM did the right thing by listening to my concerns and coming to the table to find a path forward that will save Pennsylvanians billions of dollars on their electricity bills. "My administration will continue to work to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable power for Pennsylvanians for the long term. In a statement issued Tuesday, PJM explained more in detail what would come next, clarifying that the cap isn't finalized. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must sign off on the change, which would require permission from PJM officials and transmission operators to move forward with a request. A special meeting to discuss the price cap proposal is scheduled for Feb. 7, where the organization "can provide further guidance on implementation of this cap/floor mechanism and discuss associated tariff revisions." Beyond the price cap, theres more change to be done. Nearly all the planned projects in line for construction are for renewable resources think solar, wind and battery storage. Clearing the backlog is slow, and projects given the go-ahead by PJM still must overcome permitting challenges and fluctuating supply chain prices that extend initial construction timelines by years. As such, PJM has warned that many of the coming replacements wont be up and running within the next two or three years, meaning the cost to support the system in the interim will rise. Its a chain reaction for which lawmakers and regulatory agencies have much greater control, of which PJM is neither. In Pennsylvania, the P in PJM, 25% of the energy necessary to power the grid is generated. And the tension between renewable energy investment and fossil fuel power generation has been boiling over in the commonwealth for years ever since former Gov. Tom Wolf signed the state up for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative without legislative support. The initiative charges power plants for air pollution and uses the money collected to support energy efficiency projects. Unlike the programs 11 other members, Pennsylvanias leading role as an energy exporter and natural gas producer meant penalizing such plants could cripple one of the states most lucrative industries. In 2023, the Commonwealth Court struck down Wolfs executive order as akin to implementing a carbon tax without legislative approval, as required by the state constitution. Shapiro appealed the decision, promising only to drop it if lawmakers approved his Pennsylvania-centric version of the program. The uncertainty hasnt helped attract investment across the board. And it ripples out to the rest of the power grid, where other states have other priorities like more aggressive renewable energy targets, the need for more power generation, or both. By David Shepardson and Marianna Parraga WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Tuesday expressed alarm at China's influence on the Panama Canal, which President Donald Trump has vowed the United States would take back. "Chinese companies are building a bridge across the canal at a slow pace so as to take nearly a decade and control container ports at either end," Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz said at a hearing on the canal's role in U.S. trade and national security. "The partially-completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning, and the ports give China ready observation posts to time that action. This situation poses acute risks to U.S. national security," he added. More than 40% of U.S. container traffic, valued at roughly $270 billion annually, transits the Panama Canal, making up over two-thirds of vessels passing each day through the world's second-busiest interoceanic waterway. Federal Maritime Commission Chair Louis Sola said the agency "will continue to monitor the canal's pricing practices and consider broad reviews of Panama's maritime sector," and can impose fines and restrictions on Panamanian-flag vessels entering U.S. ports. Panama has one of the world's largest registries for vessels, giving its flag to more than 8,000 ships. Senator Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the committee, said the U.S. and Panama should work "together to boost port and Canal infrastructure to lower costs and ensure reliability of the Canal." She asked for a classified briefing for the committee on foreign adversary threats to the canal and plans to take a group of senators to the canal later this year. "I am concerned about the Chinese-owned ports in Panama and their proximity to the Canal," Cantwell said. Trump has given no details on when or how he intends to reclaim the canal, which is the sovereign territory of an ally. He has refused to rule out use of military force, drawing criticism from Washington's Latin American friends and foes alike. George Mason University law professor Eugene Kontorovich told the hearing a neutrality treaty signed when the U.S. transferred the canal to Panama gives both sides "the right to resort to use armed force" to enforce provisions. However, "armed force should never be the first recourse for any kind of international dispute," he added. Panama's president, Jose Raul Mulino, said last week that Panama has administered the canal responsibly for world trade, including for the U.S., and that it "is and will continue to be Panamanian." (Reporting by David Shepardson and Marianna Parraga; Editing by Sonali Paul) Acclaimed director Thomas Vinterberg and Goteborgs artistic director Pia Lundberg addressed controversial remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand. Lundberg admitted she was surprised by the Ministers statement during the opening ceremony Jan. 24, which made for a tumultuous start of the event. More from Variety The Swedish film industry [which has around $50.5 million a year in state support] is comparing itself to Denmark and Norway a lot. Denmark has twice as much money for local filmmaking production than Sweden. Norway has even more. Sweden is really far behind. Do you think Denmark could adopt Sweden on the film side?, Lundberg asked Vinterberg during a public discussion. It was horrible, I heard, he said. Vinterberg came to Sweden to pick up the Nordic Dragon Award. Ministers of Cultural Affairs You quickly get rid of them. Its a maximum of four years. Shell vanish soon. According to Lundberg, Swedish industry is sometimes jealous of Danish films. But Vinterberg added: I dont think you have anything to learn from us. I think you have a lot of strength here and if you dont, then youll find it soon. These are currents, these are waves that come and go. I think Danish film suffers from the same problem as your film industry right now, which is that amazing movies are being made by young talents and nobody goes to see them, he added. And that makes it easy for the Minister of Cultural Affairs to piss on them. But if these films werent made, we wouldnt be winning Oscars, he said, mentioning Oscar-nominated The Girl with the Needle, made by Goteborg-born Magnus Von Horn. Show faith in it. Fight for it and give its space, and then itll grow. What we have in common is state support and great film schools. This combination is incredibly powerful. The fact that this is an art support system, where you can allow yourself to make movies about these kinds of topics, makes our film tradition super strong. Its with four white, semi-fat, sweaty guys teaching their students to drink alcohol. [Making it] without financial support from the state? Good luck, he said, referencing his own Oscar-winning Another Round. We are very lucky. My American colleagues keep telling me how lucky we are that we have this support system. If your support system is being strangled by ministers who dont know anything about art, then youll have to fight back, said Vinterberg. During her Goteborg festival opening speech, Liljestrand tried to remind the festival audience that film is not only art but also a business, a business which also needs monitoring. Theres a red carpet, gala dresses and jokes about cultural budgets. And so you clearly distance yourself from commercial film. but the film industry is actually commercial. Everyone knows that, she said before adding in a defiant tone that upset the festival audience: Sometimes you can get the impression that all politics should do is count up funds, and otherwise not ask any questions. But that is really not the job of politics. I know that many culture ministers before me have wanted to portray themselves as the best friends and foremost representatives of the various industries in the government., she went on. You might get a lot of appreciation for it, not least at galas and festivals like this one? What do I know? But I know in any case that it is not the job of politics. It is also not the job of politics to demand more and more tax money from citizens because they cannot stand up for their prioritiesThe job of politics , and my job as Minister of Culture , is to implement the policy that a majority of the Swedish people have voted for. In the field of film, this means, among other things, the following: To ensure that artistic freedom is protected, she said, referring to a law that the Swedish government intends to introduce later this year to fight piracy and illegal use of IPTV. Commenting on the controversy, Mikael Fellenius, head of Scandinavias largest regional film fund Film i Vast told Variety: Our Cultural Minister probably was clumsy in her opening speech. She wanted to underline that film is an industry, which needs to be supported, not only with public coin but also with a wider film policy and reflection. She does want to support film and for the film supply chain to play a bigger part in the financing structure of the sector. But addressing this complex topic at the opening of the Goteborg Film Festival was the wrong place to do this, he said. The Swedish government is meant to publish late February a full research paper and a list of recommendations on how to make Swedish film more competitive. The recommendations will address the Swedish tax rebates introduced in 2023, which has been criticised in the industry for being underfunded (its annual budget is SEK 100 million ($9 million) whereas SEK SEK 300 million ($27 million) would be needed according to professionals) and using an inadequate first come first serve funding process. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Getty Cascavel in Parana, Brazil A stepmother in Brazil is facing a murder charge after a 3-year-old girl drowned after falling into a washing machine, according to multiple reports. Isabelly Oliveira Assumpcao died on May 7, 2022, in Cascavel in the state of Parana, and now the Public Ministry of Parana has charged her stepmother, Suzana Dazar dos Santos, with allegedly causing the girl's death, per local outlets including Globo-operated news agency G1, CNN Brasil and UOL. The Public Prosecutor's Office of Parana "classified the crime as intentional homicide," according to UOL. According to a translated CNN Brasil report, citing a complaint by the judiciary, Santos allegedly placed the little girl on a bench in front of the appliance, which was full of water at the time, as well as putting toys in the machine and left her alone in the room. The crime was allegedly motivated by jealousy, due partly to the fact Isabelly's father was still close to her mother, given that they had a daughter together, G1 reports, citing the complaint, which was obtained by TV Globo-affiliated station RPC Cascavel. Alamy A photo of police cars in Parana, Brazil The outlet reported Santos' defense attorneys claimed the little girl's death which occurred the day before Mother's Day 2022 in Brazil was an "accident." Attorney Paulo Hara Junior said that Santos had a "good relationship" with her stepdaughter, adding that there was "no evidence that she intended to take her life," per the translated G1 report. Attorney Alexander Beilner, defending Isabelly's mother, said the suspect "prepared the entire situation for the crime to happen," according to the outlet, which reported that the little girl died due to internal mechanical asphyxia (drowning). Isabelly's father, Alex dos Santos Assumpcao, told RPC Cascavel of the updates in the case, Nothing will repair the loss, having lost her, but justice will calm our hearts a little. [...] Due to the evidence that we have, that has come and that is yet to come, we believe that they are absolutely right." "These recent times have not been easy for us, because it is an irreparable loss, I can say that I do not want anyone to go through what we went through, but I want justice to be served," he added, per G1. 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. We are very happy with the MPs statement. We have always believed in justice. We always knew that we could trust justice. And the facts are there, and there is more to come. We have never accused anyone. We just want justice for our daughter, the little girl's father continued, according to the publication. Per UOL, the Public Prosecutor's Office is requesting that Santos be brought before a jury trial. G1 reported on Jan. 28 that the suspect's defense team has 10 days to respond to the case. The Ministerio Publico Federal (MPF), which is the Brazilian Prosecution Service, told PEOPLE in a statement, "This case is being monitored by the Parana Public Prosecutor's Office." PEOPLE was unable to find a contact for the lawyers representing the suspect and the family. Read the original article on People President Donald Trump holds the document after signing the Laken Riley Act during an event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed the Laken Riley Act into law, giving federal authorities broader power to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally who have been accused of crimes. He also announced at the ceremony that his administration planned to send the worst criminal aliens to a detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The bipartisan act, the first piece of legislation approved during Trumps second term, was named for Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was slain last year by a Venezuelan man in the U.S. illegally. She was a light of warmth and kindness, Trump said during a ceremony that included Rileys parents and sister. Its a tremendous tribute to your daughter whats taking place today, thats all I can say. Its so sad we have to be doing it. Trump has promised to drastically increase deportations, but he also said at the signing that some of the people being sent back to their home countries couldn't be counted on to stay there. Some of them are so bad that we dont even trust the countries to hold them because we dont want them coming back, so were gonna send em out to Guantanamo, Trump said. He said that he'd direct federal officials to get facilities in Cuba ready to receive immigrant criminals. We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal aliens threatening the American people, the president said. The White House announced a short time later that Trump had signed a presidential memorandum on Guantanamo. Migrant rights groups quickly expressed dismay. Guantanamo Bays abusive history speaks for itself and in no uncertain terms will put peoples physical and mental health in jeopardy, Stacy Suh, program director of Detention Watch Network, said in a statement. Trump said the move would double U.S. detention lockup capacities, and Guantanamo is a tough place to get out of. The Guantanamo facility could hold dangerous criminals and people who are hard to deport, said a Trump administration official speaking on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said his department can set up a detention center very rapidly and called Guantanamo Bay a perfect spot. We dont want illegal criminals in the United States, not a minute longer than they have to be, he said Wednesday evening on Fox News Jesse Watters Primetime. Move them off to Guantanamo Bay, where they can be safely maintained until they are deported to their final location, their country of origin. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the administration would seek funding via spending bills Congress will eventually consider. The U.S. military base has been used to house detainees from the U.S. war on terrorism for years. But authorities have also detained migrants at sea at a facility known as the Migrant Operations Center on Guantanamo, a site the U.S. has long leased from the Cuban government. Many of those housed there have been migrants from Haiti and Cuba. The U.S. has leased Guantanamo land from Cuba for more than a century. Cuba opposes the lease and typically rejects the nominal U.S. rent payments. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Trump wanting to ship immigrants to the island is an act of brutality. The U.S. governments decision to imprison migrants at the Guantanamo Naval Base, in an enclave where it created torture and indefinite detention centers, shows contempt for the human condition and international law, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez wrote in a post on X. The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that enemy combatants in the war on terror held without charge at the military prison at Guantanamo had the right to challenge their detention in federal court. But the justices did not decide whether the president had the authority to detain people at all. Before Trump took office, the Democratic administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden worked to reduce the number of terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo. Laken Riley was out for a run in February 2024 when she was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who was in the country illegally. Ibarra was found guilty in November and sentenced to life without parole. Ibarra had been arrested for illegal entry in September 2022 near El Paso, Texas, and released to pursue his case in immigration court. Federal officials say he was arrested by New York police in August 2023 for child endangerment and released. Police say he was also issued a citation for shoplifting in Georgia in October 2023. The act quickly passed the newly Republican-controlled Congress with some Democratic support even though opponents said it possibly could lead to large roundups of people for offenses as minor as shoplifting. The swift passage, and Trumps quickly signing it, adds to the potent symbolism for conservatives. To critics, the measure has taken advantage of a tragedy and could lead to chaos and cruelty while doing little to fight crime or overhaul the immigration system. Rileys mother thanked Trump while holding back tears. He said he would secure our borders and he would never forget about Laken and he hasnt, she said. Several top Republican lawmakers and Noem attended the signing ceremony, as did Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a cosponsor. Under the new law, federal officials would have to detain any immigrant arrested or charged with crimes such as theft or assaulting a police officer, or offenses that injure or kill someone. State attorneys general could sue the U.S. government for harm caused by federal immigration decisions potentially allowing the leaders of conservative states to help dictate immigration policy set by Washington. Some Democrats have questioned whether it is constitutional. The ALCU says the law can allow people to be mandatorily locked up potentially for years because at some point in their lives, perhaps decades ago, they were accused of nonviolent offenses. Hannah Flamm, interim senior director of policy at the International Refugee Assistance Project, said the measure violates immigrants basic rights by allowing for detaining people who have not been charged with wrongdoing, much less convicted. The latent fear from the election cycle of looking soft on crime snowballed into aiding and abetting Trumps total conflation of immigration with crime, Flamm said. She also noted, I think it is pivotal to understand: This bill, framed as connected to a tragic death, is pretext to fortify a mass deportation system." ___ Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana and Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report. Davis is charged with murdering rapper Tupac Shakur nearly 30 years ago. The ex-gang leader charged with killing hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur is facing new battery charges for a caught-on-camera prison brawl with a fellow inmate. Duane Keffe D Davis, 61, was being escorted back to his cell at the Clark County Detention Center in Nevada last Thursday when another inmate, identified as Rochlon Hamilton, approached him with his fists showing, according to court documents obtained by Fox 5 Vegas. Video shows Davis then tackling the shirtless Hamilton to the ground and putting him in a headlock as the pair traded blows on the prison floor, surveillance footage shows. Rochlon Hamilton approached Duane Keffe D Davis before the fight, video shows. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department The two traded blows on the ground before being pepper sprayed by prison guards. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department The pair ignored a prison guards repeated orders to break it and both were pepper sprayed, the report and videos show. The two continued fighting until more guards arrived and separated them. Shakurs accused killer later told officers that he was standing his ground and refused to speak further without his attorney present. Davis and Hamilton, who is also locked up for murder, are both facing battery charges. Davis made an initial court appearance on Tuesday and is due back in court on Feb. 11, according to Fox 5 Vegas. Davis had filed a motion earlier this month to toss the murder charges accusing him of orchestrating the 1996 hit of Shakur tossed claiming a lack of corroborating evidence and failure to honor immunity agreements granted to Davis by federal and local authorities. He also alleged egregious constitutional violations because of a 27-year delay in prosecution. However, Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny ruled last week that Davis isnt protected against prosecution because he has not provided proof of immunity deals with law enforcement. Davis trial in Las Vegas is currently scheduled to kick off on March 17 but it could be delayed while he appeals the decision. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. The Compton, California native is accused of orchestrating the 1996 shooting that killed Shakur and wounded convicted criminal and rap music mogul Marion Suge Knight following a brawl at a Las Vegas casino involving the California Love rapper and Davis nephew, Orlando Baby Lane Anderson. Davis is charged with murdering rapper Tupac Shakur nearly 30 years ago. AP Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in Sept. 1996. WireImage Davis wrote in a 2019 memoir about his life as a Crips gang leader that he provided Anderson with the .40-caliber handgun he then fired from the back seat of a car at Shakur and Knight near the Vegas strip. Shakur died from his wounds a week later in the hospital at the age of 25. Knight survived the ambush and is currently behind bars serving a 28-year prison sentence in connection with the murder of a Compton man in 2015. Knight has said he wont testify against Davis and that cops have the wrong man. Davis is the last surviving suspect involved. Anderson, who had denied involvement in Shakurs death, died in 1998 at age 23 in a shooting in Compton. Two other men who were in the car have also died. Authorities never found the gun or the vehicle involved in the shooting. With Post Wires A UK-based spy ring had connections in the highest echelons of the Bulgarian government, a court has heard. Katrin Ivanova, 33, and two others are accused of being part of a group of Bulgarians who carried out surveillance on places and people of interest to the Russian state. Her partner Biser Dzhambazov, 43, from Harrow, north London, and Orlin Roussev, 46, from Great Yarmouth, have admitted being part of the three-year plot. Ivanova has claimed she was deceived, controlled and betrayed by Dzhambazov and had thought she was exposing corruption when she followed investigative journalist Christo Grozev around Europe. Cross-examining on Wednesday, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC suggested Ivanova was the corruption and the spy rings chief minion whose partner had links to power in Bulgaria. Katrin Ivanova is on trial (Met Police/PA) The court heard how Ivanova, Dzhambazov and co-accused Vanya Gaberova had helped in the 2021 election when Bulgarian President Rumen Radev was elected. Ivanova told jurors that someone at the Bulgarian Embassy in London had contacted her about helping to sign off votes at a polling station but she never shared with officials her concerns about corruption. Ms Morgan asked: So thinking now and knowing you are a dishonest person, do you think you should have been signing off on that document on the number of votes cast in the Bulgarian election? You are the corruption, arent you? The defendant denied it. Ms Morgan said: You are a very educated, intelligent woman, Ms Ivanova, and this is your home country you care about so much. What was the name of the Bulgarian president in 2021? Ivanova repeatedly said she did not know the presidents name. Ms Morgan suggested Ivanova would not answer because she knew full well about Mr Dzhambazovs connections to the highest echelons to the Bulgarian government. Im going to suggest when you are going through this election process it is inconceivable he did not mention to you the connections he had in the Bulgarian government. You put all this time into the elections. You were working there, Mr Dzhambazov and Ms Gaberova were working there, the prosecutor said. Ms Morgan said Dzhambazov could not wait to manipulate his connection to power and was gleeful when he discussed the result with Roussev. Ivanova said: I dont remember if he was happy. Orlin Roussev has pleaded guilty to spying (Met Police/PA) Ms Morgan read out a text exchange in which Roussev asked Dzhambazov about the new authority and if they were going to meet the upper echelon. Dzhambazov replied that it was very good, that he had a very strong relationship with Mr Radev, and two other senior Bulgarian politicians, saying it was iron clad. Ms Morgan said: Mr Dzhambazov believed he had the president of Bulgaria on side, didnt he? If you have connections and power in Bulgaria you can do many illegal things and you had connections with power, didnt you Ms Ivanova? Ivanova replied: I did not have any connection with Bulgarian echelon, the president of Bulgaria. Casting doubt on her testimony, Ms Morgan said: Its good acting. This country you love so much you want to expose corruption, you cannot even remember the head of state. Its all lies. Ms Morgan went on to ask Ivanova about a meeting she had with two Russians in Montenegro which the prosecution claim were the spies paymasters. In February 2022, Dzhambazov had told Ivanova of a need to show they were professionals and deserve money. Ivanova replied: If need be, I will stand on my head. Ms Morgan told the defendant: You would do anything to impress the Russians to show them you deserve your money because you knew full well they were the ones who were paying you. Thats why you were prepared to stand on your head, if thats what it took. Ivanova denied knowing who the Russian man and woman were, or that they were the source of the money. Earlier in her evidence, she claimed she thought they were victims of a fraud by Russian dissident Kirill Kachur, who was believed to be in Montenegro. The group was allegedly offered 700,000 to get Mr Kachur for the Russians, even if he was killed in the process. Ivanova, Gaberova, 30, from Euston, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, of Acton, deny conspiracy to spy between August 30 2020 and February 8 2023. Ivanova has also pleaded not guilty to a second charge of possession of false identity documents. The Old Bailey trial continues. (Reuters) - The United States transferred some 90 Patriot air defense interceptors from Israel to Poland this week to then deliver them to Ukraine, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing three sources with knowledge of the operation. "We have seen the reports but have nothing to provide at this time," a Pentagon spokesperson said in response to the report. A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed to Axios that a Patriot system had been returned to the U.S., adding "it is not known to us whether it was delivered to Ukraine." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he had spoken with Netanyahu. They discussed the Middle East, bilateral ties and U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office last week, Zelenskiy said on social media. The post made no mention of the missiles. (Reporting by Costas Pitas; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Sandra Maler) President-elect Donald John Trump dedicated his 1987 book, "The Art of the Deal," to his parents, Fred Trump and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump. The most important influence on me, growing up, was my father, Fred Trump. I learned a lot from him, Trump wrote in the book, co-written by Tony Schwartz. I learned about toughness in a very tough business, I learned about motivating people, and I learned about competence and efficiency: get in, get it done, get it done right, and get out. He later added, We had a very traditional family. My father was the power and the breadwinner, and my mother was the perfect housewife. Donald Trump said his mother took care of the children and also cooked and cleaned and darned socks and did charity work at the local hospital. Donald Trump's parents, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump and Fred Trump, attend 17th Annual Police Athletic League Awards Dinner on May 12, 1999 at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Fred Trump, who died in June 1999, worked as a real estate developer while Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, who died about a year later in August 2000, worked with different charities near Queens, New York, where they resided. They married in 1936 and had five children together. Donald J. Trump was born June 14, 1946, the second-youngest of the family. Read on to learn what else Donald Trump has written and said about his parents and upbringing. Who was Donald Trumps dad? Fred Trump died on June 25, 1999 at the age of 93 after being hospitalized for pneumonia. The patriarch of the Trump family was the son of German immigrant Friedrich Trump, NBC News reported, who traveled from Germany to the U.S. in 1885 at the age of 16. Friedrich Trump, a restaurant owner, later returned to Germany and met and wed his wife, Elisabeth, a seamstress, before they both traveled to New York together. Their son, Fred Trump, first became involved in the real estate business at 19, according to the Associated Press. He initially started selling single-family homes before moving on to highrises. In "The Art of the Deal, Donald Trump characterized his fathers business as building rent-controlled and rent-stabilizing housing in Brooklyn and Queens. After graduating from Wharton Business School, Donald Trump wrote in The Art of the Deal that he worked for his fathers company, then encouraged its expansion into Manhattan. In his obituary, the AP quoted Fred Trump as saying of Donald Trump, I gave Donald free rein. He has great vision and everything he touches seems to turn to gold. ... Donald is the smartest person I know. Despite admiring his father, he also explained in The Art of the Deal why he wanted to break out from the real estate business and move into other ventures. The real reason I wanted out of my fathers business more important than the fact that it was physically rough and financially tough was that I had loftier dreams and visions. And there was no way to implement them building housing in the outer boroughs, Donald Trump said. In 1991, Fred Trump purchased $3.5 million in chips at one of his sons Atlantic City casinos, which he did not intend to gamble with, to help pay off Donald Trumps debts, the AP reported. (The casino resort later admitted that it had violated state gaming laws by accepting the loan and paid a $30,000 penalty.) Donald Trump said his father maintained the same working conditions throughout his career. My father still works out of a small, modest back office on Avenue Z in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, in a building he put up in 1948. Its simply never occurred to him to move, he wrote in the book. Who was Donald Trumps mom? Mary Anne MacLeod Trump died on August 7, 2000 at the age of 88. The Associated Press described her as a philanthropist in her obituary and said she was born on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. She first encountered Fred Trump during a trip to New York City in the 1930s, the AP reported, and they tied the knot in 1936 before building a home together in the Jamaica Estates section of Queens. While Donald Trump spent most of the Growing Up chapter of his book reflecting on his fathers impact on his childhood, he did note that he inherited his showmanship from his mother. She always had a flair for the dramatic and the grand, he said. She was a very traditional housewife, but she also had a sense of the world beyond her. I still remember my mother, who is Scottish by birth, sitting in front of the television set to watch Queen Elizabeths coronation and not budging for an entire day. He recalled his mother being enamored by the regality while his father seemed unimpressed. Donald Trump continued, I also remember my father that day, pacing around impatiently. For Christs sake, Mary, hed say. Enough is enough, turn it off. Theyre all a bunch of con artists. My mother didnt even look up. They were total opposites in that sense. My mother loves splendor and magnificence, while my father, who is very down-to-earth, gets excited only by competence and efficiency. Fred and Mary Trump were married for 63 years Fred Trump and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump were married for 63 years. They shared five children. Fred Trump Jr. died in 1981 at the age of 42 after struggling with alcoholism. Its very sad, because he was a wonderful guy who never quite found himself. In many ways he had it all, but the pressures of our particular family were not for him. I only wish I had realized this sooner, Donald Trump wrote in The Art of the Deal. He told The Washington Post in 2019 that he regretted putting pressure on his brother to join the business instead of encouraging him to pursue his dreams of becoming a pilot. Robert Trump, a businessman, died in 2020. I think it must be hard to have me for a brother but hes never said anything about it and were very close, Donald Trump previously said in his book. Robert gets along with almost everyone, which is great for me since I sometimes have to be the bad guy. Maryanne Trump Barry, who died in 2023, was a federal appellate judge in Philadelphia. In "The Art of the Deal," Donald Trump wrote of his sister: She followed my mothers path at first, marrying and staying at home while her son grew up. But she also inherited a lot of my fathers drive and ambition, and when her son David became a teenager, she went back to school, to study law. Elizabeth Trump Grau, Donald Trumps other sister, is living and worked as an executive at Chase Bank Manhattan, per her mothers obituary. Donald Trump described her as kind and bright but less ambitious in The Art of the Deal. Reflecting on how his parents raised five children in "The Art of the Deal," Donald Trump wrote, We lived in a large house, but we never thought of ourselves as rich kids. We were brought up to know the value of a dollar and to appreciate the importance of hard work. He described his parents as having no pretensions. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Lindsay Haugen. A woman who strangled her boyfriend and was featured in Netflixs I Am A Killer series for the 2015 crime walked back a chilling confession that was included on the show, as she asked a Montana parole board for clemency Wednesday. Lindsay Haugen, 41, pleaded guilty to strangling her 25-year-old boyfriend, Robert Mast, while the two of them sat in a car in a Walmart parking lot in 2015. She has been serving a 60-year sentence for deliberate homicide since 2016. On the second season of I Am A Killer, a true-crime series on Netflix that spotlights convicted murderers, Haugen said she killed Mast whom she had known for less than a month out of love after she said he insisted he wanted to die. Robert Mast with his stepmother, Mindy Pendleton, and his nieces and nephews in 2014. But in an interview with police, which was recorded and included in the episode, she told a detective that she also kinda just wanted to kill somebody with my bare hands, honestly, the footage shows. I saw my opportunity, I guess, Haugen told the detective, according to the video. Police say Mast was drunk and could not fight back. On Wednesday, Haugen told a three-member panel that she is "haunted" by that "outrageous" statement, claiming she said it to stop a detective's line of questioning. "I wish I had not said it, and of course, I didnt mean it," Haugen said at the hearing, appearing virtually from the Montana Womens Prison in Billings, Montana. Haugen, who said she was "drunk and in shock" during the interrogation, said a prior history of abuse from men caused her to lie. "I said what I felt the man wanted to hear in order to make the accusations stop," she said. "I was not looking for an opportunity. I would never purposefully inflict harm on another human being." In her prepared, 10-minute statement, Haugen said she was guilty of the crime and expressed regret and remorse for it. But she asked for a shorter sentence, saying she is a better person, who is treating her alcohol addiction. "I appear before you now guilty of homicide, a statement which chills me to the bone," she said. "I know that I don't deserve this, but I am hoping for a chance to live in a way that is deserving of this opportunity." In his remarks Wednesday, Steve Hallam, the Billings Police Department detective who interrogated Haugen, told the board that Haugen had made other callous confessions other than the one referring to her bare hands. Hallam said Haugen also revealed in the recorded interrogation that she planned on burying Mast's body in a scarce area before leaving for Washington state. Haugen also said she would not have gone to police to report the crime, the detective said. "Lindsay Haugen does not deserve clemency," Hallam said. In emotional pleas, Mast's family members begged the board to keep Haugen behind bars. Masts stepmother, Mindy Pendleton, who helped raise him from when he was a toddler, said her family lives in "loss and grief daily as she must live with the consequences of her actions." "Anything less diminished Robby's existence and the people that love him," she added. Pendleton also said Haugen exploited her stepson's murder when she participated on the Netflix show, which aired in 2020, and should not be "rewarded" for any notoriety she may have received from the series. Pendleton urged the board to remember the crime. "Envision your child, your loved one. Envision the chokehold, strangling, the suffocation," she said. The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole has 30 days to make its recommendation to Gov. Greg Gianforte, who has the sole authority to grant or deny Haugens request. A spokesperson for Gianforte said the governor has not yet received the request for clemency. The board said the governor does not have a statutory timeline to respond. Without the clemency, Haugen would be eligible for parole in September 2030, according to the board. The parole board said it received at least six letters supporting her early release and about three dozen letters opposing it. Clemency is an extraordinary form of relief from a sentence and is not granted in most cases, Brad Newman, a parole board member on Haugens hearing panel, told NBC News. The board did not have to grant Haugen a public hearing, but it did because there was sufficient cause to hear her explanation, he said. Newman said the Netflix episode did not come up as the board reviewed her application. I didnt know her case had ever been discussed on Netflix. Im not a customer subscriber. Thats news to me, he said. I guess its conceivable that a board member has seen or heard about this case. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have traded barbs in recent days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Vladimir Putin of being afraid to negotiate after his Russian counterpart refused to engage in peace talks with him and once again questioned his legitimacy. The latest exchange between the two leaders came amid mounting pressure on both sides from President Donald Trump to end the war. Trump last week threatened Moscow with a new tranche of sanctions, saying that Zelenskyy was ready to negotiate a deal to end the war that has been grinding on for almost three years. Writing late Tuesday in a post on X, Zelenskyy said that Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war. He made the comment after Putin told state broadcaster Rossiya 1 that the Ukrainian leader has no right to sign anything because of his illegitimacy. Shortly after Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of areas in and around four eastern Ukrainian regions Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia in September 2022, Zelenskyy issued a decree formally declaring talks with Putin impossible, although it left the door open to talks with Russia. Putin said Tuesday that this should be revoked by Ukraine's parliament before any talks could take place and that the legitimacy of negotiators from Kyiv should be verified by lawyers. We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better, he added. Putins repetition of his claim that Zelenskyy is not Ukraines legitimate leader appear to stem in part from the martial law banning elections that Zelenskyy imposed after Russias full-scale invasion Feb. 24, 2022. If the law had not been in place, Zelenskyys term would have ended in May last year. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev followed Putins remarks Wednesday, telling the Russian news agency Ria Novosti that Zelenskyy has simply become illegitimate and he may even try to get re-elected, but this is extremely dangerous for him. World leaders' calculations regarding the war in Ukraine have changed in recent weeks, as Trump began his second term and hopes are rising that ceasefire talks are on the horizon. Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery in the direction of Chasiv Yar, Ukraine, on Monday. Even so, "what looks like a growing consensus in the West that some form of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine is coming closer doesnt always take account of whether Russia and Ukraine themselves might see negotiations as viable or even useful," Keir Giles, a defense analyst at Londons Chatham House think tank, told NBC News. While European leaders have accelerated planning for a worst-case scenario in which the Kremlin pushes troops further into the continent and Washington does not come to their aid, Trump has made increasingly strong threats against his Russian counterpart. Trump's claim that he would end the Ukraine war in one day after taking office did not come to pass, although members of his national security team have in recent weeks acknowledged the difficulties of brokering a possible peace accord. Lets set it at 100 days and move all the way back and figure a way we can do this in the near term to make sure that the solution is solid, its sustainable, and that this war ends so that we stop the carnage, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trumps pick to serve as special envoy to Ukraine, told Fox News last month. Still, the conflict has shown no signs of de-escalating despite Trump's departure from the warmer sentiments he conveyed during his first term. If we dont make a deal, and soon," Trump said last week in a social media post, "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. That shift in tone toward Russia is a "wildcard" in efforts by the Trump administration to end the war, Giles said, and "a striking and remarkable shift from his first term in office." "Observers of Trump have noticed that what he says does not always translate directly into what he directs his administration to do," he told NBC News, adding that even a superficial change in tone is "a cause for Ukraine and its friends to have limited optimism." Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian state press Monday that no one from the Trump administration had so far reached out to the Kremlin to set up a meeting with Putin. For his part, Zelenskyy called Trumps threats of sanctions just and fair in an interview on Fox News on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Russian troops continue to make territorial gains in Ukraine after capturing the village of Dvorichna in northeastern Kharkiv, the army said Tuesday. Today's news: millions of people in Asia celebrate the Lunar New Year; The Jordanian Air Force launched a massive airlift (supported by the US) to bring urgent medical supplies to Gaza; Myanmar's military junta started recruiting women: Pasinyan to the Armenian diaspora: Really clarify what happened during the genocide and why. INDIA At least 15 people are reported to have died before dawn in a stampede in the town of Prayagraj at the Kumbh Mela - a large Hindu pilgrimage that attracts some 400 million worshippers to Uttar Pradesh in recent weeks. The crowd poured out of a police cordon trampling some people during the Shahi Snan bath. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones, PM Modi wrote. CHINA - WORLD The Year of the Snake begins today and millions of people in Asia and around the world are welcoming it with family, friends, prayers and plenty of food. Lunar New Year, which coincides with the first new moon of the year, is a 15-day festival that falls between 29 January and 4 February. Chinese communities in China and elsewhere consider it the most important festival of the year, also celebrated in Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and other parts of Asia. JORDAN - GAZA TheJordanian Air Force launched the largest airlift to date to bring urgent medical supplies to Gaza as part of a US-backed deal to step up deliveries after the ceasefire. The operation involves 16 helicopter flights per day that will initially deliver at least 160 tonnes of life-saving medical supplies within a week to hospitals and medical centres. Jordan has been a key hub in sending aid to the enclave for the past 15 months. MYANMAR The military junta in Myanmar has taken the first steps to enlist women for active military service, according to residents, showing the army's desperation to replenish its ranks amid a series of defeats. Last year, military conscription was also imposed on unmarried women between the ages of 18 and 27. Until now it had only enlisted men - sometimes by force - but since mid-January, the authorities have started to compile lists of women. PHILIPPINES The US-based pressure group BishopAccountability.org, which has been campaigning for years on the issue of sexual abuse committed by priests, released a list of 82 Filipino priests and religious publicly accused of such crimes who continue to carry out their ministry, calling on the country's bishops to take action. RUSSIA The Russian Ministry of the Interior has prepared a new classification system, to establish a register of LGBT people and workers in the sexual sphere, including those who participate in the non-existent international LGBT movement, banned in Russia by a decision of the Supreme Court, and all these people will then have a public status, to allow anyone to check their friend or girlfriend. ARMENIA The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pasinyan, met with representatives of the Armenian diaspora in Switzerland, insisting on the need to really clarify what happened during the genocide, and why it happened, going back to studying its history and documents, also asking why in 1939 it was not a topic on the agenda, but became so in 1950, focusing on the responsibility of the Armenians themselves, rather than accusing the Turks. by Silvia Torriti During the festivities, local authorities predicted a 9.5% increase in flows in and out of the country compared to 2024. Airlines have increased flights, and the fourth runway at Guangzhou airport has been inaugurated. On the domestic tourism front, 9 billion rail journeys are expected. Beijing (AsiaNews) - The Lunar New Year in China will mark a new record for travel: according to the National Immigration Administration, an average of 1.85 million cross-border movements per day are expected in and out of the country over the festive period, an increase of 9.5% compared to last year. Every year, millions of people move to reunite with loved ones or to reach their holiday destinations, giving rise to the world's largest migration phenomenon. Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival (chunjie), is the most cherished holiday in China, marked by ancient traditions and grand celebrations. It is also celebrated in other Asian countries and 2025 will be the Year of the Snake, a symbol of wisdom and transformation. Because of its ancient origins and the grandeur with which it is celebrated in China, chunjie was recognised as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by Unesco in December 2024. The main international airports of the People's Republic, Beijing Capital (North China), Shanghai Pudong (East China), Guangzhou Baiyun (South China) and Chengdu Tianfu (Southwest China), are preparing to welcome these flows. On the instructions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Chinese airlines have increased the frequency of international and inter-regional flights during the 40 days of Chunyun, the peak period of the Lunar New Year. Air China, for instance, plans to add another 200 international flights to the 3,400 recently added. In addition, CCTV News, China's main state broadcaster, reported that Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport recently inaugurated a new runway to facilitate take-offs and landings, becoming the first four-runway airport in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The peak passenger flow is expected to be concentrated between 28 January, the eve of the Lunar New Year, and 4 February, the last day of the golden week (huangjin zhou), the holiday period for most Chinese workers. Figures from Umetrip - an app that provides real-time flight information - show that more than 1.72 million international airline tickets have already been booked (up 21 per cent from 2024) and 9.58 million domestic tickets. In terms of outbound travel, family trips are dominating the market. Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, the Nordic countries, Australia, New Zealand and Spain are the most popular destinations, Jia Jianqiang, CEO of travel agency 6renyou told the Global Times. For those who have chosen to stay within national borders, the train is the preferred option to reach their holiday destination. Authorities predict an unprecedented 9 billion rail journeys during the chunyun. The most popular destinations reflect the country's different climates: in the north, Harbin attracts tourists for its famous Ice Sculpture Festival and ski resorts, while many residents of colder regions head to the south in search of milder temperatures. by Arundathie Abeysinghe Police recently uncovered a highly profitable but environmentally damaging operation that used heavy machinery. Local activists note that the activity had been reported in the past, but brushed aside because of heavy political protection. Colombo (AsiaNews) The Kahawatta police Special Task Force (STF) and the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) recently carried out an operation in Ekata Gatuma im Nivithigala, Erabedda (Sabaragamuwa province), dismantling a large-scale illegal gem mining activity, carried out for several years by various groups using heavy machinery in the Walawe, a river famous for its precious gems. Similar raids have been attempted in the past, but were thwarted due to political interference, NGIA officials say. However, even this time, doubts remain about the real effectiveness of the action. The Walawe River Basin is the fourth largest in the country and rich in biodiversity. Almost all the rice fields in the area, however, are turning into gem mines. Environmentalists argue that the rivers ecosystem may not last long as streams become muddy and those who live along the banks of the river can no longer use the water. Mining activities are conducted by erecting makeshift dams. Some mines are licenced, but most operate illegally. In addition to gem, illegal miners also mine for sand to earn extra income. The police operation led to the arrest of 20 people, who were later released on bail. Three modern dredging machines were among the items seized during the raid, used to extract gems from the riverbed, seven air compressor systems and diving equipment, plus two boats loaded with barrels to support machinery in the water, three generators and three electric pumps. We complained to local authorities, yet, these complaints were futile as the racketeers operate the illegal activity with the assistance of top politicians, said three local activists, Kapurubanda Piyasena, Jinasena Sathurusinghe e Menike Atapattu, speaking to AsiaNews. Even when a complaint is made regarding this scam, officials have adopted a clever strategy of delaying their investigations as long as possible to allow the racketeers to complete their illegal gem mining. There were occasions in the past where the illegal activity was carried out while policemen and some employees of the Gem Corporation were present. After allowing the racketeers to remove the earth throughout the night, officials raided the location and imposed a Rs. 225,000 fine for using heavy machinery and digging the ground. The activists lament that, paying a small fine for a consignment of gem rich earth worth millions of rupees is a blessing for these criminals as they can later earn billions. According to the law, a person caught for mining gems inside a forest reserve cannot be fined by the Gem Corporation. Hence, by releasing the suspects and their plunder after imposing a fine does not come under the authority of the corporation, report lawyers Malithi Ratnayaka and Nalinda Hewawitharana. As this procedure is contrary to the law, the officer in charge of the area in the Irrigations Department filed complaints with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau and the police regarding the issue. Yet, due to political influence these operations were futile. Photo: Flickr/amanderson2 by Vladimir Rozanskij Through a wide range of initiatives, the Amor association aims to make Azerbaijanis on the Russian side of the Caspian feel at home. Chaired by Aliev's eldest daughter, it aims to distinguish its community from the diasporas of other peoples, focusing on good relations between Baku and Moscow. Astrakan (AsiaNews) - The president of the Astrakhan session, a Russian city on the Caspian Sea, of the Azerbaijani Youth Association of Russia (Amor), Elvin Gusejnov, gave an interview to Zerkalo.az to recount his experience at the head of this ethnic youth organisation, assuring that Amor is a beautiful school of life. For over fifteen years, he has led the association, which supports young people on their journey, with great satisfaction. He says that our boys and girls have achieved many successes, making the work of our regional structure more and more effective. TheAmor of Astrakhan organises many events of various levels, always ensuring an active and aggregative approach in the local society, trying to showcase the talents of individuals and the common usefulness of the many activities, allowing Azerbaijanis in the Russian part of the Caspian to feel at home, and to contribute to the life of the whole Russian society. The association seeks to keep Azerbaijani culture alive, and to pass it on to succeeding generations, with all its traditions, values and customs. This is why performances, festivals and various initiatives are organised to present the history, culture and achievements of Azerbaijan. One of our priorities is the propagation of a healthy lifestyle, explains Gusejnov, involving young people in sporting activities, which seems particularly important at the present time. Dates that relate to the history of the Azerbaijani people are emphasised, trying to bring them to the widest public level, so that people of other ethnicities also get to know the richness of Azerbaijani culture, the life of the State of Azerbaijan and its people. People from very different ethnic groups live in the Astrakhan region, with their own religious and cultural traditions, andAmor tries to interface with many other associations and institutions, to share knowledge and experiences. Activists regularly visit children's homes and homes for the elderly, offering reasons for celebration and shared love; for us it is important that they know us not by words, but by what we are able to achieve in life, the president emphasises. Soon the Miss-Etno 2025 youth festival will start, one of the most ambitious and publicly impressive projects for the region, much loved by the citizens of Astrakhan. Representatives of many ethnic groups, including from abroad, take part in it to demonstrate not only their outward beauty, but also that of their cultural and spiritual values. The competition is considered one of the 100 most important not only in the Caspian region, but in the whole of Russia. Amor has representations in all regions of the Federation, and the one in Astrakhan, a city of over half a million inhabitants, tries to act as a driving force for the others, uniting all the Azerbaijani youth of the country. The president of the entire Amor association is Leila Alieva, the 40-year-old eldest daughter of the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliev, and with this activity she aims to spread a positive image of the country, even in these years of conflict in the Caucasus and elsewhere. The presence of Azerbaijanis on the territory of Russia is not to be understood as a diaspora, a term that takes on rather negative meanings in Russia, but as a real community, insists Gusejnov, which forms lively and active aggregations in every region. Azerbaijanis appreciate the good relations between Moscow and Baku, between Presidents Putin and Aliev, and seek to cooperate with governors and regional authorities to overcome any form of mistrust and conflict between ethnic groups, making Azerbaijani communities real protagonists in the life of Russian society. The proposal was recently made by the EUs foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. A spokeswoman for Kallas told RFE/RLs Armenian Service on January 10 that the member states have already welcomed it. She said the extension of the mission will be formalized and announced in the coming weeks. RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak reported that the Brussels-based ambassadors of the 27 EU nations, who endorsed Kallass proposal, also decided to keep the missions mandate and size unchanged. It will thus continue to comprise 165 international observers and analysts as well as 44 Armenian staffers. The mission strongly opposed by Azerbaijan and Russia was launched in February 2023 with the aim of preventing or minimizing ceasefire violations on the Armenian side of the long and heavily militarized border. Its initial two-year mandate ends next month. Azerbaijan has repeatedly accused the EU monitors of spying on its troops and destabilizing the situation in the conflict zone. A senior Azerbaijani official demanded their withdrawal on December 12. Baku has been trying to block their continued deployment through a corresponding clause in a draft peace treaty discussed with Yerevan. The EU has denied the accusations, saying that the number of armed incidents along border areas has decreased considerably since the launch of the mission. The Armenian government has also praised the monitors record. But it has still not publicly clarified whether it has asked the EU to extend their presence. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has insisted, at least until now, that the monitors should leave only demarcated sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Only a small section of it has been delimited and demarcated to date. Yerevan had requested the EU deployment after accusing Russia and other ex-Soviet allies of refusing to defend Armenia against Azerbaijani attacks in 2022. Moscow has claimed that the mission is part of U.S. and EU efforts to drive Russia out of the South Caucasus. 29 January 2025 20:11 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The arrival of two Russian cargo ships, Sparta and Sparta II, at the port of Tartus on January 22 has intensified speculation about Russia's next steps in the Middle East and North Africa. With heavy weapons, military vehicles, and ammunition loaded on the ships, and Syria's abrupt termination of a 49-year lease agreement for the port, experts are questioning the implications for Moscows military presence in the region. A few months ago Russian military vessels were missing from a satellite image captured by American geospatial firm Planet Labs PBC on December 9, a day after Assad fled Syria. Ships were not seen in imagery clicked on December 1 and December 3 either, but that could be attributed to their participation in a joint military drill of the Russian Navy and its Aerospace Forces in the Mediterranean Sea. The exercise took place between December 1 and December 3. Where will these ships head next? A growing number of experts believe that Libya is a probable destination. Also, what should we anticipate regarding Russia's stance in Syria, particularly in the Middle East? Speaking to Azernews, Moscow-based political analyst Andrew Korybko commented, "Two Russian sources told TASS last week that their country hadnt received any notification of Syrias reported decision to terminate Russias 49-year-long lease of Tartous Port. Its naval base there and the air one in Khmeimim could be used for humanitarian purposes, the Russian Foreign Ministry later suggested, thus showing Moscows interest in retaining those facilities. Nevertheless, the EU demanded that Syria kick Russia out of them if it wants sanctions relief, and theres a chance that this will happen." Adding to the uncertainty, a Russian delegation, including Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev, is visiting Syria to discuss the future of these bases. "This coincides with reports about Russia evacuating its military equipment from Tartus. Therefore, Russia is either preparing to fully withdraw from Syria or is drastically downscaling its military presence there, which would be due to recent events," Korybko noted. As analysts consider potential destinations for Russia's forces, Libya appears to be the most likely option. Korybko explained, "Any drastic downscaling or withdrawal could see its forces in Syria transferred to Libya where reports claimed that Russia wants to establish air, naval, and even ground bases (the first two on the coast and the last in the hinterland near the Sudanese-Chadian border)." Other possibilities, such as Sudan and Algeria, seem less probable due to political and logistical challenges. "Sudan is a less likely destination since there hasnt been much progress on Russias naval logistics facility in Port Sudan in the years since it was agreed upon, with this being attributable to American pressure and the ongoing Civil War," Korybko stated. Similarly, Algeria presents complications despite its long-standing military partnership with Russia. Korybko elaborated, "Algeria is another unlikely place for its forces from Syria to be transferred to in spite of being Russias decades-long military partner. Thats because those two are at odds over the African Corps (formerly Wagner) role in Mali after Bamako withdrew from the 2015 Algiers Accords last year. Last summers Tuareg ambush of the African Corps in close proximity to the Algerian border led some in Russia to suspect that Algeria is at the very least passively facilitating those armed groups." Korybko also highlighted the broader geopolitical implications of such a move: "To be sure, bilateral relations remain strong, but this nascent mistrust might complicate any speculative plans for Russia to transfer its forces from Syria to Algeria. Moreover, Algeria could also request Russian concessions in Mali in exchange for its agreement to host those forces and let them establish bases, the terms of which might be unacceptable to Moscow. Theres also the spectre of EU pressure upon Algeria since the bloc would frown upon it letting Russian forces deploy there right on its southern doorstep." Ultimately, Korybko emphasized, "For these reasons, Libya and particularly its eastern reaches that are under the control of General Haftar is the most likely destination for Russias forces from Syria if theyre indeed being transferred, though it remains to be seen whether this is indeed the case and what scale itll be at if so. In that event, its possible that the UN-recognized and jointly Western- and Turkish-backed Government of National Accord in Western Libya might clash with Haftar, which could open a new front in the New Cold War." The potential repositioning of Russian forces reflects the shifting dynamics of its presence in the region, leaving open questions about the broader implications for Moscows strategy in the Middle East and North Africa. 29 January 2025 13:19 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. The 11th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) Advisory Council and the 3rd Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council will be held in Baku on April 4, Azernews reports, citing diplomatic sources given to local media. 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! 29 January 2025 15:24 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The Turkiye-Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan business forum discussed strengthening economic unity between the countries and increasing the effectiveness of business partnerships. Azernews reports that this was shared by Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov's official X account. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan addressed the issue during his speech at the 2nd trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani-Turkish-Uzbek foreign affairs, economy/trade, and transport ministers. He noted that we are in a period when the international system cannot ensure justice, peace, and stability. "We are going through a difficult time as global problems increase. At the same time, as the Turkic world, while continuing our solidarity, we are also working to solve existing problems. We strive for peace, stability, and prosperity in our region," the minister added. 29 January 2025 17:57 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan's acclaimed artist Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova has been honored with Artist of the Year 2025 International Award in Florence, Italy. As the artist told AZERNEWS, she received this distinguished recognition for her painting "Baron Munchausen". "Baron Munchausen is my ancestor on father's side of my grandmother, Baroness von Rosen. The Rosens and the Munchausens were relatives on father's side and even lived in Riga at almost the same time. These families belonged to the Baltic Germans who settled in Russia during the time of Peter the Great. The men in these families usually had a military profession as their first career, and a civil or social profession as their second, with many being artists, architects, and representatives of other professions. "One day, while reading aloud The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Rudolf Erich Raspe, my grandfather told me that he was indeed our ancestor. I was certain that this name belonged to a fictional character, so I asked him for clarification. He confidently replied that the Baron was a real person and that Raspe had created his book based on numerous stories about him. As time passed, I occasionally began to feel strange, vivid changes within myself, and jokingly thought, The Baron must be visiting me," Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova said. "Recently, I even dreamt of him. In the dream, we conversed, and suddenly, with a wink, he asked, "Why don't you have my likeness?" I woke up in amazement. I would say that he was not just a dreamer; his fantasy was far more profound than is commonly understood. He was a love-struck visionary who embodied his dreams in reality because he never doubted their existence. This was, if you will, his way of life. Moreover, he was a military man who excelled in his field, distinguished by his bravery and heroism, and he was a masterful storyteller. Thanks to this gift, his stories have endured through the ages. Even though people affectionately called him a liar or a fantasist, they listened with rapt attention and endlessly retold his tales. He was both, yet always great! And that is what makes him remarkable. This is a brief story about my painting. Indeed, the call of the ancestors is a powerful presence!," the artist concluded. Note that a special jury selected a limited number of artists who have demonstrated exceptional talent and creativity throughout this year, which is still ongoing. It is worth noting that some of the talented nominees are eagerly awaiting their well-deserved acclaim. The award ceremony recognized artists across various categories, including painters, sculptors, photographers, digital artists, and stylists. The event took place in the heart of historic Florence, at Palazzo Pucci, which belongs to one of the oldest Florentine families dating back to the era of Medici. The award ceremony took place on January 25, 2025,in the magnificent Apollo Hall of Palazzo Pucci, decorated with paintings and frescoes. The ceremony was attended by collectors, journalists, politicians and art connoisseurs. A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the inaugural issue of the catalogue "MASTER ARTIST FOR COLLECTION," a new editorial initiative dedicated to showcasing the most distinguished contemporary artists. The catalogue demonstrates fascinating artworks by international artists that are available for collection. Each nominee for the International Prize "ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2025" also received a precious personalized prize. Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, into a family with a rich artistic legacy. Her great-grandfather was a famous Russian artist Ivan Ivanovich Sokolov. She pursued her education in the visual arts at the art and graphic faculty of Kuban University and the Academy of Arts named after Repin in St. Petersburg. Currently, Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova is a member of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union, the UNESCO International Federation of Artists, and the International Art Fund of the Russian Academy of Arts. She serves as Vice-President of the International Foundation for Aesthetic Development and is also a member of the International Association of Artists. In 1994-1995, she lived and worked in the U.S., specifically in Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago. Since 1995, she has resided in the city of Cologne, Germany. Her exhibitions are held with great success in many countries. Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova has participated in exhibitions in a diverse array of countries, including Germany, Italy, France, the United States, Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, etc. The artist received numerous awards for her art, including Phoenix Award, Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts, Arts-Sciences-Lettres Award, International Prize Velazquez and Goya. 29 January 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan organized a press conference regarding the municipal elections in the country, Azernews reports. The event began with the playing of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan. During the event, CEC Chairman Mazahir Panahov announced that all polling stations were fully prepared for voting. He noted that after the elections were announced, the CEC took all necessary measures. The CEC and district election commissions have taken all steps in accordance with the requirements of the Election Code. The chairman stated that a total of 71,209 people have the right to observe the voting process in the municipal elections. This number does not include media representatives. He emphasized that the municipal elections were organized in accordance with modern requirements. Panahov mentioned that the practice of using web cameras for election observation was implemented, allowing interested parties from any country to observe the elections by accessing the CEC's website. This practice is recognized internationally as an Azerbaijani innovation. According to Panahov, the municipal elections have garnered significant interest in Azerbaijan. Candidates from 24 political parties are participating in the elections. He noted that 8,071 members will be elected to 685 municipalities during the elections. The municipal elections will cover 118 districts. Seven of the 125 districts in Azerbaijan are located in territories liberated from occupation and are not participating in this process. It was highlighted that 70,625 local observers have registered to monitor the municipal elections. Voting in the municipal elections began today at 08:00 and will conclude at 19:00. 29 January 2025 10:22 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament, Lord John Alderdice, has been appointed as the UK's trade envoy to Azerbaijan and Central Asia, Azernews reports, citing the UK Department for Business and Trade. The UK Minister for Trade today announced the appointments for the global development team. The newly appointed 32 trade envoys will work to enhance the UK's export and investment potential to promote economic growth as part of the government's reform plan. As part of this appointment, Lord John Alderdice will serve as the UK's trade envoy for Azerbaijan and Central Asia. Lord Alderdice is a Northern Irish politician who has held various prestigious positions. He served as the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly from 1998 to 2004. 29 January 2025 12:27 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Azerbaijani authorities are continuing their investigation into the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024, according to presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev, Azernews reports, citing local media. As reported Hajiyev stated that detailed information on the incident will be provided to the public in coordination with partner states. At a meeting held by the president on this matter, it was also emphasized that the public will be regularly informed about the progress of the investigation into the plane crash, he noted. Regarding Azerbaijan's expectations from Russia, Hajiyev confirmed that the issue is being discussed with the Russian side through relevant and diplomatic channels. To recall, on December 25, 2024, Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243, an Embraer 190AR, tragically crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, during an emergency landing attempt. The flight was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, and carried 67 individuals, containing 62 passengers and five crew members. Among the passengers, there were 42 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals. The crash claimed 38 lives, while 29 survivors, including three crew members, were rescued. Of the five crew members, two tragically lost their lives, and three survived. Preliminary investigations suggest that the aircraft was struck by a Russian surface-to-air missile during efforts to repel a Ukrainian drone attack over Chechnya. On December 28, Russia's President Vladimir Putin made a phone call to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Putin expressed condolences and apologized to Ilham Aliyev for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace. The Azerbaijani President required Russia's President Vladimir Putin bring those responsible to justice and provide compensation to Azerbaijan, as well as to the injured passengers and the families of the deceased passengers and crew members. 29 January 2025 11:03 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On January 29, 2025, Ankara will host the second trilateral meeting of the foreign, economic, trade, and transport ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan, Azernews reports. For this purpose, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has embarked on an official visit to Turkiye. The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan noted that Minister Bayramov will deliver a speech at the trilateral meeting and hold several high-level bilateral meetings during his visit. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also released information regarding the meeting and noted that the meeting agenda will focus on three main topics: foreign policy issues and regional cooperation, enhancing collaboration in trade, economy, and investment, and strengthening cooperation in the development of regional transportation networks and the transport and communication sectors. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also added that at the end of the trilateral meeting, the Ankara Declaration is expected to be signed, along with an Action Plan outlining a concrete roadmap for the three countries to follow in the coming period. To recall, the first trilateral meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade/Economy, and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Turkiye, and the Republic of Uzbekistan took place in Tashkent on August 2, 2022. At the first meeting, views were exchanged on issues related to foreign policy and opportunities for regional cooperation, as well as the work done to realize the full potential of cooperation among the three countries in the fields of economy, trade, investment, and transport. As a result of the first meeting, the Tashkent Declaration was signed by the Ministers responsible for the relevant fields of the three countries, and the Foreign Ministers made press statements about the outcomes of the trilateral meeting. With todays meeting, the three nations aim to build on the progress made in 2022, fostering deeper ties that promise mutual benefits for all parties involved. 29 January 2025 14:00 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On the sidelines of the 2nd trilateral meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade/Economy and Transport of Azerbaijjan, Turkiye and Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister, Bakhtiyor Saidov, in Ankara, Azernews reports, citing a post share by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its X social network account. During the meeting, the ministers discussed the political, economic, trade, energy, transport, and communication aspects of the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan alliance. They also addressed regional and international security issues of mutual interest. The agenda included frameworks for regional and international cooperation, including the Organization of Turkic States, the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Economic Cooperation Organization, and other multilateral formats. Minister Bayramov briefed his counterpart on peace efforts, existing challenges, and threats to the ongoing peace-building process in the region. The ministers highlighted the importance of continued collaboration and underscored their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. 29 January 2025 16:07 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has been highlighted as a key platform for enhancing cooperation among Turkic nations, with a focus on maximizing its potential. The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has been highlighted as a key platform for enhancing cooperation among Turkic nations, with a focus on maximizing its potential. Azernews reports that these remarks were made by Rifat Hisarckloglu, Chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), at the opening of the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Trilateral Business Forum in Ankara on January 29. Hisarckloglu emphasized the importance of leveraging the OTS to strengthen ties and foster deeper collaboration between member states. The forum was attended by Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, and Uzbekistan's Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov. During his speech, Hisarckloglu underlined the numerous agreements facilitating trade between Turkey and Azerbaijan, including the Preferential Trade Agreement, and expressed hope for further reduction of customs barriers between Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. He also highlighted Turkey's existing customs agreement with Georgia, noting the lack of a similar arrangement between Azerbaijan and Turkey, and reiterated President Ilham Aliyev's statement calling the Turkic world a "family." Hisarckloglu also expressed optimism about the prospects of a Free Trade Agreement between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan, with the aim of boosting trade to new heights. He pointed to the significant potential for trade between Turkey and Uzbekistan, noting that the trade turnover reached $3 billion by the end of 2024, and there are no barriers to raising this figure to $10 billion. Furthermore, Hisarckloglu stressed the importance of regional transport initiatives, including the Kars-Nakhchivan railway and the opening of the Zangezur corridor, both of which would significantly improve connectivity and trade flows in the region. He also emphasized the need for increasing gas supplies through the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), a critical infrastructure project for energy transit in the region. 29 January 2025 18:38 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan have signed the Ankara Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to deepening trilateral cooperation in key sectors and addressing regional and global challenges. Azernews reports that the declaration, adopted at the 2nd trilateral meeting of the foreign, trade, and transport ministers of the three countries, includes a comprehensive Action Plan aimed at enhancing connectivity and transport collaboration. Key points of the Ankara Declaration include: A reaffirmation of commitment to expanding cooperation on regional and international issues of common interest. A joint pledge to counter any attempts undermining sovereignty and territorial integrity. A commitment to fully explore potential in key sectors, including economy, trade, investment, logistics, infrastructure, digitalization, environment, and climate change. A call to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of the Middle Corridor. Support for Azerbaijans reconstruction and demining efforts in the liberated Garabagh and East Zangazur regions. Recognition of positive developments in economic, trade, connectivity, and climate cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States. Acknowledgment of Azerbaijans role as the host of COP29 and its presidency in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Emphasis on a unified approach within the framework of the Turkic Development Council (TDC) concerning security and development in Afghanistan to ensure stability in Central Asia. A welcome for the ceasefire declaration in Gaza, calling for its strict implementation and reaffirming support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Ankara Declaration marks a step forward in the strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan, reinforcing their collective vision for economic integration, regional security, and sustainable development. 30 January 2025 00:53 (UTC+04:00) Former U.S. Senator Robert (Bob) Menendez (D-N.J.) was sentenced to 11 years in prison in a bribery case, Azernews reports, citing media outlets. To recall, on July 16, 2024, a New York court found Menendez guilty of a total of 16 counts, including bribery, financial fraud, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent. His arrest is scheduled for October 29. Menendez initially had to face 222 years in prison. As mentioned in his biography, Robert Menendez is an American lawyer and politician who served as the senior United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he had held back in 2006. Last year, he was accused of receiving bribes and expensive gifts together with his wife of Armenian descent, Nadine Menedez. The court said Menendez's wife, Nadine was also charged with the listed items. However, her trial was postponed indefinitely due to her illness. Bob Menendez's career record is almost full of service to his beloved Armenian society and anti-Azerbaijani activities, which certified him as staunch pro-Armenian. Besides, Menendez is also a sponsor of media outlets focused on Islamophobia and strong criticism regarding Azerbaijan. 29 January 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva In 2025, Uzbekistan plans to increase the share of "green energy" in the country's total energy capacity to 26%, up from the current 16%, Azernews reports. This was announced during a meeting on the draft State Program "Year of Environmental Protection and Green Economy," chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. To achieve this goal, the country plans to commission 16 large solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 3.5 gigawatts, 5 large hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of 160 megawatts, and energy storage facilities with a capacity of 1.8 gigawatts in 2025. "The head of State has instructed to additionally develop projects with a capacity of 1 gigawatt," the presidential press service said in a statement. As emphasized, the "green economy" initiative goes beyond just clean energy development; it also focuses on improving energy efficiency across various industries. The country aims to maintain economic growth of at least 6% this year, with a target GDP exceeding $125 billion. Achieving this will rely heavily on resource optimization and cost-efficiency. In this context, the President has tasked the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy and Finance with developing a program focused on reducing costs by 15-20% and increasing added value through improved energy efficiency. "The Head of State stressed that it is time to transition to a resource-efficient economic model. For instance, in the electrical engineering, automotive, pharmaceutical, and food industries, the added value per 1 ton of energy consumed is 15-20 times higher than in the chemical, construction, and textile industries," the report adds. Uzbekistans ambitious plans for a green energy transition reflect the global shift towards renewable resources as a means to combat climate change. As part of this transformation, Uzbekistan is not only focusing on expanding clean energy infrastructure but also fostering an economic environment that values sustainability. By investing in energy-efficient industries, Uzbekistan is laying the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable economy. The efforts align with the country's broader strategy to diversify its energy sources and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, while simultaneously boosting economic growth and creating new green jobs. 29 January 2025 13:00 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Mass protests continue in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with demonstrators targeting the French and Belgian embassies, setting fire to diplomatic buildings, Azernews reports. Tires were also burned in front of the U.S. embassy. The protests, which began earlier with attacks on the French, Rwandan, Belgian, and U.S. embassies, are fueled by anger over French President Emmanuel Macrons support for Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Demonstrators are demanding military intervention by the international coalition against the M23 rebels, who have intensified their offensive in eastern Congo. The situation in the east has rapidly deteriorated, with M23 rebels capturing the strategic city of Goma in a swift attack. Reports indicate that in some districts of Kinshasa, daily life has come to a standstill, with schools and businesses shutting down amid the unrest. The United Nations has reported hundreds of injuries from armed clashes in Goma, with many bodies found in the streets and a sharp rise in sexual violence cases. A large-scale exodus of local residents from the region has begun. At least 17 international peacekeepers have been killed in the ongoing battles between the M23 rebels and the Congolese army. 29 January 2025 18:19 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva In Sweden, a proposal has been made to lower the age of criminal responsibility for serious crimes from 15 to 14 years and to introduce a minimum prison sentence of 4 years, Azernews reports. Justice Minister Gunnar Stremmer stated that young people, including those under the age of 15, are increasingly involved in serious crimes. The proposal suggests implementing this change for a period of five years to assess the effectiveness of criminal liability for younger offenders. However, the children's rights group Bris has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of this measure. They argue that research does not show a correlation between lowering the age of criminal responsibility and a reduction in crime. In 2023, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child criticized such initiatives, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and advising Sweden not to change the age of criminal responsibility. Bris advocates for preventive measures, such as providing rehabilitation opportunities for children who have fallen into criminal environments, rather than focusing on punishment. Criminologists also point out that imprisonment is rarely an effective deterrent for crime. Looking at the experience of Denmark, where the age of criminal responsibility was lowered to 14 in 2010 and later returned to 15, it seems that such changes do not lead to a decrease in crime rates. Although crime in Sweden remains a serious issue, experts argue that prevention should take priority over tougher penalties. Focusing on early intervention and rehabilitation could offer a more sustainable solution to addressing youth crime. Sweden has been known for its progressive approach to criminal justice, often favoring rehabilitation over punishment. The debate on lowering the age of criminal responsibility highlights the tension between these values and growing concerns about youth involvement in serious criminal activities. An Idaho man who asked a BLM law enforcement ranger for help jumpstarting his car in a park near Huntington on Monday, Jan. 27, ended up with a ride to the Baker County Jail where he was booked on a warrant charging him with multiple crimes in his home state. Stancley Arthur Karczewski, 64, of Burley, Idaho, is charged in Minidoka County, Idaho, with possession of a controlled substance, resisting or obstructing police officers and fleeing or attempting to flee from a police officer in a motor vehicle. An Idaho judge issued an arrest warrant for Karczewski on Jan. 21. According to a probable cause affidavit written by Stephanie Cox, a law enforcement ranger for the BLM, she was patroling on Monday afternoon about 2:30 p.m. when she saw what appeared to be a disabled vehicle in the upper parking lot of Spring Recreation Site, along Brownlee Reservoir about 3 miles northeast of Huntington. A BLM manager had reported the vehicle, with one occupant, earlier in the day. Cox wrote that when she arrived, Karczewski got out of the vehicle, told her he needed help and asked if she could jump start his car with the jumper cables he offered. Cox checked his name through Baker County Dispatch and learned about the arrest warrant from Idaho. She then arrested him and drove him to the Baker County Jail. UPDATE: After Germany's traditional conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) announced new legislation to crack down on immigration and ramp up deportations and that they would work with their rivals on the right,, the populist nationalist anti-immigration Alternativ fur Deutschland (AfD) to pass it, an illegal alien has stabbed to death a CDU party officer. https://rmx.news/article/germany-african-migrant-suspected-of-killing-young-cdu-politician/ Meanwhile, the latest poll from respected British pollster YouGov of German voters shows gains by the right, estpecially the AfD, while vote for all of the parties of the recently collapsed "traffic light coalition" is cratering. Support for AfD has increased 4 points since their last poll to 23%, and the CDU has gained 1 point to 29%. Of the previous government, the center left Social Democrats lost 4 points to 15% and the far left Green Party lost 2 points to 13%. Their "odd couple" coalition partner, the classical liberal Free Democrats fell another point to 3%, which is below the treshhold to win seats. The Green Party recently doubled down on support for mass migration by calling for making it easier for migrants already in Germany to bring their relatives in chain migration. https://rmx.news/article/germany-afd-soars-to-23-in-aftermath-of-aschaffenburg-attack/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ORIGINAL POST It was already being called Germany's "Immigration election" but that has taken even more focus after a series of knifings by illegal aliens, where a 2 year old child has been one of the victims stabbed to death. The result has been the traditional conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), now led by longtime Merkel rival Friedrich Merz who has already pulled the party to the right, moving forward with an even more hardline anti-immigration position. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has appeared by video link at a major rally for the CDU's rival on its right, the populist nationalist anti-immigration Alternativ fur Deutschland (AfD) and urged Germans to vote for the AfD. The CDU has continuosrly led in polling with the AfD running second, and the governing center-left Social Democrats third. Lately, the AfD has been gaining on the CDU. CDU leader Merz has announced tough new legislation to crack down on illegal immigration which they want to ram through before the election. Unlike the past where Merz has tried to shun the AfD, this time he says he is open to their support on the legislation. This may be the first sign of a thaw that could lead to a coalition between the two parties after the election. Merz' bill would seal the border against all illegal aliens as well as some genuine refugees and increase deportations. He donounced the EU migration polices as failing. https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2006098/eu-country-plans-ban-all-illegal-immigrants-germany https://rmx.news/article/cdu-to-table-hardline-migration-reforms-in-bundestag-opening-door-to-afd-support/ Meanwhile, Elon Musk, appearing by video link at a major AfD rally in Halle, told the crowd that the German election would "determine the fate of Europe, and perhaps the world". Musk described the AfD's platform as "common sense" and denounced the current center-left German govenrment as "totalitarian" citing their attacks on freedom of speech. The AfD stresses a crackdown on illegal immigtation but is also calling for restoring free speech, lowering taxes, and restarting Germany's nuclear and coal electric plants while eliminating the wind turbines that have made Germany's electricity the most expensive in the world. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/01/future-world-depends-it-elon-musk-speaks-afd/ To be up there as a queer woman from a small village, it was saying to others like me... hell, yeah, you can do this too Jimmy Cricket: I hope I can live to be as old as my jokes... it is the enthusiasm that keeps me going The level of abuse and intimidation of women politicians in Northern Ireland is leading some to have doubts about running in elections, MPs have been told. Cahir Hughes, head of Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland, said that female politicians in the region had suffered horrific abuse including incidents of stalking and being targeted by pornographic deepfake videos. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee was hearing evidence from officials at the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Office as part of its investigation into how elections are conducted in the region. Responding to a question about abuse and intimidation of politicians and candidates in Northern Ireland, Mr Hughes said: Since 2022 female candidates and elected representatives have reported horrific abuse, misogynistic, sexist, violent (abuse). We have been working very closely with the PSNI to challenge that over the last number of years. It links in with the PSNIs strategy of tackling violence against women and girls. Changes that have happened in recent elections, the PSNI will now give each candidate a single point of contact so that when they are out campaigning they know there is a police officer they can contact. The PSNI are much more active now in terms of providing briefings for candidates and elected members in terms of stepping up their own security. SDLP MLA Cara Hunter recently spoke out about her experience after being targeted in a deepfake video (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Hughes said the Northern Ireland Assembly has now offered funding for MLAs so they can install security features at their personal address or office. He added: I do think we need a cultural change within our society. We have got a younger generation coming through that think that this is acceptable and a normal part of politics. The threat in Northern Ireland and I suppose the UK, particularly when we speak to female candidates, is that people are going to stop putting themselves forward. I think that would be hugely damaging to our democracy. Recently, SDLP MLA Cara Hunter spoke out about how she feared a deepfake video would ruin her political career as she urged action to clamp down on online abuse. Ms Hunter was targeted in April 2022 when a fake video was created to look as if she was taking part in pornographic activity with a man and shared online. Alliance Party MP Sorcha Eastwood told MPs this month about her experiences of abuse (UK Parliament/PA) Alliance Party MP Sorcha Eastwood told the House of Commons this month of an experience leading a school visit to Parliament Buildings at Stormont when she was approached by a member of the public who said they wanted to rape her. Mr Hughes said he encouraged politicians to report all incidents of abuse or intimidation to police. He added: We have heard from candidates and elected representatives who have been stalked because the imprint on their election material, some candidates would use their home address or an office address and they will have people standing at the edge of the driveway or outside their office. We know of female candidates who have been made intentionally to feel uncomfortable when they are out canvassing, be that hurling verbal abuse or just stalking and following. He added: It is just frankly unacceptable and the real challenge is that female candidates are now having reservations about putting themselves for election and they have told us that as well. Mr Hughes said the Electoral Commission was working with the Department of Education to improve education for young people about why people participate in politics. David Marshall, the chief electoral officer for Northern Ireland, gave evidence to MPs (UK Parliament/PA) David Marshall, the chief electoral officer for Northern Ireland, told MPs that his biggest concern in last years general election was around intimidation of polling station staff. He said: They are exposed, they are running a polling station, it is extremely difficult when people are doing a public service. We had situations where people were concerned over their safety in terms of coming and going from the polling station and and the police were involved in that. Four people were involved in the crash Four people have been taken to hospital following a two vehicle crash in Co Antrim on Wednesday morning. Police confirmed the crash involved a car and a motorbike in Carrickfergus. A PSNI spokesperson said: Police attended a report of a two vehicle road traffic collision involving a car and a motorbike at the Sunnylands Avenue area of Carrickfergus on Wednesday 29th January. "Four people were taken to hospital for injuries not believed to be life threatening. A Northern Ireland Ambulance Service spokesperson added: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 08:50 on Wednesday, 29th January 2025 following reports of an incident in the Sunnylands Avenue area, Belfast. NIAS despatched three Emergency Ambulance Crews, A Rapid Response Paramedic & a Hazardous Area Response Team to the incident. Two patients were taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital by Ambulance. Another patient was taken to Antrim Area Hospital by Ambulance. Four people were involved in the crash News Catch Up: Tuesday 28th January The scene of the alert in south Belfast Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press. A search operation in the Empire Street area of south Belfast where a man in his 50's was arrested following the discovery of a "suspicious object" on January 29th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) A search operation in the Empire Street area of south Belfast where a man in his 50's was arrested following the discovery of a "suspicious object" on January 29th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) A search operation in the Empire Street area of south Belfast where a man in his 50's was arrested following the discovery of a "suspicious object" on January 29th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) A search operation in the Empire Street area of south Belfast where a man in his 50's was arrested following the discovery of a "suspicious object" on January 29th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) A 50-year old man has been charged with a number of offences in connection with an ongoing Belfast security alert. Earlier today, police said they discovered what is believed to be an improvised grenade following a major search operation at a property in south Belfast. The device has since been removed and made safe. The man was arrested yesterday following the discovery of a suspicious object. He has been charged with a number of offences in connection with the investigation and will appear before Belfast Magistrates Court tomorrow (Friday). Photographs from the scene last night showed several Tactical Support Group officers searching a house in the Empire Street area with a number of plain-clothes armed officers at the scene. In an updated statement on Friday evening morning, a PSNI spokesperson said police remain at the scene but evacuated residents have returned to their home. Chief Inspector Mark Conway said: The object, believed to be an improvised grenade, has been removed and made safe by ATO evacuated residents in the area have also been allowed to return home. A 50-year-old man who was arrested has now been charged with a number of offences in connection with the investigation. He is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Friday morning, 31st January. We would reiterate our message that we are aware of inaccurate online speculation regarding this alert, and we advise the public not rely on such sources for their information. I would also like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as a public safety operation was carried out overnight and into today. I fully understand the disruption this can cause, however, our primary aim throughout the course of this operation was to keep our community safe. Our enquiries remain ongoing, with a police presence remaining in the area overnight as we continue with our enquiries. Anyone with information which could assist our investigation or noticed anything suspicious in the area in recent days, is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 401 29/01/25. On Thursday, Mr Conway had said: Following the discovery of a suspicious object in the area, officers have commenced a public safety operation. "A number of homes have been evacuated and motorists are advised to avoid the area. We thank residents for their understanding as we continue to keep the local community safe. Officers will continue to provide a visible policing presence in the area and an update will be provided in due course. It is understood the security alert is centred around a residential property near the Laganside Auctions building, with the street cordoned off at the junction of Lamberg Street. Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, a member of staff at the business said: It is just happening out the back of the building. It seems to be one of the houses out towards the back. "One of our staff members approached the police officers and they said it was OK for us to remain. "We have just been working away here. A search operation in the Empire Street area of south Belfast where a man in his 50's was arrested following the discovery of a "suspicious object" on January 29th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Watch: Never before seen relics revealed in Strand Arts Centre renovations A teenager has been shot in the leg in Co Down last night, police have confirmed. They said the 19-year-old was shot once in his leg in the Ballyreagh Way area of Newtownards at around 8.40pm. Police condemned the shooting and confirmed the teenager was taken to hospital after the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service also attended the scene. PSNI Detective Sergeant Westbury said: There can be no justification for this type of violence. Those who are involved in this attack do not represent the interests of this community, nor do they contribute anything to it. They do it to try and exert influence, or gain control of those they claim to represent. Our investigation is at a very early stage, and I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time, and who may have information, dash-cam, CCTV or doorbell footage which could assist with our enquiries, to get in touch on 101, quoting reference number 1548 28/01/25. A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/. The teenager was shot in Ards News Catch Up: Tuesday 28th January After every trail of destruction someone has to come along and clear up the mess and the greater the destruction, the more mess to clear. Since Friday weve all had about a couple of hours sleep a night, said contractor Stuart Harkness as he and his clean-up crew grapple with the latest task removing a massive tree from Dundonalds Stoney Road. Its a big one, felled by the power of Storm Eowyn on Friday morning. Contractors working on clearing Stoney Road after Storm Eowyn (Credit: Luke Jervis / Belfast Telegraph) The great clear-up: two hours sleep a night as specialist crews race to re-open roads after Storm Eowyn. Approaching from the Ballyregan end of the road, which runs along the back of the Ulster Hospital, the road closed signs are in place, although it doesnt stop a few cars from carrying on past, then returning a couple of minutes later. Theres no way through. A wall of branches blocks the road completely. Lying on its side, the evergreen, which has likely stood for decades, still forms a barrier at least 10 feet high. The noise from the clear-up can be heard, but the work is being carried out on the other side of the tree. A different approach is needed so its a case of turning around to get to the far side to where the action is happening. Stuart Harkness from Clive Richardson Ltd (Credit: Luke Jervis / Belfast Telegraph) Stuart and his team, from Portadown and Saintfield-based Clive Richardson Ltd, have been on-site since early morning, and its not as simple as dragging the tree away to make the road passable. Its brought down a telegraph pole and snapped it in two. Cables which should be on one side of the road now dangle on the other, complicating matters. The crew of at least five (there could be more lost somewhere in the depth of the branches) are hard at work. Chainsaws hum violently, with parts of tree being fed into a wood shredder which arrived the day before from Scotland and is shooting a golden arc over the hedge and into the field beyond. Branch by branch the blockage is being removed. But it takes time, and this is just one of hundreds of trees felled last weekend by winds approaching 100mph, all making the job of the Department of Infrastructure a time-consuming and difficult logistical operation to manage. Contractors from Clive Richardson Ltd working on clearing Stoney Road after Storm Eowyn on January 27, 2025 (Credit: Luke Jervis / Belfast Telegraph) There are only a limited number of teams like us, said Stuart, sweat leaking down the side of his face behind his protective visor. Work on this scale is, by the laws of mother nature, seasonal. He goes by the exotic-sounding job title of Arboricultural Consultant. We knew this was coming but we couldnt start on the clear-up until the storm subsided last Friday. Like everyone else, we had to sit back and wait until it was safe. We had to get the all-clear to get going, he said. "Even then there are issues. We couldnt just turn up and start clearing. We had to wait until the electric supply was isolated. But the priority is to get the tree out of the way, get the road opened as soon as we can once we get that go-ahead, then allow engineers to access the site to get the electric supply back up and running. Nothing, though, can be done until the fallen tree has been cleared. Weve escalated all our tools, equipment and manpower, said Stuart, detailing the scale of the operation which stretches right across Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, the problem is that NIE cant carry their operations out until we take the vegetation away from the sites. As soon as we have that done it will enable NIE to come in and do what they have to restore power. Contractors working on clearing Stoney Road after Storm Eowyn (Credit: Luke Jervis / Belfast Telegraph) There are homes and businesses along Stoney Road. Though the Ulster Hospital has plenty of backup emergency plans in place, with power supplies from at least four different sources, residents here were among over 200,000 homes left without power. As trees are cleared and NIE do their bit, that number has been steadily falling, but some trees prove more difficult to manoeuvre out of the way than others. This is one of the more difficult ones, said Stuart. Weve been on site here since early morning and well stay until its done, but its a full-day job for several men. It all shows the scale of the task across the country. Were just one contractor, and we currently have over 50 staff working day and night trying to get everything back to normal. We do understand there are a lot of people without power at the minute but were doing our very best to get people back online again. This one has come down with plenty of volume to it so its taking a while to get it fixed, he admitted, chainsaws continuing their incessant growling in the background. Hopefully itll only take two or three more hours to get this one sorted. Its 3.30pm. By evening the road at least should be passable. Then it will be up to NIE to get their crews in, get the cables back up again, repair damage done to conductors and replace the broken telegraph pole. Nothing is as easy as flicking a switch to make things right. We have five or six similar jobs on the go right now in the Greater Belfast area, he added. Clive Richardson Ltd contractors working on clearing Stoney Road after Storm Eowyn (Credit: Luke Jervis / Belfast Telegraph) Theyre all hard at work doing the same thing. But its a team effort all round for tree surgery companies. Theyre all working around the clock. Were all a wee bit tired, but well keep going until the work is done. After the red alert was lifted at 2pm on Friday we were ready. Wed had our operations meeting beforehand. Its been all systems go bar two or three hours sleep at night. And the steady progress of the clear-up operation will continue its march across the country, with every site offering a different set of problems. On east Belfasts Cyprus Avenue, for example, fallen trees there have also pulled up footpaths, adding to the complications. A further 10,000 properties were expected to be reconnected by 5pm on Tuesday though Ronan McKeown from NIE said it was becoming a trickier picture to reconnect properties which were still without power. He added that NIE had 1,000 people on the ground trying to restore power, 100 of whom were from overseas and that 250 generators had been delivered to vulnerable customers. In the meantime, Stuart Harkness and his team from Clive Richardson Ltd will plough on through clearing the path for NIE to get to work, with the promise of a decent sleep come the weekend as the incentive. Pa Daly, the Sinn Fein TD for Kerry, outside the High Court in Dublin, for his legal action against the government over whether super junior ministerial roles are unconstitutional (Brian Lawless/PA) Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly has been granted High Court permission to take legal action alleging the attendance of super junior ministers to Cabinet meetings is unconstitutional. Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted leave to the Kerry TD, meaning he can pursue his case after she was satisfied that he surmounted the relatively low bar of showing that he had an arguable case and that it had a prospect of success. Senior counsel Feichin McDonagh previously told the court that the application for leave to seek judicial review is over the appointment of super junior ministers who attended meetings of the Cabinet. Pa Daly outside the High Court in Dublin for his legal action against the Government over whether super junior ministerial roles are unconstitutional (Brian Lawless/PA) He told Justice Gearty that Mr Daly wants declarations that their attendance breaches the constitution. Mr Daly points out that Article 28 of the Constitution of Ireland limits the number of government members to 15. The super junior ministers appointed include Fine Gaels Hildegarde Naughton, as well as Independents Sean Canney and Noel Grealish. Fianna Fails Mary Butler is also a minister of state attending Cabinet. Mr McDonagh said the papers submitted to the court raise important issues. Justice Gearty said that the bar for granting leave is relatively low and not insurmountable. She said that the case is one that is arguable and has a prospect of success. I think you have surmounted that obstacle and I grant you leave to seek relief, she told the High Court on Wednesday. The case will come before the court next Tuesday, after the respondents, including the Taoiseach, the Government and the Attorney General have been notified. Mr McDonagh said that the papers will be served at the Oireacthas on Wednesday. He also told the court that he will write individually to each super junior minister to ask if they want to join as a notice party or be joined to the respondents. Speaking outside the High Court in Dublin, Mr Daly said: First of all I would like to thank Judge Gearty for taking the case, and hearing it so soon. (Left to right) Kevin Boxer Moran, Noel Grealish, Gillian Toole, Michael Lowry, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan and Sean Canney at Leinster House (Brian Lawless/PA) Im glad that she got to hear the arguments we had to make and she has granted us leave to take the case to the next stage. Over the last 15 to 20 years, there has been an increase in the number of super junior ministers appointed and if you listen to the comments that were made by former taoiseach Leo Varadkar over the weekend, these super junior ministers have full access to Cabinet papers and to memos and treated equally at Government talks. So it is the view of an increasing number of people that this may be contrary to certain sections of the Articles of the Constitution. I hope that the case proceed along with the same speed as has been shown to it to date. There are three separate headings in the pleadings, including the number of people attending Cabinet meetings. He said there is an issue of cabinet confidentiality as well as an issue of expenses and allowances paid to super junior ministers. Asked if Mr Varadkars comments will bolster his case, Mr Daly said: I dont think they were unhelpful. Mr Daly also said it will be interesting to see the arguments put forward by the Government about the practice of super junior ministers attending Cabinet meetings. Gardai are investigating the discovery of nine people in a shipping container at Rosslare Europort (Brian Lawless/PA) Six men who were among a group of people discovered in a shipping container in Co Wexford have been refused permission to enter Ireland. The men were found at approximately 10.30am on Monday. Gardai said they were alerted to the presence of a number of people inside a shipping container at Rosslare Europort. Providing an update, a Garda spokesperson said: Six adult males have been refused leave to land in accordance with immigration legislation. One adult male has claimed international protection and will now be processed by the International Protection Office. Two males are believed to be minors and are now in the care of Tusla. Gardai have appealed for anyone with information to contact Wexford Garda station. Chancellor Rachel Reeves gives a speech on economic growth at Siemens Healthineers, in Eynsham, Oxford (Peter Cziborra/PA) Rachel Reeves has rejected criticism of the Governments support to expand Heathrow Airport after she set out plans to remove barriers to growth in the hope of kickstarting the UKs stuttering economy. The Chancellor said the economy will stagnate if you always give in to objections and that the answer to new infrastructure cant always be no as Labour Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he would seek to halt a third runway going ahead. Her support for Heathrow will see her face down Labour critics and environmental campaigners, and figures from the aviation industry have voiced scepticism about the plans. Ms Reeves said in a speech at a medical equipment firm in Oxfordshire that she was prepared to fight for new housing, infrastructure and business projects, including tearing up environmental regulations which hamper construction to protect the bats and the newts. She insisted support for the runway would support the economy across the country and showed the Governments seriousness. Official figures have shown little or no economic growth since Labour took office in July, with Ms Reeves Budget imposing national insurance hikes on businesses, hitting confidence and potentially costing 50,000 jobs. But Ms Reeves gave a notably upbeat assessment of the UKs economic prospects in her speech, saying the Government had begun to turn things around. We have fundamental strengths in our history, in our language and in our legal system to compete in a global economy, but for too long that potential has been held back. For too long we have accepted low expectations and accepted decline, she said. We no longer have to do that. We can do so much better. Low growth is not our destiny, but growth will not come without a fight, without a government willing to take the right decisions now to change our countrys future for the better. Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out support for a series of major infrastructure schemes around Oxford and Cambridge during her speech in Oxfordshire (Peter Cziborra/PA) She highlighted the long-delayed Heathrow expansion project as an indication of the problems that had beset the UK economy. For international investors, persistent delays have cast doubt about our seriousness towards improving our economic prospects, she said. She later said she wanted spades in the ground on new projects announced today during this Parliament. We want that to happen in this Parliament. I want spades in the ground, I want people to see in their areas things happening, growth happening, she told BBC News. London Mayor Sir Sadiq said he remains opposed to Heathrow expansion because of its impact on noise, air pollution and meeting the UKs climate change targets. He said the last plans for a third runway at Heathrow involved building a tunnel under the M25 motorway and bulldozing a village. (PA Graphics) I will as the Mayor of this great city, as a pro-business Mayor, somebody who takes tackling the climate emergency seriously, but also thinks a green transition is one of the greatest opportunities we have this century, Ill use any tool in the toolkit to stop a third runway happening, he told Andrew Marr on LBC. The Chancellor was asked on the same programme what her message to Sir Sadiq and others opposing Heathrow expansion would be. She said: Look, the answer to new infrastructure cant always be no. Thats what happened under the last government. And nothing got built and nothing got done and living standards deteriorated. So, it does mean having to take on people who are against new developments, whether it is wind farms, airports or new rail lines. And the problem is, is if you always give in and say, Oh, okay, there some objections to this, well end up in a situation where the economy continues to stagnate, living standards decline, and will be no further forward than we are now. She has declined to put a timeline on when the runway could be operational. The Government wants proposals for a third runway to be produced by the summer, which will then face a full assessment through the airport national policy statement to ensure it is in line with legal, environmental and climate objectives, she said. Ryanair boss Michael OLeary described Heathrow expansion as a dead cat, saying it would not happen before the 2040s at the earliest and would not bring any growth. He urged the Chancellor to instead scrap air passenger duty (APD) during a press conference. Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, said the hurdles ahead of a third runway were very significant and cast doubt on Ms Reeves plans for sustainable aviation. Sustainable fuel is a real thing, but we need it in significantly greater volumes than are available today So mandating airlines to use a fuel source that doesnt exist today doesnt make an awful lot of sense, he told LBC. Environmental campaigners staged a protest against the decision outside the venue for her speech. Confirmation of support for Heathrow was one of a series of measures outlined by Ms Reeves, including: Plans for the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, which she said could become Europes Silicon Valley and add 78 billion to the UKs economy by 2035. New reservoirs will be built near Abingdon in Oxfordshire and in the Fens near Cambridge. They will be among nine new reservoirs built as the Government has agreed for water companies to invest 7.9 billion to improve infrastructure. Funding for the East-West rail link joining Oxford, Cambridge and towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes that sit between them will be confirmed, as well as upgrades to the A428 road. Activists from Fossil Free London and Green New Deal Rising protest against airport expansion plans outside Siemens Healthineers in Eynsham, Oxfordshire (Jacob King/PA) A new Cambridge cancer research hospital will be prioritised as part of the new hospitals programme. Oxford will get a growth commission, similar to one set up in Cambridge, aimed at helping the city and surrounding region to grow its economy. The Government will back the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport as South Yorkshire Airport City. A 65 million investment by the National Wealth Fund in expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Government guidance on appraising major projects will be reviewed in order to support investments outside of the wealthy and productive South East of England. The Trade Secretary will travel to India to restart negotiations on a free trade agreement with the country. Farmers gathered to protest against Rachel Reeves budget (Jacob King/PA) The Chancellor used her speech to defend the decisions she took in her first Budget, saying that taking the right decisions for the economy does not always mean taking the easy decisions. She added: I accept that there are costs to responsibility, but the costs of irresponsibility would have been far higher. Those who oppose my budget know that too. A group of farmers angry at the Budgets inheritance tax changes staged a noisy protest outside the Siemens Healthineers plant in Oxfordshire while Ms Reeves spoke. The Chancellor also insisted the Governments package of new employment rights went hand in hand with a strong economy, despite concerns from businesses about the economic impacts. She said having job security gave ordinary working people the confidence to go out and spend in the economy. But other forms of red tape were firmly in the Chancellors sights: The problems in our economy, the lack of bold reform that we have seen over decades, can be summed up by a 100 million bat tunnel built for HS2, the type of decision that has made delivering major infrastructure in our country far too expensive and far too slow. So we are reducing the environmental requirements placed on developers when they pay into a nature restoration fund that we have created, so they can focus on getting things built and stop worrying about the bats and the newts. Suggesting that the major projects set out in her speech could start being built on a faster timetable than previous schemes, she said: We are systematically, one by one, removing the barriers that held back our growth performance for too long. She said the Government wanted to crack on with things so people could feel the effects of economic growth in their own pockets by the time that this Parliament comes to an end. But shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: The biggest barriers to growth in this country are Rachel Reeves, Keir Starmer and their job-destroying budget and nothing in the Chancellors speech proved otherwise. 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 A woman stands in front of the home where fireworks exploded on New Years Eve. A fifth man has died as a result of injuries sustained in the explosion (Marco Garcia/AP) A fifth person has died from injuries suffered during a massive explosion of illegal fireworks at a Honolulu home on New Years Eve, police said on Tuesday. The 29-year-old man was one of six people flown to a hospital in Arizona for treatment earlier this month because Hawaiis only burn-care facility hit capacity treating other patients from the same blast. The explosion also killed a three-year-old boy and three women and injured more than 20 others. The 29-year-old man died at 6.42am Hawaii time, Honolulu police said. Illegal fireworks have become increasingly more common in Hawaii in recent years. Hawaii Governor Josh Green proposed new penalties designed to make it easier for police to enforce laws, including fines of 300 dollars that they could issue to those who shoot off fireworks. Mr Green has also proposed potential class A felony charges and decades in prison for those whose use of fireworks leads to serious injury or death. The state department of law enforcement has asked for 5.2 million dollars to hire eight people and expand the forensic lab to counter the rampant smuggling of illegal fireworks. Politicians were expected to consider these measures during the current legislative session, which ends in May. The US military, at Mr Greens request, flew six patients to Phoenix on January 4. All were in their 20s or 30s and had suffered burns that covered 45%-80% of their bodies. Flying particles and debris from the explosion left some of the patients with wounds resembling battlefield injuries. FILE In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech at a meeting (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a facility that produces nuclear material and called for bolstering the countrys nuclear capability, state media reported on Wednesday. It comes as the North looks to increase pressure on the United States following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. Mr Kims visit suggests a continued emphasis on an expansion of North Koreas nuclear arsenal, though Mr Trump has said he is willing to talk to Mr Kim again to revive diplomacy. Many analysts view North Korean weapons moves as part of a strategy to win diplomatic talks with Washington that could result in aid and political concessions. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Mr Kim visited the nuclear-material production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute. FILE In this June 30, 2019 file photo, President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Susan Walsh/AP, File) It did not say where those facilities are located, but North Korean photos of Mr Kims visit indicated that he likely visited a uranium-enrichment facility that he went to last September. That visit was North Koreas first disclosure of a uranium-enrichment facility since it showed one to visiting American scholars in 2010. During the latest visit, Mr Kim praised scientists and others for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials and in strengthening the nuclear shield of the country. On Sunday, North Korea said it tested a cruise missile system, its third known weapons display this year, and vowed the toughest response to what it called the escalation of US-South Korean military drills. North Korea views US military training with South Korea as invasion rehearsals, though Washington and Seoul have repeatedly said their drills are defensive in nature. In recent years, the United States and South Korea have expanded their military exercises in response to North Koreas advancing nuclear programme. The start of Mr Trumps second term raises prospects for the revival of diplomacy between the United States and North Korea, as Mr Trump met Mr Kim three times during his first term. The Trump-Kim diplomacy in 2018-19 fell apart due to wrangling over US-led economic sanctions on North Korea. During a Fox News interview broadcast on Thursday, Mr Trump called Mr Kim a smart guy and not a religious zealot. Asked whether he will reach out to Mr Kim again, Mr Trump replied: I will, yeah. Many experts say Mr Kim likely thinks he has greater bargaining power than in his earlier round of diplomacy with Mr Trump because of his countrys enlarged nuclear arsenal and deepening military ties with Russia. Lion dances were performed at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing (AP) Lunar New Year festivals and prayers have marked the start of the Year of the Snake around Asia and further afield including in Moscow. The holiday known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea is a major festival celebrated by diaspora communities around the world. The snake, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, follows the just-ended Year of the Dragon. Acrobatic lion dances are a popular feature of the celebrations (AP) In Hong Kong, hundreds of people lined up in the hours before midnight at the Wong Tai Sin Taoist temple in a bid to be among the first to put incense sticks in the stands in front of the main hall. The pop-pop-pop of firecrackers greeted the new year outside Guan Di temple in Malaysias capital, Kuala Lumpur, followed by lion dances to the rhythmic beat of drums and small cymbals. People holding incense sticks in front of them bowed several times inside the temple before sticking the incense into elaborate gold-coloured pots, the smoke rising from the burning tips. Many Chinese people who work in bigger cities return home during the eight-day national holiday in what is described as the worlds biggest annual movement of humanity. Prayers were offered at the the Dongyue Temple in Beijing on the first day of the Year of the Snake (AP) Beijing, Chinas capital, has seen many shops closed and normally crowded roads and subways emptied out. Traditionally, Chinese people have a family dinner at home on New Years Eve and visit temple fairs on the Lunar New Year to watch performances and buy snacks, toys and other trinkets from booths. Many Chinese take advantage of the extended holiday to travel both in the country and abroad. Ctrip, an online booking agency that operates Trip.com, said the most popular overseas destinations this year are Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, the United States, South Korea, Macao and Vietnam. Under the Chinese zodiac, it is the Year of the Snake (AP) Russians cheered, waved and took smartphone photos of a colourful procession with drummers, costumed dancers and large dragon and snake figures held aloft that kicked off a 10-day Lunar New Year festival in Moscow on Tuesday night. The Chinese and Russian governments have deepened ties since 2022, in part to push back against what they see as US dominance of the world order. Visitors shouted: Happy New Year in Russian and expressed delight at being able to experience Chinese food and culture in Moscow, including folk performances and booths selling snacks and artwork. Shutterstock.com The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) began rating movies in 1968 as a way of limiting censorship of filmmakers, but at the same time warning parents of questionable material in the films being released. They categorize R rated movies as "contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them." The movie rating system is a good one, but there are certainly flaws in distinction between movies. In 1984, they created the PG-13 rating to bridge the gap between PG and R. It has been reported that the releases of "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "Gremlins" that year led to the need for a new rating. However what a parent might think is an appropriate movie for their child might be different from another parent's viewpoint, and that could be completely different than what the MPAA thinks. That is why it is important to read each rating review in full. It will give further detail on why the movie is rated R - it could be only a few curse words or have scenes of violence, horror, or more. If a parent deems the content as appropriate for the child, they need to take steps in helping them filter the violence and adult content in the movie. Sites such as Common Sense Media will give parents a detailed list of the content the movie contains and an age recommendation for viewing. What do professionals say? Social worker Jean West talked with News Press Now and said that R rated movies can be a problem. I talk to a lot of kids who deal with trauma, and its interesting that they will mention something like a violent movie as a traumatizing event, she says. It obviously left a big impression on them and lingers with them. While a parent may find it harder to stop kids from watching sex and violence on TV or the Internet, psychologists see them taking their children to explicit movies at the theater as figurative thumbs-up for the content theyre watching. I think parents are more likely to take their kids to R rated movies. Maybe in years past we would have taken more caution, Ms. West says. I think the line has dropped on what we think that kids are able to view. Joyce Estes, who is director of the Northwest Missouri Childrens Advocacy Center, agreed with Wests sentiment. It does affect them. They see that and they take that in and that becomes part of who they are because thats what theyre learning, she says. Estes also clarified that she often see parents letting their children watch R rated content because they think their children will not be affect by it, because they lack understanding. However unlike adults, she says, children have no ability to filter out or process what the movie is teaching. They are malleable. A study published in 2010 in "Prevention Science" showed that R rated and violent movies cause children to try alcohol at an early age because of its glorification, as well as becoming desensitized and violent. Even Hollywood producers express concern. Stephen Simon, who is behind films like "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure", said that children should not be forced to watch R rated movies. I do not believe in censorship. Ive produced R rated movies myself. I just dont think that little children should be forced by their parents to experience the kind of violence and/or profanity and/or explicit sexuality in R rated films, Simon stated in a blog entry. What if your child sees an R rated movie? If you do let your child watch an R rated movie, make sure to sit down and discuss with them what they saw and how to appropriately react to it. Discuss characters actions and why or why not it is OK. Completely blocking out all violent material will be a useless task, so it is better to have open conversations. A happy medium can be reached, with the understanding that discussion of the material will follow. Sometimes, I will tell their parents that they want to monitor what theyre watching and discuss the content, so that the child will be able to process it, Ms. West says. Some of my children tried blocking that from their kids. I didnt agree with that and I still dont agree with that because that just made them want to see it more. Then they go somewhere else to see it and you cant monitor them. You watch the movies with them. You get good movies, you get good shows, you watch shows that are good for them (and) you talk about it with them, Ms. Estes says. You do it as a family. Thats probably the best that you can do. R rated movies are not appropriate for most children for a reason. The scenes and language used in these movies is impressionable on young children. Even for some young teens, these movies are hard to process and should be discussed thoroughly. If you ever are in doubt, watch the movie yourself first before letting your children discover it. Megan Bailey is a content producer and digital marketing specialist specializing in social media marketing. She attended James Madison University where she received a degree in psychology. 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. BENNINGTON A Massachusetts adult who was convicted by a jury in 2023 of sneaking in the window of a minor to have sex while her family was sleeping was sentenced Tuesday to additional time for violating his probation conditions by refusing to complete a mandatory treatment program. Denzel Lafayette, now 28, was charged with four felony counts back in 2020, including sexual assault without consent, sexual exploitation/luring a child, possession of child pornography, and carrying a deadly weapon while committing a felony. A Bennington jury ultimately convicted Lafayette in February 2023 on two of the felony counts sexual assault with no consent and using a weapon during a felony. The two other charges were dismissed, one by the state and one under seal. Lafayette was sentenced after his conviction to a confinement term of 5 years to life on the sexual assault and a 1-4-year term on the weapons charge. The combined sentence was suspended except for a 5-year confinement, concurrent on both charges. He was given numerous conditions of probation, including sex offender registration, no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of 16, no social media usage, and the condition he complete a Department of Corrections in-house treatment program for sex abusers while he served his sentence. In February 2024, Lafayette was charged with violating his probation conditions by refusing to participate in the treatment program while incarcerated. At the time, Lafayette claimed he could not participate and take responsibility for his actions due to a Supreme Court appeal of his case. The courts denied that appeal, but Lafayette, according to charging documents, never participated or tried to rejoin in the required treatment program. Bennington Judge Jennifer Barrett found Lafayette guilty of the violation in November 2024. In a scheduled sentencing hearing Tuesday, Lafyette, transported from prison for the hearing, was given additional time equaling 6 years to life, with a to-serve sentence of 6 years, 10-months, for willfully violating his probation, according to Judge Barrett. Since the treatment program would have been longer than the timeframe left in the unsuspended portion of his sentence, she added the exact amount of time he needs to complete the program. Prosecutors had asked to revoke his split sentence for a complete 5-to-life sentence to serve. Defense attorney Frederick Bragdon asked the judge to allow Lafayette to complete his split sentence and seek a community treatment program after his release. Instead, the judge required Lafyette, by manipulating the to-serve portion of the sentence, to stay incarcerated for an additional one year, one month, and ten days, just enough to allow time for him, if he desires, to complete the required program in prison. If the defendant still chooses not to participate in the program, it will be another violation, and we will be back here for another resentencing, Judge Barrett said as Lafayette sat at the defense table, shaking his head. According to a police affidavit in the original case, Lafayette, of North Adams, Mass., was 22 when he drove to Bennington to meet the then 15-year-old victim at her residence after connecting with her over social media. Lafayette was convicted of climbing into the girls window while carrying a pistol in the early morning of Aug. 16, 2020, and sexually assaulting her. The victim pointed to Lafayette and identified him at the trial as the man who sexually assaulted her while her family slept. The trial ended with Lafayettes conviction on two counts sexual assault on a minor, no consent, and having a weapon while committing a crime, both felonies. Judge Cortland Corsones dismissed under seal one of the three charges luring linked to the victim and Lafayettes relationship on Facebook. A count of possessing child sex abuse images also was dismissed last year. Its difficult to share the trauma and to feel a sense of reliving the nightmare that was caused, wrote the victims mother in a statement read in court at his original sentencing. Its difficult to explain the damage done to her and her future potential. My daughter and our family have suffered emotional and mental fallout from his crimes. Denzel sexually assaulted her at a time when her understanding of personal dignity, value, and worth was being developed. His actions have affected her views of her value, her voice and how men value her as a young lady. Denzels attack was not only on her body but also her soul, dignity, and emotional development. He needs to be shown that his actions affected many peoples lives. He needs to know the amount of pain he has caused. Lafayette has a criminal and mental health history, as well as a substance abuse history from Massachusetts, starting at the age of 16, including a conviction for disorderly conduct in 2018, assault and battery in 2019, and presenting obscene material to a minor in 2019, where he served 612 days of incarceration. He also has a conviction for possessing child sex abuse images out of the commonwealth and is on the Massachusetts sex offender registry. One of his minor victims was impregnated during an attack. His record check shows three probation violations from Massachusetts, which caused his probation to be terminated as a result. Lafayette has three children, including a newborn. A post-sentencing investigation report completed after his conviction showed a clear need for treatment. However, the report states that the defendant does not accept responsibility for his crime in this case. He has denied ever viewing child sex abuse images despite his Massachusetts conviction, and he indicated that he wouldnt participate in programming. Im not going to take programming because thats basically saying I did that, and I didnt do that, Lafayette told the doctor in charge of the investigation report. So, whats the need for programming? The court-ordered report also stated that Lafayette presented a high risk to others in the community for recidivism. The Banner will update this story as more information becomes available. On the back side of the stone theres an inscription for Wesley Ford, a 16-year-old who died at the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864. But theres no veterans marker, and Im wondering why," an inquirer wrote. The project outside Town Hall organized by former state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli will honor Berkshire County members of the military who died in service to the U.S. from World War I to the present. PITTSFIELD One immigration attorney says his phone is "blowing up" with calls and texts from people worried about whether they are in danger of being taken into custody by ICE. And others who work closely with immigrants in Berkshire County say they are equally busy trying to stay on top of information and quell anxiety. While the new Trump administration says it wants to remove people who entered the country illegally, it is still unclear to what degree this will be enforced. Currently, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities appear to be focusing on those involved or accused of criminal activity. But the heightened national attention on immigration enforcement has some local advocates stressing calm amid the storm of misinformation and attention-grabbing stories about raids in major cities. People are feeling stressed and overwhelmed and anxious just because its all still so unclear," Berkshire Immigrant Center Executive Director Melissa Canavan said, and whether its going to affect them or not are different because of the circumstances of how they got [to the U.S.]." While local immigration advocates say they have not seen or heard of verified reports of any new arrests or activity by immigration authorities since President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20, Canavan said the nonprofit is working to understand and educate its clients about the impact of evolving changes. Immigration law and the potential changes are hard enough, she pointed out, even for the average English-speaking American to understand. Canavan said that legal challenges to some of Trumps proposed immigration policies to remove birthright citizenship, for instance are also putting the rules in limbo. We cant be reactive, Canavan said, adding that BIC clients who have immigration applications underway, for instance, should be checking in with the center. The center offers a number of services, including help filing out forms for immigration benefits including green cards, tourist visas, and family sponsorship. The organization also helps with referrals to immigration attorneys. People should seek expert advice rather than acting on unverified information, Canavan said. This could come, she added, from well-meaning community members, or from people posing as immigration lawyers who are taking advantage of the panic. Canavan is also urging the community and local media against misinformation that "stirs the pot" about ICE activity, and stokes fear in an already anxious population. ICE enforces federal immigration laws that make it a criminal offense to enter the U.S. without going through the proper channels to obtain various visas and legal immigration status which is also sometimes known as being undocumented. Reentering the country after being deported is also a crime. Overstaying ones visa or not having legal papers is not a criminal offense. Being convicted of a crime as a non-U.S. citizen, however, is grounds for automatic deportation. Local and state police do not have the authority to make immigration-related arrests. Some towns, like Great Barrington, prohibit police from any involvement with ICE. While immigration raids have received outsized attention since Trump took office, ICE arrests and deportation are not new in the U.S. Deportations reached levels during one year of the Biden administration that surpassed those under Trump's first presidency, according to The Washington Post and ICEs 2024 Annual Report. ICE did not respond to questions about whether any arrests have been made in Berkshire County, and how many have been made across Massachusetts since Trump took office. The last known Berkshire County residents taken into custody by ICE were two men awaiting trial on criminal charges. Both were arrested by the agency in November, and ICE publicized it. Both men are being detained and their cases are moving through Immigration Court. Scott Clark, the only Berkshire County attorney who specializes in immigration law, said he is not aware of any ICE arrests since those of the local men in November one of whom is his client. He has heard only unverified reports. But he is seeing a surge of concerns, and a slight uptick in people wanting initial consultations four or five since Jan. 20. My WhatsApp is blowing up, he said of the phone call and messaging app. I have a lot of existing clients contacting me just to confirm their [immigration] statuses, and what they should do if theyre stopped by police or ICE [and] what documents to carry with them. Other places that immigrants rely on also say they have not yet heard any reports about ICE activity. Berkshire Community College has a growing number of students who are immigrants in its Adult English for Speakers of Other Languages program. College spokesperson Jonah Sykes said the college hasnt heard any rumblings regarding ICE on campus. At the Peoples Pantry in Great Barrington, board member and Vice President of Operations Anne Hutchinson said there was a slight drop in people picking up food on Jan. 20, but she believes it was due to the cold and snow. The numbers went back to normal later in the week. But the pantry is always vigilant about protecting its 650 to 700 clients. We dont collect information about people, Hutchinson said. Were careful. We ask what town they live in but we dont check up on it. Our relationships with other countries are very important, and it comes from being allies and helping each other, because there are people that want to take over countries, as we know. We see it all over, all the time." Jeff Robbins, a part-time resident of Stockbridge, is a former U.S. delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Council and a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief counsel for the Democrats on the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He is the author of Notes from the Brink: A Collection of Columns About Policy at Home and Abroad. BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. A man charged with attacking a woman on a bus in Dublin was identified through RTE's Crimecall programme, a court has heard. The alleged incident in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29th, 2024, featured in a public appeal for assistance last week. Advertisement Martin Ball, 36, of Gleann na hEorna, Springfield, Tallaght, appeared before Judge Paula Murphy at Dublin District Court on Wednesday. He was granted bail with a condition not to travel on a specific bus route. Mr Ball is charged with assault causing harm to a woman at Grange Road, Rathfarnham, D14, on May 29th last year. Court presenter Garda Sergeant Bryan Duff furnished a certificate outlining the evidence of arrest, charge, and caution. Advertisement The sergeant said that due to the nature of the case, directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions needed to be obtained. Dressed in a black coat, blue jeans, black runners and cream jumper, Mr Ball did not address the court and has yet to indicate a plea. There was no objection to bail with conditions, most of which had been flagged to defence counsel Fergal McMorrow. No evidence about the alleged assault was given during the brief hearing. Advertisement Judge Murphy ordered Mr Ball to have no contact directly or indirectly with the alleged injured party or any witness, reside at his current address, sign on three days a week at his local Garda station and stay off the S8 Go Ahead bus which the court was told goes through Rathfarnham to Cabinteely. Ireland Sliabh Liag trial: Accused was 'a bit manic' when... Read More Mr McMorrow argued that the signing-on condition was "a little onerous" for his client, who worked full-time and had no prior convictions. The defence was agreeable to all the other terms. The court sergeant asked it to be part of the bail due to the nature of the charge, and he added that the accused had been identified through Crimecall. Judge Murphy said that because of the lengths gardai had to go to locate him, she was leaving the requirement for Mr Ball to sign on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. However, she added that the issue could revisited. The accused was remanded on his bond of 300 to appear again on March 12th for the DPP's direction to be conveyed. Judge Murphy held that he was a suitable candidate for free legal aid, which was granted. A corporal in the Irish Defence Forces was involved in a money laundering operation that handled over 6.6 million worth of drug dealers cash, a court has heard. Richard Kearney (36) of Shancastle Drive, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having 25,000, knowing or being reckless as to whether it was the proceeds of crime at an address in Fernwood Lawn, Tallaght on May 6TH, 2022. He has no previous convictions. Advertisement Garda Vincent Jaffray told Alison Fynes BL prosecuting that a phone seized during the search of Kearneys rented home at the time was analysed and found to contain communication with known drug dealers. The garda said the conversations showed amounts of money, locations and dates and suggested that Kearney was responsible for laundering 6.6 million and 250,000 British sterling between April 2021 and May 2022. He said the search also uncovered 10,455 in cash, concealed in a bedframe and a further 15,000 wrapped in clingfilm in a freezer. Kearney admitted during interview that he was the only person who lived in the flat and confirmed that it was his phone. Advertisement Bank statements Garda Jaffray confirmed that analysis of Kearneys bank statements showed that Kearney had no legitimate way of making the amount of money which was found in his home. Garda Jaffray agreed with Ciara Ni Ghabhann BL defending that Kearney caused no trouble during interview and answered all questions put to him. He accepted that he is a corporal with the Irish Defence Forces and will now lose that job. Ms Ni Ghabhann told Judge Martin Nolan that her client is a father of two children and acts as a parent to his partners four children. Advertisement She said he had risen to rank of corporal in the Irish Defence Forces and was involved in the equestrian school with the army. He travelled to the Olympics with an equestrian team where he acted as a groom. Ms Ni Ghabhann said Kearney looked for a transfer in location in the army, which led to a drop in his wages and he struggled financially as a result. She said around Christmas 2020 he was approached and offered what he thought was a friendly loan but he found himself in over his head. Counsel said threats started to come in and Kearney had to get involved in the offence as a result. Advertisement Judge Nolan said gardai had certain beliefs which led them to embark on the search of Kearneys home adding their beliefs were justified. 'Very substantial money laundering' He acknowledged that Kearney pleaded guilty to possession of the physical cash that was found during the search but said the full facts, as disclosed during the sentence hearing, detailed phone evidence which demonstrated that Kearney was involved in very substantial money laundering. Judge Nolan accepted that Kearney has no record of conviction, has family responsibilities, is unlikely to come before the courts again and has many, many good points. He noted the maximum penalty available to the court was 14 years and said given the seriousness of the offence a headline sentence of six years was appropriate. Judge Nolan reduced the sentence to three years, having taken into account the various mitigating features of the case. Two people involved a scheme to pose as learner drivers and sit the theory test on behalf of others are due to be sentenced on Thursday. Alina Glont (42) of Charlestown Place, Finglas, Dublin 11 pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of conspiracy. Advertisement Daniel Stepien (29) with an address at Annfield Court, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 also pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy. The offences took place on dates between September 2018 and June 2021. After hearing the facts of the case on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case to Thursday to consider sentencing. Detective Garda Barry Cormack told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that the two accused were part of a group of five individuals involved in a scheme to take driver theory tests on behalf of third parties. Advertisement He told the court that information was obtained that third parties contacted the group, then arrangements were made for one of the group to pose as a learner driver at a theory test centre to sit the test, using a computerised system. When the theory test was completed successfully, a pass certificate would issue, which could be used by the third party to apply for a driving test. Det Gda Cormack said 124 incidents where someone from the group went to a test centre were identified. Stepien sat 68 theory tests and Glont completed 20. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) started its own investigation in January 2021, after receiving confidential information. 36 potential impersonations were reported to gardai by the RSA the following June. Advertisement Det Gda Cormack said separate investigations are ongoing, but some third parties have reported paying amounts between 1,000 and 2,000 to the group Glont's home was searched by gardai and seven prepaid debit cards, registered with false names and addresses, were found. These cards were used to book over 100 theory tests. Driver theory test books, and sums of cash in sterling and euro were also recovered and Glont's phone was seized. The court heard nothing of probative value was obtained when Glont was first interviewed by gardai in 2021. Advertisement When interviewed for a second time in 2023, she admitted her role and was co-operative with the investigation. She told gardai she booked the tests and would direct Stepien to attend certain tests. Stepien was also interviewed, but nothing of evidential value was obtained. The court heard evidence that he was directed by others, and is considered by gardai to be at the lowest rung of the hierarchy. Det Gda McCormack said gardai have suspicions about the other members of the group, but they are not before the courts. Advertisement Glont has five previous convictions including handling stolen property and use of a false instrument. Stepien has 30 previous convictions including for deception, theft and road traffic offences. Blackmail In November 2022, he was jailed for three and half years after pleading guilty to making a demand with menace. He and two other men blackmailed a teenager by threatening to disclose explicit photographs from her OnlyFans account to her family and friends if she didnt hand over 10,000. Stepien currently has an earliest release date of June 2025. Det Gda Cormack agreed with counsel for both accused that their pleas were beneficial to the prosecution. He agreed with Simon Matthews BL, defending Stepien, that his client was paid low amounts for his involvement, receiving 150 per test, and was at the lowest rung of the ladder. It was further accepted that Stepien told gardai he was struggling with gambling and substance addiction issues at the time and that it was clear that photos on theory test certificates were of the defendant. Det Gda Cormack accepted a suggestion from counsel representing Glont that her ex-partner is a person of interest in the investigation and that he left the jurisdiction around the time she was first arrested in 2021. He further agreed that Glont has not come to garda attention since June 2021. It was further accepted that Glont outlined that her ex-partner was violent and coercive when interviewed by gardai for a second time in 2023. Det Gda Cormack also agreed with counsel for Glont that Stepien told gardai her ex-partner got him involved in the scheme and wouldn't allow him to stop. Mr Matthews asked the court to take into consideration his client's guilty plea, the contents of a governor's report and clean urine analysis. He said Stepien is doing well in custody and has enhanced prisoner status. Counsel said the offending in this case took place around the same time as the offence for which Stepien is currently in custody. Stepien's father passed away in early 2021 and he arranged the funeral. He also had gambling debts of 10,000 at this time. He has one young child and has a good work history. A number of references and an offer of work upon his release were also handed to the court. Mr Matthews said his client outlines in a letter to the court that he is addressing his gambling and substance addiction issues while in custody. Mr Matthews said his client accepts responsibility for his actions and has taken significant steps to rehabilitate while in custody. He asked the court to give Stepien a chance. Counsel asked the court to take into account his client's early guilty plea, her personal circumstances and all other available mitigation. Ireland Irish Army corporal jailed over 6.6m money launde... Read More Counsel for Glont asked the court to find truth in her assertions of violence and coercion by her ex-partner. He suggested her offending took place during a period when her ex-partner was controlling her, she was offending on his behalf and under his control. He submitted that her behaviour has been strikingly different since her ex-partner left the jurisdiction and she has thrived, taking up work, setting up her own business and completing further education courses. A number of references were handed in to the court from Glont's family members along with her former workplace. Glont set up a chauffeur business after obtaining her PSV and bus driving licences and has two children. The numbers of those refused entry to the State at Dublin airport last year due to having no travel documents declined by 30 per cent to 2,293. New Department of Justice figures show that the 2,293 refused entry by front-line immigration officials at Dublin airport last year compares to 3,287 refused for having no travel documents in 2023 - a decline of 994. Advertisement The decline follows the then Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, last August imposing higher fines on airlines and ferry companies that allow someone to board or disembark without proper documentation. The Ministerial order increasing the maximum fines from 3,000 to 5,000 was a way of preventing the practice whereby some people destroy or dispose of travel documents as part of efforts to claim asylum. At the time, Minister McEntee said: "There is a legal obligation on our airlines and on our ferries to make sure that any individual that boards our planes or boats that they have the correct and proper documentation where that doesn't occur, we need to make sure that there are very clear penalties and fines. In a written Dail reply to a question placed by Carol Nolan TD, Dept of Justice figures show that the total numbers refused entry to the State at Dublin in 2024 amounted to 5,255. Advertisement The 5,255 refused entry last year is a 10 per cent decline on the 5,826 who were refused entry at Dublin in 2023. The figures show that while the numbers refused entry due to having no travel documents dropped, the numbers refused entry due to false documents+importers increased by 23.5pc from 872 to 1,077 which is part of the 5,255 total. The Department figures show that 2022 recorded the peak number of recent years for those refused entry to the State when 7,662 were refused entry that included 4,968 refused due to having no travel documentation. The numbers refused declined in 2024 despite the overall number of passengers arriving into Dublin airport last year increasing by 4pc from 16.62m to 17.3m. Advertisement The Border Management Unit (BMU) of the Department of Justice is responsible for frontline Immigration at Dublin Airport only while other airports and other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). Ireland Sinn Fein TD secures court permission to continue... Read More The decline in those being refused entry without travel documentation follows the Dept of Justice and the GNIB working closely with airlines on a range of measures to ensure that passengers have such documentation when boarding. This includes delivering in-person training to relevant airline ground-handling staff on immigration requirements and false travel documentation. In addition, BMU and GNIB also have an ongoing intelligence-led programme of operations at airplanes to detect passengers who destroyed documents inflight and to identify the point of embarkation of undocumented passengers. Last year in 2024, the BMU carried out over 7,300 doorstep operations at Dublin Airport. A woman accused of murdering a pensioner whose skull was fractured and his body allegedly thrown over Ireland's tallest cliffs told gardai she was "a bit manic" and was exaggerating when she told a friend she had hit the deceased over the head. The trial also heard that Nikita Burns (23) told gardai that her co-accused, Alan Vial (39), had struck the deceased man Robert 'Robin' Wilkin (66) six or seven times with a rock. Advertisement She described seeing Mr Vial with the rock in his hand, "smashing it off Robin's head" while she told him to stop. She said: "I saw blood going everywhere and Alan just kept hitting him and hitting him and I kept saying, that's enough." When Mr Vial stopped, she said, Mr Wilkin was dead and lay slumped between the car seats while Mr Vial drove to the cliffs at Sliabh Liag. Ms Burns said Mr Vial had suggested they throw Mr Wilkin over the cliff. They drove for 30 minutes and when they got to the top, she said Mr Vial "dragged him [the deceased] over to the fence and pushed him over." Ms Burns said she did not get out of the car at Sliabh Liag and did not touch the rock or hit Mr Wilkin at any point. Advertisement Ms Burns of Carrick, Co Donegal and Mr Vial of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, Co Donegal have pleaded not guilty to the murder of 66-year-old Robert 'Robin' Wilkin on June 25th, 2023 in Donegal. Mr Wilkin's body was found eight days later in the water below the Sliabh Liag cliffs. Detective Garda Patrick Farrell told prosecution counsel Emmet Nolan BL that Ms Burns was arrested on June 26th, the day after the alleged murder, and interviewed three times at Ballyshannon Garda Station. In her first interview she said that she and Mr Vial had been "seeing each other" for a few weeks and when asked if they were in love, she replied: "Yeah." She had been living at Mr Vial's five-bedroom house along with Mr Wilkin for about one month. She said she and Mr Vial worked for Mr Wilkin, who was involved in a concrete business. Advertisement In her first two interviews, she said she didn't know what happened to Mr Wilkin but in her third interview, she told the detectives that Mr Vial killed Mr Wilkin and threw him off a cliff. She said she had difficulty remembering what happened because she was "really drunk" but she thought she had been in the front passenger seat of a Volkswagen Passat which was being driven by Mr Wilkin. The two men were fighting, she said, and Mr Wilkin pulled over in an area that she later identified as Roshine in Fintown after gardai showed her CCTV footage of the Passat's movements. She said she remembered seeing Mr Vial with a rock in his hands. "He kept smashing off Robin's head with it and I told him to stop but he wouldn't stop," she said. Advertisement Mr Vial struck the deceased six or seven times with the rock, she said, and when he stopped Mr Wilkin was dead. She said it was Mr Vial's idea to put the body over the cliff at Sliabh Liag. Sharon O'Dowd has previously given evidence that she spoke to Ms Burns by phone the night after Mr Wilkin's death. Ms O'Dowd said Ms Burns told her that she and Mr Vial "beat some man's head in" so she recorded part of the conversation. Gardai played the recording to Ms Burns. Following a five-minute consultation with her solicitor, Ms Burns said: "I was off my head, I was a bit manic and then I over-exaggerated the story because I felt I needed to tell somebody and then I just over-exaggerated. I wanted to protect Alan. I wanted him not to take the fall." Advertisement When asked what specifically she had exaggerated, she said: "I exaggerated that I hit him over the head and dragged his body." She denied murdering Mr Wilkin or throwing him over the cliff and said she did not touch the rock or hit the deceased. She said she returned to Sliabh Liag the following day because Mr Vial wanted to "have a look to make sure the body was not still there". She said they didn't see anything so they left. Ireland Sinn Fein TD secures court permission to continue... Read More She further told gardai that the only reason she cleaned blood from the Passat was that she felt "threatened" after Mr Vial told her he didn't know what he would do if she didn't help. It is the prosecution case that the two accused caused Mr Wilkin's death having engaged in a joint enterprise with the intention to cause serious injury to him. The jury has been told that where two or more people set out on a criminal enterprise, each one is responsible in law for the actions of the other. The statement of one accused person cannot be used as evidence against the other, the jurors were also told. The trial will continue next Tuesday before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven women and five men. A range of stories feature on the front pages of Wednesday's newspapers as the clean up from Storm Eowyn continues. The Irish Times reports that letters are being sent to about 800 expectant mothers due to give birth at Portiuncula University Hospital in Co Galway, informing them of external reviews taking place into the delivery of nine babies. Irish officials have told the Minister for Defence that many of Irelands EU partners are in full war preparation mode, according to the Irish Examiner. Advertisement The Irish Independent says the the Office of Public Works is under fire again after it emerged it spent nearly 500,000 on a new wall for a State agency. The Minister for Justice has appealed to people in sedentary jobs to consider becoming gardai, ahead of the launch of a new recruitment campaign, the Irish Daily Mail reports. The Irish Daily Mirror reports on how Taoiseach Micheal Martin was confronted by an angry mother who has been without power since Storm Eowyn. The Irish Daily Star reports that the son of a Kinahan cartel member was jailed for firing gunshots at a car. A woman tells the Belfast Telegraph that the healthcare system in the North is broken after her husband died waiting for an ambulance. Advertisement Previews of a major speech from UK finance minister Rachel Reeves on Wednesday takes centre stage on several of the Britishs front pages. Ahead of the speech, British prime minister Keir Starmer writes in The Times, pledging to cut through thickets of red tape to help economic growth which he calls the only cure for the sickness of stagnation and decline. Ms Reeves will warn that growth will not come without a fight, according to The Daily Telegraph, saying she faces opposition from fellow members of the UK cabinet over airport expansions, one of the policies due to be covered in the speech. The Guardian focuses on Ms Reeves being due to set out plans to create Europes Silicon Valley between Oxford and Cambridge. An announcement in the speech of a multi-million pound investment into kerbside electric vehicle charging points features on the front of The i Paper. Advertisement The Daily Mail focuses on calls for Ms Reeves to remove barriers to growth which Labour created. The departure of Strictly Come Dancing star Wynne Evans from the shows live tour occupies the front of the Daily Mirror and The Sun. The Daily Express turns its attention to royal matters and history, saying Britain's King Charles vetoed naming a new Navy submarine after the Battle of Agincourt. Figures predicting the UK population will rise by almost five million people to 72.5 million in the next decade appear in The Independent. Advertisement The Financial Times looks across the Atlantic as it reports on US president Donald Trump freezing federal grants and loans in a move to cut government spending. Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and a tax avoidance scandal involving superyachts features on the front page of the Metro. And the Daily Star returns to what it calls psycho scumbag chatbots with the warning they have learned to clone themselves. Harvey Weinstein begged a judge on Wednesday to hold his sexual assault retrial as soon as possible, telling him I dont know how much longer I can hold on with cancer, heart issues and harsh conditions at New York Citys Rikers Island jail complex. The disgraced movie mogul objected after Judge Curtis Farber said the retrial would start on April 15, imploring him to swap with another, unrelated trial the judge has in March. Advertisement Every day Im at Rikers Island, its a mystery to me how Im still walking, Weinstein said at a hearing in court in Manhattan. Im holding on because I want justice for myself and I want this to be over with, he said. Former film producer Harvey Weinstein during Wednesdays hearing (Timothy A Clary/Pool Photo via AP) Weinstein, 72, is being treated for numerous health conditions, including chronic myeloid leukaemia, heart issues and diabetes. He complained to Judge Farber that jail officers gave him the wrong pills on Wednesday morning and failed to pick him up for court in a timely fashion. So many people suffering on Rikers Island, he said. Advertisement Weinstein arrived in court in a wheelchair more than half an hour after the hearings scheduled start time. Im asking and begging you, your honour, to move your trial, Weinstein said, suggesting that even a weeks head start would be helpful. Weinstein said that at times he finds himself gasping for air and predicted that he would soon be in a hospital again for treatment. He quizzed the judge about his trial calendar, including jury selection in another matter that is set to begin on Monday. Advertisement Judge Farber said he arrived at the April 15 date after consulting with prosecutors and Weinsteins lawyers but would look into possibly starting the trial a few days earlier, if time allows. Im in a serious emergency situation. I am begging the court to move your date, Weinstein said, telling the judge he wanted to get out of this hellhole as quickly as possible. Weinsteins request came after Judge Farber issued a key ruling defining the scope of his retrial. The judge upheld a charge based on an allegation from a woman who was not in the original case. Weinstein had wanted the extra charge thrown out, arguing through his lawyers that the Manhattan district attorneys office only brought it to bolster their case with a third accuser after New Yorks highest court overturned his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges involving two women. Advertisement Scheduling the retrial was complicated by an increasingly crowded court calendar. Harvey Weinstein, centre, appearing in criminal court in New York in September (Seth Wenig/AP) Weinsteins lawyer, Arthur Aidala, is representing political strategist Steve Bannon in a border wall fraud trial set to start on March 4 before a different Manhattan judge. Meanwhile, Judge Farber has a murder trial in March. Before Bannons trial date was set last week, Mr Aidala had suggested that Weinsteins trial go first in the interest of humanity, citing the ex-studio bosss declining health. Advertisement They know that Mr Weinstein is dying of cancer and is an innocent man right now in the state of New York, Mr Aidala argued in court last week. He pleaded to prosecutors: Can I try this dying mans case first? Weinstein is being retried on charges that he forcibly performed oral sex on a movie and TV production assistant in 2006 and raped an aspiring actor in 2013. The additional charge, filed last September, alleges he forced oral sex on a different woman at a Manhattan hotel in 2006. The Manhattan district attorneys office said in court papers that the woman, who has not been identified publicly, came forward to prosecutors just days before the start of Weinsteins first trial but was not part of that case. Prosecutors said they did not pursue the womens allegations after Weinstein was convicted and sentenced to 23 years in prison, but they revisited them and secured a new indictment after the states Court of Appeals threw out his conviction last April. Judge Farber ruled in October to combine the new indictment and existing charges into one trial. Weinsteins lawyers contend that prosecutors prejudiced him by waiting nearly five years to bring the additional charge, suggesting they had elected not to include the allegation in his first trial so they could use it later if his conviction were reversed. Prosecutors called that thinking absurd, countering that Weinsteins lawyers would have also been outraged if he had been charged based on the third womans allegation either during his first trial or immediately after his conviction. Weinstein would likely have characterised that timing as a vindictive and gratuitous pile-on, prosecutors wrote in a court filing last month. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office said the previously uncharged allegation required a sensitive investigation and serious contemplation before seeking an indictment, in part because there are no eyewitnesses to the alleged assault and no scientific or other physical evidence. Weinstein co-founded the film and television production companies Miramax and The Weinstein Company and was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, having produced films such as Pulp Fiction and The Crying Game. In 2017, he became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement, which erupted when women began going public with accounts of his behaviour. He has long maintained that any sexual activity was consensual. In vacating Weinsteins conviction, the Court of Appeals ruled that the trial judge, James M Burke, unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations from other women who were not part of the case. Mr Burke is no longer on the bench. Weinstein was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape. His 16-year prison sentence in that case still stands, but his lawyers appealed in June, arguing he did not get a fair trial. Weinstein has remained in custody in New Yorks Rikers Island jail complex, with occasional visits to hospital for medical treatment, while awaiting the retrial. At least 17 people have died and many more were injured in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in northern India, a doctor at a government hospital said. The doctor works in Prayagraj city, where more than 30 people were brought for treatment with five in a serious condition after a stampede as tens of thousands of pilgrims rushed to dip in sacred river waters during the Hindu event. Advertisement Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the loss of lives, with local media reports saying 10 people had died. The incident took place when pilgrims tried to jump barricades erected for a procession of holy men, Uttar Pradesh states top elected official, Yogi Adityanath, said in a televised statement. Mr Adityanath said several pilgrims were injured, some seriously, in the stampede. Prime Minister Mr Modi called the incident extremely sad and extended his condolences to victims. Advertisement Most local news websites said at least 10 people were killed, with Hindi language newspaper Dainik Bhaskar putting the death toll at 20. Wednesday was a sacred day during a six-week festival, and authorities in Prayagraj city were expecting a record 100 million devotees to engage in a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. The Sangam is the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers (AP) Hindus believe that a dip at the holy site can cleanse them of their past sins and end the process of reincarnation. The main draw is the thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics who make massive processions towards the confluence to bathe. Advertisement Millions of people continued to throng the 4,000-hectare (15 square mile) pilgrimage site despite the stampede, even as police urged them over megaphones to avoid the confluence. Mr Adityanath urged people to instead take baths at other riverbanks. The Prime Minister acknowledged there had been deaths (AP) The situation is now under control, but there is a massive crowd of pilgrims, Mr Adityanath said, adding that 90 to 100 million pilgrims were at the site. About 30 million people had taken the holy bath by 8am on Wednesday, he said. Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital, desperate for the news of their missing loved ones. Clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the scene of the stampede. Advertisement The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on January 13 and is the worlds largest religious gathering. Authorities expect more than 400 million people to throng the pilgrimage site in total. The injured people were treated in hospital (AP) Nearly 150 million people have already attended, including the likes of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah and celebrities like Coldplays Chris Martin. A sprawling tent city has been built on the riverbanks to accommodate millions of visitors. It has roads, electricity and water, 3,000 kitchens and 11 hospitals. About 50,000 security personnel are stationed in the city to maintain law and order and manage crowds, and more than 2,500 cameras monitor crowd movement and density so officials can try to prevent such crushes. Advertisement The 45-day festival is a significant cultural event for Indias Hindus, who make up nearly 80% of the countrys more than 1.4 billion people. The festival attracts millions of people (AP) It is also a prestige event for Mr Modi, whose ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Partys boasts of promoting Hindu cultural symbols. The Maha Kumbh festival has been marred by stampedes in the past. In 2013, at least 40 pilgrims who were taking part in the same festival were killed in a stampede at a train station in Prayagraj. Deadly stampedes are relatively common around Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas. In July at least 116 people died, most of them women and children, when thousands at a religious gathering in northern India stampeded at a tent camp in Hathras town. A stampede injured dozens of people early on Wednesday as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to take a holy bath in the river at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in northern India, local media reported. Images from the scene in the northern city of Prayagraj showed rescuers helping the injured as police tried to manage the massive crowds. Advertisement It was not immediately clear what triggered the panic at the festival where devotees from across India had congregated to bathe at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Press Trust of India cited authorities who said injured people were sent to a hospital. The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on January 13 and is the worlds largest religious gathering. Authorities expect more than 400 million people to throng the pilgrimage site in total over the next six weeks. To accommodate tens of thousands of holy men, pilgrims and tourists visiting the festival, authorities have built a sprawling tent city on the riverbanks. It is equipped with 3,000 kitchens and 150,000 toilets and also has roads, electricity and water, communication towers and 11 hospitals. Advertisement About 50,000 security personnel are stationed in the city to maintain law and order and manage crowds. Stampedes are relatively common around Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas. Former US senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Wednesday for accepting bribes of cash and gold bars and serving as an agent of Egypt as he sold influence to businessmen eager to exploit his political power. District judge Sidney H Stein in Manhattan announced the sentence after Menendez tearfully addressed the judge, saying he had lost everything he cared about, except for his wife. Advertisement You were successful, powerful, you stood at the apex of our political system, the judge said. Somewhere along the way, and I dont know when it was, you lost your way and working for the public good became working for your good. Prosecutors had requested a 15-year prison term for the Democrat who was convicted of multiple charges including acting as an agent for Egypt for selling his once-considerable clout in Washington for bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Given a chance to speak before he was sentenced, Menendez broke down several times as he described his accomplishments. You really dont know the man you are about to sentence, Menendez told Judge Stein. Advertisement Your honour, I am far from a perfect man. I have made more than my share of mistakes and bad decisions. Ive done far more good than bad. I ask you, your honour, to judge me in that context. Lawyer Adam Fee told Judge Stein to give Menendez credit for a lifetime of extraordinary public service and personal sacrifices. Despite his decades of service, he is now known more widely as gold bar Bob, Mr Fee said. Advertisement Menendezs lawyers had said prior to the sentencing that their client deserves under two years in prison, citing his decades of public service and a life largely well-lived after the son of Cuban immigrants rose from poverty to become the epitome of the American Dream. Former US senator Bob Menendez arriving at court on Wednesday (Stefan Jeremiah/AP) But Mr Fee said the defence team decided to ask that Menendez get no more than eight years after hearing Judge Stein earlier in the day give substantial prison terms to two New Jersey businessmen convicted of paying bribes to the senator. Fred Daibes, a property developer, got seven years and a 1.75 million-dollar (1.4 million) fine. Wael Hana, an entrepreneur, got eight years, a 1.25 million-dollar (1 million) fine and was ordered to forfeit 125,000 dollars (100,587). Prior to the announcement of his sentence, Daibes, 67, tearfully told Judge Stein the jury verdict had left him borderline suicidal, and requested leniency so that he could care for his 30-year-old autistic son. Advertisement Hana told the judge: I am an innocent man. I never bribed Senator Menendez or asked his office for influence. The judge, though, said the jurys verdict was very, very substantial. A third businessman pleaded guilty and gave evidence against Menendez at a trial last year. Advertisement Menendez resigned from the Senate after his conviction last year, though he lost much of his power in 2023 when the charges against him were revealed and he was forced to surrender his powerful post as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The trial traced Menendezs dealings with Egyptian officials and his quest to aid three men who showered him with lucrative gifts found during a 2022 raid on the New Jersey home he shared with his wife, Nadine. FBI agents who searched the house found 480,000 dollars (386,256), some of it stuffed inside boots and the pockets of clothing hung in the couples wardrobes. They also seized gold bars worth an estimated 150,000 dollars (120,705). Prosecutors said Menendez had put his high office up for sale in exchange for this hoard of bribes, including by serving Egypts interests as he worked to protect a meat certification monopoly Hana had established with the Egyptian government. Wael Hana leaves court after his sentencing on Wednesday (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) Among other things, Menendez provided Egyptian officials with information about the staff at the US Embassy in Cairo and ghostwrote a letter to fellow senators encouraging them to lift a hold on 300 million dollars (241 million) in military aid to Egypt. Prosecutors said that for other bribes, Menendez attempted to persuade a federal prosecutor in New Jersey to go easy on Daibes, a politically influential property developer accused of bank fraud. And at the trial, another businessman, Jose Uribe, gave evidence that he helped Nadine Menendez get a Mercedes-Benz convertible after the senator sought to pressure state prosecutors to drop criminal probes of his associates. Menendez has insisted that he is innocent of any crime, saying repeatedly that his interactions with Egyptian officials were normal for the head of the Foreign Relations Committee, and that he always put American interests first. He denied taking any bribes and said the gold bars belonged to his wife. Nadine Menendez faces trial in March on many of the same charges as her husband after spending the last year being treated for breast cancer. Menendezs lawyers, in a presentence submission, said he had already suffered greatly. Unsurprisingly, Senator Menendezs conviction has rendered him a national punchline and stripped him of every conceivable personal, professional and financial benefit, his lawyers wrote. Bob is now 71, with his long-built reputation in tatters. He has suffered financial and professional ruin. Fred Daibes arriving at court in New York (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) In court papers, the lawyers described how Menendez devoted much of his life to his country and his community after he was scarred by the early loss of his father, who killed himself when Menendez was 23 after he was unable to pay off gambling debts. They described a 50-year history of public service in heroic terms, tracing a career in which Menendez was mayor of Union City, New Jersey, a state politician, a member of the US House and then a senator from 2006 to 2024. Yet he also had the distinction of being the only US senator indicted twice. In 2015, he was charged with selling his influence to a wealthy Florida eye doctor and entrepreneur who prosecutors said lavished him with luxury vacations and campaign contributions. But the jury in that case could not reach a unanimous verdict. Federal prosecutors dropped the case rather than put him on trial again. An insurgency led by M23 rebels in east Democratic Republic of Congo has escalated and reached the city of Goma, worsening a humanitarian crisis in a region that suffered two devastating wars between 1996 and 2003. Here is some background on the conflict. Advertisement Who are M23? M23, which refers to the March 23rd, 2009, accord that ended a previous Tutsi-led revolt in eastern Congo, is the latest group of ethnic Tutsi-led insurgents to take up arms against Congolese forces. It launched the current rebellion in 2022. The group has accused the government of Congo of not living up to the peace deal and fully integrating Congolese Tutsis into the army and administration. It also vows to defend Tutsi interests, particularly against ethnic Hutu militias such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), founded by Hutus who fled Rwanda after participating in the 1994 genocide of close to 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Since the start of 2025, the rebels have seized new territory and reached Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, prompting hundreds of thousands more people to flee their homes. Residents walk past the wreckage of a burned vehicle following clashes in the streets of Goma this week. Photo: AFP via Getty For more than a year, M23 has controlled Congo's coltan-mining region of Rubaya, generating an estimated $800,000 per month through a production tax, according to the UN. Coltan is used in the production of smartphones and other equipment. Advertisement The group's spread into new territories in recent weeks gives it scope to acquire more mining revenue, analysts say. Why is Rwanda involved? The government of Congo, UN officials and Western powers including the United States have accused Congo's neighbour Rwanda of fuelling the conflict by deploying thousands of its own troops and heavy weapons on Congolese soil in support of M23. The accusations are based on a 2022 report by a UN Group of Experts that said it had "solid evidence" that Rwandan troops had been fighting alongside the M23 rebels. Rwanda, which denies backing the rebels, says it has taken what it calls defensive measures and accuses Congo of fighting alongside the FDLR, which has attacked Tutsis in both countries. Advertisement Rwanda has a long history of military intervention inside Congo. It and Uganda invaded in 1996 and 1998, claiming they were defending themselves against local militia groups. Other forces World Protesters attack embassies in Congos capital as... Read More UN peacekeepers are supporting the Congolese army's efforts to curb the M23 as part of the MONUSCO mission's years-long mandate to counter the many rebel groups active in eastern Congo. An agreed withdrawal of the mission from Congo has been paused due to the deteriorating security situation. As of December, there were nearly 11,000 peacekeepers on the ground, mostly in the east. The 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) also extended its military mission in Congo late last year. Both forces have suffered losses since the start of 2025. A fifth person has died from injuries suffered during a massive explosion of illegal fireworks at a Honolulu home on New Years Eve, police said on Tuesday. The 29-year-old man was one of six people flown to a hospital in Arizona for treatment earlier this month because Hawaiis only burn-care facility hit capacity treating other patients from the same blast. Advertisement The explosion also killed a three-year-old boy and three women and injured more than 20 others. The 29-year-old man died at 6.42am Hawaii time, Honolulu police said. Illegal fireworks have become increasingly more common in Hawaii in recent years. Hawaii Governor Josh Green proposed new penalties designed to make it easier for police to enforce laws, including fines of 300 dollars that they could issue to those who shoot off fireworks. Advertisement Mr Green has also proposed potential class A felony charges and decades in prison for those whose use of fireworks leads to serious injury or death. The state department of law enforcement has asked for 5.2 million dollars to hire eight people and expand the forensic lab to counter the rampant smuggling of illegal fireworks. Politicians were expected to consider these measures during the current legislative session, which ends in May. The US military, at Mr Greens request, flew six patients to Phoenix on January 4. All were in their 20s or 30s and had suffered burns that covered 45%-80% of their bodies. Advertisement Flying particles and debris from the explosion left some of the patients with wounds resembling battlefield injuries. Hamas will release three Israelis, including two women and an 80-year-old man, as well as five Thai nationals during the next hostage release, set for Thursday, officials from Israel and Hamas said as a tenuous ceasefire between the sides moves ahead. The officials named the Israeli women as Arbel Yehoud, 29, Agam Berger, 20, and the man as Gadi Moses, 80. Advertisement The officials, who spoke on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said the hostages families had approved the publication of their names. The identities of the Thai nationals were not immediately known. A number of foreign workers were taken captive along with dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers during Hamass October 7 2023 attack that set off the war in Gaza. The expected release will keep up the momentum of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and the militant Hamas group that began earlier this month and which paused the 15-month war in Gaza. Advertisement As part of the deal, Hamas is releasing hostages in phases in exchange for freedom for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Tents are set up next to houses destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, after Israel began allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to the heavily damaged area (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) The deal had been negotiated for months under the Biden administration but was finally sealed after US President Donald Trump threatened there would be hell to pay if the hostages were not returned. Mr Trumps Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in Israel on Wednesday and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads to Washington next week to meet Mr Trump the first foreign leader to meet the US president in his second term in office. Thursdays release was not originally scheduled but came as a result of a standoff between Israel and Hamas over the identities of the hostages released over the weekend. Advertisement Israel had demanded that Ms Yehoud, a civilian, be part of that group and when she was not freed, Israel held up the movement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians looking to return to what is left of their homes in the war-battered north of Gaza. International mediation efforts brought about the additional release on Thursday and cleared the way for Palestinians to stream north. Another release is slated for Saturday, which Mr Netanyahus office said would free male hostages. Dozens of Palestinian prisoners are set to be freed both Thursday and Saturday. Advertisement A list of more than 100 Palestinian prisoners that Israel is set to release on Thursday in exchange for its three hostages includes Zakaria Zubeidi, a prominent former militant leader and theatre director whose dramatic jail escape in 2021 thrilled Palestinians and stunned the Israeli security establishment. Zubeidi once led the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade an armed group affiliated with Fatah, the secular political party that controls the Palestinian Authority which carried out deadly attacks against Israelis during a Palestinian uprising between 2000 and 2005. After the uprising, in 2006, Zubeidi established a theatre in his home town in the northern West Bank to promote what he described as cultural resistance to Israel. Even today, the Freedom Theatre in Jenin refugee camp puts on everything from Shakespeare and stand-up comedy to plays written by residents. In 2019, after Zubeidi had already served years in prison for attacks in the early 2000s, Israel arrested him again over his alleged involvement in shooting attacks that targeted buses of Israeli settlers in the West Bank but caused no injuries. Advertisement Zubeidi has been awaiting trial in prison since. He denies the charges, insisting he focused on political activism as a member of Fatah and a prisoner advocacy group. In 2021, he and five other prisoners tunnelled out of a maximum-security prison in northern Israel, an escape that helped solidify Zubeidis image among Palestinians as a folk hero. All six escapees were recaptured days later. US President Donald Trump has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on February 4 as the first foreign leader to visit in Mr Trumps second term, Mr Netanhayu and the White House said Tuesday. The visit comes as the United States pressures Israel and Hamas to continue a ceasefire that has paused a devastating 15-month war in Gaza. Talks about the ceasefires second phase are set to begin on February 3. Advertisement The White House letter shared by Mr Netanyahus office, dated Tuesday, invited the prime minister to visit next week: I look forward to discussing how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbours, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries. Mr Trump had earlier teased the upcoming visit in a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to visit the White House (Abir Sultan/AP) Im going to be speaking with Bibi Netanyahu in the not-too-distant future, he said. The meeting would be a chance for Mr Netanyahu, under pressure at home, to remind the world of the support he has received from Mr Trump over the years. Advertisement Mr Netanyahu is likely to encourage Mr Trump not to hold up some weapons deliveries the way the Biden administration did. The administration continued other deliveries and overall military support to Israel, which is the largest recipient of US military aid. Mr Netanyahu is also relying on Mr Trump to put more pressure on Iran and renew efforts to deliver a historic normalisation agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a rival of Iran and the Arab worlds richest and most powerful country. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have begun to return to their homes in Gaza as the ceasefire stretches into a second week (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) Even before taking office this month, Mr Trump was sending his special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the region to apply pressure, along with the Biden administration, to get the current ceasefire achieved. Advertisement But Mr Netanyahu has vowed to renew the war if Hamas doesnt meet his demands in negotiations over the ceasefires second phase, which aims to end the war. Under the ceasefire deal, more than 375,000 Palestinians have crossed into northern Gaza since Israel allowed their return, the United Nations said Tuesday. That represents more than a third of the million people who fled in the wars opening days. Many of the Palestinians trudging along a seaside road or crossing in vehicles after security inspections were getting the first view of shattered northern Gaza under the fragile ceasefire, now in its second week. A Palestinian woman hangs the laundry inside her home, which was destroyed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) They were determined, if their homes were damaged or destroyed, to pitch makeshift shelters or sleep outdoors amid the vast piles of broken concrete or perilously leaning buildings. After months of crowding in squalid tent camps or former schools in Gazas south, they would finally be home. Advertisement Its still better for us to be on our land than to live on a land thats not yours, said Fayza al-Nahal as she prepared to leave the southern city of Khan Younis for the north. Hani Al-Shanti, displaced from Gaza City, looked forward to feeling at peace in whatever he found, even if it is a roof and walls without furniture, even if it is without a roof. Under the ceasefire, the next release of hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody is set to occur on Thursday, followed by another exchange on Saturday. In the ceasefires six-week first phase, a total of 33 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on October 7 2023, that ignited the war should be released, along with more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Advertisement Israeli soldier Naama Levy, who was kidnapped by Hamas, gets on a bus after she and three other Israeli female soldiers were released by Hamas (Leo Correa/AP) Israel said a list provided by Hamas confirmed the fears that eight of the 33 hostages to be freed are dead, bringing fresh grief to Israeli families who have long pressed the government to reach a deal to bring everyone home before time runs out. On Tuesday, one of the first hostages to be released under the current ceasefire just the second in the war shared a glimpse of life in captivity. Naama Levy, 20, wrote on social media that she spent most of the first 50 days alone before being reunited with other soldiers kidnapped from her military base on October 7, as well as other civilian captives. They gave me strength and hope, she wrote. We strengthened each other until the day of our release, and also afterwards. A surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza continued under the ceasefire as thousands return to the region (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) A surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza continued under the ceasefire. In this past week alone, approximately 4,200 trucks carrying aid have entered the Gaza Strip following inspections, Israels deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel said. Under the deal, 600 trucks of aid are meant to enter per day. Former UK prime minister David Cameron was among the first at the scene of a fatal crash at the weekend. A man in his 30s, who was driving a red Ferrari, died when the car left the road and collided with a tree near Marlingford in Norfolk on Saturday afternoon. Advertisement His passenger, a woman also in her 30s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries, according to Norfolk Police. Mr Cameron, who was on a shooting weekend nearby, drove past the scene not long after the accident. His close protection officers, who are trained in first aid, sought to help the casualties, the PA news agency understands. Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision in Marlingford. It happened at 2.55pm on Saturday, on Watton Road, when a red Ferrari left the road and collided with a tree. The driver sadly died at the scene. Can you help? https://t.co/VIFAkE1Z5p pic.twitter.com/AtZuJTAvGs Norfolk Police (@NorfolkPolice) January 27, 2025 The crash happened on the B1108 Watton Road at Bow Hill at 2.55pm on Saturday and the road remained closed until 9pm while the emergency services dealt with the aftermath. Advertisement Norfolk Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the crash, or the manner of driving before it happened. Mr Cameron served as Conservative prime minister between 2010 and 2016, when he stood down in the wake of losing the Brexit referendum. He returned to government in 2023, when he was ennobled and agreed to serve as Rishi Sunaks foreign secretary. Rebels backed by Rwanda captured more towns in eastern Congo on Wednesday, as fighters moved beyond the key city of Goma in an apparent attempt to expand their control in the conflict-battered region. The rebels were advancing toward the centre of South Kivu province after capturing several of its towns, including Kalungu, Kanyezire and Mukwinja, according to a local civil society leader and an aid worker in the area who spoke on condition of anonymity. Advertisement The advance further raised fears of prolonged occupation by the rebels, who have said they plan to set up a new administration in Goma. Unlike now, they only captured Goma during their first rebellion in 2012 but withdrew days later under international pressure on Rwanda. People have fled to Rwanda as the rebels advance (AP) Rwandan President Paul Kagame said on X that he spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the need to ensure a ceasefire and address the root causes of the conflict once and for all. Soldiers fighting for Congo many of them mercenaries from other nations were laying down their weapons at the border with Rwanda. Congos army seemed to be in disarray, and those at the border appeared disorganised and ill-equipped for fighting. Advertisement A rebel spokesman said nearly 300 mercenaries have surrendered their arms and returned to their countries. Let the people of Goma be calm, peace is here, said Willy Ngoma, a spokesman of the M23 group. Mr Ngoma is on the UN Security Councils sanctions list for crimes committed by the rebels. Its like you are fighting without command, said Jean Marie Ndahambaza, one of the surrendering soldiers. Armed groups have long vied for control of eastern Congo, which is rich in minerals critical to much of the worlds technology, and has been the scene of proxy battles between Congo and neighbouring Rwanda, as well as other powers. Advertisement Fighting reignited this week, and the rebels backed by Rwanda, known as M23, announced on Monday that they had captured much of the provincial capital of Goma. Hundreds of thousands of Goma residents were trying to get away from the fighting, with some retreating into Congos interior to seek protection, and others crossing into nearby Rwanda. Rwandan border patrol agents thoroughly searched the belongings of the men, women and children crossing the border in waves, with suitcases and children in tow. The displaced people were then taken care of by the Rwandan Red Cross. Meanwhile, rebels took control of Gomas airport, said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, warning of risks of a breakdown of law and order in the city of two million people given the proliferation of weapons. Advertisement Clashes with rebels continued in some parts of the city on Wednesday afternoon, including at the centre of Goma in the neighbourhoods of Katoyi and Kahembe. Other parts of the city were calm, with less fighting after a day during which thousands of fleeing people hunkered down by roadsides as missiles flew overhead, and injured people streamed to overwhelmed hospitals. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi is expected to address the country later on Wednesday in his first public remarks since the incursion. The conflict has been going on for decades, with many armed groups vying for control (AP) M23, made up primarily of ethnic Tutsis, has told the AP that it plans to set up an administration in the city so people can continue living normal lives and displaced people can return home. Advertisement Analysts have warned that securing a rebel withdrawal could be more difficult than in 2012, when M23 first captured Goma. Murithi Mutiga, programme director for Africa at the Crisis Group, said the group has become more emboldened by Rwanda, which feels Congo is ignoring its interests in the region and which has accused Congo of failing to meet demands of previous peace agreements. Britain's Princess Beatrice has given birth to a daughter several weeks prematurely, with the 4lb 5oz baby, named Athena, said to be healthy and doing well. The late Queen Elizabeths granddaughter (36) and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi welcomed their second child a week ago on January 22nd at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. Advertisement Beatrice and her daughter are now said to be at home, with the family enjoying spending time together with Athenas older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna. Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi (Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi/PA) Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla have been informed and are delighted, Buckingham Palace said. Beatrice and her husband released a photograph of their daughter taken by Mr Mapelli Mozzi, showing Athena with dark hair, wearing a white long-sleeved garment, and wrapped in a pink blanket with her face hidden by her arm. She was due to give birth in early spring, and in December received medical advice and was told not to travel long distances. Advertisement She joined the rest of the British royal family at church in Sandringham on Christmas Day after changing her travel plans to spend the festive period overseas, with doctors said to have warned that a premature arrival was a possibility. Britain's Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Wolfie on Christmas Day after changing their travel plans on medical advice (Aaron Chown/PA) Buckingham Palace said: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday January 22 at 12.57pm, at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces. Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the royal family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. Advertisement Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi are also said to have expressed their thanks to all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. The baby is a younger sister to the couples three-year-old daughter, Sienna, and Mr Mapelli Mozzis son and Beatrices stepson, eight-year-old Wolfie. US President Donald Trump has said he is directing the opening of a detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to hold up to 30,000 migrants who are living illegally in the United States. Mr Trump made the announcement just before he signed the Laken Riley Act into law as his administrations first piece of legislation. Advertisement The Laken Riley Act means that people who are in the US illegally and are accused of theft and violent crimes would have to be detained and potentially deported even before a conviction. Were going to send them out to Guantanamo, the president said in the White House East Room. Some of them are so bad that we dont even trust the countries to hold them because we dont want them coming back, so were going to send them out to Guantanamo, he said. President Donald Trump holds the document after signing the Laken Riley Act during an event in the East Room of the White House (Evan Vucci/AP) He said that he would soon sign an executive order directing federal officials to get facilities in Cuba ready to receive migrant criminals. Advertisement We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal aliens threatening the American people, the president said. The US military base has been used to house detainees from the US war on terrorism. The move would immediately double US detention lockup capacities, he said. Guantanamo, he added, is a tough place to get out of. In subsequent comments to reporters outside the White House, new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said of expanded detention facilities that were building it out and that the administration would seek funding through spending bills Congress is set to consider. Advertisement The administrations border czar, Tom Homan, said US Customs and Immigration Enforcement would run the facility in Cuba and that the the worst of the worst could go to Guantanamo. Still, the details of Mr Trumps plan were not immediately clear. The US military base has been used to house detainees from the US war on terrorism for years. But authorities have also detained migrants at sea at a facility known as the Migrant Operations Centre on Guantanamo, a site the US has long leased from the Cuban government. Many of those housed there have been migrants from Haiti and Cuba. The US Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that enemy combatants in the war on terror held without charge at the military prison at Guantanamo had the right to challenge their detention in federal court. Advertisement But the justices did not decide whether the president had the authority to detain people at all. Before Mr Trump took office, the Democratic administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden worked to reduce the number of terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo. Donald Trump with Allyson Phillips, the mother of Laken Riley, after signing the Laken Riley Act in the White House (Evan Vucci/AP) The Laken Riley Act quickly passed the new Republican-controlled Congress with some Democratic support even though immigrants rights advocates said it possibly could lead to large roundups of people for offences as minor as shoplifting. Mr Trump has pledged that his administration will carry out the largest mass deportation effort in US history. Advertisement Mr Trump, who won back the White House by tapping into public anger over illegal immigration, has made the promised crackdown a centrepiece of his political career, and is now suggesting the new law might only be the beginning. The Laken Riley Act was described by Mr Trump as a landmark law and tremendous tribute to the murdered Georgia nursing student after whom it is named. Laken Riley, 22, went out for a run in February 2024 and was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who was in the country illegally. Ibarra was found guilty in November and sentenced to life without parole. She was a light of warmth and kindness, Mr Trump said during a signing ceremony that included Ms Rileys parents and sister. Its a tremendous tribute to your daughter whats taking place today, thats all I can say. Its so sad we have to be doing it. He added: Its a landmark law that were doing today. Its going to save countless lives. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Wednesday that the Trump administration has revoked a decision that would have protected roughly 600,000 people from Venezuela from deportation, putting some at risk of being removed from the country in about two months. Ms Noem signed a notice reversing a move by her predecessor, Alejandro Mayorkas, in the waning days of the Biden administration to extend Temporary Protected Status. The change is effective immediately and comes amid a slew of actions as the Trump administration works to make good on promises to crack down on illegal immigration. Before he left town, Mayorkas signed an order that said for 18 months they were going to extend this protection to people that are on Temporary Protected Status, which meant that they were going to be able to stay here and violate our laws for another 18 months, Ms Noem told Fox and Friends. We stopped that, she said. Western officials have warned Ukraine that an escalating rift between the Defence Minister and procurement chief may jeopardise trust in the country, and urged the government to resolve the situation quickly so as not to disrupt weapons supplies. The conflict began last week when the Ukrainian Defence Procurement Agencys board unanimously voted to extend director Maryna Bezrukovas contract for another year. Advertisement However, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov over-ruled the decision, refusing to renew her contract. He accused her of poor performance and failing to deliver weapons and ammunition to front-line troops. A Belarusian soldier patrols the border (AP) The decision provoked an outcry from legislators and anti-corruption watchdogs who said the ministers move was not legal because Ms Bezrukova had her contract extended by the agencys supervisory board in January. Under Ukrainian law, Mr Umerovs decision to go ahead with her dismissal is illegal. Advertisement The rift comes as US support for Ukraine is in question under the new administration of new President Donald Trump. In a statement posted on Monday on social media platform X, ambassadors representing the G7 nations urged the government in Kyiv to resolve the situation expeditiously and focus on keeping defence procurement going. Consistency with good governance principles and Nato recommendations is important to maintain the trust of the public and international partners, they said. A Russian army helicopter MI-35 launches rockets toward Ukrainian position in an undisclosed location (Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP) Following Mr Umerovs decision, the Anti-Corruption Action Centre filed a complaint urging the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) to investigate him over alleged abuse of power. Advertisement Local media reported that NABU opened proceedings against Mr Umerov at the Anti-Corruption Action Centres request. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone barrages overnight in an attempt to strike deeper into their enemys territory. The Russian military said it intercepted and destroyed 104 Ukrainian drones over nine Russian regions in one of the biggest drone attacks on Russia this year. No casualties or significant damage was reported. Ukraines air force said Russia launched 57 Shahed and other drones overnight. Advertisement The war is dragging on towards the three-year mark (AP) Moscow also attacked with missiles overnight. In southern Mykolaiv, a Russian ballistic missile struck a food factory on Tuesday night, killing two female workers, regional head Vitalii Kim said. Odesa authorities said Russian drones attacked port infrastructure in the Ismail district of the region that borders Nato member Romania. Romanias Ministry of National Defence said two F-16 fighter jets were dispatched at 3.20am local time (1.20am GMT) to monitor airspace for about two hours, and emergency authorities issued text alerts to some residents living in Tulcea county, which is across the Danube river near Ukrainian ports. The ministry condemned the Russian attacks, calling them unjustified and in serious contradiction with the norms of international law, and said Nato allies have been informed. Advertisement Since the war next door started in February 2022, Romania has reported multiple airspace violations and confirmed drone fragments in its territory on several occasions. Yet, despite the ever-tightening efforts to frustrate Chinas ability to compete with the US on AI, DeepSeek confounded everyone and triggered a tech bloodbath in the US sharemarket on Monday by producing an AI model that is as good as, or better than, all but a couple of the US models that have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build and train. It was able to do that despite or perhaps because of the restrictions. America first restricted access to Nvidias most advanced chips in 2022. Nvidia, galvanised by the prospect of lost revenue, promptly developed a slightly less advanced chip, but only slightly less advanced, to sell to China its H800 chip. A year later, the Biden administration also included that chip, along with some similar chips, on the list of restricted exports to China. Joe Bidens administration steadily tightened a web of export restrictions on Americas most advanced semiconductors, or chips, to protect its lead in AI technology. Credit: AP It was the H800 only about 2000 of them, versus the 16,000 or so that its US competitors would use that DeepSeek claimed it used to build and train a model that cost only $US5.6 million ($9 million) to develop. Until late 2023, when the Biden administration closed the loophole that allowed Nvidia to sell chips that were only marginally less advanced than its state-of-the-art chips, DeepSeek could have legally acquired the H800s. The start-up, along with other Chinese companies, would inevitably have been stockpiling chips during that time, anticipating tighter restrictions. Its also possible that, even after the tougher restrictions set in and Nvidia designed a chip even less powerful than the H800 for China, Chinese companies may have had access to smuggled advanced chips. DeepSeek may have challenged Americas leadership in AI software, but US companies retain a significant lead in the hardware. The New York Times has reported on the sales of thousands of banned chips in China by dozens of companies. The Biden administrations plan for tiered access is designed to thwart that smuggling by limiting large-scale access to the chips to trusted allies. While there is undoubted admiration for the ingenuity that enabled the creation of DeepSeek, as well as a realisation that because it is open source and therefore its design and the efficiencies it developed will revolutionise and democratise the AI sector its instructive that it was built on US chips. Despite China pouring the best part of $US150 billion into its semiconductor industry, Chinese companies have not yet been able to make chips as advanced as Nvidias or the smaller US companies challenging its dominance. Nor has China been able to build the extraordinarily complex and expensive lithography machines that ASML is now unable to sell to China. DeepSeek may have challenged Americas leadership in AI software, but US companies retain a significant lead in the hardware. Loading Unless and until China can develop homegrown chips that are as advanced as the most sophisticated US chips (which is a moving target) and the equipment to manufacture them, that gap in the race to develop AI with the cognitive capabilities of humans could widen. Americas AI companies are confident that it will be computing power and the value-adding applications it will enable that will define the future of AI, rather than less powerful AI models like DeepSeek. It was instructive that neither Nvidia (whose share price plunged) nor Donald Trump seemed perturbed by the unveiling of DeepSeek. Nvidia called DeepSeek an excellent AI advancement and suggested it could lead to more sales of its export-controls-compliant chips. Trump described it as a wake-up call for US companies that would encourage innovation at lower cost. OpenAIs Sam Altman, whose ChatGPT ignited the fever around AI, said the DeepSeek model was impressive but wrote on X that more compute is more important now than ever before to succeed at our mission and that the world is going to want to use a LOT of ai, and really be quite amazed by the next-gen models coming. It may be that the massive Chinese investment in semiconductors and chip-making pays off, and it can develop domestic capabilities that challenge those of America and its allies. Without them, using up a diminishing store of increasingly outdated H800 or similar chips and the limited supply of smuggled chips no matter how efficiently will see China increasingly fall behind the pace of AI development. The Trump administration, with its strong relationships with Silicon Valley billionaires, is committed to entrenching Americas dominance of AI. On his first day in office, Trump tore up Biden-era rules that tried to establish safety and privacy standards for the use of AI, saying they hindered innovation and imposed onerous and unnecessary government controls. Less than a week ago, he proudly announced the formation of a consortium planning to invest up to $US500 billion in AI infrastructure to help keep the future of technology in the US. Advertisement Eating outLunar New Year Six affordable Sydney snacks to celebrate the Lunar New Year From Laughing Cow cheese gelato to a char siu pie as big as your head, these limited edition treats will start your Lunar New Year on a tasty note. Isabel Cant January 29, 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 Lunar New Year festivities are in full swing across different cultures in Sydney right now, from Vietnamese Tet to Korean Seollal. Whether youre after something sweet or savoury, traditional or modern, here are six specials from Malaysia to the Philippines to help you slither into the year of the snake well-fed and with full pockets. Siroo Rice Cake Sydneys first-ever rice cake cafe is selling a range of traditional Korean treats for the Lunar New Year including yakgwa (a deep-fried cookie flavoured with honey, sesame and ginger) and gangjeong (deep-fried rice puffs) in various colours and flavours including black sesame. While there, be sure to sit in to try their range of Korean rice cakes, mochi and bingsu loaded with seasonal fruit. Various locations, sirooricecakecafe.com Kariton Advertisement Karitons red packet flavour with Laughing Cow cheese gelato, jujube red velvet, candied goji berry, and baijiu jelly Supplied The Filipino ice-cream chain has two Lunar New Year flavours ($6.80 for one scoop) going until February 2. A gelato with a base flavour of the famous processed Laughing Cow cheese is mixed with jujube red velvet, candied goji berry and baijiu jelly. Their second flavour is a milk gelato, with pineapple jam and salted duck egg biscuits folded through. Spend more than $20 to receive a red envelope, some encasing prizes ranging from a free scoop to a free 5-litre tub of gelato. Various locations, karitonsorbetes.com Pantry Story Advertisement This popular bakery created quite the frenzy over its juicy char siu pie for $12.50. This is the second year in a row they have sold this sticky sweet-savoury delight for the Lunar New Year, with pork belly marinated overnight in char siu sauce, slow-baked and brushed with honey, then sandwiched between puff pastry and topped with a buttery pineapple bun crust. Get in before the special goes away at the end of February. 336 Parramatta Road, Stanmore, instagram.com/pantrystory_sydney Dessert offerings from Fuji Seafood Restaurant Bonnie Zhang Fuji Seafood Restaurant Specialising in food from the Chaoshan region in Chinas Guangdong province, Fuji is offering two traditional desserts during Lunar New Year. Try their tong sui, a five-fruit sweet soup made with red dates, coix seeds, taro balls, lotus seeds and ginkgo nuts, plus white fungus ($6). They are also serving taro paste ($15) with ginkgo nuts, which is a traditional dessert for Chaoshan banquets. Its made by stir-frying steamed taro paste in spring onion oil and sugar. Advertisement Marketcity shopping centre, 9, Level 3/13 Hay Street, Haymarket Various kueh from Popo Gourmet that change weekly. Isabel Cant Popo Gourmet Owner Soon Tan has been carrying the legacy of her grandmothers dessert stall in Malaysia since 1999. In that time, she has perfected her Malaysian dessert offerings, which feature a sweet selection of colourful kueh that changes each week. To celebrate the Lunar New Year, text to place your order for kueh baku, the Peranakan version of the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year dessert, nian gao, in original style or with peanuts ($19). Orders are open from now until February 12. 1/51 Berry Street, North Sydney, popogourmet.com.au Advertisement A Queensland social media influencer has been granted bail after a court heard how she allegedly drugged her one-year-old daughter. The 34-year-old Sunshine Coast mother allegedly hid the girl under a blanket before administering non-prescribed medicines, which included carbamazepine. The girl was rendered unconscious about half an hour later, the prosecution alleged. The mother during her arrest. Credit: QPS The crimes were allegedly committed to solicit donations and online followers. Fourteen members of a fringe religious group accused of killing an eight-year-old girl have been found guilty of manslaughter after one of Queenslands biggest trials. Elizabeth Rose Struhs, who had diabetes, died on January 7, 2022, while lying on a mattress on the floor of her familys house in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. Her parents, Jason Richard Struhs and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, were members of a group called the Saints. They believed in the healing power of God and were accused by doctors, police and prosecutors of withholding lifesaving insulin from the girl. Elizabeth Struhs, 8, who was denied life-saving insulin by her ultra-religious parents, died in January 2022. Credit: Nine The parents were charged alongside 12 other members of the group, including its leader, Brendan Luke Stevens. They faced a judge-only trial and opted not to have legal representation. Thats where were going to leave you today, readers. Thank you for joining us. Among the headlines today was the news that Perth us leading the nation for both house and unit price increases. However, experts warn the sluggish growth will do little to help affordability woes that have weighed down the market. Roger Cook has supported the states top cop, saying right-wing extremists undermine the social cohesion in WA. And West Coast Eagles player Reuben Ginbey has appeared in Joondalup Magistrates Court, where he has admitted to urinating in public and then refusing to give police his personal details. Former Catholic Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders is facing six new child sexual abuse charges, including an allegation he raped a boy under the age of 13. And for those gripped to the edge of their seats as to how Perth elephant Permais journey to Adelaide was going, you can all rejoice, she has made it to her new home safe and sound. Thanks again for joining us, see you again tomorrow for more news you need to know. The organisers of a popular film festival are pushing ahead with plans to screen a controversial documentary on the lives of Russian soldiers fighting in the war in Ukraine despite opponents branding it a tool of Russian propaganda. Ukraines ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, and leaders from the Ukrainian-Australian community wrote to the chair of the board of the Antenna Documentary Film Festival, Kirk Marcolina, last week urging him to cancel the planned screenings of the film Russians at War. In the fly-on-the-wall-style documentary, scheduled to screen in Sydney on February 10 and 14, Russian-Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova chronicles the seven months she spent embedded with a Russian army battalion in eastern Ukraine in 2023. Myroshnychenko told Marcolina he was deeply concerned that the film was included in the festival program, warning it would be deeply harmful and distressing to the Ukrainian-Australian community. The airport is 66 kilometres east of central London, near Southend-on-Sea. Im staying with friends 20 minutes drive away, so I grab a lift with them and arrive unflustered and in good time. The train connection is just as seamless. It takes 52 minutes from London Liverpool Street to the purpose-built station just a minutes walk from the airport terminal. The station lies outside the Oyster/contactless zone, so a ticket must be purchased for 20.90 ($41). Arriving passengers can buy train tickets from dispensers in the arrivals hall. The look Londons freneticism is soothed by the bucolic setting and compact layout of this multi-award-winning airport. Until the 1970s it was one of Londons busiest hubs; since then it has served as a minor international airport. The new terminal, built in 2012, is a steel-and-glass edifice bordered by a lawn where some passengers relax before check-in. The designers have clearly taken womens ablution-related entreaties to heart: toilet stalls are plentiful in the womens restrooms. Though departures were dampened by the pandemic, the airport expects to at least double its pre-pandemic passenger numbers, a relief for other London airports fast approaching capacity. From here, easyJet connects with various European destinations and BHAir flies to Bourgas in Bulgaria. Check-in Washington: The new public face of the Trump administration is a 27-year-old mother and Donald Trump loyalist who once wanted to be a journalist and beat nine Republican rivals when she ran for Congress two years ago. Karoline Leavitt, the youngest press secretary in White House history, delivered her first briefing to reporters on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) and quickly established there was a new sheriff in town and things were going to change. Karoline Leavitt, 27, fields questions from reporters during her first press briefing as White House press secretary. Credit: Bloomberg No longer would tradition rule the roost, such as the first question going to the Associated Press news agency. Instead, new media players Axios and Breitbart were given the first bite the latter being a hard-right organ that has promoted conspiracy theories and was once chaired by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon. But Leavitt also urged a broader range of non-traditional media players to apply for a White House press pass. Independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers and content creators were all encouraged to enter the fray. They would even have assigned seats at the front of the room, previously reserved for staff. Celebrate love at the Worlds Most Romantic Building. The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced its romantic Valentines Day plans which include a themed movie screening, special proposal package, and New York Citys most unique date for one lucky couple this February. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250128229705/en/ Love is in the Air: The Empire State Building Celebrates Valentines Day with NYCs Most Extravagant Date, Proposal Package, Sleepless in Seattle Screening and Annual Tower Lighting (Photo: Business Wire) Empire for Two In 2024, two lucky Valentines had the Empire State Building Observatory to themselves with the premier of this once-in-a-lifetime date night: a gourmet dinner with wine pairing on the exclusive 102 nd Floor Observatory. The three-course dinner curated and prepared by the head chef at ESBs restaurant, STATE Grill and Bar features a delicious chefs tasting menu accompanied by a live musician and themed table setting and of course, the private enjoyment of the most beautiful view of all of New York City. Before dinner, the couple will enjoy Champagne and a private tour of the Empire State Buildings immersive museum and 86 th Floor Observatory, which will remain closed for the entirety of the date. Learn more about the $20,000 opportunity here. In 2024, two lucky Valentines had the Empire State Building Observatory to themselves with the premier of this once-in-a-lifetime date night: a gourmet dinner with wine pairing on the exclusive 102 Floor Observatory. The three-course dinner curated and prepared by the head chef at ESBs restaurant, STATE Grill and Bar features a delicious chefs tasting menu accompanied by a live musician and themed table setting and of course, the private enjoyment of the most beautiful view of all of New York City. Before dinner, the couple will enjoy Champagne and a private tour of the Empire State Buildings immersive museum and 86 Floor Observatory, which will remain closed for the entirety of the date. Learn more about the $20,000 opportunity here. Movie Magic Sleepless in Seattle, the classic 90s love story that features scenes filmed at the Empire State Building, will air again this year in a special screening on the buildings 80 th Floor on Feb. 14. Guests will enjoy complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snacks with the film and cap off the night with New York Citys best views from the 86 th and 102 nd Floor Observatories. Sleepless in Seattle, the classic 90s love story that features scenes filmed at the Empire State Building, will air again this year in a special screening on the buildings 80 Floor on Feb. 14. Guests will enjoy complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snacks with the film and cap off the night with New York Citys best views from the 86 and 102 Floor Observatories. Toast to Forever ESBs exclusive Happily Ever Empire proposal package offers an exclusive guided tour of the Observatory Experience; a private, roped-off corner of the 86 th Floor Observatory to pop the question; and a bottle of Champagne to celebrate. ESBs exclusive Happily Ever Empire proposal package offers an exclusive guided tour of the Observatory Experience; a private, roped-off corner of the 86 Floor Observatory to pop the question; and a bottle of Champagne to celebrate. Sweet Treats From Feb. 5 to 23, NYC-based confectioner Baked by Melissa will reside at a dedicated pop-up cart to offer an assortment of sweets on the iconic 86 th Floor Observatory every Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. From Feb. 5 to 23, NYC-based confectioner Baked by Melissa will reside at a dedicated pop-up cart to offer an assortment of sweets on the iconic 86 Floor Observatory every Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Light the Night On Feb. 14, the Empire State Building will shine its world-famous tower lights in a pink heartbeat in its annual Valentines Day gift to New York City. Text CONNECT to 274-16 to receive real-time updates on the Empire State Buildings tower lights. The Empire State Building is a symbol of timeless romance that provides the backdrop for countless first dates, proposals, and anniversary celebrations all throughout the year, said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory. We are excited to welcome our guests from around the globe to celebrate Valentines Day at the Worlds Most Romantic Building. The Empire State Buildings world-famous Observatory Experience underwent a $165 million reimagination that added a new interactive museum with nine galleries, bespoke host uniforms, and a new 102nd Floor Observatory with unmatched views from the heart of New York City. The iconic Observatory Experience was recently voted the number one attraction in the world and number one in the U.S. for the third consecutive year in the 2024 Tripadvisor Travelers Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do. Hi-res imagery can be downloaded here. More information about the Empire State Building can be found online. About the Empire State Building The Empire State Building, the World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience created an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and was declared the #1 Attraction in the World and #1 Attraction in the U.S. for the third consecutive year in Tripadvisors Travelers Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do, "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planets Ultimate Travel List. Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok. Source: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. Category: Observatory View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250128229705/en/ OPEX Corporation, a global leader in Next Generation Automation providing solutions for document, mail and warehouse automation, has reached a significant milestone in 2025 as it celebrates 50 years under the ownership of the Stevens family. OPEX continues to thrive under what is now the second and third generations of Stevens family leadership, a remarkable achievement that speaks to the companys resilience, innovative spirit, and long-term success in a highly competitive marketplace. We are deeply proud to have served as a trusted industry partner for five decades and counting, creating customized solutions that help our clients improve workflow, reduce costs and drive efficiencies in infrastructure, said David Stevens, President and CEO at OPEX. We attribute our longevity to the core values my parents established and that we live by every dayfostering innovation, maintaining a family-like company culture, and prioritizing entrepreneurial agility and long-term sustainability. It was in 1975 that Al and Joanna Stevens purchased OPEX. At that time, the company had fewer than 10 employees and a sole focus on mail automation. Al Stevens previously left his job at Columbia Records to become the national sales manager at OPEX. When he and Joanna were presented with an opportunity to buy the company and guide its turnaround, they mortgaged their home to do so. Today, OPEX has nearly 1,600 team members around the world and is a well-respected leader in warehouse, document and mail automation. It was an open-minded and forward-thinking approach that enabled OPEX to leverage its expertise in sortation to expand seamlessly and deliberately from its roots in document and mail automation to become a leader in warehouse automation as well. The company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of automation is reflected in its impressive portfolio of more than 300 patents, underscoring its dedication to staying ahead of industry trends and continually reinventing its products. Nearly half of the companies listed in the Fortune 100 currently rely on OPEX to provide world-class automated solutions. The fact that OPEX has thrived across three generations of family leadership is significant, surpassing the odds for family-owned businessesonly 13% reach the third generation, according to Business Week. While much has changed in the automation industry over the last five decades, the integrity with which OPEX conducts business and our innovative spirit remain the same, said Alex Stevens, President of Warehouse Automation at OPEX. We have always sought new and better ways for customers to transform business operations, creating increasingly more advanced solutions to automate tasks. For the past 50 years and for many more to come, we will continue to reimagine automation technology that powers the future of ecommerce. About OPEX OPEX Corporation is a global leader in Next Generation Automation, providing innovative, unique solutions for warehouse, document and mail automation. With headquarters in Moorestown, NJand facilities in Pennsauken, NJ; Plano, TX; France; Germany; Switzerland; the United Kingdom; and AustraliaOPEX has nearly 1,600 employees who are continuously reimagining and delivering customized, scalable technology solutions that solve the business challenges of today and in the future. The year 2025 marks the companys 50th anniversary under the multigenerational ownership and leadership of the Stevens family. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129734858/en/ State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation can restrict a non-federal water diversion under its contract with the Klamath Drainage District, according to a federal appeals court. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Reclamation can control the districts withdrawal of water from the Klamath River, even if its through the districts own canal. KDD had a contractual duty to adhere to Reclamations allocations and not divert water from the Klamath River, which KDD does not dispute it disregarded, the ruling said. Under a 1946 contract, the district can divert water through the Klamath Irrigation Project, which was built by Reclamation along the Oregon-California border and is subject to Endangered Species Act restrictions for fish. However, the district also obtained a 1977 water right to withdraw water from the river through its own canal that isnt part of the federal irrigation works. The district claimed that Reclamation shouldnt be allowed to curtail irrigation through that canal because its outside the agencys jurisdiction. The 9th Circuit has now determined the 1946 contract allows Reclamation to curb the districts use of the 1977 water right through reasonable rules and regulations for water distributions affecting the Klamath Irrigation Project. KDD violated a duty or obligation arising under the Contract when it diverted water in contravention of Reclamations plans, the ruling said. According to the 9th Circuit, a federal judge correctly issued an injunction in 2023 that forbid the district from using the 1977 water right without Reclamations permission, as the agency faced irreparable injury from such withdrawals. The unauthorized withdrawals undermined the agencys ability to operate the Project in accordance with its competing obligations and posed a risk to endangered species that depend on Klamath River flows, the ruling said. The harm to KDD in barring its unauthorized diversions is a consequence of the priority of Project obligations and the harsh fact that there is not enough water to satisfy all demands, the 9th Circuit said. That consequence is not a harm that Reclamation caused, nor is it one the parties can avoid without violating superior obligations. The Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Wheat Growers League, Klamath Water Users Association, Family Farm Alliance and Oregon Water Resources Congress supported the districts arguments, claiming that Reclamation shouldnt be able to require actions by nonfederal actors at nonfederal facilities. The agricultural organizations argued that enjoining the 1977 water right gave Reclamation unfettered authority to enforce its expanded version of discretion on a water user simply by virtue of holding a federal contract. The federal government countered that unconstrained use of the 1977 water right would permit the illogical and one-sided result of allowing the district to divert water thatd been released by Reclamation upstream to help protected fish. Reclamation claimed the district wanted to vault ahead of the Projects highest priority obligations, circumventing a system of contracts and law that have managed the Project for over a century. DEPUTY Jennifer Murnane O'Connor has been appointed minister of state for health, becoming the county's third ever government minister. The Fianna Fail deputy was among 23 new ministers of state announced today, following days of speculation about the posts. In a statement on social media deputy Murnane O'Connor described today as an historic occasion for her. "As a proud Carlovian, as I am honoured and privileged to have been appointed as Minister of State for Health in the 34th Dail," she said. "Having accepted the appointment, I am thankful to An Taoiseach Michael Martin for his confidence in my ability to undertake this important role. It is a role I will carry out with pride as a true Carlovian as I continue to work hard for the people of Carlow/Kilkenny," she stated. Carlow's last Fianna Fail serving minister in government was the late Tom Nolan, who was a Minister of State at the Dept. of Health and Social Welfare and then as Minister for Labour from 1980 to 1981. The Green Party's Mary White served as minister of state for one-year from 2010 to 2011. "I want to take the opportunity on this special occasion to thank the people of Carlow/Kilkenny for their continued support and for voting to re-elect me as their TD and Public Representative," said deputy Murnane O'Connor. "I also extend thanks to the staff and volunteers who have worked with and supported me in the main Fianna Fail Carlow Constituency office and in my area clinics throughout the county, especially those staff who due to changing requirements, were unable to continue their roles and I wish them well in their future endeavours," she said. Minister Murnane O''Connor stated that as she commences her new role as Minister of State for Health, she will be supported by my colleagues and staff in both Dublin and my Carlow office. "New to my constituency team is Eugene Doyle (Personal Parliamentary Assistant), who has substantial experience in constituency work at both local and national level. Eugene will work with a dedicated secretarial team who along with the Dublin based staff, continue to support me both locally and in Leinster House. "As I commence my new role, I will continue my work of public representation, at both local and national level. Each member of my constituency team will remain available to assist members of the public in the Carlow office and at designated clinics throughout the constituency of Carlow/Kilkenny and I invite you to reach out to us for support at any time. La stairiuil do Cheatharlach agus la broduil domsa mar Cheatharlach ata tiomanta go foill dobair chrua ar son ar gContae agus ar son mhuintir Chill Chainnigh". By Jonathan McCambridge, PA Police have made a new appeal for information about a road crash in Co Armagh over the Christmas period in which a father and son were killed. Peter Devlin and his son Loughlin were killed in the two-car crash outside Killylea in Co Armagh on the afternoon of December 27. A woman who was seriously injured in the crash remains in hospital. One man has already appeared in court charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving Detectives investigating a two vehicle road traffic collision in which two men sadly died in December, are making two specific appeals for information: https://t.co/vTRUMvr0T2 pic.twitter.com/zWS4cfULdD Police Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon (@PSNIABC) January 28, 2025 PSNI Inspector Cherith Adair said: As part of our ongoing investigations, we would like to speak with the occupants of a white or light coloured Nissan Qashqai SUV type vehicle or similar travelling toward Killylea from the direction of Armagh at approximately 12:40pm on Friday December 27 2024. We would also like to speak with a male and female, who were occupants of a dark-coloured people carrier type vehicle, who stopped at the scene. We believe these people have important information that may be able to assist with our inquiries. Ivan Petrov, 32, a Bulgarian national with no permanent address in Northern Ireland, appeared before Newry Magistrates Court earlier this month. The court heard that the defendant is diabetic and the last thing he remembers before the crash was feeling that his blood sugar was low. Petrov suffered rib and arm fractures in the crash between his Audi and a Mercedes. The coffins of father and son Peter and Loughlin Devlin being carried into the Church of St Joseph in Tynan for their funeral. Photo: Niall Carson/PA. Loughlin Devlin, who was driving the Mercedes, and his father Peter Devlin, who was a rear-seat passenger, died at the scene of the crash. Ursula Devlin, Peters wife and Loughlins mother, who was also in the rear-seat of the Mercedes, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Another woman and a baby boy were injured in the incident but have since been released from hospital. The World Bids a Fond Farewell to President Carter A mourner in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington weeps while gazing upon the casket of former President Jimmy Carter. (Photos: The Carter Center) Friends, dignitaries, staff members, and everyday admirers from around the world poured out love and grief after the Dec. 29 death at age 100 of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who co-founded The Carter Center with his wife, Rosalynn, in 1982. The Centers official condolence book at www.JimmyCarterTribute.org logged more than 23,000 messages from people in 155 countries, provinces, and territories. President Jimmy Carter has been a beacon of light, a leader for peace, love, the environment and humanity, a true citizen of the world. His legacy will continue to improve and inspire lives near and far, wrote Alessandra Colfi of Oceanside, California. As the motorcade passed through each city, it slowed down for mourners to pay their respects to the late president. Aggrey Kipngetich of Nairobi, Kenya, wrote: President Jimmy Carter was an icon of peace, human rights crusader, world's moral compass and committed family man. May (his) soul rest in heavenly peace. Then-President Joe Biden, President-elect Donald Trump, and former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton and their spouses offered their condolences, as did numerous Cabinet officials, members of Congress, and other prominent figures. Many of the Carter Centers more than 3,500 staff members in 20-plus countries around the globe organized gatherings or tribute services in honor of President Carter. They hung banners in their offices and provided condolence books for guests including government dignitaries to sign. Staff members at the Carter Center office in Guatemala memorialize President Carter with white roses and a special banner. Several staff members also sent in heartfelt messages. Maymoona Mahmoud El Tayeb, the Centers deputy country representative in Sudan, wrote: I am saddened at the loss of President Carter, a remarkable leader who devoted his life to helping others to live healthy and in a peaceful world. The memory of his lifetime as a warrior in the service of the highest ideals will be a legacy of inspiration to all Carter Center staff and others, and no doubt his tremendous accomplishments are never lost. Admirers left heartfelt notes in condolence books at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Writing on behalf of himself and his staff, Dr. Emmanuel Miri, the Centers longtime country representative in Nigeria, offered this reflection: For us, this is indeed a monumental loss of immeasurable proportion! It is easy as Nigerians to realize this as we imagine an alternative reality in our public health space: What if he did not intervene to lead the campaign for the eradication of Guinea worm disease in Nigeria? What if he had called it quits in the face of enormous challenges? Miri added: We are, therefore, inspired by this reflection and the legacy President Carter and his wife painstakingly built in Nigeria and other countries worldwide, to take upon ourselves, individually and collectively, the challenge of sustaining this vison and legacy. On the evening of Jan. 9, 2025, President Carter's funeral procession moves slowly through his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Jules Feiffer, the screenwriter of Robert Altmans decidedly weird live-action Popeye (1980) starring Robin Williams, died Friday, January 17, at home in Richfield Springs, New York. He was 95 years old. Feiffer worked across many creative fields, but he was most well known as a cartoonist, and in 1956, he began a 40-year run drawing the satirical Sick, Sick, Sick for The Village Voice. The strip, later called Feiffer, was eventually syndicated to over 100 newspapers and magazines. In the early years of the comic, when the Voice didnt pay Feiffer for his work, he got a job working in animation at New Rochelle, New Yorks Terrytoons, under the studios short-lived Modernist regime overseen by Gene Deitch. Feiffer had previously applied to work at UPA-NY, when Deitch was its creative director, but his highly personal style wasnt appropriate for the companys direction at the time. But, Deitch recalled that hiring Feiffer at Terrytoons was a priority for him: Among my first acts was to hire Jules Feiffer! He was just the man to help me instill new life in that moribund studio. I put him in the story department, along with my other new recruits, Al Kouzel, Eli Bauer, and studio stalwart, Larz Bourne. The atmosphere was also charged with great external creators such as R.O. Blechman, and Ernie Pintoff. Jules first work for me was on my story team for Tom Terrific! He made sharp contributions to the stories and dialog. Feiffer himself said in an interview that it was one of the first times he felt he fit into an artistic environment: I met people I really liked, and whose talents I respected. I mean, at these other jobs there were a lot of people I liked, but not necessarily people doing work that I cared about or meant anything to me. But when I went to work for Terrytoons, I guess in 56, there was a man I never heard of named Ernie Pintoff doing a cartoon called Flebus which I think is still a brilliant piece of work. There was a man I never heard of named Bob Blechman, who was going up on the same train I was, working on an animated version of The Juggler of Our Lady. There was a lot of talent around. So, for the first time, I felt that I was among constituents, that there were peers around. Besides working on Tom Terrific, Feiffer contributed to theatrical shorts at Terrytoons, including writing The Tale of a Dog, and also developed the unproduced series Easy Winners, for which a test pilot can be viewed below: In 1960, Deitch and Rembrandt Films produced the short Munro based on an illustrated story by Feiffer about a four-year-old boy who is accidentally drafted into the U.S. military. The film, for which Feiffer also drew the storyboards and which was animated in Czechoslovakia, went on to win the Academy Award for animated short, becoming the first foreign film to ever win the category. After his early work in animation, Feiffers work went in countless directions, and he wrote novels, stage plays, non-fiction, and childrens books, in addition to continuing as a cartoonist, both on his own strip and as a magazine cartoonist in high-profile venues like The New Yorker and Playboy. While some of his later childrens books were adapted into animated works (Bark, George; I Lost My Bear), Feiffer didnt directly work in animation after the 1950s. Still, he remained involved with animation-themed projects throughout his career, perhaps most notably the notorious Robert Altman adaptation of Popeye (1980), for which Feiffer penned the script. A musical take on E.C. Segars classic creation, the oddball film has earned a cult following in the decades since its release. Feiffer himself was proud of the effort, but acknowledged in a Comics Journal interview that it could have been better. My struggle with [Altman] was to keep his film in the background while my film and Segars was in the forefront, he said. And sometimes I won at that, and sometimes I lost. I figured I didnt do too badly, because about 60% of what I wrote got on the screen, but I think that if the other 40% got on it would have been better. As it was, I dont think the film turned out badly. I think the worst part of the film is the last half-hour or so, which is after I had been worn out and left Malta, and he was free to do his art in peace, and certainly did. Another notable animated piece using Feiffers creative output is the short film Boomtown (1985), which was the first professional short by indie animation legend Bill Plympton. Originally written as a song by Feiffer for National Public Radio about the absurdities of military spending, Plympton adapted it into a short: For an extended obituary that looks at Feiffers other accomplishments, see this piece on The Comics Journal website. Advertisement Ecocem has announced the construction of its first production facility for ACT, its low-carbon, globally scalable cement technology. The new production site, located in Dunkirk, France, will be operational by 2026 and will provide a production capacity of 0.3Mta initially, said the company. The expansion to the Dunkirk site will increase the plants production capacity to over 1Mta and strengthen the companys position in northern France, the Paris area and export regions. The project is a joint venture between Ecocem in France and Group CB subsidiary CB Green. However, the support of the French authorities was invaluable in funding the expansion and represents Ecocems first public funding since the company was founded in 2000, says the company. The total investment for this plant expansion is EUR50m (US$52.2m), funded through a bank loan classified as a Green Loan by the EthiFinance agency and supported by both the French government and local authorities. In addition, Premiere Usine (first factory) Call for Projects led by France 2030 has awarded a EUR3.6m grant. The France 2030 programme aims to sustainably transform key economic sectors through technological innovation and position France as a global leader in tomorrows economy. This funding is complemented by grants from the Hauts-de-France Region and the Dunkirk Urban Community. Commenting on this significant step forward, Donal ORiain, founder and MD of Ecocem Group, said: The industrialisation of our ACT technology marks a historic turning point for the cement industry. Cement manufacturing processes have remained unchanged for 200 years; ACT represents a true technological breakthrough and an opportunity to rapidly decarbonise what is one of the worlds most polluting industries responsible for almost eight per cent of global emissions - without compromising quality and performance, or significantly increasing costs. The support of public authorities, particularly through France 2030, validates our vision and innovative capability. This is a major recognition for Ecocem and our ACT technology, which has received its first public funding since the company was established in 2000. The first half of 2025 will see the installation of the mill as well as the expansion of the ACT blending and storage facilities. The company expects to start delivery of ACT to the market in the second half of 2026. Top Senate Stories Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 Todays Senate Schedule 8:30 a.m. Senate State & Local Govt 11 a.m. Senate Finance 2:30 p.m. Full Senate Fiscal Note: Lees voucher bill will cut local K-12 funding by $45M next year 11 a.m. CT - SB 6001 - Senate Finance - Watch Gov. fiscal note attached to the legislation predicts there will be a $45 million cut to the K-12 student funding formula, known as TISA, as soon as next year. fiscal note attached to the legislation predicts there will be a $45 million cut to the K-12 student funding formula, known as TISA, as soon as next year. The net decrease in state expenditures (TISA) and the corresponding net decrease in local revenue is estimated to be $44,933,557, the Fiscal Note says. It turns out the much heralded hold harmless provision is so restrictive that only a handful of school districts (15 out 144) would qualify for backfill funding when students leave with a voucher. Sen. Jeff Yarbro will expose this underhanded school funding cut by introducing an amendment (page 15) that truly reimburses school districts when a student transfers to a private school using the voucher. Spending spree: Near $1 billion special session could end today 2:30 p.m. CT - SB 6005 - Senate Floor Session - Watch The General Assemblys controlling party could end Gov. Bill Lees special session today with a $1 billion spending blitz. All six bills are scheduled for final Senate committee votes this morning and could feasibly receive final votes this afternoon on the Senate floor. Heres a quick recap of the other bills: Gov. Lee dedicates $5.6 million to mass deportation czar, grant program SB 6002 - Watch Gov. Bill Lees mass deportation legislation creates a government office for a state deportation czar and a grant program for local governments to set up detainment agreements with ICE. The legislation also changes drivers license rules for migrant workers and creates a felony for local officials who enact or even vote for sanctuary city policies, as determined by the Republican attorney general. But its already illegal for local governments to enact sanctuary city policies due to an earlier law. The divisive law could lead to families being separated and may deter legal migration to Tennessee, where farmers, and businesses are in dire need of labor. Bill establishes two separate disaster relief funds SB 6003 - Watch Senate Bill 6003 would establish two new government funds: Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund. TEMA may issue grants from this fund to local governments for the purpose of paying interest costs on money borrowed to pay for eligible disaster recovery costs. TEMA may issue grants from this fund to local governments for the purpose of paying interest costs on money borrowed to pay for eligible disaster recovery costs. Response and Recovery Fund. TEMA may issue grants or loans from this fund to third parties for the purpose of responding to or recovering from a state of emergency or disaster. Legislation reduces requirements for unemployment insurance after a disaster SB 6004 In addition to suspending needless, state eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits, this bill authorizes TEMA to provide disaster recovery assistance to local governments on public property. Near $1 billion special session spending spree HB 6005 This is the special session appropriations bill, which will almost cost $1 billion. $424 million for Gov. Lees voucher scam $210 million for the Hurricane Helene fund and the Governors Response and Recovery Fund $240 million for TEMA disaster relief grants $20 million to rebuild a high school in Carter County $23.2 million for Education Department grants $5.6 million for Trump-Lee mass deportations Only a billion. PHEW. Imagine if the state werent run by such steady fiscal conservatives! New financing authority to take on debt for toll roads SB 6006 Gov. Bill Lee is asking the legislature to create a new transportation financing entity that can take on debt to finance his toll road projects. By creating a separate entity that finances these privately-run toll road projects, Gov. Lee and Republicans can still proudly say the state is technically debt free. Were so proud. $1.9 million cash payment to property owners affected by Hurricane Helene SB 6007 This legislation was not on Gov. Bill Lees agenda, but the political optics of fighting a $1.9 million taxpayer-funded payment for home and business owners whose property was damaged by hurricane flooding seem bad. Especially when the governors voucher bill is poised to transfer a billion dollars to families enrolled in private schools over the next five years. Full Calendar 8:30 a.m. Senate State & Local Government 1. *SB6004 by Johnson. (HB6002 by Lamberth.) Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) - Amends TCA Section 50-7-302 and Section 58-2-106. As introduced, authorizes TEMA to assist a political subdivision or local emergency management agency with recovery from disasters and emergencies on public property at the request of the political subdivision or agency; suspends certain eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits for persons in the area of a declared emergency. 2. SB6007 by Crowe. (*HB6007 by Faison.) Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 58, Chapter 8 and Title 67, Chapter 5. As introduced, requires the comptroller to disburse payments to property owners whose real or personal property was destroyed or damaged by a FEMA-certified disaster occurring between September 26, 2024, and September 30, 2024, under certain conditions; requires the chief executive officer of a governmental entity to approve the deployment of the governmental entity's personnel and equipment outside its boundaries to another governmental entity that has requested emergency assistance during a disaster. 3. *SB6002 by Johnson. (HB6001 by Lamberth.) Immigration - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 55. As introduced, creates within the department of safety the centralized immigration enforcement division, to be administered by the chief immigration enforcement officer; establishes a grant program for purposes of promoting the enforcement of federal immigration laws; creates criminal penalties for officials who adopt sanctuary policies and subsequently requires their removal from office upon conviction; requires department of safety to issue lawful permanent residents a temporary driver license, instead of a standard license, to aid in determining voter eligibility for someone who presents a Tennessee driver license as identification. 4. *SB6003 by Johnson. (HB6003 by Lamberth.) Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 4, Part 2. As introduced, creates two funds within the state treasury to be known as the Hurricane Helene interest payment fund and the governor's response and recovery fund; authorizes moneys in each fund to be used to assist with the response to and the recovery from certain declared emergencies. 5. SB6006 by Haile. (*HB6006 by Garrett.) Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 54. As introduced, creates the Tennessee transportation financing authority to provide financing and refinancing for the development, maintenance, and improvement of transportation facilities within the state; makes related revisions. 11 a.m. Senate Finance 1. *SB6005 by Johnson. (HB6005 by Lamberth.) Appropriations - As introduced, makes appropriations sufficient for the payment of any lawful expenses of the first extraordinary session of the 114th General Assembly; makes other appropriations related to such extraordinary session. 2. *SB6001 by Johnson. (HB6004 by Lamberth.) Education - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 49; Title 8 and Title 49. As introduced, enacts the "Education Freedom Act of 2025." 3. *SB6002 by Johnson. (HB6001 by Lamberth.) Immigration - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 55. As introduced, creates within the department of safety the centralized immigration enforcement division, to be administered by the chief immigration enforcement officer; establishes a grant program for purposes of promoting the enforcement of federal immigration laws; creates criminal penalties for officials who adopt sanctuary policies and subsequently requires their removal from office upon conviction; requires department of safety to issue lawful permanent residents a temporary driver license, instead of a standard license, to aid in determining voter eligibility for someone who presents a Tennessee driver license as identification. 4. *SB6003 by Johnson. (HB6003 by Lamberth.) Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 4, Part 2. As introduced, creates two funds within the state treasury to be known as the Hurricane Helene interest payment fund and the governor's response and recovery fund; authorizes moneys in each fund to be used to assist with the response to and the recovery from certain declared emergencies. 5. SB6006 by Haile. (*HB6006 by Garrett.) Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 54. As introduced, creates the Tennessee transportation financing authority to provide financing and refinancing for the development, maintenance, and improvement of transportation facilities within the state; makes related revisions. 6. SB6007 by Crowe. (*HB6007 by Faison.) Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 58, Chapter 8 and Title 67, Chapter 5. As introduced, requires the comptroller to disburse payments to property owners whose real or personal property was destroyed or damaged by a FEMA-certified disaster occurring between September 26, 2024, and September 30, 2024, under certain conditions; requires the chief executive officer of a governmental entity to approve the deployment of the governmental entity's personnel and equipment outside its boundaries to another governmental entity that has requested emergency assistance during a disaster. Drivers traveling on US 27 in Hamilton County should be aware of upcoming roadway activities that will have an impact on traffic. On Wednesday, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Tennessee Department of Transportation maintenance crews will close the US 27 South ramp to Broad Street as well as the outside lane of the US 27 ramp to I-24 East for attenuator repairs. I-24 East will not be affected by this work. Drivers are encouraged to use caution as they travel through this area and expect delays. Signage will be posted directing drivers through the work zone. This work is weather-dependent. Should inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances cause delays, it will be rescheduled to take place at a later date. As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel. Get the latest construction activity traffic updates from the TDOT SmartWay Map. Travelers can also call 511 for statewide travel information. The Chattanooga Hamilton Place Rotary Club presented Hamilton County Sheriffs Office K-9 Deputy Andrew Voss with their Outstanding Service Award at their monthly luncheon held earlier this afternoon at the Metro Tab Church.Each year, the Chattanooga Hamilton Place Rotary Club takes the opportunity to recognize members of their local law enforcement community who have gone above and beyond to serve the needs of their respective communities and embody their organizations motto of Service Above Self." As part of the award, the Chattanooga Hamilton Place Rotary also included a donation to Deputy Voss charity of choice, the Hamilton County Humane Society.Officials said, "K-9 Deputy Voss serves as the K-9 Unit Trainer for the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, overseeing the training needs of our K-9 Unit with exceptional skill and dedication.A respected public servant, Deputy Voss is widely recognized as a leader in law enforcement and K-9 operationsnot just in our region, but across the United States."With over two decades of law enforcement experience, Deputy Voss has served honorably in various roles within the HCSO, including SWAT Operator, Patrol Deputy, and Corrections Deputy. His distinguished professional career also includes serving as a Violent Crimes Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, where he plays a vital role in prosecuting federal gun crimes in the Eastern District of Tennessee.""On behalf of the Hamilton Place Rotary Club, we are proud to present this award to K-9 Deputy Andrew Voss," said Roseanne Apyan, president of the Hamilton Place Rotary. "Our Law Enforcement Officers work tirelessly to support our community, often without the recognition they truly deserve. This award is our way of expressing gratitude to the entire Law Enforcement Community, and we hope it serves as a meaningful gesture to acknowledge their daily dedication and service."Officials said, "In addition to his professional responsibilities, Andrew dedicated over 20 years to volunteering with the Hamilton County Rescue Squad as a Rescue Technician, specializing in rope and high-angle rescue operations, before retiring in March 2023. The rigorous training, physical endurance and personal risk required to execute high angle rescues far exceed the standard demands of most first responders. Despite these challenges, Andrews selfless service has directly contributed to saving many lives throughout Hamilton County."Deputy Voss embodies the true essence of a servant leader. His dedication to his family, the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, and the citizens he proudly serves exemplifies the Rotarys motto, 'Service Above Self.' His actions, professionalism and values are a testament to why the HCSO continues to lead the way in providing outstanding law enforcement services to the citizens of Hamilton County, said Sheriff Austin Garrett.Deputy Voss began his career in public service working as an EMT and paramedic with Memorial Hospital and Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services. It was during his time with HCEMS when he began his initial service with the HCSO as a SWAT Medic, prior to officially joining the agency full-time in 2012."Please join us as we congratulate HCSO K-9 Deputy Andrew Voss on his award and for his service to the citizens of Hamilton County," officials said. chirality is a fundamental property of matter that determines many biological, chemical and physical phenomena. Chiral solids, for example, offer exciting opportunities for catalysis, sensing and optical devices by enabling unique interactions with chiral molecules and polarized light. These properties are however established when the material is grown, that is, the left- and right-handed enantiomers cannot be converted into one another without melting and recrystallization. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) and the University of Oxford have shown that terahertz light can induce chirality in a non-chiral crystal, allowing either left- or right-handed enantiomers to emerge on demand. The finding, reported in Science, opens up exciting possibilities for exploring novel non-equilibrium phenomena in complex materials. Terahertz light has the ability to control solids at the atomic level, forming chiral structures of left- and right-handedness. Zhiyang Zeng (MPSD) Chirality refers to objects that cannot be superimposed to their mirror images through any combination of rotations or translations, much like the distinct left and right hands of a human. In chiral crystals, the spatial arrangement of atoms confers a specific "handedness", which, for example, influences their optical and electrical properties. The Hamburg-Oxford team focused on so-called antiferro-chirals, a type of non-chiral crystals reminiscent of antiferro-magnetic materials, in which magnetic moments anti-align in a staggered pattern leading to a vanishing net magnetization. An antiferro-chiral crystal is composed of equivalent amounts of left- and right-handed substructures in a unit cell, rendering it overall non-chiral. The research team, led by Andrea Cavalleri, used terahertz light to lift this balance in the non-chiral material boron phosphate (BPO 4 ), in this way inducing finite chirality on an ultrafast time scale. We exploit a mechanism termed nonlinear phononics," says Zhiyang Zeng, lead author of this work. By exciting a specific terahertz frequency vibrational mode, which displaces the crystal lattice along the coordinates of other modes in the material, we created a chiral state that survives for several picoseconds, he added. Notably, by rotating the polarization of the terahertz light by 90 degrees, we could selectively induce either a left- or right-handed chiral structure, continues fellow author Michael Forst. "This discovery opens up new possibilities for the dynamical control of matter at the atomic level," says Andrea Cavalleri, group leader at the MPSD. "We are excited to see potential applications of this technology and how it can be used to create unique functionalities. The ability to induce chirality in non-chiral materials could lead to new applications in ultrafast memory devices or even more sophisticated optoelectronic platforms" Hangi ulkenin ne kadar nukleer silah var? Listedeki 9 ulke Home News 14 Pentecostal sect members convicted for death of 8-year-old girl denied lifesaving insulin The parents of an 8-year-old girl, her adult brother and 11 other members of a small, tongues-talking Pentecostal sect in Toowoomba, Australia, were convicted of manslaughter Wednesday for causing her death by withholding lifesaving insulin needed to treat her Type 1 diabetes because of their religious beliefs. In a nearly 500-page verdict, Queensland Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns convicted 8-year-old Elizabeth Rose Struhs father, Jason Richard Struhs, 53; her mother, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49; and her brother Zachary Alan Struhs, 22; of manslaughter for her Jan. 7, 2022, death. Also convicted of manslaughter are Loretta Stevens, Therese Stevens, Andrea Stevens, Camelia Stevens, Acacia Stevens, Alexander Stevens, Sebastian Stevens, Keita Martin, Lachlan Schoenfisch and Samantha Schoenfisch. 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 Elizabeths family members and the other convicts are all members of a group, which sometimes referred to themselves as the Church or the Saints, according to court documents. Court records show that instead of treating Elizabeth with insulin when she got ill as a result of her diabetes, the group prayed. And when she died, they prayed for her resurrection for another 24 hours before calling local authorities for help. Jason and Kerrie Struhs, who have been married since 1996, have eight children, but only two of them are adults. Along with Zachary Struhs, the couple has an estranged adult daughter, Jayde Struhs, who left the family at age 16. Although the Saints are not affiliated with any particular religious denomination, Jayde Struhs said the family attended the Revival Centres International church in Brisbane before the sect launched. They broke away from the charismatic denomination after the current leader of the group, Brendan Luke Stevens, failed to become a pastor in the church, BBC reports. The members of the Church did not ascribe to any religious denomination, simply regarding themselves as Christians who followed Gods Word that is to say, the Bible entirely. They believed that, through prayer and baptism by full immersion in water, a person could receive the Holy Spirit and, when received, this would be evidenced by the persons ability to speak in tongues, which they regarded as a language only God can understand, Burns wrote. Despite evidence showing that all 14 convicts appeared to hold a sincere belief that they should not get medical care for sickness and trust solely in God for healing, each of them is facing a potential life sentence for Elizabeths death. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 11. Until her death, Elizabeth Rose Struhs was a vibrant, happy child with, of course, her whole life ahead of her. She left a lasting impression on many with whom she came into contact on the outside, whether through her schooling or during the treatment and control of a medical condition she was first diagnosed with in 2019 Type 1 diabetes, Burns wrote. It cannot be doubted that she was lovingly cared for in almost every way by her parents, Jason, and Kerrie Struhs, or that she was adored by every member of the Church including all other accused. However, due to a singular belief in the healing power of God which, to the minds of her parents and the other members of the Church left no room for recourse to any form of medical care or treatment, she was deprived of the one thing that would most definitely have kept her alive insulin. While celebrating the convictions Wednesday, Jayde Struhs told reporters that her sister should not have died and the local child welfare system failed her. Although we had a good outcome today, I have to acknowledge the system failed to protect Elizabeth in the first place, she said after the verdict, according to CBS News. We are only here today because more wasnt done sooner to protect her or remove her from a credibly unsafe situation in her own home. Court documents show that on July 17, 2019, when Elizabeth was just a 6-year-old, she almost died from diabetes complications because of the religious beliefs of the sect to which her mother zealously adhered. At the time she got sick, her father was not yet a part of the sect, so he was the one who took her to a hospital, where she was diagnosed and treated despite her mothers objections. Health officials say when Elizabeth was brought to the hospital, she weighed just under 29 pounds when the average weight of a child her age is around 46 pounds. In his witness statement to police, Jason Struhs said for the entire time that Elizabeth was hospitalized, her mother never once visited. Kerrie never came to visit Elizabeth during that four-week period, despite me asking her to. Kerrie also never got involved in any of the diabetic training or information sessions on how to care for Elizabeth in the future, despite requests from myself, the hospital, and Child Safety, Jason Struhs wrote. This is also despite me telling Kerrie on countless occasions that the training is necessary, and that if Elizabeth doesnt get the insulin she requires, she will die. Court documents show that after the 8-year-old recovered with the help of doctors, the sect appeared to attribute her recovery solely to God. Both Jason Struhs and his wife were subsequently prosecuted. Jason Struhs was sentenced to six months imprisonment for failing to provide the necessaries of life for his daughter. The sentence was suspended for an operational period of 12 months because he testified against his wife. Kerrie Struhs was found guilty of failing to provide the necessaries of life to Elizabeth on July 15, 2021, and sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was offered parole, set for Dec. 15, 2021. While Kerrie Struhs was imprisoned, the verdict states that Jason Struhs came under intense pressure from his family and the Church, including his son Zachary, who blamed his unbelief for the familys struggles and his mothers imprisonment. As he tried caring for his daughter, his wife at one point decided while she was in prison that she would divorce him after her release. My husband couldnt cope without me there because he felt like he had lost everything because I was the one that mainly looked after the children. I was communicating with Jason whilst I was in jail. The first couple of communications with Jason were by letter and these were quite blunt, he couldnt understand why I had gone to the lengths I had gone to. I decided that when I was released from prison, I was not going to continue my marriage to Jason, I had had enough, Kerrie Struhs wrote in a police witness statement in February 2022. The desperate father reportedly spoke to a colleague about his family issues, and it was suggested that perhaps he could make things better by joining the church. Mr Struhs took that advice. He later told police he returned home and asked Zachary to help him and that Zachary said the only way to help him was to pray to God. They prayed together and Jason Struhs asked God for help. This seems to have been on 18 August 2021. The next morning, he said he awoke with a calmness in [his] heart, and maintained God had taken away [his] anger, Burns wrote. On Aug. 21, 2021, Jason Struhs was baptized by Brendan Stevens in a tub in the presence of several members of the Church. Just over a week later, on Aug. 30, 2021, he received the Holy Spirit and spoke with tongues. Once his wife was released on parole, the entire family became absorbed in the life of the Church. Home News 4 things to know about the murder of Border Patrol agent, Air Force vet David 'Chris' Maland in Vermont Suspects reportedly linked to 'violent transgender commune' A Washington state woman charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a U.S. border patrol agent in Vermont had been in frequent contact with someone whom authorities have linked to homicides in Pennsylvania and California, according to federal prosecutors. Teresa Youngblut, 21, faces two weapons charges in connection with the death of Border Patrol Agent David Maland, 44, who died on Jan. 20 during the shootout in Coventry, a small town about 20 miles from the Canadian border, The Associated Press reported. Youngblut had been traveling with Felix Bauckholt, a German citizen who also was killed, and the pair had been under surveillance for several days. 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 Court documents cited by The Associated Press found the gun used by Youngblut and one that Bauckholt was carrying were purchased by a third person in Vermont last February. The buyer is a person of interest in a double homicide investigation in Pennsylvania, authorities said. Here are four new details emerging in this bizarre and tragic shooting. Home News Mark Steyn blasts Bishop Mariann Budde as 'tool of Satan' for pushing trans kids 'You should be on a roasting spit in Hell for promoting that' Conservative political commentator Mark Steyn recently blasted Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde as "a tool of Satan" for pushing the idea of "transgender children" from the pulpit of the National Cathedral during her recent rebuke of President Donald Trump. Responding to a listener's question about Budde's remarks during his weekly "Clubland Q&A" podcast on his website last week, Steyn opined on the seriousness of what she asserted. "In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now," Budde said as she directly addressed Trump during the National Cathedral's Service of Prayer for the Nation on Jan. 21. "There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families. Some who fear for their lives." 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 Steyn suggested Budde was exhibiting a demonic doctrine. "It isn't actually really funny, because there's no such thing as a transgender kid," Steyn said. "Some may think there is, and a confused 8-year-old boy or 11-year-old girl may think there is. But what it boils down to is you, the bishop, supporting slicing off the breasts of middle school girls. That makes you, the bishop, a tool of Satan. So you should be on a roasting spit in Hell for promoting that." Steyn acknowledged that cross-dressing and transgenderism have long had a place in the seedier fringes of show business, but characterized the attempt to mainstream such behavior as "evil." He also suggested that the Episcopal Church is both apostate and pathetic in its attempt to placate the latest left-wing fixation. "The Episcopal Church is a post-Christian church now, and it's not even good," he said. "It's not as if they're even on the cutting edge of insanity. They're just playing catch-up insanity for whatever they think will work." Steyn emphasized what he characterized as the ultimate wickedness of transgenderism, namely that one can become one's own god. "You know, climate change. 'Maybe if we start worshiping Gaia instead of God, maybe we'll get some of the climate crowd.' Oh, well, that didn't work for us, so let's go with the old 'slice the breasts off middle school girls,' because now you are your own god," he said, mocking the mainline Episcopalian mindset. "There's no big God in the sky anymore. You, right here, down on Earth, starting from the age of 11, 10, 9, 8 you are the god. God may think He's created you male or female, but that's just what you're assigned at birth, as they now say." "This woman is evil," Steyn added of Budde. "And I certainly wouldn't want to sit through anything in that bloody awful National Cathedral. I would be in favor if Trump, as an ex-McDonald's employee, decided he needed to turn that into the world's biggest McDonald's." Steyn, who was baptized Catholic before becoming Anglican and ultimately a Baptist, served as a regular guest host for the late Rush Limbaugh and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Steyn appeared frequently on Fox News, though he has said he eventually tired of the network when he was being invited on the channel to opine on insignificant topics like the pregnant man emoji and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's dog while the U.S. was being humiliated during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021. Budde's sermon has received mixed reactions, with some arguing that she politicized a religious service while others believe that she courageously spoke truth to power. Rob Pacienza, senior pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, attended the service and was among Budde's critics, saying in a recent interview with The Christian Post that he believed it "wasn't really a sermon" but rather "a lecture that really came across as mean and divisive." "I think the irony was she attempted to preach on unity, but her rhetoric and her very unwelcoming spirit from the beginning to the end of her message actually created more division in the end," he said. "She was advocating for transgenderism. She was advocating for open borders. She was advocating for lawlessness in America. She was advocating for an administration to embrace sexuality that is against God's design." Home News Target rolling back DEI goals, backs out of LGBT pride event The national retail chain Target is scaling back socially progressive policies, including phasing out its diversity and inclusion policies. In a statement on Friday, Target said it is ending the "three-year diversity, equity and inclusion goals" as well as concluding its "Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives in 2025 as planned." Additionally, Target promised to stop "all external diversity-focused surveys," specifically naming the LGBT activist group Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index as an example. 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 company also plans to evaluate "our corporate partnerships to ensure they are directly connected to our roadmap for growth" and shift the "Supplier Diversity" team to "Supplier Engagement" in order "to better reflect our inclusive global procurement process across a broad range of suppliers, including increasing our focus on small businesses." "We remain focused on driving our business by creating a sense of belonging for our team, guests and communities through a commitment to inclusion," the company stated. "Belonging for all is an essential part of our team and culture, helping fuel consumer relevance and business results." In keeping with the changes, the Minneapolis-based company has reportedly decided not to participate in the Twin Cities Pride festival and parade this year, an annual event it typically sponsors. Andi Otto, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, released a statement expressing disappointment with the decision. "Target executives have been in touch with Twin Cities Pride about changes to the company's DEI programs. We are working through what this means for the LGBTQ+ community and the long-standing partnership between Target and our organization," stated Otto, as quoted by The Associated Press. "We will keep the community informed about any crucial updates that come from these discussions." The Family Research Council, a Christian conservative advocacy organization that has often butted heads with Target over its socially liberal policies, celebrated the news of the policy changes. "There've been times in this almost two-year wave of Pride pushback when Americans have to pinch themselves to believe their success. For longtime conservatives, Friday was one of those moments," wrote Suzanne Bowdey of The Washington Stand, FRC's news outlet. "After building the LGBT bandwagon that other companies hopped on, one of the country's most unrepentant extremists Target finally surrendered on its woke agenda, handing an army of consumer activists one of the most symbolic scalps yet." Multiple major companies have decided to scale back or end their DEI policies in the last year. Last November, following the election of Trump, Walmart announced that it was ending assorted policies related to DEI, reportedly including the removal of LGBT products directed to children and ending involvement in the HRC's Corporate Equality Index. Other companies that have made changes include Tractor Supply Co., John Deere, Harley Davidson, Jack Daniel's, Lowe's and Ford Motor Company. Home News Trump signs Laken Riley Act; mother praises Jesus, hopes 'her life saves lives' President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act as his first piece of legislation upon reentering the White House, a bill that would direct authorities to detain illegal migrants accused of theft-related crimes and allow states to sue the federal government for damage caused by illegal immigration. Trump signed the law on Wednesday, a move that follows the president's signing of several executive orders this month related to immigration, including one that designated drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. The Laken Riley Act is named for the 22-year-old nursing student murdered by Jose Antonio Ibarra in February 2024, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national in the United States illegally. A judge sentenced Ibarra to life in prison without parole after he was found guilty of murder in 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 Trump described the nursing student as "beautiful," expressing sympathy for the young woman's parents. The Republican president blamed the Biden administration for allowing Ibarra into the country, adding that his administration will ensure a tragedy like Riley's death does not happen again. "To Laken's family, we will keep Laken's memory alive," Trump said. "America will never forget Laken Hope Riley." Under the Laken Riley Act, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is required to detain illegal migrants charged with theft-related crimes such as burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting or those who have been charged with assaulting a police officer. Officials are also required to detain illegal aliens who have committed offenses that injure or kill someone. In addition, the bill would give states the legal standing to sue the federal government for harm caused to citizens by immigration decisions. Trump invited Riley's mother, Allyson Philips, to the podium to say a few words about her daughter. The victim's mother thanked the president for never forgetting Riley, stating that Trump is "a man of his word." Riley's mom also took the time to thank the Lord, acknowledging that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is what gives the family hope to keep living, knowing that they will all see Riley again in Heaven someday. "Most importantly, I want to thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," Philips said. "Without His sacrifices, Laken's story would have ended on that horrific day that she was taken from us. But because of Him, we can continue knowing that we will see Laken again." "Our hope moving forward is that her life saves lives," the mother added, weeping. During the Monday signing ceremony, Trump addressed several Angel families whose loved ones were murdered by illegal immigrants. One of the victims Trump named was Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five who was raped and killed by an illegal immigrant in August 2023. Trump acknowledged that the Angel families have "suffered tremendously," blaming the immigration policies under the Biden-Harris administration, which he described as "weak" and "heartless." The Republican leader stressed that the previous administration should have protected the Angel families' loved ones, accusing the Biden-Harris administration of allowing criminal illegal migrants to enter the United States. Throughout the campaign trail, Trump promised that his administration would work to combat illegal immigration and strengthen border security. Following his inauguration this month, Trump signed multiple executive orders, which included the designation of drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. The president also signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border, directing the secretary of defense to deploy additional personnel to the border. "[Trump's] going to put the cartels out of business. He declared them a terrorist organization," Trump-appointed border czar, Tom Homan, told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday. "We've got the whole of government it's going to dismantle these people and wipe them off the face of the Earth. They're not going to go lightly." "We're taking them out of the trafficking business," Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, added. "We're taking them out of the smuggling business. We're taking them out of the dope business." NYT Claims Trump Lied On Abortion Claims, Canada Religious Symbol Ban, Chris Pratt Thanks God Amid Wildfires link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 07:29 07:29 Top headlines for Wednesday, January 29, 2025 In this episode, we begin with a contentious claim from The New York Times, accusing former President Trump of misrepresenting the Democrats' stance on abortion, a debate reignited as Democrats halted a born-alive infant protection bill. Switching to personal trials, we discuss former Pastor Steven Lawson, who, following a scandalous affair, takes a new path by relocating after his exit from Trinity Bible Church in Dallas. On a different note, we explore the legal and cultural implications of Canada's Supreme Court deliberating on Quebec's controversial ban on religious symbols for public officials. Lastly, we touch on a moment of relief amidst calamity, as actor Chris Pratt shares his gratitude for his home's safety during the devastating LA fires. ?Follow Us on Social Media ?Get the Edifi App ?Subscribe to Our Newsletter ?Links to the News Home Opinion Charismatic mov't has a systemic problem: We tend to protect our leaders I was having lunch with a few other church and ministry leaders within the charismatic movement when I first heard that International House of Prayer (IHOP) founder Mike Bickle had been credibly accused of sexual misconduct. The news was met with a solemn silence. That silence was suddenly broken with a confident declaration; I don't believe it. In my heart, however, I feared that this was only the first domino to fall, and the confident assertion of innocence without the facts even being brought out was a microcosm of a systemic problem within our movement: we tend to protect our leaders. But why? 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 am a charismatic I grew up in the Charismatic movement. When I was a child, the peculiar phenomena associated with the Toronto Blessing and the Brownsville Revival had come to visit my little church in Northern Michigan. But even as a 7-year-old, I knew there was something special happening. People were coming to Christ, and deep healing was happening in people's hearts. We even saw dramatic physical healings, including the needle tracks disappearing from the arms of a young woman who had been delivered from a heroin addiction. I loved it. God was real to me. At 17, my hunger for more experiences with God grew to a white-hot intensity. I prayed constantly. I worked at a grocery store and wept in prayer and worship to Jesus as I stacked cans and bagged groceries. It was during this time that I began to hear testimonies of healings, prophecy, and the tangible experiences with the Lord that I desperately sought after coming from various leaders within the charismatic movement. I devoured the sermons, music, books, and most importantly, the testimonies of those encounters with the God I love with a ravenous appetite for more. Leaders like Bill Johnson, John Arnott, Heidi Baker, Randy Clark, and many more became my heroes. I revered them as more than mere men. These were people whom God had chosen to trust with the thing I longed for so desperately: revival. And if God trusted them, so should I. The silence of the shepherds When the Lakeland Outpouring imploded, I was sad, but not devastated. People fall sometimes, I told myself. Todd Bentley seemed like a gifted man who needed maturity. I trusted Bill Johnson and Rick Joyner to handle the matter with wisdom. Maybe Todd could actually be restored? Then in 2019 news broke that Todd Bentley had returned to ministry and had carried on with horrific abuse and sin that a panel of Charismatic leaders (people that I had never heard of) deemed to be disqualifying. But the big-name leaders of this movement that had so inspired me, the ones I knew and trusted were completely silent. I was furious. Why the silence? Shouldnt victims of abuse hear the voices of their ostensible shepherds rebuking wolves on their behalf? The very ones who took responsibility for restoring Todd Bentley after 2008, the very men who had laid hands on him that same year and appointed him as an apostle and authority figure within this movement are silent as church mice except to provide a rebuke to the whistleblower who had exposed things in the first place. Then news about Mike Bickles alleged serial sexual misconduct began to drip out and people like Rick Joyner called it a nothing burger and even suggested Mike would return to ministry shortly. Others of my former heroes have yet to say a word to this day. Bickles alleged victims are all members of this movement, and those women deserved to hear the voices they respected speak a word in their defense. Silence. Deafening silence. Amos rebuke to Israel (and to us) I have wept much in prayer over the last year. I pray for the saints whose faith may have been rocked by these scandals. But it seems painfully obvious to me that in our desire to experience God, we have forgotten to obey Him. I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:21-24 NIV). In the charismatic movement, much attention is given to praise, worship, contemplative prayer, and the types of disciplines that lead to spiritual experience. These are good. But the Lord says these practices are a stench to Him if while doing them, we have neglected justice. When the shepherds and sheep are silent in the face of the accusations against Mike Bickle, Robert Morris, Daystar Television, Todd Bentley, Chris Reed, Bob Hartley, and many more; when we merely shut our ears and sing our songs hoping for the next personal encounter, the Lord says He despises it because while we praise Him with our lips we neglect justice for the victims of these predators. I wonder if we have loved the experience of praising God more than we have loved the God of our praise? To love God is to love what He loves, and to hate what He hates. Our God is the avenger of the abused and the punisher of the wicked. Our God is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. He leaves the 99 to find the 1. Our God sides with the oppressed. Seek God, not the structures we have built around God The charismatic movement is filled with people like me who long for a deep, experiential walk with God. When we discovered places like Bethel and ministries like it, we felt as though we found our tribe. And many, like me, began to trust these leaders and even outsource our discernment and walk with God to those who had seen more than we had. But the prophet Amos has a rebuke to us as well: This is what the Lord says to Israel: Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing (Amos 5:4-5 NIV). Resist the temptation to eisegete here. Bethel was the city of the King of Israel, Jeroboam. It was the seat of his power. Bethel was likely chosen because of its history of being a place where people met with God. After all, thats where Jacob encountered the Lord and how the place got its name. (Bethel means House of God.) Bethel is where Eli judged Israel and facilitated the sacrificial system of worship to the Lord. Bethel became a place of power and safety for the Northern Kingdom and represented military might in which Israel could place their trust if an invading army came. But in this passage, Amos is rebuking Israel for putting their trust in the structures that they had built around their history with God rather than in God Himself. God is saying through Amos, Stop seeking the institutions that supposedly represent Me. Seek Me and live! Many charismatics have substituted the structures that surround our history with God for a genuine relationship with the Lord Himself. Many charismatics have forgotten what got us into this movement in the first place: a desire to love and experience God. Instead, many became infatuated with the personalities and institutions that have been built up around these encounters. We put our trust in the curators of revival and outsourced our discernment and more to those we considered to be fathers in this movement. We began to seek Bethel and not God and the Lord is displeased. Lets return to our first love. Let us seek to know and love Him. Let us seek to please Him by speaking for the voiceless and holding to account those who have abused the vulnerable. Let justice roll on like a river. Home Opinion For 'conservative' to mean anything, we need to recognize this Recently, in an article for the Institute for Family Studies, Patrick Brown highlighted the notable decline of marriage and married parenthood among Republican voters. The GOP has long enjoyed larger support from married parents. However, in the most recent election, Brown writes, [T]here was essentially no political advantage in 2024 for Republicans in congressional districts with higher shares of births to married parents. In fact, some of the Congressional districts with the highest share of births within marriage are wealthy Democratic strongholds: New Yorks Upper West Side, the Boston suburbs, Northern Virginia, and Silicon Valley. Compare this to 2012, in which Republicans dramatically outperformed Democrats in counties where higher shares of babies were born to married couples. This suggests in years to come if current trends persist the GOP advantage with married parents may not be rock-solid. One reason for this shift is the Republican base has shifted from college-educated, upper-and-middle-class voters to more working-class voters without a college degree, a group in which marriage rates have cratered in recent decades. In 1990, over half of working-class American adults were married. By 2017, that number had dropped to 39%, prompting some to declare marriage a luxury good. By contrast, Brown estimates that today, 67% of college graduates in their 30s are married. 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 Over the same period that working-class Americans grew ambivalent toward marriage, they trended Republican. The Wall Street Journal reported in November that those without a college degree shifted red by eight points in the last election. The result, Brown writes, is a Republican party that has boosted its appeal in parts of the country where out-of-wedlock births are relatively higher, while losing some of its appeal to college-educated parents. This does not mean the political left is shifting more pro-family, or that its policies are good for married parents. Quite the opposite, in fact! As sociologist Brad Wilcox argued in his book, Get Married, progressive elites tend to talk left but walk right. Educated, affluent voters in blue regions promote sexual freedom and diverse parenting arrangements but tend to wait until marriage to have kids and stay married. On the other hand, the party known as the home for family values has drawn voters for whom family is more theory than reality. For many of these voters, being on the political right is not about being conservative, at least not socially conservative. The result is significant lack of clarity on the political right about what social conservatives hope to conserve. Social conservatives must again make the case for the pre-political institutions designed by God that are worth conserving, and why. As Brad Wilcox wrote, The science could not be clearer: On average, the children of married parents are more likely to experience happier, healthier and more successful lives. Among innumerable benefits, marriage more than halves the likelihood that children will grow up poor or end up in prison and doubles the likelihood that they will graduate college. Marriage also vastly cuts the odds of a child falling victim to or witnessing domestic abuse. We may want to see America great, but it wont happen if marriage rates continue to spiral, with broken homes as the normal context in which the next generation is raised. At the heart of conservatism is the idea that there are mediating institutions, including churches and especially the family, that are more important than the state. These little platoons are vital to a healthy society, because they are society at the most fundamental level. As such, they contribute to the lives of citizens in ways that the government cannot. This is why religious conservatives should be deeply concerned about the decline of marriage on the left as well as the right. As Brown concluded in his article, its time for some soul-searching in the movement, including prioritizing pro-family efforts, from eliminating marriage penalties and expanding the Child Tax Credit to offering a Baby Bonus to new parents and more. For Christians, the most important political engagement will be in the years between elections. It will take more than voter registration drives and righteous anger at progressives to make America great. Only a full-scale effort to rebuild and reprioritize marriage, starting in our own communities, can accomplish that. Because if being conservative means anything, it means recognizing that who we are in our own houses is even more important than who is in the White House. Originally published at BreakPoint. Home News American flag stolen, thrown to the ground by immigration protesters in front of Dallas police Incident occurred during protest over Trump mass deportations An American flag was thrown to the ground during a standoff at a large protest in Dallas against President Donald Trump's deportation of criminal illegal immigrants. In Trumps first week back in office, the Department of Homeland Security reported deporting approximately 7,300 people of various nationalities, according to The Associated Press. The president is directing his administration to increase arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials from a few hundred per day to at least 1,200 to 1,500, The Washington Post reported. Protesters gathered Sunday afternoon near Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in downtown Dallas to rally against the mass deportations, with several protesters flying Mexican and LGBT rainbow-colored flags and chanting anti-Trump slogans. 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 there was a visible police presence, the protests were largely peaceful until a crowd of demonstrators, including one draped in a Mexican flag, approached a counter-protester who was flying an American flag along with a Trump flag. In one video, the demonstrators are seen pulling down the American flag and engaging in a tug-of-war with the owner until finally wrestling it out his grasp and fleeing the scene. A police officer in the video is seen intervening by restraining another person from getting involved in the tussle over the flag. One of the demonstrators then takes the flag and hurls it toward the street. The officer comes back into the frame and picks up the flag from the ground. CP reached out Tuesday to a Dallas police spokesperson. This story will be updated if a response is received. Texas has signaled its willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to deploy tactical strike teams as part of a federal effort to find criminal illegal immigrants in the Lone Star State. Arrest warrants have been issued for roughly 5,400 criminal aliens residing in Texas, according to the governors office. Texas is expanding our operations to assist President Donald Trump to protect Americans and enforce the rule of law, said Abbott in a statement. Today, I directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to deploy tactical strike teams to work alongside our federal partners to enforce immigration laws throughout the state. These teams will coordinate with Homeland Security agencies to track down the thousands of illegal immigrants with active warrants across Texas and deport them from our country. Home News Grant Thomson, Bible Society Australias CEO, resigns after organization posts massive deficit Five years after former Hillsong Global Chief Marketing Officer Global Grant Thomson was named Bible Society Australia's new CEO, he abruptly resigned after the organization posted a nearly $4.5 million (AU$7.2 million) deficit. An announcement to supporters cited by TheOtherCheek, a blog led by Christian journalist John Sandeman, states that Thomson resigned from his role but did not provide a reason. "Before the year closes, we want to share with you Grant Thomson's recent decision to step down from his position as CEO. Bible Society Australia has achieved a great deal during Grant's five years of service, and we are grateful for his efforts and contribution," the statement 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 Bible Society Australia's Chief Media Officer Simon Smart is currently serving as acting CEO as a search for Thomson's replacement continues. The organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Christian Post on Tuesday. A 2019 news release announcing Thomson's hiring has been removed from the Bible Society's website. A 2024 financial report on Bible Society Australia's operations blamed the organization's recent losses on difficulty with a "new IT system installed in September 2023," which impacted their retail sales. "BSA for the year ended 30 June 2024 reported a net deficit of $7.3 million (2023 deficit $1.4 million) from total revenue of $56.8 million and total expenditure of $64.1 million. The deficit for the year ended 30 June 2024 was predominantly caused by difficulties with the new IT system installed in September 2023 for our retail operations (Koorong)," the report said. "The problems encountered with the new system impacted sales, which fell by $4 million and incurred additional costs of $2.6 million in staff, licensing, and finance. A further $1.1 million of system development costs have been expensed during the year," the report added. BSA reported a net deficit of AU$1.4 million in fiscal year 2023 and a deficit of AU$3.6 million in 2022. Last April, Thomson announced the shutdown of BSA's news affiliate, Eternity News, including its print magazine, website, weekly newsletter, social media platforms, and Eternity's Jobs website, due to concerns with its "affordability." BSA said it was no longer possible to continue with the media ministry founded and formerly led by Sandeman. On his exit from Hillsong, Thomson's name was embroiled in the church's alleged financial misconduct. Records reported by Dan Foster of Backyard Church suggest Thomson received a Saffire Retreat Voucher worth about $3,000 (AU$5,200) and over $6,000 (AU$10,000) as a "Thank you for service" gift. In 2023, citing documents he acquired from an internal whistleblower, Andrew Wilkie, an independent member of the Australian Parliament, accused Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston and other leaders in the organization of money laundering, tax evasion and shopping sprees that would "embarrass a Kardashian." Records from the Evangelical megachurch network also indicate that popular American televangelists like Joyce Meyer and T.D. Jakes were paid tens of thousands of dollars in honorariums for engagements with the church. Meanwhile, others like Chris Hodges, founder and leader of Church of the Highlands, received "curious payments." In response to Wilkie's claims, Hillsong said in a statement at the time that the church network has been "open and transparent with our congregation about past governance failures, and over the past twelve months we have engaged independent, professional assistance to overhaul our governance and accountability procedures." In March 2023, Hillsong Church announced a slew of changes in how it manages its finances. Upon his hiring in April 2019, Bible Society Australia's then-Chair Anne Robinson said Thomson had the right skill set to take the more than 200-year-old organization into a new season. "Grant is a man who loves God and the Scriptures," Robinson said. "He already spends his life living the vision of Bible Society championing the Bible to share the love of Jesus." Home News Brother of TD Jakes accuser claims megachurch pastor tried to sexually assault him too: affidavit Pastor Richard Edwin Youngblood the older brother of Duane Youngblood, whom Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House hit with a defamation lawsuit last year for alleging the megachurch pastor sexually assaulted him when he was a teenager some 40 years ago has accused Jakes of trying to sexually assault him, too. Richard Youngblood's claim is among multiple sworn affidavits supporting his brother included in a 167-page motion filed last Thursday seeking to dismiss Jakes' defamation lawsuit pursuant to Pennsylvania's anti-SLAPP statute. The filing was reviewed by The Christian Post. "He secured a room with two beds in it, and we went to the room for the night. That night, while I was laying in my bed, I felt Elder Jakes climb into my bed. He pressed his body against mine and asked, 'Youngblood, do you feel that?' He was referencing his erection that he was pressing against my backside," Richard Youngblood wrote in an affidavit filed with a federal court in Pennsylvania. 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 got up out of bed in complete shock as he also [got] up from the opposite side and met me. He grabbed me by my arms and pulled me to him and started trying to kiss me. At this point, I cannot believe what is happening to me." Others who have made sworn affidavits in support of Duane Youngblood's claims are Jeffrey S. Gray, who also shared Duane Youngblood's disclosures about Jakes; Daniel B. Spaulding; LaShawn Youngblood; Joshua Munoz; and Landon Claybourne. In addition to his previous claim, Duane Youngblood alleges in the motion that since he has gone public, Jakes and his associates "have engaged in retaliatory conduct to silence him." According to the motion, Duane Youngblood reported "receiving threats from individuals associated with Plaintiff, including his son." The Christian Post requested comment on the motion from The Potter's House. A response is pending. The SLAPP acronym in Pennsylvania's anti-SLAPP statute stands for Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation. It was signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro last July, Bochetto & Lentz notes. The statute allows, among other things, a defendant in a defamation lawsuit to file an early motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that the defamation claim is frivolous. Duane Youngblood's attorney, Tyrone A. Blackburn, contends that his client's allegations against Jakes are protected public expression because they are addressing matters of significant public concern, "including systemic abuse and institutional accountability within religious organizations." Blackburn argues that Jakes has yet to demonstrate "falsity, actual malice, or actionable harm" from the claims of his client. "Allowing Plaintiff's claims to proceed would violate public policy, as it would chill constitutionally protected speech on matters of public concern and contradict the legislative intent of Pennsylvania's Anti-SLAPP statute," Blackburn argues. "Plaintiff, Thomas Dexter 'T.D.' Jakes, a self-proclaimed spiritual leader revered by millions, has weaponized this lawsuit not to seek justice but to muzzle the voice of truth. His hypocrisy is staggering standing in the pulpit on Sundays to preach virtue while allegedly engaging in depraved acts betraying the principles he claims to uphold," Blackburn states. "As Scripture warns, 'Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves' (Matthew 7:15). Plaintiff epitomizes this warning, using his platform to project an image of righteousness while allegedly abusing his power to satisfy his closeted homosexual desires," the motion adds. Duane Youngblood, 58, a former-pastor-turned-registered sex offender, claimed in interviews with internet personality Larry Reid on his "Larry Reid Live" show on Oct. 28 and Nov. 3, 2024, that the now 67-year-old Jakes sexually assaulted him when he was about 18 or 19 years old. Lawyers for Jakes argued in a 20-page defamation lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in western Pennsylvania last November that Duane Youngblood had conspired with others to extort Jakes. They pointed to his history of abusing minors, for which he has served time. Duane Youngblood is currently on parole under the supervision of Pennsylvania's Department of Parole. He was charged with inappropriately touching two teenage victims while he was counseling them between 2009 and 2011. In one instance, he reportedly engaged the victim on about 25 occasions. Despite his brother's failures, 62-year-old Richard Youngblood alleges in his affidavit that he, too, was attacked by Jakes in a hotel room as a young minister. He added that his younger brother told him about his own encounter years ago as well. According to his sworn testimony, Richard Youngblood was about 28 in the fall of 1990 when he spoke with his then 24-year-old younger brother about what happened between him and Jakes in the spring of 1986 when he was about 24. Richard Youngblood said he was a young minister praying for God's direction in his life at the time when his father told him about Elder T.D. Jakes, who was a guest speaker at The Refuge Temple Church in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania. When he saw Jakes preach at a week-long revival crusade, he was impressed and began harboring ideas of Jakes helping him in his ministry ambitions. He soon connected with Jakes, who is five years older than him. "On one of the nights of the revival, Jakes mentioned that he would be heading home to West Virginia for the weekend to his home church but returning to Pittsburgh at another church the following week. Following one of the services that week, I asked Elder Jakes if I could drive him to his church in West Virginia since he was returning the following week. To my shock, he said yes," Richard Youngblood recalled. He said he stayed in Jakes' home that weekend and met his wife and two sons. After a series of discussions, Richard Youngblood moved his young family to West Virginia to join Jakes' ministry, Temple of Faith. Richard Youngblood was quickly elevated to serve as Jakes' armorbearer. In that position, he served as Jakes' assistant, driving him around and making sure he had what he needed for ministry. He would also become the praise and worship leader. After the birth of his son in June 1987, Richard Youngblood said the relationship between him and Jakes started getting "weird." "This is my landmark of when things started to become weird. The conversations Jakes started to have with me had shifted from ministry and God to more things about him. He shared an uncomfortable story about how he taught his wife to have oral sex with him. There were other uncomfortable things he said which I tried very hard to put into perspective so that it would make sense for me," the affidavit states. He stated that Jakes' then Temple of Faith was part of a larger organization called the Greater Emmanuel Apostolic Faith Tabernacle Inc. When Jakes got promoted to bishop, he began traveling to churches in the organization nationally. In 1988, the year Jakes became bishop, he had to attend a mandatory meeting. Jakes asked Richard Youngblood to travel with him to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was during this trip that Richard Youngblood alleges Jakes propositioned him. "He asked me to accompany him as his driver which I was happy to do because I would get the opportunity to visit with my parents and siblings. He decided that we would head there a day early which meant we had to get a hotel for the night. We stopped at what I believe was an EconoLodge in Westover WV," Richard Youngblood writes. Richard Youngblood said that the room Jakes booked had two beds. After going to bed for the night, the filing claims Jakes climbed into Richard Youngblood's bed and rubbed his body against Youngblood's backside. After jumping out of bed in shock, Richard Youngblood concluded that Jakes tried to groom him. He said Jakes was kept at bay the rest of the night. "On our way back after the meeting, I brought up what happened and expressed my extreme discomfort and that I loved my wife," Richard Youngblood's filing reads. "His response was a slight grunt something like 'hmmm' to which I asked what that meant and he responded that it kind of hurt his feelings to hear me say that. I am now more confused than ever about what I have gotten myself and family into." Richard Youngblood said he contacted an elder in his church named Silas Wheeler about what happened in the hotel room. He claims Wheeler shared his story with Jakes, who allegedly retaliated. "Jakes subsequently calls me into his office where he berates me for sharing what happened. He says, 'It was like Wheeler was in the hotel with a camera.' He then says, 'You didn't care about my wife' to suggest she may find out his secret," Youngblood wrote. Youngblood said he asked another minister who shared a duplex with him if Jakes ever tried anything sexually with him. And he said, "I've never been woke up with nothing like that." He said he began questioning himself internally about what he might have done to make Jakes think he was gay. "Eventually, he told me that I could no longer attend his church, called my wife, told her that I was a liar and to beware of me and also that even though I was no longer allowed to attend the church, she could. I called him after being told this from my wife and shared some choice words," Richard Youngblood writes. "From that day until recent years, I have had mental and spiritual anguish as I was left to bear such a burden as the secret of Jakes' sexuality and the way in which I found out. It's been 39 years of my life, my now ex-wife and our children, products of a broken home and our faith crushed to pieces," he adds. "All because I simply wanted someone to help me become my best self. I was totally and completely deceived by Thomas Dexter Jakes. (T.D. Jakes)." Home News 3 pro-life policies implemented in first week of Trump's second term President Donald Trump has taken several actions via executive order and administrative directive to advance the pro-life cause since taking office last week. His actions reverse several pro-abortion policies implemented by his predecessor, President Joe Biden. The Trump administrations moves on abortion policy coincided with Fridays March for Life, the annual gathering of pro-life activists in Washington, D.C., where Trump delivered pre-recorded remarks via video message. Here are three steps the Trump administration has taken to implement the objectives of the pro-life movement as the official policy of the United States government. 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 executive order cracks down on sex-change surgeries, puberty drugs for minors President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order that seeks to crack down on government funding, coverage and promotion of sex-change procedures on minors as concerns persist about their long-term impacts. Through the order signed Tuesday, Trump commits to "protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation," referring to body-mutilating procedures performed on minors under the age of 18 as well as the prescription of puberty-blocking and cross-sex hormone drugs. "It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called 'transition' of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit these destructive and life-altering procedures," the order declared. 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 Examples of "chemical and surgical mutilation" listed in the order include puberty blockers, including "GnRH agonists and other interventions" that "delay the onset or progression of normally timed puberty in an individual who does not identify as his or her sex." The order calls out the "use of sex hormones, such as androgen blockers, estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone, to align an individual's physical appearance with an identity that differs from his or her sex." Trump also defined mutilation as "surgical procedures that attempt to transform an individual's physical appearance to align with an identity that differs from his or her sex or that attempt to alter or remove an individual's sexual organs to minimize or destroy their natural biological functions." "This phrase sometimes is referred to as 'gender affirming care,'" the order states. The order directs the heads of executive branch agencies to "take appropriate steps to ensure that institutions receiving Federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children" and "rescind or amend all policies" that rely on guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which encouraged the performance of gender transition procedures on minors. Trump instructed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to "take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children" using "regulatory and sub-regulatory actions," "publish a review of the existing literature on best practices for the promoting the health of children who assert gender dysphoria, rapid-onset gender dysphoria, or other identity-based confusion" and "issue new guidance protecting whistleblowers" who report the performance of gender transition procedures on minors. The order calls on the secretary of the Department of Defense to ensure that TRICARE, the healthcare program administered by the department, will "exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children from TRICARE coverage and amend the TRICARE provider handbook to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children." Another provision seeks to remove "coverage for pediatric transgender surgeries or hormone treatments" from Federal Employee Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits. Instructions to the Department of Justice ordered the "enforcement of laws against female genital mutilation across all American States and Territories" in addition to taking action against entities "that may be misleading the public about long-term side effects of chemical and surgical mutilation." The DOJ is also asked to investigate the "so-called Sanctuary States that facilitate stripping custody from parents who support the healthy development of their own children" and oppose the performance of gender transition procedures on them. Leading up to the 2024 presidential election that he ultimately won, the Trump campaign listed working to "stop the chemical, physical, and emotional mutilation of our youth" as one of its major policy proposals. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to "ask Congress to permanently stop federal taxpayer dollars from being used to promote or pay for these procedures" and "pass a law prohibiting child mutilation in all 50 states." The American College of Pediatricians lists potential side effects of puberty blockers as "osteoporosis, mood disorders, seizures, cognitive impairment and, when combined with cross-sex hormones, sterility" while warning that cross-sex hormones can cause youth to experience "an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, blood clots and cancers across their lifespan." Concerns about the long-term impact of gender interventions have already prompted authorities in some European countries to reconsider their approaches to treating the rising numbers of children who report suffering from gender dysphoria. Twenty-six states have implemented bans preventing minors from obtaining some or all of these interventions: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath (Photo: Diocese of Liverpool) The Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath, has denied allegations of sexual assault and harassment broadcast by Channel 4 News on Tuesday night. The report claimed that a woman in the Diocese of Chelmsford accused him of sexual assault. A second complaint came from a female bishop who accused Dr Perumbalath of sexual harassment. The complainant in Chelmsford Diocese alleged that at a diocesan away day in 2019, Dr Perumbalath "kissed me forcefully on my mouth, which I did not like and I did not want. I tried to move away, but he was holding my head too tightly". She alleged that at the end of a meeting in 2022, "As he was letting go of hugging me, he ran his hands past the side of my breasts on both sides, with a medium pressure, until he reached the edge of the areola." She also alleged that in January 2023, Dr Perumbalath "pressed his face against my face, said 'I love you' quietly in my ear, and moved his mouth to just below my ear, on the pulse point on my neck. He opened his mouth, took a piece of my skin between his lips, and let go". Responding to the allegations, Dr John Perumbalath said: "The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present. I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. "I have complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team. The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the police who took no further action. "Whilst I don't believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others. I will comply with any investigation deemed necessary. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area." The Church of England confirmed that the National Safeguarding Team (NST) received a complaint of alleged misconduct against Bishop Perumbalath "early in 2023" and that it had been made "after Bishop John Perumbalath had formally and legally become Bishop of Liverpool". "The complaint was looked into according to statutory safeguarding guidance in an NST-led process and an independent risk assessment undertaken," the Church of England said. "This process concluded that there were no ongoing safeguarding concerns, but a learning outcome was identified with which the bishop fully engaged. "The complaint was also investigated by the police which resulted in no further action. "The NST concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to bring a safeguarding-related complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) itself but offered the woman support if she wished to do so. The NST continues to have contact, at her request, with the woman who came forward and the offer of ongoing support remains. "Some time subsequently, after hearing the details of the complaint directly from the complainant, the Lead Safeguarding Bishop also offered advice and support to the woman if she wished to bring a CDM complaint. That offer also remains." Concerning the complaint from the second woman, the Church of England said the information brought "was explored and assessed not to be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct". "Pastoral support has been provided throughout for the second complainant and is ongoing," it said. "The second complainant did not bring a CDM complaint within the one-year deadline. She later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which the Archbishop of York [Stephen Cottrell] fully supported. "However, this was refused by an independent judge, the Deputy President of Tribunals. "Archbishop Stephen has supported the complainant pastorally throughout the process and continues to offer practical help. He had no part in the decision-making around safeguarding or disciplinary matters." Clergy in the Diocese of Liverpool have sent a pastoral letter to parishioners addressing the allegations in the Channel 4 News report and saying that they should be fully investigated. "Like you we were shocked and saddened by the allegations broadcast by Channel Four News tonight. We recognise how difficult this will have been for people across our diocese to hear and we all need time to take stock," the letter reads. "As leaders in the Diocese of Liverpool we want our diocese and our churches to be places where everyone is and feels safe. We know all our churches are committed to the best possible safeguarding practice, and to upholding the dignity of all people, which is why the allegations set out by Channel Four are so upsetting. "We understand that some of allegations against the Bishop of Liverpool have been investigated and found unsubstantiated by the National Safeguarding Team. "We are aware the police in Essex have taken no action with regard to one allegation. However, we understand that an allegation of misconduct was not fully investigated, and we believe that in the interests of justice this should now happen. "Above all we recognise that this will be a shock and surprise to many. Some will be angry and some will feel let down. We are available for those who wish to talk and encourage anyone who is a victim of abuse to report it so it can be properly investigated." The letter has been signed by Debra Walker, Chair of the House of Laity of the Liverpool Diocesan Synod, Peter Dawkin, Chair of the House of Clergy of the Liverpool Diocesan Synod, Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, Pete Spiers, Archdeacon of Knowsley & Sefton, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, Archdeacon of Liverpool, and Simon Fisher, Archdeacon of St Helens and Warrington. Ian Sleeper (Photo: Christian Legal Centre) A Christian street preacher who was arrested after protesting Islam in the wake of the London Bridge terrorist attack in 2017 has had his appeal rejected by the High Court. Ian Sleeper was arrested under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 for causing "harassment, alarm, and distress" after displaying a sign that said "Love Muslims, Hate Islam, Jesus is love and hope". He was held for 13 hours before being released without charge. He later sued the police for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment but lost and appealed. In its ruling on Tuesday, the High Court said his arrest was justified due to the risk of public disorder because of tensions following the 2017 attacks. The Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which supported Mr Sleeper in his legal action, said there was no evidence of such a risk. The CLC called Tuesday's ruling "a concerning setback to the right of free speech" and alleged "two-tier policing" towards Mr Sleeper after officers failed to take action against pro-Palestine protesters calling for jihad against Israel during recent protests. Mr Sleeper said the way he was treated was "completely wrong" and that he plans to appeal. "The police have never apologised and continue to believe that what they did was right," he said. "Recent events in London following the conflict in the Middle East has [sic] exposed that anyone protesting Israel and calling for violence would not be treated as I was by the police. "There is no consistency in policing over these matters and what has happened to me and on our streets in the past month should be of grave concern to many. "I will continue to pursue justice on this matter for as long as it takes and am pleased to have the opportunity to appeal the previous ruling." CLC chief executive Andrea Williams said that police action against Mr Sleeper was "disproportionate". "What happened to Mr Sleeper in 2017 has been prophetic for what we now see on London's streets during pro-Hamas protests," she said. "The police have upheld the right for Islamic protesters to call for genocide without interference, and anyone who counter-protests and disagrees faces the full force of the law. "Ian explicitly said 'love Muslims' ... How can you be free to criticise Islam in public if the words you mean and explicitly say are ignored in the courts?" (Photo: Babylon Bee) In recent years, Elon Musk, the controversial billionaire behind Tesla, SpaceX, and other revolutionary ventures, has made intriguing remarks about religion. These comments have sparked interest, particularly among believers, as Musk has described himself as a "cultural Christian". This term invites reflection on its meaning and implications for faith in an increasingly secular world. Musk's View of Christianity: Admiration Without Commitment To understand Musk's views, it is important to consider the context of his statements. During a 2021 interview with The Babylon Bee, a Christian satire site, Musk was asked whether he would "accept Jesus" while jokingly being offered salvation. He replied, "If Jesus is saving people, I mean, I won't stand in his way. Sure, I'll be saved. Why not?" Musk also said, "I agree with the principles that Jesus advocated. There's some great wisdom in the teachings of Jesus, and I agree with those teachings." He highlighted values such as "turn the other cheek" and "forgiveness" as particularly meaningful. However, Musk stopped short of expressing a personal or spiritual commitment to Christianity. Instead, he described himself as someone who values these teachings while maintaining a largely secular outlook. Musk's self-identification as a "cultural Christian" reflects this tension. The term typically refers to individuals who align with Christian traditions, values, or ethics through upbringing, societal influence, or cultural heritage, rather than personal faith. Such individuals might celebrate Christmas, admire Christian moral principles, or even express respect for Jesus, but they do not necessarily embrace the spiritual or theological foundations of Christianity. For Musk, who grew up in South Africa - a nation shaped by Christian traditions - this identification likely stems from cultural familiarity rather than personal belief. Regarding his religious heritage, he has stated, "I was brought up as an Anglican, and I was baptised." Musk's Critique of Modern Christianity and Politics However, Musk's comments on Christianity go beyond casual admiration. A post on his X social media platform (formerly Twitter) drew global attention: "Christianity has become toothless. Unless there is more bravery to stand up for what is fair and right, Christianity will perish." Some interpreted this as criticism, while others saw it as a challenge for Christians to live out their faith with greater conviction. Musk's statement reflects his belief that moral courage is essential for Christianity to remain relevant in the Western world. Musk's political leanings add another layer to his comments. Known for his alignment with right-wing politics, Musk is a prominent figure within President Donald Trump's inner circle and now holds a senior position in Trump's second-term cabinet. His endorsement of conservative Christian values complements his broader political outlook, which often champions traditional ethics, personal responsibility, and scepticism towards progressive ideologies. Whether Musk's references to Christianity stem from personal conviction or recognition of its influence within conservative politics is uncertain. However, his rhetoric aligns with that of leaders who emphasise the role of faith in maintaining societal cohesion. In President Trump's case, his association with Christianity has been a focal point for many of his supporters, some of whom view him as God's chosen leader for a new era in America. For these supporters, Musk's appointment as head of the Department of Efficiency in Trump's administration is seen as part of a divinely inspired plan. A Call to Move Beyond Cultural Christianity This connection between Musk's political identity and his claim to respect Christian principles raises broader questions about cultural Christianity. On one hand, Musk's positive remarks about Jesus' teachings might encourage others to reconsider the relevance of Christianity. His investments in altruistic technologies that benefit the disabled and literally help the blind to see cast the faith in a favourable light, especially in a capitalist culture that often dismisses religion as outdated or restrictive. If Musk's high-profile admiration for Christian principles is genuine, it could prompt some to explore Christianity further. On the other hand, cultural Christianity risks diluting the essence of the Gospel. Christianity is not merely a system of ethics or a moral philosophy; it is a faith rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel calls for personal repentance and reconciliation with God through grace, not simply the adoption of moral principles. When prominent figures like Musk describe Jesus primarily as a moral teacher, there is a risk of reinforcing the misconception that Christianity is just another ethical framework rather than a transformative relationship with the divine. Jesus himself rejected being reduced to a moral guide, declaring, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This invitation to faith is central to helping people move beyond cultural affiliation to genuine transformation. For the Church, Musk's views present both opportunities and challenges. Affirming cultural Christians like Musk when they express respect for Jesus is important, but it is equally necessary to share the deeper truths of the faith. His comments reflect a broader cultural trend in a secularised and scientific world, where faith often struggles for relevance. Yet Musk's reflections remind us that the teachings of Jesus still resonate with those exploring questions of morality, spiritual maturity, and the purpose of our existence here on earth. Elon Musk's respect for Christian principles opens the door for deeper dialogue about faith. The Church has a chance to engage cultural Christians with both grace and truth, offering them a clearer understanding of the transformative power of the Gospel. Ultimately, it is not cultural affiliation or ethical admiration, but a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that offers the fulfilment every human soul longs for. The challenge for Christians is to meet people like Musk where they are and extend an invitation to experience faith as something deeper - an encounter with the divine that transforms lives. Duncan Williams is outreach director for the Christian Free Press and has worked for Son Christian Media here in the UK and Recovery Network Radio in the United States. He is an ordained minister and a long-term member of Christians in Media. He provides content and syndicated news for regional publisher www.inyourarea.co.uk We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Using generative AI tools as part of a productivity suite isnt just about doing things better and faster. With the right partner, businesses can redefine what is possible, bringing more intelligence and creativity into routine tasks and ultimately enabling them to maximise the benefits derived from using an AI companion. This is what Wipro aims to deliver with its custom offerings for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Leveraging two decades of deep understanding of Microsoft products along with insights from its early access program, Wipros AI Lab is a repository of carefully curated prompts designed for optimal interaction with Microsoft 365 apps. This can benefit both newcomers and seasoned users alike, ensuring they unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot to achieve desired outcomes. Tailoring Microsoft 365 Copilot to enhance work across the enterprise Wipro works with enterprises on their Microsoft 365 Copilot integration by crafting different personas and tailoring for different user profiles, whether it is a C-level executive or development engineer. This offers personalised support, ultimately optimising time spent at work and freeing up human capital to work on more value-added tasks. From a pre-generative AI world, where analysing a data file with 10,000 rows and 30 columns would require days of work by a specialist, anyone can ask a question in plain language and receive a comprehensive data analysis within minutes today. Similarly, integrating Microsoft 365 Copilot with Microsoft Teams supercharges the app, generating real-time notes and a detailed meeting summary, including a ready-to-use presentation minutes after a meeting ends. For seasoned developers, it integrates with GitHub to speed up custom software development workflows and makes it possible for novices to create apps and websites effortlessly. In areas like managed services, Microsoft 365 Copilot functions like a chatbot, dipping into Microsoft SharePoint libraries to provide standard operating procedures and data. Unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot with a partner AI use often raises questions about data privacy, but security is at the heart of Microsoft 365 Copilot. Responses by the AI assistant are based solely on data within the enterprises reach, mitigating the risk of exposing sensitive information. The model has been trained to deliberately exclude customer data, ensuring that it is never shared without explicit consent. For its part, Microsoft monitors the system for misuse, ensuring the integrity of the enterprises data by not storing any reviewed inputs or outputs. But ultimately, the success of any technology integration comes down to its actual adoption and usage. Wipro leverages Microsoft 365 Copilot dashboards to monitor engagement, providing insights into which tools are used most and identifying patterns across time zones and regions. For areas where usage doesnt client expectations, Wipro provides training materials to assist their employees in fully tapping into Microsoft 365 Copilot. Wipro also works with customers to calculate their overall ROI and then create a viable value proposition for adopting Microsoft 365 Copilot. This helps clients clearly see how their investments would result in enhanced productivity across the different personas linked to each Microsoft app, enabling them to make an informed decision. Working with an experienced partner can take your AI companion from being a cutting-edge tool to transforming your organisations operations, allowing it to leapfrog into a new era of productivity, efficiency, and creativity. If youd like to learn more about how Wipro can supercharge your Microsoft 365 Copilot implementation, read more here. Moldova pentru Educatie: Liceul Teoretic O. Ghibu din Orhei va avea unul dintre cele mai moderne blocuri alimentare din tara International Organization for Migration kindly requests your quotation for the provision of the Training on project management and digital product management as described in the RFQ MD004-25 submission form. RFQ Reference: RFQ-MD004-25 Within the framework of the EU funded project Supporting protection, transit, repatriation and reintegration of affected eastern partnership citizens and vulnerable third country nationals in the eastern neighbourhood region affected by the conflict in Ukraine (hereinafter, referred to as the EU-funded IOM project), IOM is supporting the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Inspectorate for Migration in the development of the new General Inspectorate of Migration Informational System IS Migratie. The new system will implement a modern approach in running its internal activities based on international best processes and standards and according to its legal responsibilities entrusted through the enacted legislation. The objective of this initiative is the provision of a comprehensive training on project management and digital product management for the relevant personnel of the General Inspectorate for Migration, aligned to the specific needs of the national authority identified upon close coordination with it and the IOM. Therefore, International Organization for Migration kindly requests your quotation for the provision of the services described in the RFQ submission form. Deadline for the submission of quotation extended: 14 February 2025. More details and related documents are available here: https://moldova.iom.int/procurement Alte articole de la acest autor: Several UK charities are likely to be affected by the US governments recently declared pause on foreign aid funding, sector organisations have said. After beginning his second term as US president last week, Donald Trump announced that his government would undertake a 90-day re-evaluation of its foreign aid funding through the US State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Part of Trumps America First agenda, the US foreign policy Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid was one of his initial executive orders on 20 January. The US Department of State asserted: President Trump stated clearly that the United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people. The mandate from the American people was clear we must refocus on American national interests. In response, UK umbrella body Bond said the USAID freeze could impact a number of its international development charity members. National LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall also said the funding pause would affect its work in eastern Europe and the Caucasus. US government urged to reconsider Both Bond and Stonewall urged the US government to reconsider its plans to freeze aid funding. Stonewall chief executive Simon Blake said: Many will be rightly fearful of the impact the US government decision to suspend all foreign aid will have, including for programmes supporting LGBTQ+ communities around the world. This latest decision signals a further rollback of rights and support for marginalised groups by the new administration and its impact will be detrimental to communities living in extremely challenging circumstances and environments across the globe. Stonewalls work in eastern Europe and the Caucasus is enabled by many funders, including the US Government, and supports communities and law enforcement agencies to respond to anti-LGBTQ+ violence, often providing vital services to victims. Programmes like this are crucial given the anti-LGBTQ+ laws and rhetoric being increasingly enforced in the region, but they need continued and committed support and funding to succeed. We are working hard with our partners to mitigate the impact of the US governments decision and ensure that the communities and individuals we support arent also victims of a political agenda thousands of miles away. Bond chief executive Romilly Greenhill said: We strongly urge the new US administration to reconsider its current pause in USAID spending. Knowing the devastating impact the UK aid cuts had on marginalised communities facing conflict, poverty and climate change globally, this decision will damage efforts to reduce poverty and erode years long partnerships and trust. 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. Earlier this month, Jacob L. Nelson wrote in a piece for CJR about how the American Jewish press has interpreted changes within the community precipitated by Hamas attacking Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israels bombardment of Gaza that followed. He described a period of fragmentation, with American Jews critical of Israel moving decisively away from a mainstream establishment that no longer felt like their political home. Meanwhile, some Jewish groups previously aligned with progressive coalitions have found themselves feeling betrayed by former allies who refused to denounce the murder of civilians on October 7. The war in Gaza, Nelson wrote, did not create a rift so much as intensify an existing one. Over the past fifteen months, Peter Beinart has found himself struggling to bridge this very divide. Beinart, a former editor of the New Republic who has written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, and Israels Haaretz (among many other publications), currently teaches journalism and political science at the City University of New York and serves as editor at large for Jewish Currents, which describes itself as a magazine committed to the rich tradition of thought, activism, and culture of the Jewish left. After undergoing a political transformation of his own, Beinart has become known in recent years for his critique of Israels ongoing military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and of the politics of Jewish supremacy. My introduction to his work was a 2021 article in Jewish Currents in which he argued against de jure Jewish statehood and in favor of a binational, one-state solution in Palestine and Israel. Beinart is also a strictly observant Jew. As the war in Gaza unfolded, he told me, it was surreal to feel just horrified day after day by what I was seeing and then to see the organized Jewish community reacting with support. Beinart saw something deeply wrong with the emphasis on Jewish victimhood and with the idea that the incursion into Gaza was an act of Jewish self-defense: It struck me as having the effect of giving people a set of rhetorical strategies to allow them not to feel, and to allow them not to see, he said. And so he wrote a book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, which came out yesterday. In it, he argues that Jewish safety should notindeed, cannotcome at the expense of Palestinian dignity. We must now tell a new story, he writes in the books prologue. Its central element should be this: We are not historys permanent virtuous victims. Beinart and I spoke in advance of the release of the book about the politics of word choice, writing for a skeptical audience, and the Palestinian texts that have shaped his thinking. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. YRG: Over the past fifteen months, the media has struggled with the fact that, when it comes to contested narratives, even the use of certain words can be loadedfor example, terrorist versus militant versus fighter. How did you navigate that in writing this book? PB: I try to avoid words that are going to lose people, [where] the particular definition isnt necessarily that important, but they signal you are anti-Israel and therefore I dont trust you and Im not going to listen any further, whether that term is apartheid or settler colonialism or genocide. I would actually defend particular definitions of all of those terms for certain things that Israel does, but I avoid them generally because I think its more effective to lay out the facts as I see them: in the West Bank, Jews and Palestinians live alongside one another, but Israeli Jews have citizenship and the right to vote in the state that controls that area; they live under civil law and they have freedom of movement. Palestinians dont have those things. I think that constitutes apartheid, but I think its more effective to say, You can call that what you want, but do you think thats an equal legal system? Similarly, on the question of genocide: we know that [in Gaza] Israel has destroyed most of the hospitals, most of the schools, most of the agriculture, most of the buildings; that people have been displaced multiple times and that the number of people, including the number of children, who have died, is well in excess of many of what we would consider the most horrifying conflicts of the twenty-first century. If you dont want to call that genocide, dont call it genocide. But what do you think of that state of affairs? In the book you talk a lot about the strength that comes from ordering your life around community, but you also describe the dangers of the kind of defensive tribalism that the Jewish community has, in many ways, assumed. Has the press, both Jewish and otherwise, contributed to this dynamic? Have you seen this change at all over time? Its no surprise that Palestinians have not had much of a voice in the American discourse about Israel and Palestine. It was in 1982 that Edward Said famously said Palestinians lack permission to narrate; I think in the mainstream American press, to a large degree, they still lack permission to narrate. I think what has changed is that the press is fragmented, with the rise of social media, and that there is now a wing of Americansyounger, more on the leftwho do hear Palestinian voices more because Palestinians have used social and alternative media. Sign up for CJRs daily email Establishment Jewish perspectives are well represented in mainstream American public discourse. Theres often a centering of Jewish and Israeli humanity, which I dont want to take for granted; Im aware that that hasnt always been the case, and that Jews have suffered a great deal from dehumanization. Whats bittersweet to me is the way in which empathy for our experience and our story comes at the expense of Palestinians. [When speaking about the Holocaust, many people, Jews and non-Jews, say] We will never allow this to happen to Jews again, and We support the state of Israel, and We support Jews being safe. I feel, on the one hand, grateful to live in a country that centers that narrative. Its part of the reason I feel so comfortable as an American, even in comparison to other liberal democracies like in Europe, where I think that story may not be as central. On the other hand, its so clear to me that the effect of that story is to decenter a narrative in which Palestinians have been dehumanized, for which the people in power in media and government dont feel that same sense of obligation. Or the conversation about anti-Semitism: Im glad there is a sensitivity in American discourse to anti-Semitism. And yet Im also appalled by the degree to which anti-Palestinian racism is simply the air that we breathe, without recognition that that should also be considered an unacceptable bigotry. I think the organized American Jewish community weaponizes that language of concern and empathy in cynical ways, and uses it as a tool to try to shut down a conversation about the rights and dignity of Palestinians. When you write something that you anticipate might touch a nerve within your community, how do you prepare for the pushback? Sometimes Ill send things to friends whose politics are not mine, just to kind of get a preview of what theyre going to dislike. It can help me avoid a kind of unforced error in which I said something that didnt come across the way I wanted it to or I didnt anticipate some counterargument. For instance, I sent this book to a friend who said to me, You know, Peter, youre not taking enough account of the fact that there are people who, at the end of the day, support the war, but are still deeply, deeply pained by what they see in Gaza. I thought that was a really helpful point to make, that I then tried to emphasize more. I think the other thing I do is I try in difficult moments to just sit quietly a little bit and ask, to the degree that I can, whether I think that Im doing what God wants me to do. It doesnt mean I can control the reaction. It just means Im willing to accept the response. The history of persecution has made it so there is a strong cultural taboo against speaking or writing publicly about things that are challenging within the Jewish communityas you and I are doing now. How do you respond to that critique? The critique that essentially Im airing dirty laundrymaking Jews look bad and giving aid to people who hate Jews? I do hear that a lot. It seems to me we have a tradition of speaking really openly and often quite harshly about ourselves because we believe that actually we have a moral responsibility to try to do better in living up to the obligations of the mitzvotcommandmentshowever one interprets that. The other thing is that Ive never met a Palestinian or a pro-Palestinian activist who has said to me, Gosh, I really didnt know Israel was doing these bad things; I wasnt really upset about it until I read you. People are seeing these things all the time, and frankly theyre often seeing them in much more unvarnished, harsher terms than Im expressing them in. In fact, some of what Ive heard repeatedly from Palestinian or Arab Muslim interlocutors is along the lines of: When Jews stand up for Palestinian human rights, they effectively counter anti-Semitic narratives in the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim world because essentially they make it harder for people to conflate Israel as a state with all Jews. They send a message that this is not a tribal struggle; its a struggle about certain principles. In an announcement about your book, you wrote that you hope that your readers will also seek out Palestinian authors. Can you recommend a couple of books in particular? One bookan old book, but a classicthat had a really big impact on me is Saids The Question of Palestine. The book helped to get Western readers to see Zionism from what Said calls the standpoint of its victims, which is still something that is relatively rare. The other thing that really affected me in all of Saids writing is the ethical humanism of his perspective. He has the extraordinary capacity to critique Zionism and also understand why Zionism had an appeal to so many Jews; to understand the Jewish experience that would have led some people to embrace Zionism and also to accept the depth of the Jewish connection to what Jews call the land of Israel. I think that takes a tremendous amount of empathy: Said is writing as a Palestinian who is from a family that was dispossessed, as part of a people who are not only dispossessed, but whose dispossession is not acknowledged. Another book that had an impact on me was Ali Abunimahs One Country. What impacted me was his effort to argue that [Palestine and Israel] could be a place of collective liberation. I think its so alien to mainstream Jewish discourse to imagine that a Palestinian writer would care about Jews living and thriving [with Palestinians] in one equal country. The spirit behind it was one that was helpful to me as I made a move that was scary for me, away from the idea of partition toward the idea of equality in a shared space. Editors note: On Monday, Ali Abunimah, the journalist mentioned above and executive director of the online publication Electronic Intifada, was deported from Switzerland after several days in administrative detention. He had traveled to the country to give a talk. According to Reuters, Swiss police cited an entry ban as the pretext for Abunimahs detention. He said on X after his release that he had not been presented with any charges, adding that he was questioned by Swiss defense ministry intelligence agents without a lawyer present; he suggested that he was targeted for being a journalist who has written about genocide in Palestine. Two high-profile representatives of the United Nations said that Abunimahs detention raised serious concerns about freedom of expression. Other notable stories: Automotive technology giant CDK Global has agreed to pay $630 million to settle antitrust claims that it caused hundreds of software vendors to overpay for vehicle dealership data by restricting access. The proposed settlement, filed on Monday night in a federal court in Madison, Wisconsin, requires a judges approval. The company denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. Austin, Texas-based CDK, owned by Brookfield Business Partners BBU.N, sells software platforms auto dealers use to run their daily sales, financing and service operations. Tech vendor AutoLoop and other companies included in the settlement create apps for the dealers management systems for inventory management, repair orders, warranty services and other functions. AutoLoop sued CDK in 2018, accusing it of cutting off access to auto dealer systems and driving up prices vendors pay to access data for their apps. A judge certified the case as a class action in July. CDK chief executive Brian MacDonald said in a statement the company felt it was time to bring this long-standing litigation to a conclusion and that the settlement would have no impact on its business. The vendors had indicated they would seek damages of $490 million at a trial previously scheduled for this week. A jury award could have been tripled under antitrust law. The vendors who brought the class action include 243 companies that purchased data integration services since October 2013 from CDK or one of its rivals, Reynolds & Reynolds, which is not a defendant. Lawyers for AutoLoop and other members of the class action at Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick called the settlement extraordinary in a statement and said it stemmed from years of hard-fought litigation. They said they would ask the court for about $200 million in legal fees. CDK agreed to pay $100 million in August to settle a class action by U.S. auto dealerships claiming they overpaid for the companys dealer management systems. AKRON, Ohio A former doctor from Hudson will spend at least eight years in prison after he was sentenced Tuesday by a Summit County judge on convictions for rape and sexual battery. Mahmud Kara, 58, could spend a maximum term of 12 years in prison, Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich said in a news release. The judge also ordered Kara to pay a $10,000 fine and he must register as a Tier III sex offender. Kara was accused of assaulting a woman at his home on Fox Trace Lane in April 2023, prosecutors said. He was found guilty by a Summit County jury last month. I want to thank the survivor for her bravery in coming forward to bring this predator to justice, Kolkovich said in a statement. Kara was ordered to forfeit his Ohio license to practice medicine as part of a 2018 case in which he pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing criminal tools. He was also sentenced to one year community control and was fined $2,500. In that case, agents with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the State Medical Board conducted an undercover investigation and determined that Kara did not follow state law when he prescribed weight loss medication to patients over a period of five years. Kara was the owner of KaraMD, a company that offered natural remedies and supplements in Valley View. CLEVELAND, Ohio University Hospitals has sold some of its outpatient laboratory locations to New Jersey-based Quest Diagnostics for an undisclosed amount, Quest announced. The sale, first announced in August, was completed this week. The sale affects about 50 UH outpatient lab services locations, including laboratory draw locations inside its health centers. Patients may notice some changes, starting this month. While most lab locations will stay the same, lab hours may change and lab services will be billed separately. Test results will continue to be available on the electronic medical record MyChart, but Quest bills wont appear on MyChart, UH said. UH caregivers still will have access to outpatient lab results and will be able to order lab tests as they did in the past, the hospital system said. Patients should bring a photo ID and insurance card to lab visits. UH will continue to own and operate its hospital-based labs and perform all testing associated with inpatient care, emergency department visits and hospital-based outpatient procedures, as well as several specialized tests that Quest may draw (blood for) and will send to UH for processing, the health system said. UH decided on the sale because Quest provides a wide range of services at affordable prices, and Quest labs accept a wide variety of health insurance plans, UH said. Quest also can deliver continued lab innovation, connectivity with hundreds of electronic health record systems, and about 80 Ohio locations, UH said. Laboratory testing is a critical and increasingly complex area of healthcare and Quest is a trusted name in laboratory services known for high quality and innovation, UH CEO Dr. Cliff Megerian said in a statement. We look forward to a collaboration with Quest that will maintain streamlined and efficient operations, quality and breadth of menu while enhancing access for our patients. Quest, a leading provider of diagnostic testing services, had $9.25 billion in revenue in 2023, according to press reports. The company operates in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil and other countries. UH lab testing will be handled by Quests laboratories in Twinsburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Quest said. A total of 130 UH lab employees have been hired by Quest, UH said. Their new salaries and benefits are comparable to their previous positions, and their seniority was honored. Those who chose not to join Quest accepted other jobs at UH, the health system said. Buying, selling labs is healthcare trend Private companies like Quest buying outpatient labs operated by health systems has been a trend across the medical landscape in recent years, according to healthcare experts. Thats because many health systems dont have the resources to keep up with the rapid technological advancements in lab testing, according to press reports. Selling their labs to independent companies allows hospitals to focus on clinical care, while giving patients access to high-quality testing services. In 2024, Quest completed the acquisition of labs run by hospitals based in Minneapolis. It also purchased Steward Health Care Systems outreach lab services serving Pennsylvania and Ohio, and outreach lab services run by OhioHealth based in Columbus, according to news reports. North Carolina-based Labcorp one of the largest clinical laboratory networks in the world also has been expanding by acquiring lab assets from health systems. Julie Washington covers healthcare for cleveland.com. Read previous stories at this link. In a Tuesday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, Nucor CEO Leon Topalian expressed optimism about what President Donald Trump's tariff policies mean for the U.S. steel industry. "We saw the memo last Monday on tariffs and what they're going to do," Topalian said. "And I think they're going to be far reaching, and I think they're going to be very broad to, again, stop the illegal dumping, the manipulation, currency manipulation and subsidization of steels coming into the shores of the U.S." He referenced actions during Trump's first term, when the administration imposed a 25% tariff on steel imports, meant to curb dumping steel into the U.S. market. Dumping refers to when a country exports products to other countries at a much lower price than in those countries' existing markets. While Topalian said Nucor will "compete against anybody in the world," this dumping "creates a very unbalanced and unlevel playing field that has hurt the steel industry for decades." Topalian also briefly discussed U.S. Steel , following rumors that peer Cleveland-Cliffs wants to acquire the company after the government blocked Japan's Nippon Steel from buying it. CNBC reported that Cleveland-Cliffs intends to buy U.S. Steel and then sell the company to Nucor. Nucor said last year that it had been interested in acquiring some of U.S. Steel's assets, but ultimately did not do so because of pricing concerns. "We're the largest steel company in North America, so of course we took a look a year and a half ago and, and, we'll continue to look and see if those assets come back," he said. "But, part of the reason we didn't move forward is valuation. We're not going to overpay for assets." According to Topalian, U.S. Steel is "a shell of itself" because leadership didn't recognize technological innovation, changes in the industry and emerging competitors. He claimed that looking at his company's net earnings, "it would take the next three competitors combined to get anywhere close to what Nucor has done." "We've been focused on executing a strategy that has resulted in an unprecedented opportunity to partner with Nippon to secure jobs, invest capital and infuse global leading knowhow and technology into U. S. Steel," a spokesperson for U.S. Steel said. "We will continue to compete vigorously for the benefit of our stockholders, customers, employees, and communities." Cleveland-Cliffs declined to comment. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gestures during a rally on the inauguration day of U.S. President Donald Trump's second Presidential term, inside Capital One, in Washington, U.S. Jan.20, 2025. Tesla's fourth-quarter earnings report lands just over a week after President Donald Trump began his second term in the White House, with Elon Musk right by his side. Now that the Tesla CEO is firmly planted in Washington, D.C., in a high-profile advisory role, shareholders in the electric vehicle maker have some questions. On the forum Tesla uses to solicit investor inquiries in advance of its earnings calls, more than 100 poured in from shareholders about Musk's politics, including his official role at Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his endorsement of far-right candidates. "How much time does Elon Musk devote to growing Tesla, solving product issues, and driving shareholder value vs. his public engagements with Trump, DOGE, and political activities?" one retail investor asked, adding, "Do you believe he's providing Tesla the focus it needs?" In addition to contributing $270 million to help Trump and other Republican candidates and causes, Musk spent weeks on the campaign trail during the fourth quarter working to propel Trump back into the White House. After Trump's election victory, Musk then spent considerable time far away from Tesla's factory floor at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. One of the top-voted questions about Musk asked how much time he intends to spend "at the White House and on government activities vs time and effort dedicated to Tesla." Musk and Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Starbucks reported better than expected quarterly results Tuesday evening initially sending shares higher in choppy after-hours trading. Even though the company's same-store sales declined for the fourth straight quarter, early signs of progress on CEO Brian Niccol's Back to Starbucks strategy had us feeling encouraged that much better times are ahead. Revenue fell 0.3% year over year to $9.4 billion in the fiscal 2025 first quarter, beating the $9.3 billion expected by analysts, according to LSEG. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 69 cents fell 23% year over year, exceeding estimates by 2 cents, LSEG data showed. SBUX 1Y mountain Starbucks' share price over the past 12 months. Bottom line Coming into the quarter, investors knew the results weren't going to look good on paper because fixing Starbucks is no quick and easy task. We know that Niccol, who became CEO of the coffee giant on Sept. 9 , is a turnaround artist with an exceptional track record of revitalizing brands. He did it at Taco Bell and most recently at Chipotle. But reputation alone is what caused Starbucks to jump from the mid-$70s to the $90s when his hiring was announced in August. To get the stock higher, the market was hungry for data points that showed Starbucks was on its way to restoring growth in U.S. same-store sales, or comps. The market needed to see signs of progress in the company's strategy. Here are some highlights from the call. One tangible sign of success was the sequential sales improvement made throughout the quarter. Niccol attributed some of this accomplishment to his pivot away from discounting menu pricing and using those dollars to reinvest in the brand, leaning into broad-based marketing that highlighted the premium experience you get in the stores. Little changes can go a long way, too. Starbucks saw a positive reception from its decision to bring back condiment bars in the U.S., reintroduce ceramic mugs for a more upscale in-store feel, and handwritten notes on cups to enhance the cafe experience. Starbucks (SBUX) Why we own it: Starbucks has one of the most recognizable brands of any restaurant. But over the last few years, operations have been challenged by store inefficiencies and a slow recovery in China. Under the leadership of turnaround artist Brian Niccol, we expect operations will improve and return to growth. Competitors: Dunkin, McDonald's, Panera, Dutch Bros. Initiation date: Aug. 22, 2022 Portfolio weight: 3.02% Most recent buy: July, 29, 2024 Another data point Niccol cited was the recovery in U.S. category share among quick service restaurants following two straight quarters of declines. "These things tell us our actions are resonating with customers. Progress like this shows me that the Starbucks brand is still resilient and strong and that we have significant future potential," Niccol explained. "More importantly, it shows that we can sell more of our core beverages simply by demonstrating our premium value." As for new opportunities, Niccol believes there are throughput gains to be had by fixing the mobile ordering system and putting in place a better order prioritization algorithm. We've been critical in the past of how Starbucks's old regime got carried away with too many menu customization options. It was way too complex. It's no wonder the company struggled with throughput. That's why we were pleased to see management announce plans Tuesday evening to reduce its beverage and food stock-keeping units, or SKUs, by roughly 30% by the end of its 2025 fiscal year. It's also positive to hear that this turnaround program isn't all over the place and is constantly in flux. The last thing we want to hear is a strategy that needs to reinvent itself. Niccol emphasized on the conference call there is a clear plan to get the business back to growing again despite near-term challenges and he understands the necessary work. Were the results exactly what we wanted? The answer is no. In the quarters ahead, we'd like to see U.S. transaction growth improve faster so that the company doesn't need to rely so much on ticket, or price, to grow its revenues. However, there's enough here that proves management has the company on the right path. Although this plan is still in the very early innings and there are plenty of challenges ahead, improvements are being made. For that reason, we are increasing our price target to $115 a share from $100 and reiterating our 1 rating. Quarterly commentary By region, North America net sales were slightly better than expected thanks to a smaller drop in comparable-store sales than estimated. In the U.S., which makes up the bulk of North America, net revenues dipped 1%, to $6.6 billion, despite the store count increasing 4%. Although comparable sales fell 4% due to an 8% decline in transactions, that was partially offset by a 4% increase in tickets. The results represented a slight improvement from the quarter before when transactions were down 10%, partially offset by a 4% increase in tickets. Where the improvement was most evident was in the morning daypart, with growth in non-Starbucks Rewards customers. That's encouraging because Niccol is trying to broaden Starbucks' appeal and get more infrequent customers back. But there was also growth in the company's active U.S. Starbucks Rewards membership program, which increased to 34.6 million from 33.8 million one quarter ago. Turning to International, the decline in comparable-store sales also was not as bad as expected. In China, net revenues improved 1% year over year, to $744 million, thanks in part to a 10% increase in stores. However, comparable-store sales fell 6% due to a 2% decline in transactions and a 4% drop in tickets. During the conference call, Niccol said he traveled to the region last week to make his first market visit. While there, he said he saw the strength of the brand and how dynamic the market is. He said he saw "several" near-term changes the business can make to stabilize operations, but he'll continue to explore strategic partnerships to get the business back on growth. We continue to believe that while the China coffee market is tough and pricing is competitive, Niccol will do what's best for shareholders. Outlook The company's guidance for its full fiscal year 2025 remains suspended, but CFO Rachel Ruggeri provided some details on how they are thinking about the rest of the year. Ruggeri expects earnings per share in the second quarter to be the lowest of the year, in line with analyst expectations, due to seasonality, organization restructuring, and increased investments. The stepped-up spending is going toward coverage hours and wages to support a service model of a four-minute wait time, as well as marketing. Earnings per share are then expected to improve in the second half of the year on both a sequential and year-over-year basis. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long SBUX. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. Charlotte, North Carolina, Starbucks Coffee, barista handing drink and straw to customer. Jeff Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Bill Gates didn't stay at Harvard University for long dropping out after three semesters to found Microsoft in 1975 but he was there long enough to make an impression. Gates' former applied mathematics professor Harry Lewis, for example, remembers the future billionaire as being inquisitive and "mature" beyond his years, with a tendency for questioning adults and tackling difficult problems. "He always wanted a challenge," Lewis, who has taught at Harvard since the 1970s, told The Times of London in an interview that published last week. "I wasn't surprised when he dropped out I just wish I'd invested in him." Gates left Harvard early to launch Microsoft, which was then a startup in the nascent software industry. Microsoft ultimately turned Gates into a billionaire by age 31. It now has a market value of nearly $3.2 trillion, and Gates' estimated net worth is $108.7 billion, according to Forbes. If Lewis had invested $100 in Microsoft when the company went public in 1986, his shares would be worth roughly $650,000 today, after accounting for price appreciation and dividend payouts, according to a CNBC analysis. DON'T MISS: How to use AI to be more productive and successful at work As a college student, Gates was surrounded by students whose math skills surpassed his own, giving him something of a wake-up call, he told The Times. He "nearly killed" himself by loading up on extra classes while spending hundreds of hours per month writing software code in the university's computer lab, he said. "It was, 'Oh s---, there may be people better than me at math,'" said Gates, whose upcoming memoir "Source Code," largely about his life pre-Microsoft, is set to publish next month. Gates may have questioned his own math skills while at Harvard, but the tech pioneer also could have been a professional mathematician "if he wanted to," Lewis told NPR in 2008. In one specific moment, Gates' precocious curiosity and eagerness to take on a challenge made him stand out, even among his gifted peers, Lewis told The Times: "The first day [of class] I showed them the pancake problem [a mathematical sorting question involving different-sized pancakes] and two days later he came back to show me he could do it better." Gates' solution was published in an academic paper in 1979. "The problem remained pretty much in that state for 30 years," Lewis told NPR, until some researchers finally improved upon Gates' method in a 2008 research paper. Ironically, those researchers were enabled by the development of the computer industry, which Microsoft was partially responsible for. "They never could have actually done the case analysis were it not for the computer industry that Bill Gates built in the intervening 30 years," said Lewis. Want to up your AI skills and be more productive? Take CNBC's new online course How to Use AI to Be More Successful at Work. Expert instructors will teach you how to get started, practical uses, tips for effective prompt-writing, and mistakes to avoid. Sign up now and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $67 (+ taxes and fees) through February 11, 2025. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life. The market fallout from concerns over DeepSeek was a "watershed event" that led to a buying opportunity in certain areas within tech, according to BlackRock's Rick Rieder. The sector was rocked on Monday after Chinese artificial intelligence lab DeepSeek said it had a free, open-sourced large language model that only took two months and less than $6 million to build. AI darling Nvidia plunged 17% on the news , recovered 8.8% on Tuesday and was in the red again during the trading day Wednesday. "It was really a reevaluation, which I thought was healthy," Rieder said of Monday's tech rout, noting that multiples in the space have gotten to really high levels. "You have to understand the companies you're investing in, versus just playing on themes and not every company is going to fit the theme." NVDA 5D mountain NVDA 5-day chart It was also a wake-up call on the amount of capital expenditure companies are saying they need to invest in AI, he added. "It showed the utility of these tools and that some of these companies that exploit the tools effectively can actually move faster and with a lower cost," said Rieder, the company's chief investment officer of global fixed income. He said he bought several names during the sell-off, including software companies that can benefit from faster and cheaper AI models. Several Wall Street analysts agree . BMO Capital and Canaccord Genuity both put out notes Wednesday that said the latest developments could be positive for the group. Rieder also bought some hyperscalers, which refers to cloud computing companies that are heavily investing in data center infrastructure. While Rieder wouldn't say which specific stocks he purchased, Amazon , Google and Microsoft are all considered hyperscalers. In addition, he was a buyer of some of the chip companies that were overly hit on Monday. "I don't think this was an indictment on chip development or chip distribution," he said. "It was a statement on how much it may cost to create compute power." Overall, it should still be a good year for equities, which could see a 15% return for 2025, he said. "I don't think it's going to be a straight line," Rieder said. "[Monday] was a pretty good reminder that there's a lot of crowding into positions and there aren't that many equities that people are buying. So I think you've just got to be careful." Correction: DeepSeek said its open-sourced large language model cost less than $6 million to build. An earlier version misstated the figure. Orbex is a startup that develops both small and medium-sized space rockets. The firm uses a renewable form of propane known as bio-propane to fuel its rockets. Michal Wachucik | AFP via Getty Images The U.K. government announced Wednesday a 20 million ($24.8 million) investment in Orbex, a Scottish spaceflight startup aiming to rival Elon Musk's SpaceX. The investment part of a larger funding round that's being raised by the firm was revealed at the European Space Conference in Brussels. Orbex raised 23 million for its latest fundraise. Other investors involved include Denmark's Export & Investment Fund, Octopus Ventures and former Informatica CEO Sohaib Abbasi. The British government also currently holds a stake in Eutelsat OneWeb, which was formed through a 2023 merger of the two firms. The government initially backed OneWeb in 2020 as part of a $1 billion rescue deal with Indian conglomerate Bharti. What is Orbex? Orbex is a startup that develops both small and medium-sized space rockets. The firm uses a renewable form of propane known as bio-propane to fuel its rockets. It is aiming to launch its first rocket, called Prime, toward the end of 2025. Measuring 19 meters long, Prime is designed to transport small satellites into low-earth orbit. The government said its investment in Orbex would contribute to its ambition to regularly launch U.K.-made rockets from British soil. watch now Supporting Orbex will help "turbocharge the country's position in the space sector," said British Tech Minister Peter Kyle in a Wednesday statement. Orbex CEO Phillip Chambers said that the government's investment "demonstrates its confidence in the UK's space rocket manufacturing and launch sector." "This investment paves the way not only for us to launch our first rocket this year but also to develop a larger rocket to enable us to compete in the European Launcher Challenge," Chambers said. "These development goals are crucial to our longer-term development," he added. The SpaceX of Europe? Orbex isn't the only British startup taking on SpaceX. Skyrora, another space firm, told CNBC in November that it is aiming to launch satellites from U.K. soil for the first time later this year. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a German startup, is also planning a U.K. launch for 2025. Orbex, Skyrora and RFA specialize in so-called microlauncher rockets, which are typically much smaller in size than others and are designed to carry far lighter payloads. Orbex touts its rockets as a more sustainable way of sending small satellites into orbit. A University of Exeter study from 2021 found that a single launch of its Prime rocket would produce up to 96% fewer carbon emissions than comparable space launch systems using fossil fuels. Speaking on CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" last week, RFA CEO Stefan Tweraser said that developing sovereign space capabilities in Europe is "super important" given the industry's strategic significance. "The regulatory framework and the competitive positioning of Europe, a commercially successful operation, and a degree of service that offers support for every satellite operator are the foundation for us to be successful, despite the deep pockets of the U.S.," he said. Moving from Texas to Greece has so far proven to be the right decision for Cara West and her family. "I wanted to be somewhere that was by the water that was really calm and peaceful, and that's exactly what we've had here in Syros," West told CNBC Make It last year. She moved to Greece in June 2024 with her husband and daughter. The devastating 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, played a role in pushing West to move her family out of the U.S. After spending about a year living nomadically in places like Portugal and Belize, the family settled into a home on Syros, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Cara West and her husband live as digital nomads based in Syros, Greece. Vicky Markolefa for CNBC Make It Living in Greece offers West and her family a better and more affordable lifestyle, she said. Her husband was able to stop working and they live comfortably on the six-figure income West earns as a luxury travel concierge and content creator. She made around $136,000 in 2024. That "has been the biggest change for our family to be able to spend more time with each other, to just have a slower pace of life," she said. "I feel like when we were living in the U.S., even though we were making more money, we still felt like we were living paycheck to paycheck and we just couldn't enjoy the little things," West added. Things like going to the movies or out to dinner was tough in the states, "but once we came here to Greece and just to many other countries in Europe, we were able to afford those little luxuries." Arriving in Greece wasn't cheap, though. West and her husband, Harley, spent around $15,000 in June 2024, the month they moved to Syros. Here's a breakdown of their expenses: Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Uma Sharma | CNBC Make It Chinese travelers are canceling plans to visit Thailand during the Lunar New Year holiday, as concerns over the kidnapping of actor Wang Xing continue to reverberate through the country. Net booking volume for trips to Thailand fell 15.6% from Jan. 13 to Jan. 20 from the previous week, after news of the rescue of Wang from a scamming compound along the Thai-Myanmar border this month, according to the marketing agency China Trading Desk. The fallout is also extending to other countries in Southeast Asia, with data from the aviation analytics company VariFlight showing Chinese travelers also canceled holiday trips to Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia albeit to a lesser degree, according to the company's CEO, Subramania Bhatt. "The biggest decline is in Thailand. The other Southeast Asian countries are, I would say, collateral damage," said Bhatt. "A lot of folks plan to travel around the region as a single trip so some have cancelled trips that originate from these countries too." During the same week in January, Chinese travelers booked more Lunar New Year trips to other destinations, including Australia (+4.8%), the United Arab Emirates (+4.7%) and South Korea (+3.9%), data showed. Thailand posted an AI-generated video on the government's Facebook page last Wednesday of its prime minister attempting to reassure Chinese tourists that traveling to Thailand is safe. Days earlier, Chinese officials said they were prepared to work with Southeast Asian nations to crack down on cross-border scamming compounds, according to China's State Council. Chinese travelers' reluctance to visit Southeast Asia may be benefitting other destinations, said Yang Lei, analyst at the Hong Kong-based financial services company China Galaxy International. "Currently, Chinese people are becoming more cautious to go to Thailand and also some other Southeast countries," she told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" Monday. "The hot locations for outbound will continue to be Japan [and] South Korea. And for this Chinese New Year, people are also quite willing to go to Australia, New Zealand and also the United States." Fears about human trafficking The kidnapping of Wang, who was lured to Bangkok for a job opportunity, reignited fears among Chinese travelers to visit Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia. watch now Thailand officials have been working to regain the trust of mainland visitors since the release of the 2023 Chinese blockbuster film "No More Bets," which depicted a Chinese couple lured to Southeast Asia for work, which turns out to be a human trafficking scheme. The movie, while fictional, depicted a situation that the United Nations estimates has ensnared hundreds of thousands of people in real life. Many compounds are in the border areas outside of Thailand in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar often in special economic zones where there is "little to no rule of law," according to the United Nations. The areas, which have been called lawless playgrounds, are also often rife with drugs, wildlife trafficking and other illegal activities. Outbound travel: increasing but 'uneven' Despite the cancellations, parts of Southeast Asia are expected to attract more Chinese tourists this Lunar New Year than in 2019, according to Bhatt. watch now Colombia remains a favorite market for some strategists and fund managers, despite some geopolitical tensions with the U.S., thanks to the country's value proposition and growing economy. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Sunday to impose immediate tariffs on the South American country because it turned back aircraft carrying deported migrants. After Colombia reached a deal with the U.S. on Monday to accept migrants, the White House retreated from its sanctions, averting a potential trade war. That geopolitical blip has not altered the bullish view of Yan Wang, chief emerging markets and China strategist at Alpine Macro. "The events over the weekend suggest that Colombia has effectively passed the 'Trump test' and I do not expect a significant deterioration in the bilateral relationship," Wang told CNBC Pro on Jan. 27. The U.S. had a trade surplus of around $1.2 billion in goods with Colombia on a 12-month annualized basis as of Nov 2024, he said, quoting data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This indicates that Colombia "should be relatively insulated from Trump's trade policies," Wang noted. While Wang is bullish on Colombia's prospects, he acknowledged that the country is subject to the same headwinds experienced by other countries. Still, he says "it is likely to outperform its emerging market peers." Colombian stocks "are among the cheapest in emerging markets. Stocks are trading at near record low multiples and are at nearly 50% discount to the emerging market benchmark. The COP [Colombian peso] is deeply undervalued, and Colombian bond yields are among the highest in emerging markets, both in real and nominal terms," he explained. Wang said he is overweight Colombian equities and bonds and has a long position in 10-year Colombian government bonds, which had a yield of 10.96% as of Jan. 27. His optimism comes amid growing investor interest in the South American country, thanks to its strategic location, favorable tax policies, growing consumer demand and expanding economy. The Colombian economy is expected to expand by 1.5% in 2024, up from 0.6% in 2023, according to the World Bank . The Banco de la Republica, Colombia's central bank, expects economic growth to pick up even further in 2025, with gross domestic product expanding by 2.9% this year. Those factors have attracted the attention of other fund managers. "Colombia is small and it can easily be overlooked. But I like it I think it's an interesting value point and am especially optimistic on it in the second half of this year," Malcolm Dorson, senior portfolio manager at Global X ETFs, told CNBC Pro this week. "The MSCI Colombia Index trades at depressed multiples of 0.84x book value with a 8.32% dividend yield. This means you can buy Colombian equities now and be paid an 8% dividend yield just to [potentially wait] until the political change [expected in] March of 2026," he said , referring to Colombia's presidential election. The MSCI Colombia Index which tracks the performance of large- and mid-cap stocks on the Colombian market is up 28.91% in the last 12 months, according to FactSet data. For comparison, the MSCI Emerging Markets index which captures large- and mid-cap stocks across 24 emerging markets, including Brazil, China and India gained 13.64% during the same period. Dorson is now playing the Colombian growth story with the likes of Ecopetrol, the largest petroleum firm in the country, and financial institution Bancolombia. Both stocks are listed on the Colombia Securities Exchange and trade as American Depositary Receipts (ADR) in the U.S. under the tickers EC and CIB . Dorson's bets on the companies are somewhat contrarian, with all 12 of the analysts covering Ecopetrol's ADR giving it a sell or hold rating, according to FactSet. Meanwhile, 6 of the 7 analysts covering Bancolombia's ADR give it a sell or hold rating. CNBC's Jesse Pound contributed to this report. The Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek appeared to be unavailable on Wednesday in Apple and Google app stores in Italy on Wednesday. A notice displayed to customers on Apple's App Store said the app was "currently not available in the country or area you are in. A message on the Google app platform, said the download "was not supported" in Italy. DeepSeek was still working on Wednesday in other European countries and in Britain. The disappearance came after Italy's data protection authority said on Tuesday it was seeking answers from DeepSeek on its use of personal data. The Italian regulator, also known as the Garante, said it wanted to know what personal data is collected, from which sources, for what purposes, on what legal basis, and whether it is stored in China. Elon Musk speaks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and guests at a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship, in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., November 19, 2024. Brandon Bell | Via Reuters Elon Musk and President Donald Trump took to social media this week declaring that astronauts left at the space station must return "as soon as possible," despite NASA's plan to bring the pair back in a couple months on a SpaceX vehicle. Both blamed the previous presidential administration for the decision NASA made in August to return Boeing's faulty Starliner capsule from the International Space Station without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams onboard. "The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long," Musk wrote on X late Tuesday. "I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to 'go get' the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!" Trump added shortly after, on Truth Social. But it's unclear if the statements would actually change the space agency's timeline. Neither specified whether the White House would order NASA to change its plan. During former President Joe Biden's administration, months before Trump and Musk spoke up on the situation, NASA tasked SpaceX with returning Wilmore and Williams from the ISS. The agency adjusted its rotation of astronauts as a result: It sent the Starliner capsule back empty and removed two astronauts from SpaceX's Crew-9 mission to make room for a delayed return by Wilmore and Williams, originally targeted for February. Hurricane Milton advances towards Florida in a view from Dragon Endeavor docked with the International Space Station October 9, 2024. Matthew Dominick | NASA | Via Reuters NASA, in a statement to CNBC on Wednesday, did not address whether it would alter mission plans after the posts from Trump and Musk. "NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agency's SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore as soon as practical, while also preparing for the launch of Crew-10 to complete a handover between expeditions," a NASA spokesperson said. Expedition rotations The Expedition 72 crew poses for a group portrait on Oct. 23, 2024. NASA While both Musk and Trump claimed the astronauts are "stranded" and "abandoned" on the ISS, NASA has had a spacecraft at the station since September that could return the crew at any time a Dragon capsule operated by Musk's SpaceX. Additionally, allegations from Musk that "the Biden administration left them there" and Trump that the astronauts "have been waiting for many months" both misstate the situation. To understand the circumstances onboard the ISS, it's important to note that crews rotate onboard the orbiting research laboratory. For 25 years, the ISS has been continuously staffed by crews called Expeditions each typically lasting about six months, with a mix of primarily U.S. and Russian crew members. Since SpaceX began regularly flying crews for NASA in 2020, the agency has been sending up four astronauts at a time. Each group works until the next arrives at the ISS, when a ceremonial "handover" occurs before the departing crew heads back down to Earth. NASA deemed Boeing's Starliner too risky to return Wilmore and Williams. Starliner was initially expected to be in space for about nine days, but it spent roughly three months at the ISS while Boeing investigated an issue with the capsule's thrusters. Instead, it decided to remove astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson from the September launch of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission. That meant Wilmore and Williams, who were already on the ISS, would stay on as part of Expedition 72. They would then return on SpaceX's Dragon alongside astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Notably, NASA recently delayed the launch of SpaceX's Crew-10 mission by a month, to "late March" from February. The agency said it and SpaceX required more time to "complete processing" of the newly built Dragon capsule. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams pose inside the hatch connecting Boeing's Starliner to the International Space Station on NASA Earlier this month, NASA broadcast a discussion with the astronauts onboard the ISS, including Williams and Wilmore. "So, what you're telling us is you're not channeling 'Cast Away' and you don't have a volleyball with a handprint on it that you call Wilson?" then-NASA deputy chief Pam Melroy asked the crew. "No, we've got a whole team up here so we're not worried about that and there's a lot to do as well. ... We have tons of science experiments. ... We've got space walks coming up," Wilmore said. "It's just been a joy to be working up here," Wilmore added, having just shown with her NASA counterparts how they do a synchronized flip in zero gravity. A pedestrian wearing a protective mask walking past the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building in Mumbai, India. The Nifty 50 and Sensex recently slid to their lowest in more than six months Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Indian equities have been sliding since September, as foreign investors spooked by a slowdown in the country's economy exit their holdings. Analysts see this as a "healthy correction." India's benchmark stock indexes the Nifty 50 and Sensex are hovering at more than seven-month lows, firmly in correction territory since their September high. Sectors such as real estate, energy and autos have been the biggest decliners, data from Goldman Sachs showed. This development comes as a stark reversal from last year, when the Nifty 50 consistently notched record highs, and outperformed the S&P 500 for the greater part of the year. "The bubble was long building, but acknowledgement is recent," said Venugopal Garre, head of India research at AB Bernstein. He attributed the gloomy outlook to a mix of sluggish earnings and weak economic growth in India's second fiscal quarter. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Performance of the Nifty 50 in the past year India's gross domestic product expanded by 5.4% in the quarter ended September, marking the slowest growth rate in the past seven quarters. The government recently lowered its economic growth estimates for the fiscal year ending March to 6.4% the lowest in four years. "After a stellar run, India's economy has entered a softer patch that will continue for a few more quarters," data and analytics firm Capital Economics said in a recent note. "We think that will portend an underperformance in local equities relative to other major benchmarks," wrote Harry Chambers, assistant economist at Capital Economics. HSBC earlier this month downgraded its rating on Indian equities to "neutral" from "overweight." The bank also cut its Nifty 50 earnings growth forecast for fiscal year 2025 to 5% from 15%. Foreign investor exodus Foreigners have been net average sellers of Indian equities over the last four months, according to data from India's National Securities Depository, as the country's growth falters. Foreign portfolio investor flows into Indian equities plunged by 99% to just $124 million in 2024 compared with the year before, the data showed. The outflows have increased sharply in the past few weeks, with foreign investors withdrawing about $8.3 billion from Indian equities as of Jan. 28. Foreigners remain net sellers of Indian equities, said James Thom, senior investment director at Abrdn. There has been a rotation out of India and emerging markets stocks into U.S. equities, Thom added. "Foreigners have been largely absent from the India story in the past year," he told CNBC. "It's a sort of risk-adjusted view that [investors] can get a better, safer return in U.S. equities," Thom said. "So why take the risk, so-called perceived risk with India?" India's economic slowdown also comes at a time when U.S. Treasury yields have been gaining momentum, leading to unprecedented outflows of FPIs, said Rana Gupta, managing director at Manulife Investment Management. Higher Treasury yields tend to take investments away from the stock market as bonds become more attractive. Indian equity markets are going through a cyclical consolidation after four strong years of returns post Covid. Pramod Gubbi co-founder of Marcellus Investment Managers Profit booking by foreign institutional investors has also pressured India's equity markets. "When a market does so well for such a long period of time, there is a lot of profit in the portfolio," Nilesh Shah, managing director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management, told CNBC. "This profit booking by the FPIs is resulting in higher supply at lower prices resulting in bidders dropping their bids, leading to correction," he added. Profit booking involves selling a portion of an investment to secure gains after the asset has risen, rather than holding it indefinitely. Traders sometimes engage in profit booking when the stock or asset is believed to be overvalued or have hit a peak. Some of the foreign portfolio investors who have made large profits in Indian equities are tempted to book more profits looking at higher valuations, Shah added. 'Onslaught' of domestic investors In contrast with the exodus of foreign money, India's local investors have continued to pile into the Indian market, partially stemming what could have been a deeper decline in equities. Domestic investors have funneled in around $27 billion in Indian equities since October, data provided by Manulife showed. The quadrupling of domestic equity investors in India between 2020 and 2024 has led to a mini-bubble, which has been deflating since September, said Praveen Jagwani, CEO of asset management company UTI International. "The onslaught of tens of millions of retail investors into stocks with questionable fundamentals has driven up valuations in India," added Jagwani. "For sustainable equity growth, a healthy pullback is needed." While the near-term outlook for Indian equities may look bleak, some analysts believe longer-term fundamentals remain solid, and that a rebound is in the works. Just a healthy correction? Former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) departs Manhattan Federal Court after his sentencing on Jan. 29, 2025 in New York City. A judge sentenced an emotional former Sen. Bob Menendez Wednesday to 11 years in prison Wednesday for a years-long bribery and corruption scheme that saw him rewarded with gold bars and stacks of cash. Menendez had pleaded with U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein for mercy, twice breaking down in tears. "I have lost everything," Menendez said, after recounting actions he said he had taken to help others while in the Senate, a job he was forced to resign after his conviction. "For a man who spent his entire life in public service, every day I am awake is a punishment," Menendez said. The judge appeared unmoved, and noted that while he had done some positive work, the evidence against him was "overwhelming" and he had failed the voters of New Jersey. "Somewhere along the way you became, I'm sorry to say, a corrupt politician," Stein told him before handing down his sentence. Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of 15 years for the New Jersey Democrat, which his attorneys called "vindictive and cruel" and "a life and death sentence" for the 71-year-old former chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez was found guilty in July of extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent after a sensational trial in which prosecutors charged that he accepted bribes including cash and gold bars to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar. Two co-defendants were found guilty as well and were each sentenced Wednesday to several years in prison. Menendez pleaded not guilty and has vowed to appeal the conviction. He has also been seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump after he was unable to get one from his former Senate colleague, former President Joe Biden, NBC News has reported. Menendez' attorneys have pleaded with U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein to spare him jail time, noting he resigned from the Senate in August and contending he's been punished enough. "Senator Menendez has suffered extreme public shame and upheaval, and his finances and reputation are destroyed, likely for the rest of his life. He is the butt of late-night talk show jokes, and his name will live in infamy as the first politician in history to be convicted of being a foreign agent," they argued in a court filing. "He will live the rest of his days a social and political pariah, whether inside or outside of jail," they added. Menendez's lawyers also contended that the judge should show mercy because of his "lifetime of good deeds," including the work he's done in the Senate, and that there was no evidence that "any of the acts alleged by the government harmed anyone." In this article ULCC Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A Frontier Airlines plane near a Spirit Airlines plane at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on May 16, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Bankrupt Spirit Airlines said it turned down a new merger offer from rival budget carrier Frontier Airlines . Frontier said Wednesday that it has met with Spirit's board and executives since it made its debt-and-stock merger proposal on Jan. 7. Frontier executives said in a email to counterparts at Spirit this week that their plan is better than Spirit's own plan to emerge from bankruptcy. "We continue to believe that under the current standalone plan, Spirit will emerge highly levered, losing money at the operating level, and this would not be a transaction we would pursue," wrote Frontier Chairman Bill Franke and CEO Barry Biffle in a Tuesday email to Spirit Chairman Mac Gardner and CEO Ted Christie. "As a result, time is of the essence." Christie and Gardner told their Frontier counterparts that they were rejecting the offer, calling the terms "inadequate and unactionable," according to a letter shared in a securities filing on Wednesday. Frontier's new merger plan offered Spirit's debtors $400 million and a 19% stake in Frontier. It also proposed Spirit creditors provide $350 million in new funding, Spirit said. The Spirit executives called Frontier's proposal "risky and costly, with no certainty as to either timing or outcome" and "woefully insufficient financially." They said, however, that they would consider a sweetened offer. "Should you wish to make a revised proposal that is in fact capable of closing, and addresses the material deficiencies catalogued here and in our many communications, we would be happy to consider it and again work to activate our stakeholders to do so as well," they wrote. The two carriers were in talks for a possible combination before Spirit filed for bankruptcy. Frontier and Spirit first announced a deal to merge in 2022, but a higher JetBlue Airways all-cash offer derailed that plan. JetBlue's planned acquisition of Spirit was blocked by a federal judge last year, and Spirit filed for bankruptcy protection in November. In both deals, the airlines argued they needed to combine to better compete against larger rivals. Spirit said it expects to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy this quarter and has a Feb. 13 court date to finalize its plan, which wipes out debtor shareholders. It has raced to cut costs in recent months, including by slashing some 200 jobs and selling some of its Airbus planes. watch now Navigating monetary policy announcements from the Federal Reserve can be a minefield for stock market investors. Bespoke Investment Group noted late Tuesday that the S & P 500 has "shown consistent late-day weakness on Fed days, especially more recently." After the Fed ended its December meeting, the S & P 500 dropped 3% and that was after the central bank lowered rates by a quarter percentage point. "A large portion of that weakness last month came at the end of the day, but that has been more a factor of usual Fed day trading patterns than anything reactionary to the contents of the statement or press conference," Bespoke said. "Across all Fed days the S & P 500 has fallen in the final hour more than half the time (55%)." The reaction to the December Fed meeting also marked the biggest Fed day decline for the S & P 500 since 1994, according to Bespoke, and the fourth time the market benchmark fell in reaction to a central bank decision in 2024 alone. This time around, the Fed isn't expected to make changes. The CME Group's FedWatch tool shows a 99.5% probability of the fed funds rate staying in the current range of 4.25% to 4.5%. Traders are also bracing for a smaller-than-normal move in the market. John Marshall, head of derivatives research at Goldman Sachs, noted that S & P 500 options imply a 0.6% shift in either direction for the index. That would be lower than the average realized move of 1.4% over the last four Fed days. That said, if Fed Chair Jerome Powell signals fewer rate cuts are on the horizon, it could spark a sell-off similar to the one seen in December. Conversely, if he provides a more dovish policy outlook, it could drive stocks higher. Goldman's Marshall also highlighted several stocks that have seen outsized moves on Fed days going back to 2022. In theory, these could create opportunities for a quick gain if bought ahead of the announcement. Here are some of the stocks that made the Goldman list, along with their average Fed day move (in either direction): Albemarle : 2.5% PNC Financial : 1.8% Enphase Energy : 3.8% Amgen : 1.1% American Airlines : 2.1% Elsewhere Wednesday on Wall Street, Oppenheimer downgraded Apple to perform from outperform, citing worries around iPhone sales and artificial intelligence innovation. "We see a twofold challenge ahead for iPhone growth: 1) stronger competition in greater China and 2) lack of compelling Apple Intelligence and generative AI apps to accelerate near-term device replacement," analyst Martin Yang said in a note to clients. "With slower-than-expected iPhone sales since last September and elevated valuation, we believe it will be challenging for AAPL to outperform." Fund manager Dan Niles has thrown cold water over Nvidia 's tentative recovery from Monday's share price fall, warning that the chipmaker's stock might not have hit the bottom. Shares in Nvidia slid 16.9% on Monday after Chinese startup DeepSeek claimed its free, open-source large language model was built in just two months costing $6 million, a fraction of the cost borne by other major players. These developments have sparked concerns over how much money big tech companies will invest in AI, hitting the shares of Nvidia, a key AI chipmaker. "Nobody questions whether Nvidia is the undisputed king and chips. What they're questioning is how much capex do you need for things like pre-training, post-training and then inference, ultimately," Niles, founder and portfolio manager at Niles Investment Management founder, told CNBC Tuesday. After Monday's share fall which slashed more than $595 billion from the company's valuation, the biggest single-day market cap decline on record Nvidia shares rose nearly 9% Tuesday, but Niles has a gloomy forecast for U.S. chipmaker looking ahead. "I think investors should be very careful about assuming that this is the bottom," he told CNBC's Sri Jegarath and Chery Kang on Tuesday's "Squawkbox Asia." Nvidia could "absolutely" bounce back from Monday's massive move, he said, "but if estimates have to go down from Nvidia [revenue] growing at 50% to growing at 20 to 30% I think there's a stock has a lot more downside potentially from here." In a statement to CNBC on Monday, Nvidia welcomed the emergence of Chinese AI competition. A company spokesperson called DeepSeek's R1 model "an excellent AI advancement," indicating that the U.S.-chipmaker sees an opportunity for its graphics processing units, or GPUs. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media amid his trial on charges of covering up hush money payments linked to alleged extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 16, 2024. President Donald Trump's lawyers on Wednesday formally notified a New York state court of Trump's intent to appeal his criminal conviction on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star. In the notice, Trump's lawyers said they would appeal both the jury's May 30, 2024, guilty verdict and Justice Juan Merchan's Jan. 10, 2025, sentence of unconditional discharge to a mid-level state appeals court. The sentence, imposed just days before Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration to a second White House term, meant he will face no jail time or other legal punishment, but that a former judgment of guilt would be placed on his record. Trump, the first-ever sitting or former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, has long said he planned to appeal. After filing the formal notice, his lawyers now have six months to submit a brief laying out their arguments in greater detail. The case stemmed from a $130,000 payment Trump's former personal lawyer made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says she had some years earlier with Trump, which he denies. Trump, a Republican businessman-turned-politician, was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up the payment. Trump argued that the case, brought by Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, was an effort to harm his 2024 presidential election campaign. "The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent, and we look forward to the case being dismissed on appeal," Robert Giuffra, a lawyer who will be handling Trump's appeal, said in a statement. A spokesperson for Bragg's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bragg has said his office routinely brings felony falsification of business records cases. Giuffra, a partner at law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, had previously been under consideration for attorney general in Trump's administration, people familiar with the discussions told Reuters in November. Trump has named the lawyers who represented him at the hush money trial, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, to senior Justice Department posts. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event to sign the Laken Riley Act, at the White House in Washington on Jan. 29, 2025. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will order his administration to prepare Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. military base in Cuba where terrorism suspects have been held for decades, to detain migrants. Trump, at a ceremony to sign an immigration detention bill into law, said he would also sign an executive order Wednesday instructing his Defense and Homeland Security departments to ready Guantanamo's "migrant facility." Trump said there are thousands of beds in Guantanamo to "detain the worst criminal illegal aliens." "We don't want them coming back," Trump said. "So we're going to send them out to Guantanamo." Guantanamo has held migrants for decades, though the facility's maximum capacity is unclear. The New York Times, citing the Department of Homeland Security, reported that just four migrants were being held there as of February. The Global Detention Project, a research center that advocates for detainees' rights, suggests on its website that the Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center has a capacity of 130. Trump claimed Wednesday that Guantanamo has 30,000 beds, and that opening it up to detain migrants "will double our capacity immediately." This illustration shows an image of President-elect Donald Trump next to a phone screen that is displaying the Truth Social app, in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21, 2022. Trump Media is expanding into financial services, including investment vehicles, the firm announced Wednesday. Shares of the Truth Social parent company, which trade under the ticker DJT, jumped 6.8% on Wednesday. President Donald Trump indirectly owns 114,750,000 shares of the company, held in a revocable trust. The financial services division will be known as Truth.Fi, and it will be started with up to $250 million from the company that will be custodied with brokerage firm Charles Schwab , according to a news release. That money will be allocated to customized exchange-traded funds and cryptocurrencies, among other investment vehicles. The company said it expects to launch products and services, including its own investment vehicles, later this year. "Truth.Fi is a natural expansion of the Truth Social movement. We began by creating a free-speech social media platform, added an ultra-fast TV streaming service, and now we're moving into investment products and decentralized finance," Trump Media CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes said in the release. "Developing American First investment vehicles is another step toward our goal of creating a robust ecosystem through which American patriots can protect themselves from the ever-present threat of cancellation, censorship, debanking, and privacy violations committed by Big Tech and woke corporations," added Nunes, a former congressman from California. The release did not specify what types of investment vehicles Truth.Fi would offer, but said Schwab would "broadly advise" the company's investments and strategy. The products would focus on "American growth, manufacturing, and energy companies as well as investments that strengthen the Patriot Economy," according to the release. Samantha Schwab, a granddaughter of the namesake founder of Charles Schwab, recently became the deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The announcement comes after complaints from Republicans that banks have treated some conservatives unfairly. During a remote appearance last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump complained to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan that the firm was locking out and de-banking conservatives. "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. The president also took on Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase , the largest U.S. bank by assets. "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. The remarks continued a simmering feud between Republicans and the nation's largest banks, with a flashpoint coming last year when a group of state attorneys general filed a complaint alleging that the institutions were discriminating against customers based on religious and political affiliations. Officials at the banks have denied wrongdoing. Complaints about de-banking are also common among the crypto community, which was aligned with Trump during his presidential campaign. Truth.Fi comes on the heels of the Trump memecoin, which launched shortly before the inauguration and resulted in on-paper gains of billions of dollars for the Trump Organization and its affiliates. The new financial services firm may end up being a competitor to Elon Musk's X, which announced a deal with Visa on Tuesday as part of its push to expand beyond social media. Musk is a close advisor to President Trump. Gunjan Kedia, president of U.S. Bancorp, speaks during The Clearing House Annual Conference in New York City, U.S. November 12, 2024. U.S. Bancorp announced on Tuesday that President Gunjan Kedia will become its chief executive, effective April 15, becoming the first woman in the bank's history to take up the role. Kedia joins only a handful of female CEOs in the finance sector, with Jane Fraser at the helm of Citigroup, one of the largest banks in the U.S. She will replace Andy Cecere, who served as the company's CEO since 2017 and as its chairman since 2018. Cecere, who has spent about four decades with U.S. Bancorp, had also served in key roles such as chief operating officer and the finance chief. "It has been a tremendous honor and a privilege I value deeply, and I believe the time is right to welcome Gunjan warmly to the role I've held for nearly eight years," Cecere said in a statement. The outgoing CEO, who steered the deal with Union Bank that expanded the company's presence in California, will serve as executive chairman, continuing to lead the board of directors. Kedia, an industry veteran, joined the bank in 2016 and oversaw the revenue lines, the bank said. Before joining U.S. Bancorp, she also held global executive roles at State Street and BNY and key roles at consultancy firms McKinsey and Company and PwC. U.S. Bancorp reported a rise in fourth-quarter profit earlier in the month, helped by an increase in trust and investment management fees. The bank, shares of which have lagged the broader market in 2024, forecast a total net revenue growth of between 3% and 5% for 2025. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's controversial pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, testified Wednesday before a crucial Senate panel, where he faced questions about vaccine skepticism, his evolving views on abortion and grasp of sprawling federal health programs. Kennedy, 71, appeared first before the Senate Committee on Finance, which will vote on whether his nomination as HHS secretary advances to the full chamber. In the Republican-controlled Senate, Kennedy can lose only three GOP votes if all Democrats oppose him. He will also appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for a courtesy hearing Thursday. He sidestepped many of the questions as senators grilled him Wednesday. He also struggled to answer some questions about Medicare and Medicaid, and often said he would defer to Trump on policies in such areas as reproductive rights and prescription drug price negotiations. If confirmed, Kennedy will take the reins of a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees vaccines and other medicines, scientific research, public health infrastructure, pandemic preparedness, food and tobacco products, and government-funded health care for millions of Americans. The heads of the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, among other federal health agencies, all report to the HHS secretary. watch now Kennedy has faced criticism from both sides of the aisle. He is a prominent vaccine skeptic, making false claims that they are linked to autism despite decades of studies that debunk that association. Kennedy is also the founder of the nonprofit Children's Health Defense, the most well-funded anti-vaccine organization in the U.S. In a government ethics agreement last week, he said he stopped serving as chairman or chief legal counsel for the organization as of December. Some critics have argued that his work advocating against vaccine use has cost lives and could deter more Americans from getting recommended shots at a time when vaccination rates are declining. A protester in the hearing room shouted when Kennedy denied he was anti-vaccine, accusing him of lying. It sparked applause, briefly interrupting his opening remarks. Shouting again interrupted the hearing as committee ranking member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., questioned Kennedy about his comments about vaccines. Committee Chair Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, threatened to recess the hearing if any more protesters disrupted it. Beyond vaccines, Kennedy also previewed how he plans to pursue his broad "Make America Healthy Again" platform if confirmed as the nation's top health official. The platform argues that a corrupt alliance of drug and food companies and the federal health agencies that regulate them are making Americans less healthy. Kennedy has long contended that the agencies that HHS oversees need reform or a sweeping overhaul. Kennedy's supporters say some of his stances around food, such as highlighting the risks of food additives and ultra-processed products, have hit on broad appeal among Republicans and some Democrats. But Kennedy on Wednesday said he is not "the enemy of food producers," noting that American farms are "the bedrock of our culture and national security." Caroline Kennedy, the nominee's cousin and daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, wrote a letter to senators Tuesday that referred to her cousin as a "predator" and urged them not to confirm him. Here are some of the key takeaways from Wednesday's hearing: Kennedy defends vaccine stance Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. President Trumps nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies before a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., Jan. 29, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters Kennedy, in his opening remarks before the panel, pushed back on claims that he is anti-vaccine or anti-industry. "I am neither; I am pro-safety," Kennedy said. "I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, but that didn't make me anti-fish. All of my kids are vaccinated, and I believe vaccines have a critical role in health care." Kennedy engaged in heated debate with senators over his vaccine views, saying, "I support the measles vaccine, I support the polio vaccine, I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people taking" them. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., didn't buy that claim, highlighting Kennedy's previous remarks in a book about not viewing measles as a threat. Senators also pointed to Kennedy's misinformation about the safety of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine that was linked to a severe measles outbreak in Samoa in 2019 that left dozens of children dead. That outbreak came just months after Kennedy visited the island nation. Kennedy denied having anything to do with the deadly outbreak. "You cannot find a single Samoan that says, 'I didn't get vaccinated because of Bobby Kennedy,'" he said. When Wyden asked if measles is deadly, Kennedy did not directly answer the question. Kennedy contended again that he was not anti-vaccine. Wyden also pressed Kennedy on his comments in a 2023 podcast in which he said, "There's no vaccine that is safe and effective." Kennedy said he has previously clarified those statements and that he would not dissuade Americans from getting certain vaccines. Kennedy's shifting abortion stance Democrats pressed Kennedy on whether he had reversed his stance on abortion for political expediency and if he would do the same on other issues. "When was it that you decided to sell out the values you've had your whole life in order to be given power by President Trump?" Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire said, pointing to his previous public support for abortion rights. Kennedy, in response, said "every abortion is a tragedy" a line he repeated at least four times throughout the hearing. When asked about his approach to regulations around the abortion pill mifepristone, Kennedy said Trump "wants me to look at safety issues." He added that the president had not yet taken a position on how to regulate it. "Whatever he does, I will implement those policies, and I will work with this committee to make those policies make sense," Kennedy said. That's a similar response he had when asked about other abortion policies. There is extensive scientific evidence showing that the pills, which are regulated and approved for use by the FDA, are safe. Kennedy struggles to answer Medicare, Medicaid questions Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. President Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies before a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., Jan. 29, 2025. Nathan Howard | Reuters Here are Wednesday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Oppenheimer downgrades Apple to perform from outperform Oppenheimer downgraded the stock ahead of earnings Thursday, citing a "weaker outlook." "We see a twofold challenge ahead for iPhone growth: 1) stronger competition in greater China and 2) lack of compelling Apple Intelligence and generative AI apps to accelerate near-term device replacement." Bernstein initiates Rivian as underperform Bernstein said profitability seems years away for the electric vehicle company. "While we see the company succeeding in its plan to reach > 500k units by 2030, this is not enough to create financial success for shareholders. With breakeven years away and mounting risks, we initiate on Rivian with an Underperform rating and a price target of $6.10." Mizuho initiates MicroStrategy as outperform Mizuho said the crypto company has upside. "Initiating coverage of MicroStrategy (MSTR) at Outperform, PT $515. MSTR's strategy is to use proceeds from debt and equity issuance to accumulate bitcoin with a goal of growing its bitcoin holdings per diluted share." Goldman Sachs downgrades Moderna to neutral from buy Goldman Sachs downgraded the biotech company due to limited visibility. "We downgrade MRNA to Neutral from Buy. We note the recent product revenue guidance represents the second in a series of negative revisions over the last six months, which while potentially at an achievable level, leads us to believe MRNA has limited visibility on the revenue stream for the respiratory vaccine business." Evercore ISI reiterates Nvidia as outperform The firm said investors should buy the dip. "Generally speaking, we view the recent weakness in the group as a particular buying opportunity for Buy-rated NVDA, ALAB and ARM, particularly for long duration investors." Evercore ISI reiterates Apple as outperform Evercore ISI said it is bullish heading into Apple earnings on Thursday. "We think Apple is positioned to deliver an in-line quarter with continued emerging market growth and strength from Services and Wearables." Goldman Sachs reiterates Walmart as buy Goldman Sachs said the stock is extremely well positioned ahead of earnings in late February. "We believe WMT is well positioned to continue driving solid earnings growth into 2025, supported by market share gains given its compelling proposition for value and convenience while its profitability profile should also improve, noting that operating income outpaced sales in 3Q." Barclays reiterates Microsoft as overweight Barclays said it is sticking with the stock ahead of earnings on Wednesday after the bell. " MSFT shares have been a relative underperformer since the company mentioned capacity constraints for Azure last summer. While we are not expecting the December quarter itself to show a re-acceleration in Azure just yet, initial guidance for the March quarter will." Mizuho upgrades Coinbase to neutral from underperform Mizuho said its checks show further bitcoin adoption is ahead. "Upgrading COIN to Neutral from Underperform. Why upgrade? Our analysis of bitcoin adoption growth points to further upside in bitcoin price over the medium-term. Bitcoin price and COIN shares are highly correlated." Bank of America reiterates Starbucks as buy The firm said the Starbucks turnaround is underway following earnings on Tuesday. "Although obscured by choppiness in January (severe weather), underlying comp improvement throughout 1Q seems to have carried into 2Q. Encouragingly, the spend improvement is widespread." JPMorgan adds a positive catalyst watch on Mattel JPMorgan said it is bullish heading into earnings on Feb. 4 for the toy company. "We are adding MAT to Positive Catalyst Watch into earnings as we expect sales and margin upside with the 2025 guide favorable to the Street (and the Barbie lap finally fully behind us), while valuation appears solid at ~8x EV/ EBITDA on our 2025 estimates." Barclays upgrades Nextracker to overweight from equal weight The firm said it sees "flawless execution" for the solar tracker manufacturer following earnings. "We now expect the company to track towards the upper end, if not above, all guidance metrics for FY25. On the heels of another strong bookings quarter, we have revised our FY26 numbers higher and now have NXT trading at a discount to ARRY." Guggenheim reiterates Meta and Reddit as buy Guggenheim says both stocks are "best positioned" heading into earnings. "We continue to view Meta and Reddit as best positioned with several foreseeable tailwinds (details within) and consensus ad revenue estimates as relatively de-risked compared to Pinterest and Snap." JPMorgan adds a positive catalyst watch on Monday.com JPMorgan said it is bullish on the project management software company ahead of earnings in February. "We are placing Monday.com on positive catalyst watch. After combing through a collage of data points we track on Monday.com, including qualitative feedback from channel partners, quantitative data points for headcount growth and website visits, our own bottoms up analysis as well as our conversations with the company prior to the quiet period, we are positively biased going into the print." Guggenheim reiterates Tesla as sell The firm said it is sticking with its sell rating ahead of earnings on Wednesday after the bell. "It is not a zero-sum game, we believe TSLA is relatively advantaged vs. other EVs but the repeal of the IRA would still be a net negative for TSLA." For investors, Starbucks ' problems are plain to see. New CEO Brian Niccol's plan to fix them is becoming much clearer, too. Jim Cramer talked to Niccol, who took the reins of the global coffee chain in September, on Wednesday, one day after the company delivered a better-than-feared earnings report showing it was getting closer to restoring growth in U.S. same store sales. In the interview on CNBC, Niccol shed light on his plan to fix mobile-ordering bottlenecks which have frustrated customers and employees and weighed on the performance of its U.S. stores and his strategy for improving its standing in the increasingly competitive Chinese market. Niccol inherited a company that had consistently disappointed investors with negative growth in China, its second most important market behind the U.S. Chinese consumers have been stretched during the country's slow and bumpy recovery from the Covid pandemic. But Niccol said he's not giving up on the "tremendous opportunity" in China. During his recent first visit to the country as Starbucks CEO, Niccol said he saw firsthand the strength of the company's brand and the premium coffee experience it provides in the country. While he acknowledged that management is still figuring out "the right way for us to grow in this market," he offered some near-term changes that can be made, such as menu adjustments to make sure Starbucks has the right products for their Chinese customers. During the company's earnings call with investors on Tuesday, Niccol said management is still exploring strategic partnerships to grow in the market. For the quarter, international sales dropped 4%, with a 6% decline in China. The speed of service for mobile ordering is another troublesome issue at the top of Niccol's list of priorities. The particular challenge Starbucks has with mobile orders is that its system captures orders in a first in, first out basis. It doesn't take into account what's in the queue versus who is in the stores, making it difficult for its baristas to provide the best customer service. To address this, Niccol said Starbucks is piloting technology and adequate staffing to manage mobile orders "in sequence with the in-store customer." He said that this will help smooth out the flow of mobile orders and prevent them from overwhelming the in-store operations. Providing some anecdotal evidence of this "testing and learning" bearing fruit, Niccol said he made a recent trip to a Starbucks location, and observed less congestion at the counter while the in-store customers were getting served around his goal of a "four-minute time window or better" and found the mobile operation had "a lot of order" to it. Investors seem encouraged by the progress of Starbucks' turnaround: The stock is up 6% Wednesday and is on track for its best day since Aug. 13. To be sure, the next quarter is still going to be tough, with Niccol stressing that the comeback is still "in the early days." But he added that the right strategies are in place to keep making incremental progress. We're encouraged by Starbucks' progress, too. "I came back from that interview being even more certain that the turn is here," Jim said during Wednesday's meeting for Club members. "He has a plan. ...That makes it even more exciting to me. This man is going to turn around that company. He's not going to give China away. I'm so impressed with what he's doing," Jim explained. Following Tuesday's positive report, we raised our price target on Starbucks to $115 per share from $100 and reiterated our 1 rating . (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long SBUX. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. People pass by a Starbucks coffee shop in Manhattan, New York, on Jan. 15, 2025. Mostafa Bassim | Anadolu | Getty Images 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. It goes without saying that no member of The Gang on Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia is even remotely normal. All five of them are selfish, horrible people never more so than when theyre paired up with a much more regular straight man, making them seem even worse than usual. One of the recurring straight men in their life is The Waiter, who has been tortured by the Gang several times over the course of a total of six episodes, like when they caused him to fall into a plate of spaghetti by tying his shoelaces together. Despite all of this, though, the Gang still somehow never seems to remember who he is. Don't Miss Sunny fans, however, remember The Waiter very well, which is why I recently caught up with Michael Naughton, the man who serves him up on-screen, to chat about the misery that is having to deal with The Gang. Your first appearance on Sunny wasnt as a waiter, but as the boss who hires Charlie and Mac for an office job. Is it the same character? When I was the waiter the first time, I kept thinking, Theyre going to realize that they already used me for the office worker. So I was like, Hey, do you guys remember that I did that spot a couple of years ago? and they were like, Of course! We love you! We thought you were funny and wanted to bring you back. I said, Is it the same guy? And they were like, Who knows? You would have thought that they had thought about it, but they didnt think it mattered. They said, Well let the fans think about it. My dream is that they write a script that connects the original office worker with The Waiter. I want that all to come together in some way. Your first scene, when you were the office worker, is one of the most beloved outtakes from the show. That must be part of the reason why they brought you back. Advertisement That outtake started making the rounds a couple of years after I did it, so maybe that explains why I first appeared in Season Four, but not as The Waiter until Season Eight. I talked with Rob, Glenn and Charlie about this on the (Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia) podcast, but I didnt really think they were laughing at what I was doing. Because I had this resume that had some stuff on it and I thought they wrote the resume, so I didnt know if they were laughing at what I was saying or the information on the resume. The scene was improvised, but I was still pulling pieces of ridiculous information off the resume. I only found out on the podcast that they didnt write the resume. They say that it was my delivery, but I dont know. I think youre selling yourself short. The best episodes of Sunny are when these five ridiculous characters have a straight man to play off of, which you did perfectly. Advertisement Advertisement Its funny, because of Sunny, people see me as a straight man, which is strange because I do sketch comedy and Im usually the goofy guy. I feel like most shows have a straight man within the main cast. Like with Seinfeld, Jerry is the straight man. But with Sunny, all the main characters are insane. How they pull it off, I dont know. Its fun to take that role, though, and just enjoy their insanity. Plus, I love trying not to break. What was it like to fall into that plate of spaghetti? I like being physical, so I asked them if I could do that myself. I did do one take, but in the episode, I think they used a shot of the stuntman who did it. Its funny, my kids are too young to watch Sunny, but I tried to show them a little bit of what I did on the show. They didnt like it, though. They were like, Theyre so mean to you! They didnt like that The Gang tied my shoelaces together or that I fell into the spaghetti. They were almost crying. Advertisement How about when Danny DeVito moves in with you after you save his life in The Gang Chokes? I was pretty surprised when I got that script. I was like, Im the B storyline? When I go in to do an episode, the guys greet me in the morning and say, Thank you for coming back. With DeVito, I feel like hes been doing this so long that he just comes out of his trailer and is ready for the scene. I didnt talk to him too much, but it was very exciting to work with him. Why do you think The Waiter saved Frank from choking? Advertisement I think it was just instinct. Anybody in the world would do it except those four. But its not why The Waiter did it, its why didnt The Gang save him? God, their looks are so funny in that episode. They look at him for so long while hes choking and they do nothing. I also think Frank hasnt treated the waiter as badly as the rest of them. Glenn, Charlie, Dee and Rob all abuse me way more. Theyre definitely more aggressive. Advertisement Which of those four do you think treats The Waiter the worst? Dee. She was immediately abusive. She has no memory of me, so she has no reason to be angry with me. Why do you think the gang never remembers who The Waiter is? I think its just because theyre so self-centered. I also think that maybe theres part of them that does remember me, but they just want to be assholes. Last question: Will the waiter ever finish pilot school? No. Hes been too emotionally damaged by The Gang. Edding and pieing are time-honored means of humiliating the powerful, but we want to celebrate the protesters who went above and beyond with sex toys, symbolism and some good old fashion pageantry. Advertisement 14 William Howard Taft: A Whole Cabbage Someone deigned to chuck a cabbage at William Howard Bathtubs Bane Taft on the campaign trail, but ultimately set him up for a historic zinger: I see that one of my opponents has lost its head. Advertisement 13 Richard Nixon: Half a Mexican Omelette While Vice President, he was egged by protesters in Peru, then egged and tomatoed in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 12 Arnold Schwarzenegger: Two-Thirds of a Starbucks Order In 2005, while Arnold was governating at a diner in Chico, California, he got tag teamed by a couple of protesters. One person threw a cup of small ice cubes and the other flung a crushed-up muffin, both of which he bravely ignored. Later, some bootlicker chased down his security detail to tell them he got a picture of the assailants. 11 Donald Trump Criminally Charged a Child for Throwing a Toy at His Car In 2017, a middle schooler threw a two-inch by four-inch wooden block at the presidential motorcade as it headed to the airport. The literal child was apprehended and charges were filed with the Palm Beach County States Attorneys Office. Advertisement Advertisement 10 Barack Obama: A Book and Full Frontal Nudity During a 2010 rally, Obama was accosted by two apparent supporters. One guy threw a couple copies of a book hed written at the president, hoping he would catch one and read it. At the same rally, a 24-year-old ran butt-naked as close to the president as he could get, in an attempt to win a million bucks from entrepreneur and asshole Alki David. David had made an open offer to anyone who would streak near the president, as a guerilla marketing campaign for his streaming platform. Its comforting to know that the world has been this dumb for a long time. 9 Pat Buchanan: Salad Dressing In 2005, this piece of shit advisor-to-the-stars (he guided some of the worst policies of Nixon, Ford and Reagan) got doused in salad dressing by an assailant who yelled, Stop the bigotry! Advertisement 8 Glitter Had Quite a Moment in 2011 From 2011 to 2012, Newt Gingrich was glitter-bombed for gay rights, Ron Paul was glitter-bombed for housing and healthcare and Rick Santorum was glitter-bombed on five different occasions. Advertisement 7 Throwing Yogurt Was Popular Among the Greeks, They Criminalized It for Decades Yogurting politicians became so popular in the 50s, a specific law was written heavily penalizing the practice in 1958. It was repealed in 1983. Advertisement 6 Beware the Biotic Baking Brigade The Biotic Baking Brigade is a lefty guerrilla group that targets right-wing and corporate neolib villains, and counts Bill Gates, Ann Coulter, William F. Buckley and Gavin Newsom among their victims. 5 Governor Jim Douglas: Pied by Santa Claus In 2008, Vermont Governor Jim Douglas was walking in a Fourth of July parade when an otherwise unassuming Santa Claus ran up and pied him in the face. Santas conscience got the better of him, and he later called himself a disappointment to my community. He was ordered to pay a donation to a food bank in the amount of Douglas drycleaning bill. Advertisement 4 George W. Bush: Shoes Before Luigi came along, journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi was the patron saint of projectile protesting. In 2008, while Bush was giving a press conference in Baghdad, al-Zaidi threw both of his shoes at Dubya, yelling, This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog! Bush ducked out of the way of both shoes with a goofy grin on his face. To this day, if you tweet about the incident, theres a high probability that al-Zaidi will see it and respond. Advertisement 3 George W. Bush: A Freaking Grenade While Bush was speaking in Tbilisi, Georgia, the worlds unluckiest man hurled a grenade at Bush and the Georgian President. It bounced off of some girl, causing it to both malfunction and land 60 feet away from its intended target. Old War Crimes McGee didnt even hear about the attempt until the event was over. Advertisement 2 Silvio Berlusconi: Milans Duomo Gothic Cathedral This is probably the most effective, most cathartic political pelting in modern history. Someone wound up and hurled a heavy little statuette of the many-pointed cathedral at the Italian PM, breaking his nose and knocking out two of his teeth. Watching the Home Alone movies as an adult is a decidedly different experience than watching it as a kid especially if youre a parent. The story of a small boy who is abandoned and endangered by his parents, who then has to fend for himself by developing a thirst for burglar blood, doesnt play quite the same as it once did. Its hard not to judge Kevin McCallisters parents. They banish their eight-year-old to the attic for spilling some Pepsi, even though it was clearly the result of his older brothers toxic bullying? Then they forget about him entirely while flying to Paris. And the only reason why the McCallisters dont realize that one of their children is missing at first is because they opt to buy first-class tickets for themselves only. Don't Miss Merry Christmas. Okay, sure, all parents make mistakes. But, in the sequel, the McCallisters somehow lose Kevin again. This time, its because theyre rushing through a crowded airport, and are more concerned with catching a flight to Florida than ensuring that their child is safe. Although, to be fair, American Airlines deserves some of the blame too. But its not just grown-ups who blame the McCallister parents for their annual holiday gross negligence even kids seem to know that child services should have been notified between movies. Advertisement Advertisement Catherine OHara, who of course, played Kate McCallister in the first two movies (but not the canonically-confusing sequels) recently chatted with CNN. When asked about why the Home Alone movies are still so beloved, she replied, Its just an everlastingly great story. And so beautifully executed. But some kids, perhaps not understanding that OHara is an actor, wont hesitate to give her crap for her characters actions. So many times, children come up to me and say, Why would you do that to your child? OHara recalled. Why would you lose your child? Last year, the SCTV star went into even more detail about these awkward encounters with pint-sized fans. A child came up to me, like, a little eight-year-old, in a mall, she told TODAYs Willie Geist. 'Are you Kevins mom? I said, Well, yeah, I played Kevins mom in a movie, yes. Why did you leave him? Sorry. It was in the script. But the conversation wasnt over. You left him twice, the kid argued. When she pointed out that it was just a sequel, he responded, Isnt that called abandonment? Advertisement OHara could only apologize. Even OHara herself has publicly expressed disapproval of her Home Alone character. During Macaulay Culkins Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony last December, OHara admitted that she had a hard time delivering some of the lines during the scene in which Kate escorts Kevin to the attic, particularly when she tells him that he should wish for his family to disappear because maybe it will happen. I could not wrap my head around saying something so horrific to this beautiful child, she told the crowd, before adding the caveat, Of course, I was not yet a mother at the time, and I had no idea the kind of things would come out of my own mouth with my own two sons." Advertisement Hopefully none of the kids who called out OHara have turned to paintcan-based violence. A handful of famous actors, including Michael J. Fox, turned down the chance to play Sam Wheat in 1990s Ghost opposite Demi Moore before Patrick Swayze landed his career-changing role. Fox later told Whoopi Goldberg he made a huge mistake by passing on the movie Im a fucking idiot. Paramount turned to other actors as well, reports Far Out. Harrison Ford. Tom Hanks. Kevin Bacon. Even Paul Hogan, hot of Crocodile Dundee, was considered. But one guy who never got a shot? The studios biggest movie star: Eddie Murphy. The comedians films brought in more than $1.3 billion during the 1980s. I deserved for them to come to me first, Murphy says in the book Off the Record, excerpted by Newsweek in 2007. Thats how you treat your biggest star. You give him the opportunity to say hes not interested. I would have been interested in doing Ghost. But Paramount didnt even give Murphy a script to read. Theres no way of knowing if Murphy would have agreed to star in the film but he should have got the shot. Don't Miss Murphy turned down his share of other films that turned out to be huge hits, too. When Parade asked Murphy in 2021 what movie he regretted turning down, he offered up another project with a supernatural theme: Ghostbusters. I was supposed to be in Ghostbusters, he explained. We were doing Trading Places, and Dan Aykroyd was like, This movie Ghostbusters But then Beverly Hills Cop came along. I wish I could have been in both, but I did Beverly Hills Cop instead of Ghostbusters. Murphy had another dream role that never got off the ground his own version of Godfather III. I pitched a story to Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola and Al Pacino, he told Playboy. Everybody loved it, and then Pacino said, You know something? Everybody loves it means itll never happen. My idea was for me and Stallone and Pacino to be in it together. Point the finger at Paramount once again since the studio believed Murphys idea was too expensive to consider. It would have cost $80 million to get everybody together; so before we could even shoot a roll of film, wed be $40 or $50 million below the line, Murphy said. Advertisement What other movies are in Murphys alternate-universe IMDb profile? Imagine a world in which the comedian would have starred in these pictures: One-hundred-fifty-five years ago, a peaceful camp on the banks of the Bear River (known today as Marias) was mercilessly attacked by Major Eugene Baker of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry. Reportedly drunk at the time, Baker's men surrounded the camp of Heavy Runner, a leader who carried an official letter naming him and his band as "friendly" and not to be harmed. It did no good. Having mistaken his camp for that of Mountain Chief, who Baker had been sent to punish for the alleged killing of a white man, his soldiers killed Heavy Runner. They also killed women, children, the sick and elderly since all the men were gone hunting buffalo to the east. They took what possessions they wanted and burned the rest. Some people escaped, and some of the children were adopted and raised by the few soldiers who refused to take part in the killing. It was bitterly cold that morning, and those who survived trekked towards other Indian bands or Ft. Benton, as far as 90 miles away from the site. Last week, Blackfeet Community College commemorated the events of that day, something done at BCC every year and sometimes involving traveling to the site itself. This year, they also celebrated a new book about the massacre, "Blackfoot Stories from Bear River." The book was written by a team that includes former BCC President Carol Murray, former Montana Rep. and Senator Lea Whitford and Mark Ratledge. Both Murray and Whitford spoke at the gathering about their research into the lives and stories of those who survived and remembered what happened. Jesse DesRosier and Alden Spoonhunter shared emcee duties as the event was being live-streamed via Zoom. The Student Commons at BCC gradually filled to capacity as some speakers addressed them in person and others spoke online. The Brave Dog Society arrived in full regalia and performed healing songs and dance. Later, Alden Spoonhunter and Wayne Smith of BCC had a Hand Drum contest, and Melissa Weatherwax and Christie Farmer conducted the Owl Dance and best-dressed contests. Commemorating the massacre began at BCC around the time the college was in its infancy. Carol Murray, then President, initiated the annual event and spoke about their first trips to the site in small college vans. Gradually filling the overall story with research at the college, she and her fellow authors created the book that was celebrated last week. One of Heavy Runner's heirs, Dick Kipp, was a topic that spurred Lea Whitford's interest. In her Zoom talk, she related his efforts to be compensated for the loss of Heavy Runner's horses. "Efforts of Heavy Runner's heirs, especially Dick Kipp, William Upham and Mrs. Emma Miller, to obtain government compensation for the chief's 5,000 confiscated horses were supported in the early 1900s by Montana Superintendent of Indians Arthur McFatridge," states an excerpt from The Witness to Carnage: The 1870 Marias Massacre in Montana by Stan Gibson & Jack Hayne. "He wrote a series of letters, accompanied by affidavits, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of War, in Washington, D.C. Senator Henry Ashurst and others attempted to get a Senate bill passed, for (about $150 per lost horse), but it failed repeatedly. At the Cabinet level, Secretaries of War Henry Breckinridge and Franklin K. Lane said that 'it would be practically impossible to produce dependable evidence at this time to outweigh the reports of the military authorities' about the confiscation of horses or, as Breckinridge put it, to the 'alleged death' of Chief Heavy Runner. This despite the findings by Arthur McFatridge that 'a very sad mistake had been made by the soldiers,' and that compensation was merited." Whitford concurred that Heavy Runner's heirs deserve compensation. Another speaker, Ester Tailfeathers, spoke about her relative, Holy Bear Woman, who survived the attack. A physician and author, Tailfeathers related her tale of investigating Holy Bear Woman's story. There is still more to be uncovered. Tailfeathers noted some 20 years or more missing from Holy Bear Woman's story and her determination to learn what happened after her survival. And while Murray and others have devoted much of their lives to that goal, it seems there is always more to be learned and knowledge to be gained. Located within each Logan Health hospital in Chester, Conrad, Cut Bank and Shelby are welcoming rooms designated for adult or pediatric outpatient infusion therapy patients equipped with comfortable reclining chairs and beds, personal televisions, warm blankets, snacks, and beverages. A team of experienced, highly qualified staff, including registered nurses, CNAs, and pharmacists, are present to deliver personalized care to meet the patient's individual needs. Prescribed by a Logan Health clinician or non-Logan Health clinician, infusion therapy treatments are available at any Logan Health hospital for a variety of conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, migraines, anemia, and ulcerative colitis. Infusion therapy can also deliver nutrients, hydration, antibiotics, and other medications that can't be taken orally or that need to be dispensed at a controlled pace, often intravenously. "While we typically schedule outpatient infusions during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), we accommodate the patient and what works best for them," said Courtney Hovland, Logan Health Shelby Director of Nursing. "Patients can always call us with questions regarding infusions and our capabilities. We want to do whatever we can to help patients stay close to home." Due to the growing need for outpatient infusion therapy, Logan Health facilities on the Hi-Line also are focusing on creating newly remodeled and comfortably designed infusion rooms. Logan Health Cut Bank most recently constructed a new space to care for infusion patients with generous help from local community groups. The Cut Bank Elks Club, Rockies Healthcare Foundation and the Wishing Well Project collectively donated a total of $6,864 towards two new chairs for Logan Health Cut Bank's newly constructed outpatient infusion therapy room. The new chairs are heated recliners that lightly massage, adding enhanced comfort for patients. "The Elks Club is committed to helping the people of our communities," said Linda Luther, member of the Cut Bank Elks Club. "Having the new infusion room and chairs at Logan Health Cut Bank expands the quality of care given locally." "We are pleased to collaborate with Logan Health Cut Bank in purchasing the new infusion chair that will provide comfort to the patients requiring these special IV medications," said Sonja Ray, Wishing Well Project Board Chair. "We are proud to continue to be a successful 501(c) organization with thanks to the many donors supporting our Wishing Well Project." "We value the care that Logan Health Cut Bank provides to our community, and we support the dedication of keeping patients close to home," said Valerie Vermulm, Rockies Healthcare Foundation Board Chair. "The new infusion chairs provide comfort, convenience, support and safety for patients." The room will soon display plaques to honor those who contributed towards the completion of the room. "With the new infusion room, we now have a dedicated area to provide a quiet, comfortable, and private environment for our patients to relax while receiving their infusions," said Crystal Losing, Logan Health Cut Bank Chief Nursing Officer. Whether a treatment lasts 20 minutes, several hours or days, patients can expect high-quality care, while experiencing intimate and personalized care close to home. That is a commitment each local Logan Health facility delivers. To learn more about infusion therapy or to schedule an appointment, talk to your primary care clinician for a referral. Leaders of the Town of Valier wish to inform its residents of their efforts to better manage public nuisance violations by requesting support from county and state officials. The following letter is for informational purposes. To the Residents of the Town of Valier, The Town of Valier is seeking greater support from the Pondera County Sheriff's Office, Pondera County Commissioners, Representative Llew Jones of House District 18, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Montana Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy particularly as it pertains to town ordinance violation citations and rulings. The Town of Valier pays Pondera County Sheriff's Office yearly for law enforcement as it cannot sustain a task force on its own. From July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 the cost to Valier for law enforcement is $69,389.19. On the occasion that officers actually issue citations for multiple and various infractions of town ordinances, many of which are also state laws, the current Pondera County Justice of the Peace, Cody Shaw, rarely enforces the citations. In an effort to clean up the town, the Mayor and City Council have worked tirelessly to adopt a nuisance ordinance enforceable at the town level. This has not been accomplished lightly. The ordinance was reviewed in depth by legal counsel. Upon adoption, Sheriff Robert Skorupa and the county attorney, Shari Lennon, informed the Valier Town Council that they were reluctant to support the ordinance and ensuing citations without a judge's ruling, thus circling back to the lack of enforcement on the part of the Justice of the Peace. Meanwhile, town residents are dealing with vicious dogs at large, private residences that are overrun with junk vehicles, unappealing numbers of vehicles, abandoned and junk equipment, and other unsightly piles of debris and/or solid waste. This is not a new concern. In an area that relies heavily on tourism and promotes a healthy lifestyle due to wide open spaces and a clean environment, our inability to enforce ordinances that support the wellbeing of our citizens is unacceptable. We petition you, our elected officials, for your support and guidance in this matter. Respectfully, Mayor Glenn Wunderlich, Alderwoman Angi Dodge, Alderwoman Janelle Nelson, Alderman Steve Nelson, Alderman Rick Tomsheck Valier town residents may also choose to contact county and state officials in regard to their concerns. They are encouraged to file a Town of Valier Citizen Complaint Form that will help create a paper trail in the event citations are challenged in court. The form is available at the town office or can be downloaded by visiting the Contact page of the town website. http://www.townofvalier.com It was a steady stream of folks who came by the Multi-Purpose Arbor on Wednesday, Jan. 22, according to one Manpower employee who was working security that day. The event featured two events: a Health and Wellness Fair and Medicaid eligibility. "The programs present were the Blackfeet Tribal Health Improvement Program (THIP), Diabetes Prevention and Management, Blackfeet Tribal Behavioral Health, FASTBlackfeet, Blackfeet Tribal Public Health, Blackfeet Tobacco Prevention, LIHEAP, Medicaid Eligibility Program and WIC," the folks at THIP said. Arranged around the circumference of the arbor, these programs and entities each offered information and assistance in accessing benefits and investing in personal health. "Our community has seen a drastic decline in Medicaid enrolled members in our area," THIP wrote in a public invitation. "We understand the struggles of completing and submitting the lengthy documents, but we're here to help. Come enjoy a warm meal while our team members assist you with reapplying or renewing your Medicaid." Folks were encouraged to take advantage of full health screenings and various services at no cost. Some of the services included BMI and A1C checks, mental health services, WIC assistance and more from various Blackfeet Tribal Health programs. "Our turnout was nearly 200 community members, which was great involvement," THIP reps stated after the event. "We would just like to thank everyone who participated, and we are pleased to see everyone being involved in their health. We will host more health fair events in the future and trust that more community members will become involved." The following are the dispositions settled in Toole County Justice Court from Jan. 17 - Jan. 23, by the Honorable Judge Donna Whitt. Michael D. Johnson, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding daytime limit, 75/65, $20 fine; contempt of Justice Court, $100 fine. Miselli B. Martinez, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding daytime limit, 91/70, $120 fine. Ashley N. Thompson, driving a motor vehicle while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, first offense, $285 fine; failure to carry proof or exhibit insurance in vehicle, owner or operator, first offense, dismissed by court. William F. Heavy Runner, bodily injury with a weapon, felony, dismissed by prosecution. Kalvinder A. Boperrai, log not current, $135 fine. Arshdeep Singh, failure to obey direction to be weighed, $235 fine. Kai A. Carvey, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding daytime limit, 80/70, $20 fine. Paul J. Hofer, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding nighttime limit, 75/65, $20 fine. Singh Gurjeet, not in possession of seven previous days logs, $135 fine. Johan Neufeld, failure to follow conditions and requirements of special permit, $135 fine. Joseph A. Waldner, exceeding the max gross weight allowed any group of axles, bridge formula, $210 fine. Kim B. Leftly, basic rule, reasonable and prudent, first offense, $120 fine. Rita A. Gillund, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding daytime limit, 85/70, $70 fine. Kenneth E. Lang, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding nighttime limit, 75/65, $20 fine. Marvin W. Hatton, failure to follow conditions and requirements of special permit, $135 fine. Keith D. Van Slyke, operating a commercial MV without proper endorsement for vehicle type, passengers or cargo type, $135 fine. Dean T. Fugle, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding nighttime limit, 75/65, $20 fine. Guy J. Knickerbocker, seatbelt violation, $20 fine. By Karla Kulpas, Chester Red Cross Coordinator Most of you know Chester and Ledger area farmer, Chris Kolstad. Chris is a very community-minded person who was taught at a young age to give to his local community. Chris's contribution at our community level though, is far-reaching to many areas of our state and sometimes even our nation. Chris's father, Allen Kolstad, was a long-time blood donor most of his life. When Chris was age 17, Allen took him to a Red Cross blood drive in Chester where Chris donated for the first time. It must have been a positive experience, as Chris continued to give religiously for the next 52 years! At our most recent drawing in Chester on Jan. 2, Chris hit a major milestone. He has now donated 25 gallons, yes, GALLONS of blood! Just consider the effort required to achieve this milestone! The Red Cross has been campaigning hard across our nation for blood donors for the past 5 years because donating blood has been less common since the Covid pandemic. It is a well-known fact that only 2-3% of eligible donors donate. Donating a unit of blood doesn't only benefit one person. A person with a blood type that is in high demand, like Chris Kolstad's, can benefit many patients as it is "broken down" into components such as platelets, red cells, plasma, and cryoprecipitate that are needed to sustain many patients. A person is allowed to donate a unit of blood every 56 days and Chris has always been very mindful of when he is allowed to return for donation. In fact, if he is out of the area, he will seek out a donation center near his location, so he doesn't "get out of sync" with being able to donate again in 56 days. He told me that he has donated in 10 different locations in Montana and one in Minnesota. (One of his daughters from Minnesota also attended our drawing on Jan. 2 and also donated.) The donation process is really quite simple. The Red Cross does a mini "physical" on each person, screening your blood count to make sure you are not anemic, along with your temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. They also ask a series of questions regarding your recent travels to make sure they aren't collecting a unit of blood that would not be transfusable due to possible exposure to malaria or the like. The process is quick and takes only 10 minutes or so. If you download the Red Cross app on your smartphone, they will assist you in making an appointment and streamlining your registration, so you hardly have a wait period at all. The part that most people like the best is that they tell you afterward where your blood was used. Chris's family put on a small party after his last donation to celebrate this milestone. Guess what they served! Bloody Marys! Will Chris continue to donate? He told me that his goal is to reach 30 gallons! By my estimation, if he was successful in donating every 56 days, that would take him another 8 2/3 years. We do have a few young 80-year-olds who continue to donate in our community, so that seems perfectly possible to me. The Red Cross has no limit on age in allowing a person to donate, but you should heed your medical provider's advice. Sarah Zielke began working for FWP in 2023 as the Wolf-Carnivore Management Specialist for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks along the Rocky Mountain Front (FWP) in Region 4. Ms. Zielke will be presenting on management and local information on wolves and furbearers on February 13, 2025 at 6:00 pm at the Valier Public Library. Zielke grew up in north-central Wisconsin in a small agricultural community where her first job was working on a dairy farm down the road from her house. In 2012, she moved to Montana where she got a wildlife volunteer position working with wolves. She received her bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Montana and gained a variety of experience working seasonal jobs over the years. "I've been living in the Golden Triangle area for almost eight years now, so I am familiar with the area," reported Zielke when asked what things may have surprised her about the region. Her background had some familiarities with North Central Montana, but one thing has taken some getting used to. "I grew up in an agricultural community and have family who still farm back in Wisconsin. Granted there's more dairy farms back there. Having grown up in Wisconsin, I'm used to the cold weather and seasonal changes," but she admitted, "The wind is definitely different, but I've learned to work with it!" In the two years that Sarah Zielke has been in her position as Wolf-Carnivore Management Specialist, she has grown to appreciate the work, its variety, and the interactions along the way, "What I really enjoy about this position is being able to work outside the majority of the time," Zielke continued. "Oftentimes I'm hiking or driving to areas along the Rocky Mountain Front and down to White Sulphur Springs, so everyday is a new day. I also enjoy meeting landowners and building working relationships with them." The Valier Area Development Corporation will be hosting an informational meeting on February 13 at 6:00 pm in the Valier Public Library. Ms. Zielke will present updates on management and local information on wolves and furbearers along the Rocky Mountain Front. The meeting is open to the public and free of charge. "I hope folks attend the meeting because I think it'll be informative for everyone," concluded Zielke. "Wolves are in the spotlight right now and also other species like lynx and wolverine. I can offer local information and also assist people if they're having any kind of issues with wolves." Judy was born Dec. 27, 1941, in Conrad, Mont., to Nelson and Beva (Lester) Bingham. She attended school in the Shelby, Mont. area up through high school. Judy was married first to John Pat Hurley and later to Gary L. Wentling, and together they had eight children. Judy and Pat lived in various communities throughout Montana. She supported her family through a range of endeavors, including selling Tupperware and Sara Coventry jewelry Additionally, she worked as a typist for the state legislature in Helena, Mont. In 1969, the Hurley family relocated to Anchorage, Alaska, where Judy worked for Providence Hospital and ITT White Alice Sites. In 1974, she married Gary L. Wentling and continued her career with the Municipality of Anchorage People Mover Transit System until 1986. Judy returned to school, earning a Technical Computer degree and taught computer classes at MILA until her family moved to Fairbanks in 1991. In Fairbanks, she worked for Phil Younkers Investment and helped establish Plumfield, the area's first assisted living and supportive care residence, with Jean Bogusch. After retiring, Judy and Gary moved to Spokane, Wash., in 1995, where they enjoyed traveling and spending time with family. Following the passing of her father, Judy took on caregiving roles for her mother, her cousin Larry Roberts, as well as her Aunt Pauline and Uncle Jack Lester. Judy had a deep passion for music, playing several instruments, with the piano being her favorite. She played and taught piano for over 75 years, performing for more than 20 years at both Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Anchorage and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Spokane. In addition to music, Judy enjoyed drawing, painting, sewing, quilting, crocheting, embroidery, and crafting. Known as the "slot machine queen," she often won enough at the casino to keep her returning. Judy is survived by her husband, Gary Wentling; her children Deborah, Patrick (Annmarie), Bev (Joe) St. Sauver, Mike (Mary), Mark (Lori) Hurley; C.B. (Tiffany) and Dana (Brandy) Wentling; and Tammy (Owen) Williams; as well as her sister, Carol; 24 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Marjorie Tenney, and her former husband, Pat Hurley. Services will be held Jan. 30 at the Heritage Funeral Home, located at 508 Government Way, Spokane, Wash. Viewing will be 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. followed by funeral service at 1 p.m. with graveside burial immediately following. In lieu of charitable contribution please send flowers directly to Heritage Funeral Home. Mind-boggling. Thats the phrase that sprang to mind when I read yesterdays Office for National Statistics (ONS) bulletin about a projected population increase of nearly five million people by mid-2032 on our already crowded island, taking our population to a phenomenal 72.5 million. Even this astonishing number assumes net migration will be halved to 340,000 a year by 2028, despite the fact there is no sign yet that measures will be taken to achieve this. It is a vast increase which, as the ONS makes clear, will be down almost entirely to immigration, as likely birth and death rates at the national level effectively cancel each other out. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp had his own words for this forecast, calling the projections shocking and unacceptable and I have to say I heartily agree. For while politicians and some academics, particularly those on the Left, have been keen to trumpet the message that immigration is an unalloyed good, helping to boost growth in our economy and enrich our society, we now know this is simply not the case. In fact, it comes at a net fiscal cost to the taxpayer, given that a significant proportion are not economically active and therefore do not contribute income tax. Analysis from Migration Watch UK found that between 1995 and 2011, migrants in the UK made a negative fiscal contribution totalling 95 billion. Astonishing though this may seem, it makes sense when you consider that, while some who arrive on our shores work hard and pay taxes, large numbers dont. Many are accompanied by economically inactive children, spouses and aged parents. Even leaving that sobering 95 billion figure aside, cheerleaders for unmitigated immigration nearly always ignore the fact that any contribution migrants make inevitably has to be set against additional costs on our public services. Alp Mehmet: 'Mind-boggling. Thats the phrase that sprang to mind when I read yesterdays Office for National Statistics (ONS) bulletin about a projected population increase of nearly five million people by mid-2032' Passport checks on the UK border at Gatwick Airport GP surgeries, police, welfare and social services and other bodies have been placed under near intolerable strain by our exploding population in the past decade, as Migration Watch UK, the organisation I chair, has pointed out for many years. This is before we get to the social and cultural factors of these sweeping demographic changes. Mass immigration on to our island in the latter part of the 20th century and early 21st has seen our population shift from one that was 95 per cent white British in 1991 to 75 per cent now. That is startling enough, but if the ONS projections are right and they are likely to be an underestimate we are looking at the white British population actually falling to below 50 per cent within a generation. That means anyone born today to a white British family will be in a minority in the country of their birth by the time they reach their 40s. In other words, the fabric of this country will be completely transformed. I write this as a first generation immigrant myself. My parents and I came to this country in the 1950s from our native Cyprus, then still a British colony. My parents came because they wanted to embrace this countrys values and culture. However, that is not the case for a great many immigrants today who, under the much-trumpeted value of multiculturalism, cleave to their own values while politicians beat us over the head with the repeated mantra that diversity is our strength. Migrants preparing to cross the English Channel from Northern France Shadow home secretary Chris Philp (pictured) had his own words for this forecast, calling the projections shocking and unacceptable They can say it as often as they like, but the reality is this is not a belief held by a vast swathe of the electorate. Indeed, the failure of both Labour and the Conservative parties to control immigration legal and illegal was the overwhelming reason many voters turned to Nigel Farages Reform UK at last years election. In a recent survey, more than 70 per cent of those polled said they wanted an end to uncontrolled immigration. This is not xenophobia or racism. It is simply the view of a population who are sick and tired of not being listened to. None of this is to belittle immigrants. Managed properly, immigration can bring benefits on many fronts. But the harsh reality is that it is not being managed at all and we are paying a very heavy price for it now and will continue to do so as a result of its future consequences. Alp Mehmet is chairman of Migration Watch UK The French novelist Stendhal once wrote of an adoration for mathematics because it allows for no hypocrisy. Fortunately, he did not live to see the calculations tapped out by our Prime Minister and his Chancellor. Sir Keir Starmer claimed yesterday in a back-slapping speech to business leaders that he is hard-wiring growth into all his Governments decisions. Only policies which are good for growth, good for wealth creation will get the go-ahead, he insisted. Such uncompromising criteria would be welcomed, but they are not borne out by the pluses and minuses entered into government ledgers under Labour. The PMs claims overlooked the disastrous impact of Rachel Reevess decision to impose 40billion in new taxes. Can Sir Keir explain how he signed off onerous increases in employers National Insurance contributions, when the move is sure to stifle job creation? Likewise, the absurd ban on new licences for North Sea oil exploration is the complete antithesis of growth. Sir Keir Starmer claimed yesterday in a back-slapping speech to business leaders that he is hard-wiring growth into all his Governments decisions The PMs claims overlooked the disastrous impact of Rachel Reevess decision to impose 40billion in new taxes Is the PM able to show us his arithmetic on the Governments 28 separate reforms to employment rights, which will cost employers 5billion a year to implement? Just hours after his speech, No 10 conceded that growth-damaging policies would not necessarily be blocked in the future. If that is the case, what will City bosses make of Sir Keirs reassurances and of him if they were just more hollow words? No one wishes the Government more success than the Mail if it is truly dedicated to making Britain an economic powerhouse. But forgive us for being highly sceptical of Sir Keirs growth mission, because time and again his actions belie the rhetoric. Immigration nation Since the turn of the millennium Britains towns and cities have, in so many key aspects, changed beyond recognition. First there was mass immigration under Tony Blairs Labour government, which failed to implement restrictions on Eastern Europeans as they joined the EU. Then the Conservative government neglected to grapple with the problem during their tenure, with annual net migration spiralling to a record 900,000. The countrys demographics have been irrevocably altered, undermining social cohesion. In 2000, the UK population was put at 58.9million. Now, projections say it will hit 72.5million in just over seven years time. Almost all the forthcoming growth will be from net migration, the ONS said. Tony Blair at an EU summit in 2006. First there was mass immigration under Tony Blairs Labour government, which failed to implement restrictions on Eastern Europeans as they joined the EU The UK border at Gatwick Airport. Where will these added millions live, given the serious housing shortage in so many parts of the country? These numbers are the exact opposite of what the British public has repeatedly voted for. It is a democratic crisis of staggering scale. Where will these added millions live, given the serious housing shortage in so many parts of the country? Labours sketchy ambition to build 1.5million new homes by the end of this parliament will barely scratch the surface. Which GP surgeries and hospitals will the new arrivals use, and where will their children be taught? The PM yesterday ruled out an arbitrary cap on immigration but promised significant reductions. Lets start by deporting the foreign criminals and illegal immigrants who have no right to be here. The latest shocking data should provide a wake-up call, if another were needed, that real action is years overdue. 'Disastrous'. 'Suicidal'. 'A growth killer'. These are just some of the words that have been used to describe the Government's economic strategy over the past few days. But we can now see this criticism was wrong. As Keir Starmer demonstrated yesterday, and Rachel Reeves confirmed in her speech today, the problem isn't that the Government is pursuing a disastrously damaging economic policy and strategy. It now literally has no economic policy or strategy at all. When Labour entered office it had a clear economic plan. That plan had its critics. But it at least had the virtue of clarity, underpinned by a degree of ideological consistency. Ministers would come clean to the country about the appalling nature of the public finances they inherited. They would then explain how that malign inheritance had forced them to make a difficult choice. After years of neglect under the Tories, public services needed to be protected. So as a result, 40billion of taxes would have to be raised from businesses. It would be tough. But the 'black hole' the new administration had uncovered needed to be filled, not least to reassure the markets, and stabilise the nation's currency. And we know had that worked out. The economy promptly tanked. Businesses began to lay off workers. Unemployment started to rise. Growth forecasts were revised down. The markets were sent into spasm. As one Minister admitted to me last week: 'the Budget acted like chloroform on the UK economy'. So over the last 48 hours, both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have attempted to undo the damage. Keir Starmer implausibly attempted to uncover his inner-Margaret Thatcher by telling a group of slightly bemused business leaders his number one priority would now be to 'hard-wire growth' into his government. Rachel Reeves even more implausibly declared she would be embracing her inner Donald Trump, would start to talk up Britain, and give the green light to a raft of new runways, roads and railways lines. If she continues as she is, Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured giving her speech today) will prove herself 'at best an economic dilettante, and at worst economically illiterate' All of which is nice. But is also utterly economically and politically incoherent, when set aside the Government's previously announced policies and objectives. It's great that Keir Starmer has suddenly decided he wants to prioritise economic expansion. But it's impossible to align that ambition with a decision to impose 40billion of tax on British business. The Prime Minister's stated desire to free the business community from what he called a 'Japanese knot-weed of red tape' is equally laudable. But again, how can that be squared with his plan to impose a new raft of workplace regulation via Angela Rayner's Employment's Right's Bill? A commitment to growth will be music to the ears of hard-pressed business chiefs. But who is going to break the news to his Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, whose dash towards Net Zero is becoming an albatross around the neck of the British economy? If Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves had stood up and said, 'OK, it's a fair cop. We messed up. We went too far in the Budget, we're going to reverse it,' they would deserve credit for their honesty and pragmatism. But that's not what they've done. They have instead reached up and taken off the shelf some hackneyed cliches from the 1980s, in an attempt to pretend that Starmerism is somehow a natural extension of Thatcherism. The reality is the economic strategy Reeves set out last November has imploded. But neither she, nor the Prime Minister, seem to be willing or able to explain what should be put in its place. And among those being left in the dark are Keir Starmer's own ministers. In the run up to the Budget they were told the Government's priority would be to protect and reinvigorate public services. Labour's private polling purportedly showed that after 14 years of Conservative Government, that was the voters' priority. But over the past couple of months, as the markets have been thrown into turmoil and debt repayments have soared, those same Ministers have been told of the need to find major cuts in their departmental budgets. And now they are being told that protection of public services is no longer the government's main objective, and has instead been supplanted by a dash for growth. Keir Starmer should admit his catastrophic mistakes on the economy, says Dan Hodges As one Minister explained: 'What is the strategy here? What are we supposed to be saying to people? We're the guardians of public services? Or we're the new wealth creators?' The truth is Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves don't have a clue. If they genuinely want to kickstart the British economy, that's fine. But then have to admit they were wrong. In November Reeves told the CBI she 'had no alternative' but to impose a 40billion tax burden on businesses. 'I know those choices will have an impact', she insisted, 'but I stand by those choices as the right choices for our country: investment to fix the NHS and rebuild Britain, while ensuring working people don't face higher taxes in their payslips'. We now know what the impact was. It garrotted growth. So unless she reverses those tax rises, shelves the proposed profusion of new employment regulations and calls a halt to the mad-cap dash to Net Zero, she has zero hope of resurrecting the economy. Since taking over as Chancellor, Reeves has faced a raft of personal abuse, some of it deeply misogynistic. But she has to realise that her previous strategy is simply not compatible with her new stated economic objectives. And if she continues to try to claim stimulating growth is somehow consistent with imposing the biggest business tax burden in modern British history, then the charge she is at best an economic dilettante, and at worst economically illiterate, will be irrefutable. What the country needs is not rehashed Thatcherite free-market rhetoric, or repackaged Boris-boosterism. What we need is a coherent economic strategy. Or indeed, any sort of economic strategy. But at the moment we don't have one. Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are not prepared to come clean and admit their 2024 Budget crippled business. And without that candour, and a reversal of those policies, they are hamstrung from doing what needs to be done to get the British economy back on track. Another black-hole has opened up. One that's sitting directly where the Government's economic strategy should be. And if Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer can't explain precisely how they intend to secure the growth they now profess to crave, then it will swallow them. A British student with size 30J breasts is raising thousands of pounds for a reduction surgery after her request was 'unfairly' dismissed by the NHS - despite meeting all of its criteria for a free procedure. Yasmine Ben- Omar, 21, from Brighton, wanted a breast reduction for agonising back pain which was affecting her mental health, but doctors told her that her bust 'was not that big' and her breasts were 'just saggy'. She has now set up a GoFundMe page to cover the cost of private healthcare - but the fundraising bid has left her exposed to misogynistic comments about her appearance. Speaking to Femail, Yasmine also revealed screenshots of her social media posts have even been posted on 'disgusting' forums without her consent - adding 'it's an ongoing struggle' to raise enough money for the surgery. The Manchester-based student said she has felt 'ashamed' of her body for over a decade, having lived with the stigma and physical discomfort of her bra size since she was 11. 'I was in so much pain,' Yasmine admitted. 'I didn't have properly-fitted bras because my mum couldn't afford to buy expensive ones that were over 50. 'I was always uncomfortable, I didn't join PE when I was in school. 'I was very insecure and always in pain,' she repeated. 'It was a really bad experience, it made my childhood really weird and uncomfortable.' Her peers would refer to Yasmine as 'the girl with big boobs', she continued, adding: 'I always got the wrong attention and would treat me like I was a lot older.' Brighton-born Yasmine Ben, 21, set up a GoFundMe page to cover the cost of private healthcare after her request for a breast reduction surgery on the NHS was turned down The Manchester-based student said she has felt 'ashamed' of her body for over a decade, having lived with the stigma and physical discomfort of her J cup size since she was 11 When she turned 18, Yasmine decided to undergo breast reduction surgery to alleviate the chronic back pain and feelings of shame that she struggled with all through school. However, at the time, Yasmine didn't meet one of the NHS' key eligibility criterion because she was over the required BMI limit of 27. Determined to pass all the qualifying conditions, Yasmine lost nearly four stone - bringing her BMI to 25 - before contacting the North Manchester General Hospital for an appointment that was scheduled for January 23. Breast reduction surgery requires a referral from a specialist surgeon, who checks whether they meet the criteria laid out by the local intergrated care board (ICB). These include suffering from backaches, shoulder or neck pain, grooves on the shoulders from bra straps, psychological distress such as low self-esteem and depression, as well as an inability to exercise or take part in sports. Problems that Yasmine has encountered for over a decade but were overlooked during her appointment, she claimed. 'The consultant literally just looked at me and went, 'Oh, they're not big.' 'She said they're not big, they're just really saggy. She said you need a breast lift, not a breast reduction, even though my breasts are 30J, which is very large,' Yasmine recalled her 10-minute examination. When she turned 18, Yasmine decided to undergo breast reduction surgery to alleviate the chronic back pain and feelings of shame that she struggled with all through school. However, at the time, Yasmine didn't meet one of the NHS' key eligibility criterion because she was over the required BMI limit of 27 Determined to pass all the qualifying conditions, Yasmine dropped 25 kgs - bringing her BMI to 25 - before contacting the North Manchester General Hospital for an appointment last year The average bra size in the UK is 36DD, or five sizes smaller than a 30J. During the appointment, the breast surgeon allegedly told Yasmine she has 'loose skin' and that 'we don't do breast lifts on the NHS' before drawing the curtain and walking out of the room. 'It felt quite judgemental, she wasn't very empathetic,' Yasmine added. 'She just rushed me; the appointment was meant to be half an hour, but she did it in less than 10 minutes I would say. 'The whole experience was horrible.' A spokesperson for North Manchester General Hospital said: 'Ms Ben-Omar has contacted MFT Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALs) team and PALS will be in contact with Ms Ben-Omar to discuss next steps.' Disheartened by the experience, Yasmine - who appealed the NHS' decision - now hopes to raise enough money to fly to Turkey or Lithuania for the 'life-changing' surgery. She set up the GoFundMe, with a goal to raise 2,200, and is also juggling two part-time jobs along with her coursework at Manchester Metropolitan University. However, Yasmine added, it has been hard to ignore the 'horrible' messages and comments she has received since setting up the fundraiser. Despite meeting all the criteria, Yasmine claimed, her request was denied - prompting her to start a GoFundMe page so she can afford the 'life-changing' surgery 'I posted about [the fundraiser] on TikTok, and I think I got around 20,000 views and the majority of my comments were just hate comments. 'People over-sexualising me, people saying 'You'll be ugly, I'm going to unfollow you if you get the reduction surgery',' she admitted. 'I've even been posted on a forum,' Yasmine continued. 'I found that people had been posting me online, talking about my breasts when I don't share anything sexual or inappropriate. 'But they take screenshots of me and post them on disgusting forums, being really creepy. 'That makes me feel so uncomfortable and it just makes me feel ashamed of my body when I shouldn't be. 'It's an ongoing struggle,' she concluded. Yasmine also addressed 'misogynistic' messages from men who told her the surgery would make her less attractive, saying: 'It's really selfish. 'It's basically putting the woman's pain below their own pleasure.' A spokesperson for NHS Greater Manchester said: 'NHS funding for breast reduction surgery is determined on a case-by-case basis, based on clinical need. When making these decisions, there are clinical assessments by consultants and specialists who determine the most appropriate course of treatment by assessing it against an eligibility criteria set out by our commissioning policy. 'We understand the challenges and distress that can arise from concerns about breast size and the potential impact it can have on both physical and emotional wellbeing. If Yasmine feels her condition has not been properly assessed or is not happy with the advice she has received, we would encourage her to follow the appeals process. 'We are aware that waiting times for consultations and treatments can be a challenge, and we continue to work towards reducing these waiting periods to ensure patients receive timely care.' A leading trend-tracking company has revealed its definitive 'ins' and 'outs' list for 2025 - and it's bad news if you are a Cool Cabana fan, wear bows or use 'demure' in your daily vocab. Founded by Matt Herbert and Connor Archbold in 2021, Tracksuit is an accessible brand-tracking tool tool that measures the value of brand-building and rising trends. The team surveys thousands of people each week to track consumer awareness and perceptions. They work with top marketing executives and businesses including Guzman y Gomez, Arnott's, and Darrell Lea. Now they have listed the trends that will drive hype in 2025, and those that will be shown the door. 'When creating this list, we focused on what we think will shape engagement for the year ahead and spoiler - there's a heavy emphasis on meaningful experiences,' Elly Strang, Content and Communications Lead at Tracksuit, told FEMAIL. Ins Card Games As people search for meaningful and memorable IRL experiences, we're expecting to see more people choosing to pick up a pack of cards than their phone when hanging out with friends or family. Card games are becoming increasingly popular, with many ditching their phones for wholesome in-person experiences IRL Experiences People are going to opt for more meaningful in-person experiences, moving away from their screens this year. It's time to put down the phone and prioritise in-person connection. Nostalgia Everyone loves looking back at memories from when they were younger. We'll see more remakes, retro-inspired rebrands and cultural moments inspired by childhood joy. Curated Algorithms More niche vertical scroll apps are set to make an impact this year. Don't be surprised if you see alternate versions of apps like Deepstash, which is advertised as a 'smart version of TikTok', creep up the lists in the app store this year. Coffee Alternatives The matcha trend is here to stay and we're expecting other alternatives like Arepa to become more popular in 2025. Dad Cams Film and video cameras have come back into fashion already, and we're expecting 'dad cam' content to take over Instagram and TikTok in 2025. Expect to see wholesome, vintage videos all over your feed. Niche Emojis and Emoticons People will be able to properly express how they're feeling online this year with the help of Apple's new Genmoji tool. The rise of niche emojis may even push Aussie dads to use more than just a thumbs up. AI for Personal Development You're lying if you haven't asked ChatGPT for some life advice. AI chatbots are a great tool to aid with personal development so don't be surprised to see usage of the tech rise in 2025. Online Time Capsules Apps and websites that capture a snapshot of what your life is like at a certain point in time - your rantings and musings on Substack, or the aesthetic you're vibing with at the moment on Tumblr - will be a valuable time capsule to unearth at a later point. Jibbitz to Reflect Personality Jibbitz (the charms attached to Crocs) are a fun way for people to express their personality. With Crocs continuing to be a popular choice of footwear, Jibbitz will increasingly be used by Aussies to stay trendy and showcase their own style. Jibbitz are a fun way for people to express their personality Outs X (Twitter) With Elon becoming a more divisive figure by the day, so has his rebranding of Twitter. The golden age is over and our team at Tracksuit expects its popularity will continue to decline. Cool Cabana Culture As tensions build between owners and non-owners of the beach shelters, who knows what will happen. A Cool Cabana war? Beach cabanas and their much-needed shade have become increasingly popular on Aussie beaches. But it's time for the back and forth to end Bows Bows were everywhere in 2024 - from hairstyles to birthday cakes, and shoes! This is a short-lasting microtrend that we expect will be left behind in 2024. Millennial Bashing Millennials have been persistently teased for their social media preoccupation and trademark 'Millennial Pause'. As they grow another year older, we're manifesting (for their sake) that the online bashing finally stops. Echo Chambers If 2024 taught us anything, it's that we need to escape our echo chambers. It's time to branch out and listen to opinions from other walks of life. Micro Trends We saw many micro trends come and go in 2024, like cowboy hats, and the viral Skims dresses. While they are fun when they pop up, I think we'll see less of them this year. We saw many micro trends come and go in 2024, like cowboy hats, and the viral Skims dresses Being Overly Earnest Online Brands taking themselves too seriously on social media is going out of style in 2025. Customers love authenticity and companies presenting themselves as overly earnest is not catching the attention of consumers. Brat and Demure Brat and Demure were fun, but let's keep these in 2024. Charli XCX created the term Brat in support of her latest album 'Brat', featuring simplistic cover art. Demure was also huge in 2024. The trend is said to have been sparked by a now viral TikTok video by American content creator Jools Lebron. Both are 'over' AI Influencers AI influencers are here, and were not sure whether theyre fun or disconcerting. We think the novelty has worn off and that their popularity will dwindle in 2025. Corporate Prawn Posture Posture braces and stand-up desks will be all the noise this year as the unhealthy corporate prawn posture becomes a thing of the past. Celebrities Endorsing Politicians The 2024 US election saw many celebrities swear their allegiance to Trump or Kamala Harris. While their opinions are valid, people's votes are ultimately swayed by their own research and passion areas which raises the question of whether celebrity endorsements are even that impactful? We dont think so. Brain Rot Brain rot rose in popularity in 2024, a term describing short, meaningless content that you saw frequently on TikTok and Reels. In fact it was the Oxford word of the year. This year, people will be more interested in content that actually has a meaningful impact. Situationships Much like the dying of brain rot, situationships and flings will be replaced by more meaningful relationships. Nadiya Hussain has emotionally revealed the one lesson she hopes her 14-year-old daughter will learn from her while reflecting on a lifelong struggle with self-image. The Great British Bake Off winner, 40, is based in Leeds and has three children - two sons, Musa and Dawud, and a younger teenage daughter, Maryam. Appearing on the cover of Prima Magazine's March issue, Nadiya said: 'If I can just teach my daughter to love herself, thats my job done. 'Even if I spend a lifetime loathing myself, if I can teach her to love herself, thats all I need. 'Shes so, so confident; nothing like me when I was 14, and I love that about her. I wasnt raised that way, and I wasnt reminded that I was beautiful and that I could do brilliant things.' Nadiya, who is British Bangladeshi, told the publication that she grew up in a household full of 'very, very teeny, tiny people' with the experience The chef, considered Bake Off's most successful contestant, realised at an early age that she was 'bigger' than her siblings. 'I felt shame, because I was bigger than they were,' Nadiya said. 'I look back now and I think, "Really?" Many of us look back and think, "Why did I loathe myself so much in those moments, because I look absolutely fine!" Nadiya, from Leeds, won the hit BBC baking show in 2015, and was catapulted into fame The GBBO star, who recently released her new cookbook Rooza inspired by Ramadhan and Eid, said that she still struggles to her body image - especially when taking part in photo shoots. 'As someone who works in the public eye and does photo shoots all the time, I cant look at the cameras,' she said. 'I cant look at the screens when photos are being taken, because even to this day, I will pick myself apart and say, "Oh, my legs look fat there," or "I look overweight," or "the clothes dont fit nice." 'But then I remind myself that its all right, do it. Lets move on. Go eat the croissant. Its not a problem. 'Its taken me 40 years, and I constantly dip back and forth from it. But I do know that Im definitely better than I was.' In October, a teary-eyed Nadiya took to Instagram to share she had been diagnosed with two autoimmune disease but did not share any further details at the time. Reflecting on her health journey and routine hospital visits over a two-year period, the celebrity chef urged her fans to listen to their bodies and prioritise giving themselves enough time to rest. She said: 'If I think about how hard Ive worked over the past nine years [since winning Bake Off], I think that stress and exhaustion is a huge part in my diagnosis of illness that Ive had over the past year. The British Bangladeshi chef, 40, has three children - two sons and a younger teenage daughter Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain appears on the front cover of Prima Magazine Speaking of her 14-year-old daughter Maryam (left), Nadiya Hussain (right) said: 'If I can just teach my daughter to love herself, thats my job done. Even if I spend a lifetime loathing myself, if I can teach her to love herself, thats all I need' What are autoimmune diseases? Autoimmune diseases are caused by antibodies attacking healthy tissues and organs in your body by mistake. Antibodies are cells that are usually excellent news for a body. They attack foreign and potentially dangerous cells like viruses and bacteria to help you recover from infections. Unfortunately, if you have an autoimmune disease, the antibodies in your immune system are over-active and attack the wrong things. This results in autoimmune diseases. Source: NHS Advertisement 'My [autoimmune disease] is a lifelong thing. Its something that I will live with forever and its something that I will have to deal with forever. 'But Im very lucky, because I have really amazing support at home. I have people who look out for me and thats really important. 'My best advice to anyone is to learn to look out for yourself and know when you need to stop.' Nadiya was 30 years old when she won the hit BBC baking show in 2015. She has previously spoken of how she was catapulted into fame after Paul Hollywood handed her the Bake Off trophy. Since winning the reality series, Nadiya has gone on to publish ten recipe books and even baked a cake for the late Queen Elizabeth II. Now 40, the mother-of-three is focussing on herself and raising her three children. 'I want to be around to see them grow up and I cant guarantee what illnesses I may have in the future, but for now, I can look after myself,' she said. 'The difference between me this year and last year is that this year, I know that if Ive had a really long days work, the following day, Ill make myself rest. In October, a teary-eyed Nadiya took to Instagram to share she had been diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases, although she did not go into further detail She told Prima Magazine that she has learned the value of rest and will is now focused on herself and her children Since winning the Great British Bake Off in 2015, Nadiya has released ten recipe books and even baked a cake for the Queen's 90th birthday It is only right that the Bake Off star finds comfort in cooking but Nadiya is also a skilled archer. She said: 'I use my kitchen as a tool to quieten my mind. But what Ive also learned is that Im really good at other things. 'I go down to the woods and do archery, just to let off some steam. 'I dont know what Im going to pick up next. Id like to start shooting, because my aim is quite good. Im making my own dining table as well.' Millions around the world will be bringing in the Lunar New Year today - but what does it mean for you? January 29 welcomes with it the year of the Snake, according to the Chinese Zodiac - which houses those born in 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941 and 1929. And speaking to FEMAIL, astrologer Inbaal Honigman revealed what you should be doing to commemorate the sly reptilian presence in our lives. 'The Snake is the only creature to shed its skin, so when the year of the Snake comes along, everyone is called to shed their skin and be renewed,' she explained. 'The signs that love change - such as Tigers and Rabbits - will love it, whereas signs that like stability such as Horses and Ox may find it overwhelming.' The psychic, working with FruitySlots, added: 'On 29 January 2025, the year of the Snake begins. 'This new Chinese year will run until 16 February 2026. The Snake is the 6th position in the Chinese Zodiac. The Chinese Zodiac consists of twelve signs named after animals, similarly to the Western Zodiac. 'However, unlike the Western Zodiac, the Chinese Zodiac assigns a full year to each sign, not a month.' January 29 welcomes with it the year of the Snake, according to the Chinese Zodiac - which houses those born in 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941 and 1929. Stock image used Speaking to FEMAIL, astrologer Inbaal Honigman revealed what you should be doing to commemorate the sly reptilian presence in our lives. Stock image used 'Those born in the year of the Snake will turn 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96 this year,' she continued. 'Snake-borns are believed to be charming, elegant and wise individuals. This is the Chinese sign of change and transformation. Its gifts are intuition, intelligence and strategy.' Here, we look at what the year ahead brings for all... Rat The year of the Snake is a great opportunity for you to showcase your quick humour. You are the problem-solver, you're charming and ambitious, and you easily handle unexpected shifts and interruptions. Your ability to bounce back is a boon. Changes are inevitable in the year of the Snake, so make sure you decide which changes you prefer, and focus on those. Ox The year of the Snake isn't easy for peaceful people, so you may find it challenging. You are persistent, honest, diligent and down-to-earth. Your patience is a gift, and your self-belief helps you get through challenges, no matter how hard. The year of the Snake isn't easy for peaceful people, so some may find it challenging. Pictured: A man touches the snake figure on the stone wall depicting animals in the Chinese zodiac at the Baiyun Taoist Temple What's your Chinese Zodiac animal? Rat (shu): 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 Ox (niu): 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 Tiger (hu): 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 Rabbit (tu): 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 Dragon (long): 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 Snake (she): 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse (ma): 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Sheep (yang): 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey (hou): 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Rooster (ji): 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 Dog (gou): 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 Pig (zhu): 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019 Advertisement Your natural tendency when faced with surprises, is to create a new routine, but make sure you brace yourself to roll with the changes, instead. Tiger The year of the Snake will be exhilarating for you because you love changes, and changes are coming. You are confident, strong, and possess leadership qualities. You've got a down-to-earth work ethic and you'll try and try until you're the best at anything. Don't overcomplicate things let the year of the Snake be fun and easy for you by just embracing every new change and challenge. Rabbit The year of the Snake is all about transformation, which is fun for you because you love surprises. You are vigilant, witty and quick on your toes. You're great at making plans and then changing them, because you're inventive and ingenious. Share your love of change with those around you, which will make it easier for them to cope with the constant changes of the Year of the Snake. Dragon The year of the Snake will test your bravery, as you are courageous, but will you love the constant state of flux? You are known as fearless, tenacious and intelligent. It's your intelligence and your enthusiasm which make each year a great year for you. Embrace the unexpected paths that the year of the Snake will offer, just remember to curb your temper, because not everyone will appreciate the extra fire. Snake The year of the Snake will help you shed your skin and become new. Since you're already very comfortable with that, the year will be extra lucky for you. You're seen as flexible, wise, charming and elegant. Your best traits are your intuition and intelligence, which allow you to be on top of things, whatever changes are thrown your way. Use that intuition to try and anticipate changes ahead of time, which keeps you ahead of the curve. Horse The year of the Snake may be a little overwhelming for you, because you favour predictability. Those around you appreciate your vitality and speed. You're known as hardworking, warm and independent, and you do love a routine. Don't let the year of the Snake throw you off course, remember that even when the world changes, you are still you and you're true to your values. Goat The year of the Snake will bring personal growth and transformation for you, which you will love. Not that you need it! But it's always nice to have the opportunity to learn. You're known as nurturing, creative, harmonious and balanced. Those around you appreciate your no-drama way of handling life. Use the year of the Snake as your own Goat University, learning from every new situation, and even sharing those lessons with others. Pictured: People pose for pictures around the illuminated decorations during the International Chinese Lights Festival in Santiago, Chile Monkey The year of the Snake is right up your alley because you enjoy transformations, and this is the year of the Snake's gift. Your personality is playful, smart and funny. A friend to all, you're a charmer, and you can get anyone to do things your own mischievous way. Use the year of the Snake to help you get places that you previously thought were not for you. Smash that glass ceiling, ace that interview, you're going places. Rooster The year of the Snake is fast-paced and intuitive, whereas you prefer to be focused and excel at everything, so you'll find the speed with which things change to be challenging. You are disciplined, ambitious and dedicated, which is great in constant situations and during years of no change. You're confident, so this is helpful, and luck is always on your side. Get through the year of the Snake by striving to do your best, not always the very best. Dog The year of the Snake brings change, which you don't mind at all. You get along well both with old and new acquaintances, as you're one of the friendliest signs. Reliable and loyal, you have a lot to offer in terms of personal contacts, friendships and even business connections. Your trustworthy nature means you have a great reputation. The year of the Snake will bring new business potential as well as friendships, so remember how loyal you are. Get everyone to collaborate together so that the added contacts benefit you and those around you. Pig The year of the Snake will challenge you as it creates change all around you, when you favour stability. You're a popular sign and a popular person, because you make friends easily and maintain friendships naturally and effortlessly. You're tolerant and easy-going, qualities loved by all. Make the most of the year of the Snake by letting those lifelong friends support you in times of change. A single mother broke down in tears after a wealthy pair of business owners offered to help get a job after she was signed off from work due to anxiety. Amy, from Belfast, who supports her daughter on just 60 a week, switched lives with a pair of beauty aestheticians - who admitted they burned through 'thousands and thousands' each week, on this week's episode of Rich House, Poor House. The Channel 5 programme, in which wealthy and less fortunate families swap lives for five days, revealed the emotional moment that wealthy businesswomen, Michelle and Liz, promised to help single mother, Amy get back to work after a bout of ill health left her relying on benefits. On this week's episode of the show, which airs on Sunday, self-made business woman Michelle, who lived in her luxury house in Lisburn near Belfast, and her best friend and colleague, Liz, said they grew their business from the ground by 'working 24/7'. The two friends run an aesthetics clinic in Belfast, which also offers discounted procedures to women who've suffered domestic abuse or illness. Meanwhile, just a few miles away in Newtown Abbey, Amy lived in a housing association flat struggling to even afford the basics for her and her daughter. With just 60 a week to spare, Amy was unable to afford most things and the pair had even been living without flooring in their hall or living room. Despite living off of benefits, Amy was desperate to get back to earning a living but struggled with a lack of confidence, having been signed off from work due to anxiety a few years earlier. Self-made business woman Michelle, (left) who lives in her luxury house in Lisburn near Belfast (right), and her best friend and colleague, Liz, said they grew their business from the ground by 'working 24/7' Meanwhile, just a few miles away in Newtown Abbey, Amy (left) lived in a housing association flat struggling to even afford the basics for her and her daughter, Phoebe, 12 The mother had previously worked in retail during the pandemic but was forced to quite amid mental health struggles. Amy became one of 2.3 million people signed off of work for health reasons in the wake of Covid. Meanwhile, prior to the swap, Michelle described herself as someone who 'likes to shop'. The businesswoman showed off a glamorous walk-in-wardrobe containing 50-60 pairs of shoes and multiple designer handbags. She and business partner Liz admitted they enjoyed 'the finer things' including 'nice holidays, handbags, and shoes'. 'Being in a job you love is vital, it makes you want more, it makes you want to improve and grow,' she said. Describing what she hoped to achieve during the swap, Liz said: 'To offer confidence to someone who is maybe lacking in confidence.' Michelle seconded the wish to support an individual 'struggling to realise their own dreams and ambitions.' When it came to the swap, it was clear the vastly different weekly budget would be a struggle for Liz and Michelle, who said they would typically spent more than 60 on just one meal out. Arriving at Amy's abode, the two aestheticians immediately picked up on the 'small double bedroom' belonging to Amy, also noticing that she had 'blinds but no curtains'. When it came to the swap, it was clear the vastly different weekly budget would be a struggle for Liz and Michelle, who said they would typically spent more than 60 on just one meal out Describing what she hoped to achieve during the swap, Liz said: 'To offer confidence to someone who is maybe lacking in confidence' Elsewhere, as Phoebe and her mother took a tour of Michelle's vast abode, the two couldn't help but notice the huge 'comfy' beds. In their welcome note, Amy apologised for the 'lack of living room and hall carpet', adding that they hoped the pair felt 'at home' regardless. Michelle and Liz then took a peek at their cash for the week, shocked to discover they had just 61.09 to burn. 'That's less than what we'd spend on a meal out,' said Liz. Amy then opened an envelope containing a whopping 1,600 to last the week. Shocked to discover a budget 25 times her usual spending limit, Amy said seeing the cash in real life didn't 'feel real'. On the first night of the swap, Amy and her daughter tucked into a tasty 50 takeaway, while the aestheticians made do with some freezer fish fingers. After the first night in Amy's house, Michelle and Liz complained of feeling 'freezing' and 'unsafe'. Trying to make a positive start to the swap, the beauty experts headed to the shops to buy food for the week - but swiftly chomped through nearly half their budget. 'I don't know how they're surviving with such little money, it's really scary,' said Michelle. Despite living off of benefits, Amy was desperate to get back to earning a living but struggled with a lack of confidence, having been signed off from work due to anxiety a few years earlier Later in the episode, Amy met up with a friend of Michelle's, where she discovered that the business woman hadn't always lived the high life and was also a single mother of two who experiences poverty in the past. On the other side of the divide, a candid conversation with Amy's brother, Brian, revealed to Michelle and Liz that Amy and her daughter had spent four months homeless. Brain said the mother and daughter duo had spent the time living with him and that the mother had slept on his floor - despite his best efforts to give her the bed. During the swap, Amy and Phoebe got to enjoy a taste of luxury. They treated themselves to an afternoon at a beauty saloon, went on a zipwire and even visited one of Northern Ireland's most prestigious theatres, Lyric. Keen to help Amy achieve her dream of getting back into work, the beauty workers arranged for her to do a trial shift at their salon working a receptionist at their salon. Despite her past experiences with anxiety, Amy excelled in the trial, with a worker at Michelle's clinic calling the aesthetician to inform her that things had gone well and that the mother had been a natural. Michelle and Liz were also keen to help Amy out with her living room, insisting a carpet is 'a need not a want', and swiftly arranging for a new one to be installed. They even transformed their living room with a new set of furniture. 'I really want them to have a home that's warm and cosy,' Michelle said. On the other side of the divide, a candid conversation with Amy's brother, Brian, revealed to Michelle and Liz that Amy and her daughter had spent four months homeless When either parties finally met, both were emotional having had a taste of how the other lived. 'Looking at my materialistic things is nothing at all compared to the bravery you have been through. It was such an ordeal sticking to that budget. It was really hard to try and get food,' Michelle admitted. 'I was humbled and it made me really how lucky I have been,' Liz added. Reflecting on her side of the swap, Amy opened up about her struggles with anxiety. She said: 'Fear of failure has been something that's been holding me back but after this week, I feel so much more sure of myself. 'I had this really funny feeling and I realised it was hope and I'd never felt hope like it.' In one tender moment, Michelle told Amy that she would be ready to talk about offering her a job when she was ready. Michelle told Amy that her staff 'couldn't speak highly enough' of her and that 'it takes a certain kind of soul to be able to sit and take a call and talk to people when they're feeling vulnerable'. The mother-of-one broke down in tears upon hearing the news, and jumped up to give both women a bus. And that wasn't all. When Amy and Phoebe arrived home to their brand new living room, they were both hit with another shock as they discovered they'd been given a brand new carpet and furniture. 'It a completely different living room,' said Amy in another emotional moment. 'Absolutely gorgeous, I was not expecting any of this,' she added. 'This is unbelievable.' Reflecting on things their end, Michelle asked Liz is she thought money bought happiness. 'No, it buys security which leads to happiness. Money can't hold you if you can't sleep at night,' she said. Jaime Oliver has said people need to 'get over' cultural appropriation rows in cooking and reflected on the difficulties of 'being a middle class white guy' in the food world. The celebrity chef, 49, spoke to The Louis Theroux Podcast this week and discussed the 2018 row over his release of a 'punchy jerk rice' ready meal. The food caused a huge cultural appropriation row, with Labour's then shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler saying the chef 'didn't know what jerk was'. Now, Jamie said that one of his ex-students from an afro-Caribbean background summed it up: 'It's just a middle-class white guy trying to get more people to dig our food, get over it'. The Naked Chef added that the majority of his career - and book sales - are based on 'compromising with common sense' to get people to 'try something new', which could be giving 'more of a vibe' to 'bland boring rice'. He added that all of his new books are vetted by 'cultural appropriation specialists' which 'pains him' but he said he 'doesn't want to offend anyone over a 'bloody cookbook'. The chef also admitted he had a 'crass misunderstanding' of the dish - and said that most 'British' dishes aren't native to the UK. 'Pies are from the Greeks via the Romans and fish and chips is Jewish Portuguese,' he added. Jaime Oliver has reflected on his controversial 'jerk rice' recipe that sparked controversy in 2018 in the latest episode of Louis Theroux 's podcast In 2018, Jaime was accused of cultural appropriation by Labour's then shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler MP and other social media users for launching ready-to-eat 'punchy jerk rice 'Essentially now what you end up doing is saying 'inspired', for example 'Asian-inspired' food'. He added that 'Italians are clever' and 'know about business'. 'I've probably sold a lot of mozzarella, prosciutto, Parmesan for Italy and they ain't stupid. I got knighted me. I thought I might get an Italian passport'. 'They'll still put me in my place, but I love them and they love me. It's a tactile love and affinity. Elsewhere, Jaime recalled receiving death threats online from 'chorizo-wielding Spaniards' after he added pancetta - or cured pork belly - to his version of a paella in 2016. The former Naked Chef star's tweaked recipe sparked the fury of the Spanish - likely because the use of chorizo is strictly forbidden in-keeping with the dishs Valencian origins. Reflecting on the controversy, Jaime told Louis: 'I wasn't frightened about a load of chorizo-wielding Spaniards to batter me to death, but it went on for bloody months.' He added that the 'history of paella' showed it was alright to add 'anything that moved' to the rice preparation - 'from snails to literally squirrels, meat, fish' - and 'undoubtedly chorizo would be in there'. Elsewhere, Jaime recalled receiving death threats on Twitter/X from 'chorizo-wielding Spaniards' after he added pancetta - or cured pork belly - to his version of a paella in 2016 Louis joked his comments would 'reignited the beef' that took over X - then called Twitter - nine years ago, before Jaime clarified: 'I'm just a little foreigner from the outside right?' In 2023, British chef Andi Oliver reignited the row and said people were 'irritated' by Jamie Oliver selling pouches of microwave jerk rice - not because he wasn't Caribbean, but because he 'didn't understand' the story behind what jerk is. In 2018, the Essex-born celebrity chef was heavily criticised for selling his 2.35 bag of jerk rice in supermarkets, with many accusing Jamie of 'cultural appropriation'. The range has since been discontinued. At the time, the row was sparked by London MP Dawn Butler, who is of Jamaican descent, who tweeted him saying 'your jerk rice is not ok'. Speaking on the Where's Home Really? podcast Andi, who is British with Antiguan heritage gave her thoughts on why Jamie 'annoyed' people at the time with the decision to use his name to sell jerk rice. She told host Jimi Famurewa the chef 'didn't fully understand what jerk was and that's why it was annoying to people - not because he wasn't Caribbean'. The Great British Menu star and TV chef was speaking on the Where's Home Really? podcast and explained why Jamie Oliver had annoyed people with his 'punchy' microwave version of the culturally significant dish Reflecting on the social media storm, she wrote: 'Everybody went nuts about it. I think it's irritating; it means he doesn't understand what jerk is. Jerk is not a spice, jerk is a cooking method.' Andi explained to listeners that jerk 'came about because enslaved Africans were hiding from soldiers up in the mountains in Jamaica.' In the mid 17th century, escaped slaves known as The Maroons fled the Spanish-owned plantations of Jamaica, taking refuge in the island's mountainous areas before establishing their own, free communities. The TV chef continued: 'They covered the food so you couldn't see the smoke, and that's why the food is smoky, that's why it's cooked that way, so there's a story to it, there's a history to it, and it's important. 'So you can't jerk rice - it's not a thing you can do because it's not a seasoning.' The Great British Menu star also commented on cancel culture, saying when people make mistakes, it's important to engage. She told the show said: 'I don't think it's helpful to shut other people down. If there's an issue, talk to them. That way we elucidate, we have growth. If we're just constantly just shutting people down then what we do is regress.' After the row broke out the first time around, Jamie told Hello! magazine in 2018: 'I've never written an authentic recipe in my life', adding 'authenticity' is a word that should be used 'very carefully as most of the things we love... are not what we think they are'. Explaining, he added that the Cumberland sausage is originally German and the popular Indian dish chicken tikka masala was invented in Britain. He added that when he's trying to 'nudge' people to 'try something new' he 'edits' original dishes for his recipes. Oliver told Sky News at the time: 'I've worked with flavours and spices from all over the world my whole career, learning and drawing inspiration from different countries and cultures to give a fresh twist to the food we eat every day. 'When I named the rice my intention was only to show where my inspiration came from.' The row started on the 18th August when London MP Dawn Butler tweeted him saying 'your jerk rice is not ok'. The shadow equalities minister, who describes herself on social media as 'the UK's first elected female African-Caribbean Government Minister', wrote: '#jamieoliver @jamieoliver #jerk I'm just wondering do you know what #Jamaican #jerk actually is? 'It's not just a word you put before stuff to sell products. @levirootsmusic should do a masterclass. Your jerk Rice is not ok. This appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop.' After Ms Butler's tweet, TV chef Levi Roots appeared on Good Morning Britain with fellow Caribbean cook Rustie Lee to discuss the row further. Baby naming experts have issued a stark warning to parents about a new 'aggressive' trend. According to multiple naming experts who spoke to HuffPost, monikers that are inspired by violence are on the rise. 'There is a small but noticeable trend of parents using weapons-inspired and, more broadly, aggressive names for their sons,' Sophie Kihm, who is the editor-in-chief at the website Nameberry, told the outlet. 'Many of these names first appeared on the baby name charts in the 2000s, including Wesson, Caliber, Shooter and Trigger,' she continued. Some of the other weapon-inspired names that have been used in recent years also include Blade, Cannon, Remington, Colt, Ruger and Winchester - some of which are popular brands of guns. Arson, Cutter, and Dagger have also been used, according to the outlet. Kihm explained that the name Wesson hit its peak when it was used 306 times in 2021, along with Caliber in 2018, which has 24 uses. In 2022, the name Mace reached a high point with 64 uses, and same with the name Dagger, which had 13 uses that year. Baby naming experts have issued a stark warning to parents about a new 'aggressive' trend (stock image) They reported that some of the data came from The Social Security Administration. But the Nameberry editor-in-chief admitted that she's unsure whether or not these names have completely peaked, or if it's just getting started. Either way, she doesn't believe that 'we're past this trend yet.' Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time that aggressive baby names have made their peak. According to The Mirror, in 2015, names like Gunner, Caliber, Shooter, Trigger and Pistol also rose in popularity. However, UK-based parenting expert Kirsty Ketley warned moms and dads against using these kinds of names for their children. 'It isn't unusual for parents to select names which mean something that are more unusual, or different to more traditional names, parents like to put their own mark on a name, to help their child stand out,' Ketley told DailyMail.com exclusively. 'However, choosing a name that is related to violence, especially given the huge rates of gun crime in America, isn't something that I would suggest to parents,' she continued. Interestingly enough, this isn't the first time that aggressive baby names have made their peak (stock image) Last year, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared gun violence as a public health crisis, according to CNN. 'Over the last decade or two, this problem has been worsening and we have now reached the point where gun violence is the leading cause of death among kids and teens the leading cause of death,' Murthy told the outlet at the time. 'That is something that we should never take as the new normal. There's nothing normal about that.' The outlet reported that in 2022, more than 48,000 people in the US died from injuries from firearms. And, only weeks in 2025, the US has already seen multiple mass shootings, including a terror attack that killed 15 people early on New Year's Day in New Orleans. Chilling footage has captured the moment armed police in Manchester detained a man after they were tipped off that he planning to attend a crowded concert with a gun. Superintendent Paul Walker from Greater Manchester Police appeared in Tuesday evening's episode of Manhunt on Channel 4 after having received a worrying piece of intelligence. The force had learnt that a man named Olushola Watson was in possession of a firearm and planned on attending an event at the Albert Hall - with a capacity of nearly 2,000 people - later that evening. This meant the squad had six hours to intercept Watson and potentially prevent any harm to concertgoers in a time-sensitive mission that was dubbed 'Operation Bure'. Surveillance officers were quickly deployed around an address in Moss Side that was linked to Watson so they they could monitor his comings and goings covertly. They also began to track his phone so officers could follow Watson's movements around the city in the hours before the concert was scheduled to begin. After discreetly tracking Watson for a number of hours and deploying armed officers around the venue, they realised that the suspect had picked up three other males from different addresses. The group appeared to be heading towards the city centre, where Albert Hall is located, with Supt Walker evaluating whether to give his team the order to strike their car or not. Greater Manchester Police received a piece of intelligence that concerned officers about public safety. Pictured: When the armed squad approached the car that Olushola Watson was travelling in 'You've got to be really focused on what you're doing because ultimately, you're making really important decisions, he said. In the gripping documentary, Supt Walker was seen communicating remotely with a team of armed police, who were tracking the 4x4 Mercedes that Watson was travelling in, as the countdown to the concert began. As the car continued to drive towards the venue, Supt Walker gave his team a code red signal. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one of the officers said: 'As soon as you hear that phrase, you switch on, you prepare yourself, you check your kit again and again to make sure everything is right because in a very short period of time, you could be making life-changing decisions. 'Everything comes down to those few seconds.' Bodycam footage showed how multiple police cars closed in on the Mercedes before cops approached the passengers while holding their guns up. They were heard shouting 'Hands, hands, show me your hands' before one of the officers smashed a window on the passenger side of the vehicle and ordered the men inside to open the car doors. The video showed GMP officers pulling two men out of the car and restraining them with handcuffs. Superintendent Paul Walker (pictured) from Greater Manchester Police appeared in Tuesday evening's episode of Manhunt on Channel 4 leading Operation Bure Footage picked up from bodycams saw numerous police cars boxed in the Mercedes before cops approached them holding their guns up Armed police were deployed for Operation Bure, as they suspected public safety might've been at risk Detective Inspector Simon Ackers, who was heading up the operation, said: 'See normally it's strike, arrest, I'm going home now. But now I'm waiting see if they've got something.' While all four men were arrested for the suspected possession of firearms, cops quickly discovered no firearms were found in the car or any of the properties associated with the suspects. Instead, police searching Watson's address found class A drugs before arresting him for possession with intent to supply. He was later sentenced to three years and six months in prison. DI Ackers said: 'If the public knew the detail of what we analyse before we start an armed operation, I think they'd have 100 per cent confidence in what we do. 'Innocent people are killed through criminal use of firearms, our information was that he was going to be armed so that's what we managed on that day.' Supt Walker added: 'If we don't follow the intelligence and something happens, we would be rightly criticised. 'From a public point of view it can only be positive, I think it shows how seriously we take this type of offending and this type of threat. 'By conducting operations like this, which seeks to militate the harm before it happens, we can prevent someone from becoming a victim. That's what the public wants us to do and that's our job ultimately.' Savannah Chrisley has shared a 'bittersweet' update regarding her dad Todd's prison stint and claimed he has been 'threatened' whilst behind bars. During the latest episode of her Unlocked podcast, the 27-year-old confirmed that her father - who is currently serving a 12 year sentence for tax evasion and bank fraud - is going to be moved elsewhere because 'FPC Pensacola is closing down.' 'Before I wrap up, something I did not touch on that I wanna touch on because I posted it on social media, but dad's facility is closing down,' Savannah said towards the end of this week's episode. 'FPC Pensacola is closing down. It's a bittersweet feeling. I am happy it's closing down because no human being should be subjected to the conditions or treatment that that facility gave. '[But] I'm sad that it's closing down because I don't know where he's gonna go, I don't know where they're gonna try and put him,' she continued. Savannah went on to claim that a woman who works at the facility 'hates' Todd, 55, and has 'threatened' to 'send him so far up in New York to make it harder for his family to visit him.' 'I hope and pray that this does not happen because that is pure retaliation and I will not stand for it,' Savannah warned, stating that a policy requires inmates 'to be within 500 miles of your home.' Savannah, whose mother Julie Chrisley is also behind bars, then said: 'I hope and pray they abide by that policy because if not, you guys know, I will fight tooth and nail.' Savannah Chrisley has shared a 'bittersweet' update regarding her dad Todd's prison stint during the latest episode of her Unlocked podcast Todd Chrisley is currently serving a 12-year sentence in his fraud and tax evasion conviction Savannah confirmed that FPC Pensacola is closing down and she has no idea where her father will be moved to 'But the facility is closing down and they will be demolishing that facility [and] I am going to do everything in my power to stop that demolition.' Savannah explained that the reason she doesn't want FPC Pensacola demolished just yet is because she wants to reveal how uninhabitable the facility is. 'Yes, that was my end goal. But it's not my end goal until I get all the documentation that I need,' she said. 'And the documentation that I need is a full and thorough inspection of that facility and the environments. 'I need to know the amount of lead-based paint, black mold, asbestos... I need to know the numbers in the drinking water. I need to know it all because there are men leaving there with numerous medical issues, cancer, you name it,' she alleged. 'So, they went to that facility for a certain time and they're leaving with a life time sentence. So I want to have all the documentation for these men to file a class action lawsuit if they deem fit.' She then added: 'So I am going to try and stop the demolition of that and I don't know where dad's gonna go, and that's the tough part. 'I know it's gonna be hard on dad and it breaks my heart,' she said of her reality TV star father, who was convicted on federal charges of tax evasion and bank fraud in June 2022 alongside wife Julie. Todd and his wife Julie, pictured here in 2019, were were found guilty of defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million Savannah, pictured here with her father Todd in June 2019, described his imminent prison move as 'bittersweet' The couple were indicted on charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to commit bank fraud in August 2019. Prosecutors alleged that they submitted falsified financial documents to secure millions of dollars in loans. The couple were found guilty of defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million. Julie, 52, is currently serving seven years in prison and her appeal for a shorter sentence was denied in September 2024. A federal judge refused to hand the disgraced TV star a more lenient sentence, and declared it 'will not change' despite her appeal. For a Democratic party now struggling to understand how it can compete with the charisma and perhaps the policies of a second Trump administration, the left would do well to convince Michelle Obama to take a deep breath and turn up at a few more public events. Her absence from President Trump's inauguration earlier this month meant that the 24.6 million people who tuned in to witness this spectacle looked from Melania's headlining chic directly on to a drab and completely uninspiring version of Democratic femininity. America, said the newly inaugurated 47th President on January 20, has entered a new 'golden age.' And, indeed, when it came to his family's inauguration wardrobe choices, that new era might be more accurately described as 'the gilded age.' Immaculately coiffed and coutured, the Trump women, led by Melania and her stepdaughter Ivanka, reminded us all just what they're good at. It was hard to look away. Melania's slim-fit silk navy wool coatdress topped with a dramatic boater was at once elegant and mysterious since her eyes were almost entirely obscured by the hat's sumptuous brim. It was an undoubted scene stealer, infusing Trump 2.0's leading lady with a regal aura that supporting actress Ivanka - clad in a green Dior 'New Look' skirt-suit complete with matching fascinator - echoed with seamless precision. Melania, above all, has mastered the art of performative dressing, combining razor-sharp tailoring with European chic. These women had dressed to impress a nation primed for a show. Just as a queen wears a tiara to dazzle, a First Family (at least a Trump one) dons couture to wow. Michelle Obama's absence from President Trump's inauguration meant that the 24.6 million people who tuned in to witness this spectacle looked from Melania's headlining chic directly on to a drab and completely uninspiring version of Democratic femininity. Melania (pictured at the inauguration) in slim-fit silk navy wool coatdress was at once elegant and mysterious her eyes were almost entirely obscured by the hat's brim. Ivanka (pictured) clad in a green Dior 'New Look' skirt-suit complete with matching fascinator echoed Melania's look with seamless precision. It was all the more striking because the one woman who might have given Melania a run for her sartorial money wasn't there. A powerhouse in both the Democratic Party and the style stakes, Michelle Obama's presence would have infused the opposition with a touch of badly needed glamour. Instead, Kamala Harris sat front and center a bleak vision of a female empowerment in a black tailored zipper jacket that betrayed not an inch of skin. Literally zipped-up. Jill Biden, former First Lady, might have opted for color, but her vivid purple Ralph Lauren Collection suit, which folded awkwardly around her torso and which she debuted under a wrap coat, felt as disorganized as her blonde and blow-dried (in haste?) hair. A distinctly 1990s purse on a chain completed an ensemble that looked as fashion-backward as Melania's did forward. Both Kamala and Jill Biden seemed unconcerned with projecting a more appealing or glamourous image of Democratic power. And yet, as Jill Biden's custom-made creation attests, these women are by no means dressing cheaply a wrap coat similar to the one she wore retails for $5,490. And while much has been made of Melania's expensive European ensembles, few have commented upon (or even noticed) what is happening on the other side of the fence. Kamala Harris (pictured at the inauguration) sat front and center a bleak vision of a female empowerment in a black tailored zipper jacket that betrayed not an inch of skin. Jill Biden, former First Lady (pictured at the inauguration) opted for color but her purple Ralph Lauren Collection suit, worn under a wrap coat, felt as disorganized as her blonde and blow-dried hair. Take Kamala's penchant for French-made Chloe power suits (a blazer retails for around $4,000 and trousers for around $1,500). The custom navy creation that she wore to accept the Democratic presidential nomination in Chicago last August was designed personally by Chloe creative director Chemena Kamali. Kamala paired the grain de poudre wool suit with a crepe de chine lavaliere blouse featuring tonal stripes. Yet she failed to dazzle in this just as she had failed to dazzle in the tan version another bespoke creation by Kamali when she wore it two nights earlier. Unlike Melania, who enjoys little patronage from fashion brands and shops mostly from the rack, Kamala had received VIP treatment. Yet the results were uninspiring and unremarkable, a foreshadowing of the lackluster Democratic campaign that followed. Instead of embracing the potential of a large clothing budget which she certainly has to project herself as a woman who could be simultaneously intelligent, powerful and stylish (something Michelle was never afraid to do), Kamala hid in designer duds that were as unexciting as they were expensive. When the time came for her first and only presidential debate in September, Kamala opted for Melania's staple, Dior, sporting a black single-breasted Bar jacket paired with the brand's signature matching trouser. Yet in pairing it with a suffocating silk pussy-bow style blouse, Kamala disrupted the suit's sharp tailoring and ensured that her decision to showcase Dior - as she discussed middle class struggles - was largely obscured. Was this canny or just incompetent? Did voters detect something in the clothing of the would-be-first-female president that didn't satisfy? Where Michelle who understood the power of style to communicate and embraced it, Kamala's look was uncertain, ill-defined and uninspiring. But why? Unlike the hard-to-fit figure of Hillary Clinton (master fitters at Ralph Lauren have struggled with this task for almost two decades now), Kamala could surely have found her footing and used her clothes to express herself. Her choices could have given voters a glimpse of her personality and invoked the authenticity that always eluded her no matter what words came out of her mouth. It seems that Democratic women have chosen to shun what Melania has used to her advantage: the theatre of the political ring that, in an age of TikTok and Instagram, makes looking good more necessary than ever. Yet in doing so, they have abandoned a trend that began with - and thrived under - two famous Democratic First Ladies. Jackie Kennedy certainly understood the potential of a well-honed wardrobe to articulate wider ideas. That is why she chose to remain in her blood-stained pink Oleg Cassini suit as she stepped off the plane at Andrews Air Force Base to bring back the body of her dead husband in 1963. Unlike the hard-to-fit figure of Hillary Clinton (pictured in June 2024), Kamala could surely have used her clothes to express herself. Democratic women have chosen to shun what Melania (pictured at the Liberty Ball) has used to her advantage - the theatre of the political ring. Michelle Obama (pictured at the DNC in 2024) mixes high and low-end dressing - think her J. Crew cardigans and H&M dresses to generate real cultural traction and a sense of authenticity. Forty years later, Michelle Obama, too, reminded the world of the enormous potential that fashion can have on political success when used correctly. Michelle can credit her ingenious use of mixing high and low-end dressing - think her J. Crew cardigans and H&M dresses for generating real cultural traction and a sense of authenticity. Can it be any surprise that she is now the most popular Democratic figure of all in the view of the American electorate? Yet, in her absence, the stage is left for Melania, who last week reminded the world that, despite her outsider status, our new First Lady knows better than most the possibilities of a finely tuned wardrobe. And how politics actually works. Tracey says many people tend to be suspicious of the sexsomnia condition Imagine having a condition where you perform sexual acts during your sleep - that you have no control over and aren't aware you're doing with very little memory of it afterwards. Welcome to the world of people with sexsomnia: a condition that causes both embarrassment and distress for sufferers and their partners. (Not to mention a whole other world of serious issues surrounding consent.) 'You sure this is real and not just a great excuse to have sex with someone without being blamed?' is a typical response to any discussion about sexsomnia. I have a friend who suffers from it and have spoken at length with him and his partner. Let's just say, it's not something they share readily with strangers. Most people are suspicious of the condition - and no-one's arguing the possibility for exploitation. A medical diagnosis of sexsomnia has been used as a criminal defence in court for alleged sexual assault and rape cases. Albeit rarely. But studies prove the condition does exist, and it might be more prevalent than statistics suggest because people are too scared or embarrassed to admit to it. It's not common, which means research is limited, but the condition appears to be linked to disruptions in the brains sleep-wake cycle. It's known that some things make it worse stress, sleep deprivation, alcohol and sleep apnoea are all culprits. Sexsomnia is a condition where you perform sexual acts during your sleep Treatment includes managing all these factors, (usually much needed) therapy for the couple to manage the emotional impact and in some cases sedatives or anti-depressants to help regulate sleeping patterns. PERSISTENT GENITAL AROUSAL DISORDER If you think sexsomnia sounds tricky, how about not being able to control when, where and how often you orgasm. Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD) is a rare condition that can trigger spontaneous orgasms without any sexual contact or stimulation. It's rare only one per cent of people globally are affected by it (mostly women). It's thought to be caused by misfiring in the brain signals that control nerves in the genital area. If the idea of endless orgasms sounds quite appealing, think again. A lot of sufferers get stuck: they're permanently on the verge of an orgasm without actually having one. If they do manage to tip over and climax, it can take multiple orgasms over hours or even days to stop the feeling persisting. Then there's the tingling, burning or pain that accompanies it. In all cases, the feelings are uninvited, intrusive and unwanted. In 2009, one woman in the UK reported having 200 orgasms per day. Another in South Carolina became so distressed by the disorder, she became suicidal. Thought you had sex problems? Think again! These rare but real sex disorders make our usual grumbles pale in comparison, says Tracey Cox The other little known kinks.. Paraphilias (fetishes) link unconventional or non-sexual stimuli to intense sexual arousal. They include being turned on by: Enemas (klismaphilia): The turn on comes from the physical sensation or the act of administering the enema. Statues (agalmotophilia): A sexual attraction to statues, mannequins or dolls. It can be just about admiring them or revolve around fantasies about these objects coming to life. Vomit (emetophilia): Sexual arousal from vomiting or watching others vomit. It's believed to be linked to the release of bodily control or a fascination with taboo bodily functions. Flatulence (eproctophiles): A sexual fetish where people get pleasure from passing gas either their own or someone else's. Real and imagined amputation (apotemnophilia): This isn't a pain fetish, devotees are exclusively interested in the healed amputated stump. Tears (Dacryphilia): Some are aroused by the empathy created by the tears, other being able to induce it through power play. Filthy, unkempt lovers (Salirophilia): People turned on by sleeping with partners who are dirty and desperately need a wash. Nappies (Anaclitism): People, mainly men, who join 'Nappy Clubs' need to wear or use objects usually used by infants dummies, nappies, rattles - before they can become aroused Advertisement SLEEPING BEAUTY SYNDROME Kleine-Levin Syndrome, also known as Sleeping Beauty Syndrome, is a rare neurological condition that causes people to sleep excessively, and experience altered behaviour. This can include becoming hypersexual feeling intensely aroused or performing inappropriate sexual behaviour - things they wouldn't usually do. The exact cause is unknown it probably involves hypothalamic dysfunction or an autoimmune trigger. Suffice to say being kissed by Prince Charming is an unlikely cure. GENITAL RETRACTION SYNDROME GRS, also known as 'Koro' is a culturally linked psychiatric condition where people experience intense fear because they believe their genitals (penis, vulva) or breasts are shrinking or retracting into the body, eventually killing them. Sufferers persistently check their genitals or attempt to stop it happening by doing things like tying objects around their penis. It's most prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa and is frequently linked to local cultural beliefs (like spiritual possession) or the consequences of immoral behaviour. Reports have documented entire communities experiencing mass hysteria and GRS after rumours of a genital retracting disease spread by witchcraft. DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT? It's hard to find hard and fast evidence for these weird and wacky claims but they certainly make for entertaining reading! There's the Hereford man jailed first for having sex with the pavement (1993), then two years later for doing it in public with a bin liner. The Belgian optician arrested for making his female patients strip and dance to accordion music before he'd fit them with contact lenses (1995). The Pennsylvanian judge who promised to let criminals off if they let him shampoo their hair (1992). The proud Frenchman, who left his 9 and inch penis to a friend in his will. The San Franciscan man who was charged with running a sex dungeon where you could have sex with an anteater, eels and a water buffalo. Henry Blot, the famous necrophiliac admitted at his trial in the 19th century that he'd continued to have sex with his wife for seven years after her death. I can still hear the ping of my phone, the sound of my entire social life imploding in real-time. One second, I'm waking from a deep sleep, blissfully unaware that my so-called best mate, Paige*, was out there lobbing nuclear-grade betrayal into our group chat. The next, my stomach wasn't just metaphorically in knots - it was tight, surgically reinforced, and the hottest topic of conversation amongst our friends. 'At least I didn't cheat my way to a flat stomach.' That's what she wrote. That's what she threw out into the world like a flaming Molotov of spite, accompanied by screenshots of my private texts about my tummy tuck consultation and our chats about her helping me out with the kids while I recovered. Messages I had sent her in confidence. Just for her. Because I trusted her. This was a full-blown social war that started over a missed dinner - yes, really. Paige and I had been tight since our university days. She was there through my first pregnancy, through my meltdown when I found out I was having twins on round two, through the long, sleepless nights when I felt like my body had been hijacked by little people who demanded everything and left me with nothing but stretch marks and a pelvic floor made of Swiss cheese. She knew I had struggled with my body after the twins. She knew how hard I worked, how many godawful burpees I did, how many salads I choked down trying to fix what pregnancy had left behind. And she knew that no matter how many planks I held or how much protein powder I chugged, my diastasis recti - the brutal abdominal separation that left me with a permanent pooch - wasn't something I could exercise away. So when I finally made the decision to have surgery, I only told a select few. My husband, my mum, and Paige. Because my worst fear was people talking about me. Whispering. Judging. I didn't want to be the subject of hushed gossip or smug 'I knew it' nods at brunch. This wasn't vanity - it was about feeling like myself again. And Paige had sworn she understood. A woman was shocked to discover private information about her tummy tuck surgery had been maliciously leaked to her friend group chat (stock image, posed by model) And then, in one petty, vengeful moment, she torched me. Paige had arranged a dinner with the girls - nothing fancy, just a Friday night catch-up at our usual place. I was meant to go. I wanted to go. But life, as usual, had other plans. One twin had a fever, the other had decided bedtime was for the weak, and my husband was working late. I texted Paige to say I couldn't make it, feeling like a garbage friend but also knowing she'd understand. She did not understand. Instead, I got a curt, passive-aggressive 'Sure. Whatever.' And then silence. At first, I thought she was just annoyed. But the next morning, when I woke up to a group chat that looked like a battleground, I started to wonder. It was clear that the messages were a follow up from a conversation that had begun at the dinner I missed. 'She always bails.' 'She's just too good for us now.' She had not disclosed her tummy tuck to her wider friendship group (stock image) And then - the message. The one that outed me in the most humiliating way possible. This wasn't normal. This level of rage didn't match the crime. It was a dinner, not a betrayal. So why did she lash out like this? Was this about something else? Had she been holding onto some deeper resentment? And why, of all the things she could have said, did she choose this to hurt me with? I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath me. My heart was pounding. I couldn't even process what I was looking at. Because this wasn't just a spat. This wasn't just an argument. This was calculated. This was designed to hurt. And it did. I gave her my trust and she weaponised it. The reactions were immediate and varied. Some of our friends called her out straight away. 'Low blow, Paige.' 'Why would you do that?' Others stayed suspiciously quiet. And some some were kind of into it. I don't know what was worse - the initial betrayal or the slow, creeping realisation that people were whispering about me now. That when I walked into brunch, there'd be side-eyes and hushed giggles. That instead of my friends knowing how hard I worked to love my body, they now thought I was some kind of fraud. But here's the thing: I'm not ashamed of my tummy tuck. I was never ashamed of the decision. I was ashamed that I felt like my body had failed me, that no amount of effort could fix what pregnancy had done. I was ashamed of the way I felt about it, like I had to pretend I was okay when I wasn't. The surgery didn't make me 'fake.' It made me whole again. And that's not something I owe anyone an explanation for. As for Paige? She never apologised. She sent me a half-a**ed, 'Sorry if that upset you' text, the kind of non-apology that makes your eye twitch. And I left it on read, because what's the point? Friendships, like bodies, change after babies. Some stretch and grow. Some snap under the weight. And some, no matter how hard you try to mend them, never quite go back to what they were before. I don't miss her. I miss who I thought she was. But mostly, I'm done pretending that loyalty means tolerating betrayal. And if anyone else wants to come for my tummy tuck? I own my choices. Can you say the same? * Names have been changed As told to Rebel Wylie A mother was left horrified after her children spotted a 'dead mouse' in her roast dinner - and refused to go anywhere near it. Harmony King, 40, from Massachusetts, took the family-sized turkey out of the freezer to defrost and prepare for Christmas dinner when she spotted a 'face'. Horrifying video footage shows what appeared to be a dead rodent staring out of the thawing meat - complete with round black eyes, pointed nose and mouth. Harmony said spotting the 'mouse' in the meat made her stomach churn. On closer inspection she thought it could also be a bat as she could see 'fangs'. The American mother-of-three posted the disturbing video to TikTok, saying: 'Please tell me that is not a bat or a mouse.' She added: 'What the hell is in my wrapped turkey?' Despite freaking out, Harmony decided to investigate and filmed the results for her social media followers to see. After bravely cutting into the meat she discovered that the 'face' was just the turkey's neck bone - having given her an almighty fright. Harmony King took a family-sized turkey out of the freezer when she spotted an 'animal' peering out at her She said: 'Even when I was pulling it out, I was scared to find out what it was. 'Everyone thought it was an animal. Some people thought it was a gerbil, a mouse, a bat and a snake. Other's made jokes about the turkey having a turkey baby. 'My stomach hurt and I had a physical reaction to thinking there was an animal in the turkey. 'Once I found out it was just the neck, I felt relieved as I could finally cook the turkey. After uncovering the truth, Harmony roasted the meat for three hours. But her three children still refused to eat it, leaving chunks of turkey on their plates. Users quickly flooded the comments urging her to investigate further with some agreeing she had found an animal in her frozen meat. One user commented: 'That is a mouse!' The 40-year-old mother from Methuen, Massachusetts, posted the horrifying video on TikTok where it went viral Users quickly flooded the comments, urging her to investigate further with some agreeing had found an animal in her frozen meat Despite finding out the truth about the alleged 'mouse', Harmony said her three children refused to eat the turkey A second said: 'I thought it was a rat'. 'Don't think that's a bat,' a third argued. 'That's a mouse. A big mouse.' But some internet sleuths were quick to suggest a less sinister explanation, telling Harmony to relax as it was a neck bone. 'It's a neck that just looks like a face,' one sensible commenter said. Another agreed and added: 'The neck of a turkey.' More than 45.8 million TikTok users tuned in to watch Harmony cutting the plastic wrap around the turkey to find out what the mysterious face really was. She was heard screaming: 'I don't want to. Ugh!' Thankfully, sales worker Harmony was relieved to discover the 'animal' inside was, in fact, just the turkey's neck bone. For many actors the well-trodden path to fame and glory includes starting out on stage and in low-budget films before catching a 'big break' and becoming a leading star. Famous stars such as Sir Ian McKellen, Claire Foy and Daniel Craig worked their way up before taking home major accolades and becoming household names. But now, A-list actors are reversing the trend and are instead turning away from the silver screen and flocking to the theatre to tread the boards. Stars like Adrien Brody (pictured left), Brie Larson (pictured right) and Rami Malek (pictured centre right) have led productions in London 's West End - but not all have been to critical acclaim. Despite their best efforts, Hollywood stars don't seem to be cut out for the livewire element of theatre and more than one has been humbled by critical reviews. A literary influencer has apologised after posting a selection of books that included Mein Kamp to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day. In a since deleted post, a book influencer, Priya, who lives in India, took to Instagram to share a selection of books that had 'shaped her understanding of the Holocaust' - but which included a paper copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. In the post made on Holocaust Remembrance Day, Priya shared a picture with three books, including The Boy in Stripped Pyjamas, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and the book written by the infamous Nazi leader. Attached to the post was a filter to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, which took place on Monday 27 January to honour the lives of the six million Jews who were killed during the Second World War. The post quickly sparked outrage among viewers, who called the post 'crazy' - with one blasting 'three of the worst possible books to understand the Holocaust'. Priya, who uses the social media handle, clockworkchapters, insisted it was a 'misunderstanding' and that her 'heart was in the right place'. The image feature an aesthetically crafted scene with a Kindle open on The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, a phone open on The Tattooist of Auschwitz and a paper copy of Mein Kampf with a selection of dead roses covering the first page. The blogger, who has 9,637 followers, regularly posts pictures of the books she is currently reading, with several set up in a similar style with open books and foliage. In a since deleted post, a book influencer, Priya, took to Instagram on Monday to share a selection of books that had 'shaped her understanding of the Holocaust' - but which included a paper copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf In the apology, she insisted that her 'lack of deeper knowledge' had left her 'ill-equipped to join in on such an important day of remembrance'. Apologising for the post, she wrote: 'I want to take a moment to address my Holocaust Remembrance Day post. 'My intention was to share books that have shaped my understanding of the Holocaust, but I now realise that including the book in the way I did was upsetting to many. As soon as I became aware of these, I took the post down immediately.' 'I was unaware of the reactions overnight, as I was sleeping. The moment I realised it had hurt people's sentiments, I took the post down immediately. My lack of deeper knowledge on this subject made me ill-equipped to join in on such an important day of remembrance. 'My heart was in the right place, but I understand my approach missed the mark, and for that, I'm sorry.' 'This experience has been a reminder of how sensitive these topics are and how much I still have to learn. I hope we can have these conversations with empathy instead of assuming the worst, as misunderstanding and hate can escalate unnecessarily, and I'm committed to doing better moving forward.' 'I never meant to harm or upset anyone, and for that, I am truly sorry. Thank you to those who shared their honest feedback I appreciate.' In the apology, she insisted that her 'lack of deeper knowledge' had left her 'ill-equipped to join in on such an important day of remembrance' Those who viewed the post before it was removed were horrified to see a copy of the book included in a remembrance post. Posting on Instagram, one wrote sarcastically: 'Amazing things are happening on Instagram. An influencer posted mein kampf for holocaust Remembrance Day.' One wrote: 'What was going through her head?! she must have just googled Holocaust and that book came up' Another blasted: 'Three of the worst possible books to understand the Holocaust.' Marking the event which took place on Monday, a number of landmarks across the UK were illuminated in purple to commemorate the day of remembrance. A display at Piccadilly Circus read 'Remembering the past for a better future' as a hopeful but poignant tribute to the millions who lost their lives in the WWII genocide. Other sites lit up included the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool and the Senedd building - Welsh Parliament - in Cardiff. Stormont - Parliament Buildings - in Belfast was also turned purple while a famous bronze sculpture at Liverpool Street Station, The Arrival, of Jewish children who had escaped persecution, was another monument reflecting hues of the colour. Most of the victims of the Holocaust were Jews killed on an industrial scale in gas chambers, but Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, gay people and disabled people were also targeted for elimination. Posting on Instagram, one wrote sarcastically: 'Amazing things are happening on Instagram. An influencer posted mein kampf for holocaust Remembrance Day' In all, the Germans murdered 6million Jews from all over Europe, annihilating two-thirds of Europe's Jews and one-third of all Jews worldwide. In 2005, the United Nations designated January 27, the anniversary of Auschwitz-Birkenau's liberation, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Across Europe, officials and others paused today to remember at memorials and met with survivors, the majority in their 90s or older. King Charles III was one of those state leaders to perform such duties as he visited Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, appearing to shed a tear while listening to the stories of those who survived the former Nazi concentration camp. Survivors were applauded as the entered the ceremony before addressing invited guests who included France's President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spain's King Philip VI and Queen Letizia, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky and King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. The Prince of Wales gleefully goofed around with lake water as he visited a 2024 Earthshot Prize finalist this afternoon. William, 42, appeared to be in high spirits as he and local school children in Guildford filtered DNA samples through a syringe after extracting water from a local pond. And the royal playfully turned the tables on the media, joyfully dousing them with the water collected and declaring: 'This is, like, the best day of my life!' He was encouraged to cheekily have a go at journalists by the founder of DNA research organisation Nature Metrics, Dr Kat Bruce, on a visit to their headquarters in Surrey today. During a pond-dipping session, he was handed a syringe from which samples would be taken to test what local wildlife and bacteria were present in the lake. Asked to expel the excess water, Dr Bruce suggested shooting it towards a small group of media covering the engagement, much to his delight. In fact he was given three goes at it, coming perilously close to getting them wet. Afterwards he said: 'It wasn't my idea! I could just claim I was giving in.' The Prince of Wales gleefully goofed around with lake water as he visited a 2024 Earthshot Prize finalist this afternoon 'It was perfect spraying at the journalists,' he was heard to say mischievously as he stood in an adjacent corridor to the press pack. Hearing the conversation one reporter shot back: 'We're here!' William shot his head around the corner grinning: 'I know!' The Prince of Wales was obviously in his element visiting the firm, a finalist in his 2024 Earthshot Prize awards, designed to scale up some of the most positive solutions to the global environmental crisis. NatureMetrics is a UK based nature company which enables companies to measure and report on their impact on nature and ecosystems. The company uses environmental DNA (eDNA) found in the surroundings to identify individual species using easy-to-collect water, air or soil samples. William, 42, appeared to be in high spirits as he and local school children in Guildford filtered DNA samples through a syringe after extracting water from a local pond And the royal playfully turned the tables on the media, joyfully dousing them with the water collected and declaring: 'This is, like, the best day of my life!' During a pond-dipping session, he was handed a syringe from which samples would be taken to test what local wildlife and bacteria were present in the lake The Prince of Wales was obviously in his element visiting the firm, a finalist in his 2024 Earthshot Prize awards, designed to scale up some of the most positive solutions to the global environmental crisis This eDNA then offers a detailed picture of a site's biodiversity and a full spectrum of life, including anything from bacteria to blue whales, enabling businesses to understand the natural world around their operations and make informed operational and financial decisions, driving a shift towards a more sustainable global economy. Since becoming a Finalist, NatureMetrics has secured a $25 million investment, raised with support from The Earthshot Prize's investment platform Launchpad. Dressed in practical boots, chinos and a jacket, William was initially taken down to a lake on the research park where local schoolchildren were helping to extract eDNA samples with founder Cat and social media science communicator 'Big Manny'. 'Great so we can see how it actually works,' he said enthusiastically . 'You guys are very good at science,' he added as the children spoke knowledgeable about what they were about to do. He was asked to put on gloves so as not to contaminate the samples, Dr Bruce explaining that previously samples had been contaminated by the 'tuna sandwich people had for lunch'. 'Look at the size of these syringes, wow!' he remarked. This eDNA then offers a detailed picture of a site's biodiversity and a full spectrum of life, including anything from bacteria to blue whales The Prince of Wales pictured with Dr Kat Bruce founder of nature metrics as they look at DNA samples extracted from areas around the world 'Huge. Half a pond.' Dr Bruce encouraged her team to demonstrate 'all at once how we filter the water'. 'The question is where we should squirt the water towards? I wonder if we could do an extra big squirt' and gestured towards the media. William's lips twitched and he said: 'Because you have suggested it I think it's a great idea. I couldn't suggest it but. Grimacing as he pushed down the plunger he laughed: 'Nearly, so nearly!' Going in for a second go he admired one of the children's 'full loaded' efforts. 'Go on, go on oh it won't quite make it,' he said. After the fun the prince visited the laboratories where all samples are analysed. The Prince of Wales pictured making a mini extraction of DNA while sitting at a work bench today Last month William introduced a new documentary, The Earthshot Report, which premiered on BBC One and showcased environmental solutions that have been spotlighted and supported by the royal's prize. Emmy award-winning actress and 'good friend of the Earthshot Prize' Hannah Waddingham hosted the documentary, which 'explored the inspiring stories of environmental innovators working to deliver solutions which have the power to protect and restore our planet for future generations'. In his introduction filmed in a forest, William reminded viewers that the Earthshot Prize 'was launched in 2021 to spotlight and support people from across the world who are coming up with ground-breaking innovations to help prepare our planet.' The Prince of Wales, dressed in a casual blue jacket, added: 'They are just a sample of a new wave of inventors, doers and thinkers who are enabling us to feel hope and optimism, despite the negative forecasts. 'Now, in 2024, individuals, communities and nations are innovating like never before. 'More and more people are joining the journey to protect the future of our planet.' The Earthshot Report, he continued, brings together 'previous finalists' to see 'how their ideas are scaling up'. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked typically chic as she attended a training course in Houten on Wednesday. The royal, 53, looked in high spirits as she visited SVO Vakopleiding Food, a trade school that prepares students for careers in the food industry. The class trains those who want jobs as butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, and caterers, as well as people looking to enter the poultry, supermarket, and industrial food industries. Maxima put her best fashion foot forward in an elegant ensemble comprising a khaki-coloured blouse, with irregular batwing sleeves, graphite-coloured, high-waisted trousers. She opted for a pair of chocolate brown boots and finished her look with the charcoal-coloured Natan overcoat that is a key fixture of Maxima's chic wardrobe. To accessorise, the mother-of-three chose large slate-coloured diamante earrings with black pearls, and matching silver diamond bracelets. She also carried her classic Chanel quilted bag - which costs around 7,000 - that perfectly complemented her chic look. She wore her blonde tresses up in a sophisticated low bun and went for a smoky makeup look, consisting of dark eyeshadow and pink lipstick. Maxima put her best fashion foot forward in an elegant ensemble consisting of a khaki-coloured blouse, which had quirky irregular batwing sleeves She wore her blonde tresses up in her signature sophisticated low bun and went for a smoky makeup look, consisting of dark eyeshadow and pink lipstick However, she quickly tucked her hair inside a purple hairnet when she entered the facility, with Maxima appearing to take heed of the school's health and safety regulations. She also donned a white lab coat as she toured the facility, with the luxury handbag still slung over her shoulder. While at the institute, Maxima stopped to chat with a class of students learning how to butcher meat. She was also seen watching a man whip up burgers on a grill that was located outside the building. Maxima appeared to admire his culinary skills as she beamed while he expertly cooked the meat - seemingly unfazed by the rainy, windy weather. Her latest appearance comes nearly a week after Maxima attended a mental health charity event last Thursday - when the royal, once again, wore green. She put her golden locks inside a purple hairnet and donned a white overcoat to cover her clothing While at the course, she spoke to those who were training on how to butcher meat She paired the top with a pair of classy high-waisted graphite long flared trousers which she tucked her blouse into, showing off her slender figure Slthough she channelled her old money glam aesthetic outside the building, Maxima took food health and safety seriously when she entered Maxima was also seen overlooking a man who was whipping up some burgers outside on a grill The royal, 53, looked in high spirits as she visited SVO Vakopleiding Food, a vocational course for food and cooking She cut a striking figure as she arrived at the Join Us Foundation, a charity focused on raising awareness about mental health, in the Dutch city of s-Hertogenbosc, on Thursday. The mother-of-three looked fabulous in forest green as she touched down in the city, with Maxima's ensemble consisting of a cashmere top and matching cardigan. She added a stunning ombre maxi skirt, with a beige waist and rich green hem, to the trendy look. Maxima wore her signature makeup look - including a dark smoky eye, fresh base and a plump pink lip - as she smiled and waved at onlookers before heading for the event. Her bright blonde tresses were freshly straightened and styled for the occasion. To finish off her perfectly colour-coordinated look, Maxima added a pair of green drop earrings, a chic beige clutch bag and a matching set of boots in the same shade. Despite the blustery winds, Maxima put on a brave smile as she made her way from inside the building in s-Hertogenbosc. Once sheltered from the chill, the queen was pictured listening intently as she engaged in conversation with workers at the charity. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands put on a dazzling display last Thursday as she stepped out in gorgeous green ensemble (pictured) The Dutch royal, 53, looked typically sprightly as she arrived at the Join Us Foundation, a charity focused on raising awareness about mental health, in the Dutch city of s-Hertogenbosc, on Thursday Join US works to help improve the mental health of young people by strengthening their social networks in a bid to combat loneliness. Last October, Join Us was announced as one of three winners of the the Appeltje van Oranje 2024 prize, which honours innovative social initiatives and organisations making a difference within their communities. The other two winners of the prestigious event were the Fundacion Movemiento ta Bida, which organises physical activities to keep people over 60 active, and the Foundation Al Amal, a charity which supports humanitarian needs across multiple countries. Princess Beatrice mysteriously pulled out of a World Economic Forum summit last week - as she'd already given birth. The royal, 36, was due to join Chancellor Rachel Reeves at the event in Davos in Switzerland between January 20 and 24 - and has been a regular guest over the years. Buckingham Palace announced today that the princess welcomed her second daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on January 22 at 12.57pm - explaining her absence from the economic event. The eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson had been tipped by The Times to talk on a panel looking at how private capital sovereign wealth funds can be used to tackle climate change. However Beatrice did not end up attending the event, understood at the time to be down to medical advice about not travelling abroad. Though no official reason for her absence was given last week, it can now be revealed that Beatrice gave birth to her second daughter, Athena Elizabeth, that Wednesday, at the same time the conference was taking place. The newborn, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, was born several weeks early and is 11th in line to the throne, pushing her aunt Princess Eugenie down to 12th place. She becomes the third child in the Mapelli Mozzi brood alongside Wolfie, eight, from Edo's former engagement to Dara Huang, and Beatrice's three-year-old daughter Sienna. Princess Beatrice mysteriously pulled out of a World Economic Forum summit last week - as she'd already given birth. Pictured in 2022 Despite her inability to attend, Princess Beatrice was announced as the global co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Giving to Amplify Earth Action (GAEA) initiative alongside Queen Rania of Jordan. The panel also includes Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh. As well as becoming a mother-of-three, Beatrice's new role will focus on developing artificial intelligence solutions to tackle climate change as well as promoting women's leadership in technology. In a sweet Instagram post, Buckingham Palace wrote: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. 'The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces. 'The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 'Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. 'Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena's older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.' Forty-year-old Edo, also posting on Instagram, revealed his new daughter was 'tiny and absolutely perfect'. Princess Beatrice has given birth to a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose (pictured), Buckingham Palace has announced Buckingham Palace announced that the princess welcomed her second daughter with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (right) on January 22 at 12.57pm Athena becomes the third child in the Mapelli Mozzi brood alongside Wolfie (right), eight, from Edo's first marriage to Dara Huang, and Beatrice's three-year-old daughter Sienna (centre) Rachel Reeves in attendance at the 55th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland on January 23 - the day after Beatrice gave birth He wrote on Instagram sharing a photograph of Athena wrapped in a blanket: 'Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi. 'We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect. 'We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her. 'Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena. 'A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time.' Reposting the baby announcement on her Instagram story, Athena's aunt Princess Eugenie wrote 'welcome baby girl'. Athena Elizabeth, whose middle name is no doubt a sweet tribute to Beatrice's late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, adds to the Mapelli Mozzi brood which also includes three-year-old Sienna and Edo's son from a previous relationship to Sara Huang, 'Wolfie' - often referred to as Princess Beatrice's 'bonus' child. The Princess of York's last public appearance was on Christmas Day in Sandringham where she joined the royal family for their annual trip to St Mary Magadalene Church. Looking effortlessly elegant, the late Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter joined other Royal Family members, such as King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales for the occasion. She was accompanied by her husband Edo and Wolfie. Princess Beatrice, 36, waves at crowds as she arrives at St Mary Magdalene Church accompanied by her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and her stepson Christopher Woolf 'Wolfie' Mapelli Mozzi. This was her last public appearance before giving birth to Athena Beatrice, who fondly refers to Wolfie as her 'bonus child', placed a loving hand on the eight-year-old's back Beatrice wore a tan coat from the Net-a-Porter for The King's Foundation collection. The coat was designed by students from the Foundation's Modern Artisan programme, run in collaboration with Net-a-Porter. The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson completed her look with a black dress, finishing her outfit with a pair of black knee-high boots. Wolfie looked dapper in a grey jacket and navy trousers, while Edoardo embraced the festive spirit with a forest green tie. Beatrice's appearance at Sandringham came following medical advice not to travel abroad at the late stage of her pregnancy - which halted her plans to fly to Italy and spend the festive period with her property tycoon husband's family. Days before Christmas, Buckingham Palace announced that the Princess had changed her festive plans following medical advice that she should not travel for 'long distances'. At the time, Dr Ellie Cannon, Mail on Sunday columnist and GP, said: 'There are a whole host of reasons why somebody in their third trimester may not be able to fly. 'Different acute issues might be something common such as a chest infection or even a viral illness, which can be quite serious in pregnancy. Flying can make this worse because of dehydration and sitting still for hours which can also raise the risk of blood clots. 'More long-term issues could be high blood pressure or diabetes. Travelling long distance can be dangerous in this scenario because of the ongoing monitoring needed.' She has since deleted her Instagram post after a spate of backlash The reality star, 48, promoted a luxurious getaway in the wake of the LA fires Selling Sunset's Amanza Smith has ignited an almighty backlash after she promoted a luxury hotel stay amid the devastating LA fires prompting her to delete the post altogether. The 48-year-old luxury realtor took to Instagram on Tuesday where she promoted Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood, telling her 1.3 million followers that her stay reminded her 'how meaningful it is to take step back and embrace life's simple joys.' She even made a point of referencing the LA fires, which at the time of writing has left 29 people dead and has destroyed an estimated 12,000 homes. In her now deleted post, Amanza shared images of a hotel room that featured two glasses of champagne, a bottle on ice, and a box of chocolates situated on a side table. Another showed the property's grand exterior, including the inviting turquoise sea and white sandy beach. Amanza captioned the post: 'In wake of the LA fires, we're reminded of the power of LOVE, resilience, and finding moments of peace amidst the challenges. 'My recent stay at @diplomatbeachresort was a beautiful reminder of how meaningful it is to take a step back and embrace life's simple joys. 'From a warm welcome with sparkling wine and handcrafted chocolates to luxurious spa treatments and intimate dinners at Diplomat Prime, this is a place where love and renewal come alive. Amanza Smith has ignited an almighty backlash after she promoted a luxury hotel stay amid the devastating LA fires The Selling Sunset star took to Instagram on Tuesday where she promoted Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood 'Let this be your sign to prioritize love, joy, and togetherness. Start planning your uplifting escape today and experience the exceptional Amanza treatment.' She concluded the post with a booking link. Social media users immediately called Amanza out for post, however, with many branding her 'tone deaf.' Sharing the post on Reddit, one said: 'Using the LA fires that have devastated lives to show off her free luxury stay and shill products (without disclosing!) is a new low.' 'Using a catastrophic fire to shill for a luxury hotel. How is this normal or acceptable behavior?' another asked. A third posted: 'It's almost like this cast is trying to compete for who can be the most out of touch recently.' 'How TF could she think that was a good idea?? Or a good caption????' a fourth wrote. A fifth added: 'And she's deleted it. What a shock. Of course there will be no accountability on her end and she'll simply repost the ad with a new caption as if it never happened. Gross.' Taking to Instagram she told her 1.3 million followers that her stay reminded her 'how meaningful it is to take step back and embrace life's simple joys' It wasn't long before Amanza deleted her post from the platform altogether Social media users immediately called Amanza out for post with many branding her 'tone deaf' At the time of writing, the LA fires has left 29 people dead and has destroyed an estimated 12,000 homes Another asked: 'I don't know what's worse? Announcing that you are in a luxury resort in the same post as the wildfires that's burning people's houses down or advertising a product while talking about the wildfires.' DailyMail.com has reached out to Amanza's reps for comment. This isn't the first time that Amanza has used her social media to promote a brand off the back of the fires. On January 20, she took to Instagram to share her collaboration with the retail brand Stardst. 'Seeing the devastation caused by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles has been heartbreaking,' she said at the time. 'That's why I'm so proud to announce my collaboration with @CreateStardust to launch the #STARDSTxAmanzaSmith collection. 'Every hoodie and T-shirt sold will directly support the LA Wildfires Relief LIVE Fund, helping organizations like @lafdfoundation, @calfirefoundation, @wckitchen, @baby2baby, and @core_response do the critical work of rebuilding our communities.' The percentage of profit going to charity is not clear. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have been left delighted after their daughter Princess Beatrice welcomed her second child. Buckingham Palace announced today that the King's niece, 36, had welcomed a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, last week, with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. On Saturday the Duke of York, 64, looked elated as he was seen for the first time since Beatrice gave birth on his weekly ride around the Windsor Estate. Meanwhile, her mother Sarah Ferguson said she's 'overflowing with joy' following the birth of Athena, who is the former couple's fourth grandchild, and sweetly referred to her '5-a-side team'. In a tender Instagram post alongside a picture of the new baby, the grandmother-of-four wrote: 'Overflowing with love and joy to be able to welcome Athena Elizabeth Rose into the world. 'She is already so adored and Im incredibly blessed to be a Granny once again. So proud of Edo, Beatrice and the rest of my little 5-a-side team!' Andrew appeared in very bright spirits as he rode around Great Park at the weekend, joined by a groom who regularly accompanies him on rides - and the reason why has now been revealed. As Beatrice is still said to be close to her father, despite his string of scandals, it is likely he would have already known her happy news. The prince staved off the cold in a navy riding jacket and thick gloves, with a pair of matching blue jodhpurs and riding boots completing his ensemble. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have been left delighted after their daughter Princess Beatrice welcomed her second child - and the Duke looked elated on a ride on Saturday Andrew was also seen driving from Royal Lodge in Windsor - where he lives with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson - on Saturday, also following Athena's birth last Wednesday. Again, he appeared in positive spirits, giving a nod of acknowledgement and waving from the driver's seat. Athena Elizabeth becomes 11th in line to the throne as the second child of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, pushing her aunt Princess Eugenie down to 12th place. She becomes the third child in the Mapelli Mozzi brood alongside Wolfie, eight, from Edo's first marriage to Dara Huang, and Beatrice's three-year-old daughter Sienna. The Duke has been embroiled in a series of scandals over the years, such as his associations with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and, more recently, controversy over his links to an alleged Chinese spy. Royal expert Jennie Bond noted previously in Ok! Magazine that his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie have faced an 'extraordinarily difficult' time following the allegations, but that the Yorks remain 'an incredibly close family'. His latest controversy over his links to an alleged Chinese spy resulted in him staying away from King Charles's traditional pre-Christmas lunch, as well as the festivities at Sandringham on Christmas Day. Both Eugenie and Beatrice attended the pre-Christmas lunch on December 19, while Beatrice and her family also joined them on Christmas Day. Princess Beatrice has given birth to a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, Buckingham Palace has announced The Duchess of York, 64, took to Instagram to share a heartfelt congratulations following the announcement made by Buckingham Palace earlier today Prince Andrew and Fergie are delighted at the news of the birth of their fourth grandchild. Pictured with daughters Beatrice and Eugenie Andrew appeared in very bright spirits as he rode around Great Park at the weekend On Saturday the Duke of York, 64, was seen on his weekly ride around the Windsor Estate - after Beatrice gave birth Andrew was also pictured on Saturday driving from Royal Lodge in Windsor, where he lives with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson Prince Andrew has been seen for the first time since his daughter Princess Beatrice welcomed her second child Prince Andrew is pictured with his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in 2016 The York family is still thought to be very close. Beatrice and her father are pictured in 2013 The King's brother appeared pensive as he rode around the Great Park, joined by a groom who regularly accompanies him on rides The prince staved off the cold in a navy riding jacket and thick gloves, with a pair of matching blue jodhpurs and riding boots completing his ensemble The eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is already mother to Sienna Elizabeth, three, and stepson Wolfie, eight Alongside the statement, Beatrice, 36, shared a picture of Edo, Sienna and Wolfie walking in the woods Princess Beatrice is already mother to Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, three (pictured) In a sweet Instagram post today, Buckingham Palace wrote: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. 'The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces. 'The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 'Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. 'Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena's older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.' Athena is the fourth grandchild for Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, following on from Princess Eugenie's children August and Ernest Brooksbank. Edo, 40, also posting on Instagram, revealed his new daughter was 'tiny and absolutely perfect'. He wrote on Instagram sharing a photograph of Athena wrapped in a blanket: 'Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi. Beatrice, who fondly refers to Wolfie as her 'bonus child', placed a loving hand on the eight-year-old's back Princess Beatrice, 36, waves at crowds as she arrives at St Mary Magdalene Church accompanied by her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and her stepson Christopher Woolf 'Wolfie' Mapelli Mozzi Reposting the baby announcement on her Instagram story, Princess Eugenie wrote 'welcome baby girl' to her new niece Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Athena's father posted a gushing announcement of his daughter's birth and said the family was 'overflowing with love' for her 'We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect. 'We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her. 'Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena. 'A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time.' Reposting the baby announcement on her Instagram story, Athena's aunt Princess Eugenie wrote 'welcome baby girl'. Sources told the Mail last night that Athena was a little early, but not unexpectedly so. It is believed doctors had warned a premature arrival was a possibility. Athena Elizabeth, whose middle name is no doubt a sweet tribute to Beatrice's late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, adds to the Mapelli Mozzi brood which also includes three-year-old Sienna and Edo's son from a previous relationship to Dara Huang, 'Wolfie' - often referred to as Princess Beatrice's 'bonus' child. The Princess of York's last public appearance was on Christmas Day in Sandringham where she joined the royal family for their annual trip to St Mary Magdalene Church. Looking effortlessly elegant, the late Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter joined other Royal Family members, such as King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales for the occasion. Sarah Ferguson took to Instagram to share her congratulations to her daughter Princess Beatrice following the royal's pregnancy announcement in October, sharing a snap of herself with her daughter and granddaughter Sienna In another snap shared by the Duchess of York, Beatrice crouched down to speak to her daughter Sienna She was accompanied by her husband Edo and Wolfie. Beatrice wore a tan coat from the Net-a-Porter for The King's Foundation collection. The coat was designed by students from the Foundation's Modern Artisan programme, run in collaboration with Net-a-Porter. The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson completed her look with a black dress, finishing her outfit with a pair of black knee-high boots. Wolfie looked dapper in a grey jacket and navy trousers, while Edoardo embraced the festive spirit with a forest green tie. Beatrice's appearance at Sandringham came following medical advice not to travel abroad at the late stage of her pregnancy - which halted her plans to fly to Italy and spend the festive period with her property tycoon husband's family. Days before Christmas, Buckingham Palace announced that the Princess had changed her festive plans following medical advice that she should not travel for 'long distances'. At the time, Dr Ellie Cannon, Mail on Sunday columnist and GP, said: 'There are a whole host of reasons why somebody in their third trimester may not be able to fly. 'Different acute issues might be something common such as a chest infection or even a viral illness, which can be quite serious in pregnancy. Flying can make this worse because of dehydration and sitting still for hours which can also raise the risk of blood clots. Beatrice is pictured in New York in September at the Youth Impact Council Launch Wolfie Mapelli Mozzi's mother, Dara Huang, revealed she and her son have celebrated Chinese New Year in their plush Chelsea home this week Posting a snap of her son on his games console on the sofa, Dara joked she may have to change the theme to a 'gaming party' 'More long-term issues could be high blood pressure or diabetes. Travelling long distance can be dangerous in this scenario because of the ongoing monitoring needed.' Buckingham Palace announced Beatrice's pregnancy on October 1, 2024. In a statement, the palace said: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together in early spring; a sibling for Wolfie, aged eight, and Sienna, aged three. 'His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.' Two new pictures from the family were shared to mark the announcement, with one showing blonde-haired Sienna from behind as she walks along a country lane, holding hands in the middle of her father and big brother Wolfie. The youngster, with a red bow in her hair, was kitted out in bright yellow wellies and an all-in-one blue waterproof puddlesuit decorated with cloud and bird motifs. In another picture, an overjoyed Beatrice - wearing a black puffer jacket - smiled at the camera, while being embraced by Mr Mapelli Mozzi, who gazed at his wife. Royal relatives were quick to express their joy at the news another arrival would soon be on the way, with Beatrice's mother Sarah Ferguson posting on Instagram to declare her pride. Posting a snap of herself with Beatrice and granddaughter Sienna, Fergie wrote: 'A very proud GiGi/Mum today. Such an incredible blessing and an embrace to my heart.' The arrival marks a double celebration for her half-brother Wolfie, who has been celebrating Chinese New Year with his mother, high-powered interior designer Dara Huang, at their home in Chelsea this week. Posting on Instagram four days ago, Dara showed how she had kitted out her home with festive celebrations to mark the occasion for 'Wolfie's Chinese New Year's party'. Featuring a snap of her eight-year-old son on his games console on the sofa, she joked she would have to turn the shebang into a 'gaming party'. 'As long as everybody is dressed in Asian clothes and eating cultural food, I'm happy,' Dara joked. Press Release January 29, 2025 Gatchalian urges DepEd: Revert to mandated RH education While the Department of Education (DepEd) is currently reviewing its policy on the implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), Senator Win Gatchalian urged the department to revert to RH education as mandated by the RH law and remain faithful to its duty of providing RH education to adolescents. Gatchalian flagged what he described as inconsistencies between the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10354) and DepEd Order No. 031 s. 2018, which sets the policy guidelines on the implementation of CSE. According to the DepEd, the RPRH Act provides legal basis for DepEd Order No. 031 s. 2018. Section 14 of the RPRH Law provides that age- and development-appropriate reproductive health education shall be given to adolescents (10 to 19 years old). Among the topics covered under reproductive health education are values formation, sexual abuse and violence against women and children, and teen pregnancy, among others. Gatchalian pointed out that under DepEd Order No. 031, CSE is integrated across all levels of basic education, which is not consistent with Section 14 of the RPRH Law. "It went beyond what the RH law calls for. Let's stay faithful to the intention of the law that RH education will only be taught to adolescents," Gatchalian said. DepEd Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Filemon Ray Javier admitted that the wording of DepEd Order No. 031 is confusing due to its broad phrasing. He clarified, though, that learners below 10 years old are given foundational knowledge in preparation for sex education proper. The royal line of succession has shifted after the birth of Princess Beatrice's daughter Athena Elizabeth Rose, with the newborn now in 11th place. On Wednesday, 28 January, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles' niece, 36, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi had welcomed their second child together last week. Athena is the little sister of the couple's three-year-old daughter Sienna, who is currently 10th in line to the throne. While Princess Beatrice's younger sister Princess Eugenie was previously in 11th in line to the throne, the arrival of Athena has pushed her aunt down to 12th place on the line of succession. Athena becomes the third child in the Mapelli Mozzi brood alongside Sienna and Wolfie, eight, from Edo's first marriage to Dara Huang, who is not in the line of succession. As it stands, King Charles' son, the Prince of Wales is next in line to the throne, followed by Prince William's children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six. Prince William's estranged younger brother Prince Harry is sixth on the list of heirs to the British throne, followed by his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Announcing the arrival of Athena in a sweet Instagram post, Buckingham Palace wrote: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. Your browser does not support iframes. Princess Beatrice has given birth to a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, Buckingham Palace has announced 'The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces. 'The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 'Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. 'Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena's older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.' Athena will not be an HRH (His or Her Royal Highness) or a Prince or Princess - and will also not require the monarch's permission to marry. For hundreds of years, the Royal Marriages Act 1772 meant descendants of George II had to seek the sovereign's consent before they wed, otherwise their marriages were deemed invalid. But this law was repealed through the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which restricted the consent to just the first six people in the line of succession. As the new baby is 11th in line, they will not at present need to seek a monarch's approval to wed. The newborn is now 11th in line to the throne, pushing her aunt Princess Eugenie to the 12th spot George III, George II's grandson, had ordered the 1772 Act after his younger brother, the Duke of Cumberland, secretly married Lady Anne Horton, deemed to be a highly disreputable widow of a commoner. Beatrice is the eldest daughter of the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, and the new baby is the Yorks' fourth grandchild. Athena is also the 14th great-grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the second to be born since her death in 2022, following the arrival of Eugenie's second child Ernest last year. Like her elder sister Sienna, Athena's middle name is likely a sweet tribute to Princess Beatrice's late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth 11. Since Buckingham Palace's announcement, Athena's father Edo, 40, declared his new daughter was 'tiny and absolutely perfect' in a post on Instagram. He captioned a photograph of Athena wrapped in a blanket: 'Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi. 'We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect. 'We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her. Another new family picture shared to mark the announcement, showing blonde-haired Sienna from behind as she walks along a country lane, holding hands in the middle of her father and big brother Wolfie. The youngster, with a red bow in her hair, is kitted out in bright yellow wellies and an all-in-one blue waterproof puddlesuit decorated with cloud and bird motifs Reposting the baby announcement on her Instagram story, Princess Eugenie wrote 'welcome baby girl' to her new niece Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Athena's father posted a gushing announcement of his daughter's birth and said the family was 'overflowing with love' for her 'Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena. 'A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time.' Reposting the baby announcement on her Instagram story, Athena's aunt Princess Eugenie wrote 'welcome baby girl'. Buckingham Palace announced Beatrice's pregnancy on October 1, 2024. In a statement, the palace said: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together in early spring; a sibling for Wolfie, aged eight, and Sienna, aged three. 'His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.' Two new pictures from the family were shared to mark the announcement, with one showing blonde-haired Sienna from behind as she walks along a country lane, holding hands in the middle of her father and big brother Wolfie. The youngster, with a red bow in her hair, was kitted out in bright yellow wellies and an all-in-one blue waterproof puddlesuit decorated with cloud and bird motifs. Princess Beatrice, 36, waves at crowds as she arrives at St Mary Magdalene Church accompanied by her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and her stepson Christopher Woolf 'Wolfie' Mapelli Mozzi Beatrice married millionaire property tycoon Mr Mapelli Mozzi in a secret lockdown wedding in 2020 attended by her grandparents the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, after her planned ceremony was postponed because of the pandemic. The Princess of York's last public appearance was on Christmas Day in Sandringham where she joined the royal family for their annual trip to St Mary Magadalene Church. Looking effortlessly elegant, the late Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter joined other Royal Family members, such as King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales for the occasion. She was accompanied by her husband Edo and Wolfie. Beatrice's appearance at Sandringham came following medical advice not to travel abroad at the late stage of her pregnancy - which halted her plans to fly to Italy and spend the festive period with her property tycoon husband's family. Days before Christmas, Buckingham Palace announced that the Princess had changed her festive plans following medical advice that she should not travel for 'long distances'. Martha Stewart once shared some very strong opinions about Blake Lively and her now-defunct blog - titled Preserve - and she did not hold back. The actress, now 37, launched the lifestyle blog in the summer of 2014, but unfortunately shuttered its doors only one year later in 2015. Now, with Lively entangled in a contentious legal battle with It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni, users on TikTok are taking a look back at some of her old posts on the site. The website was not only a place where readers could read about style, food and art, but they could also buy various products. In fact, Vanity Fair once wrote that the items for sale were 'all seemingly designed for a southern-themed bridal shower.' The blog also caught some heat in October 2014, after an editorial was posted about the 'allure' of the Antebellum South. When Lively decided to shut down the blog, she gave a long interview about it to Vogue, explaining that 'it never caught up to its original mission.' 'It's not making a difference in people's lives, whether superficially or in a meaningful way,' the Gossip Girl told the outlet at the time. Martha Stewart once shared some strong opinions on Blake Lively 's and her now-defunct blog, Preserve - and she didn't hold back The actress, 37, launched the lifestyle blog in the summer of 2014, but unfortunately shuttered its doors only one year later in 2015 And, it looked like homemaking queen Martha Stewart agreed with Lively's sentiments, as she told Us Weekly that sometimes, it's just best to let a project go. Of course, Lively's Preserve had been compared to the likes of Stewart and Gwyneth Paltrow. And, as it turns out, the two were actually friends due to being neighbors. 'I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I know she made a big effort,' Stewart told the outlet at the time. 'Sometimes shuttering is good. Listen, she's a movie actress. Why bother with commerce right now?' she continued. 'She's at the top of her career I'm totally supportive, but you know what? Maybe you can't do everything at the same time.' About one year earlier, when Lively decided to start the website, Stewart urged people to give her and the lifestyle blog a chance. 'Let her try,' the Martha Stewart CBD founder told HuffPost in 2014. 'Sometimes shuttering is good. Listen, she's a movie actress. Why bother with commerce right now?' she continued During the interview, Stewart also said that the couple were 'very friendly' and 'very nice' 'I don't mean that facetiously!' she added with a laugh. 'I mean, it's stupid, she could be an actress! Why would you want to be me if you could be an actress? I just did a movie yesterday, though - I can't even tell you about it - but I want to be Blake Lively.' During the interview, Stewart also said that the couple were 'very friendly' and 'very nice.' However, in November, the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia founder threw a bit of shade at the Deadpool actor, as she claimed he wasn't 'so funny in real life.' 'No, he's not so funny. He's very serious,' Stewart shared during an appearance on Bilt Rewards' November Rent Free game show. Her comment came just a few months before Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20. She alleged that Baldoni entered her trailer while she was topless, showed her graphic video of his wife giving birth and bit and sucked on her lips during an improvised kissing scene. She further accused him of conspiring to smear her reputation, citing a text message from Baldoni's publicist Melissa Nathan which read: 'We can bury anyone.' Her comment came just a few months before Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20 Baldoni then sued the Times, claiming it failed to vet Lively's sexual harassment and retaliation allegations and 'relied almost entirely on Lively's unverified and self-serving narrative, lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims.' The newspaper plans to 'vigorously defend against the lawsuit,' per its spokesman. Next, Baldoni countersued Lively and Reynolds, turning the narrative on its head by claiming it was their team doing the smearing and asking for $400million in damages. He accused her of twisting the meaning of his texts and emails and working in tandem with Leslie Sloane, a powerful Hollywood publicist, to plant damaging stories about him in the media. The Princess of York, 36, has given birth to a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Princess Beatrice has paid tribute to her Greek ancestry in a heartwarming detail spotted in the photo of her newborn daughter. The King's niece, 36, gave birth to her second daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, no January 22, Buckingham Palace announced today. Athena Elizabeth becomes 11th in line to the throne, pushing her aunt Princess Eugenie down to 12th place. She becomes the third child in the Mapelli Mozzi brood alongside Wolfie, eight, from Edo's first marriage to Dara Huang, and Beatrice's three-year-old daughter Sienna. But despite giving birth to the next generation of royals, the mother-of-three made sure to pay tribute to her royal relatives from previous generations. In a nod to her Greek heritage, the photo of Athena Elizabeth shared by Buckingham Palace shows her wrapped up tightly in a knitted blanket that was designed by her distant cousin. The blanket was made by Marie Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece and the wife of the late Duke of Edinburgh's nephew, Crown Prince Pavlos. Prince Philip, who died in 2021 at the age of 99, was the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece, who was the younger brother of King Constantine I of Greece. Princess Beatrice has given birth to a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, Buckingham Palace announced today Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, who is American-born, is married to Crown Prince Pavlos - who is the second cousin of Prince Philip. His father, the late King Constantine II, was Prince Philip's first cousin. Alongside bringing up her own children, Marie founded founded her luxury childrenswear brand, Marie-Chantal, in 2000. And her company has gone from strength to strength, expanding throughout the UK with a store in London in 2018 and bringing out a new line of fabrics for nurseries in 2022. The blanket wrapping up baby Athena retails for 240 on Harrods' website or 225 from Marie Chantal's online shop and is made of luxury fabric. The description says the cosy wrap has a 'scattered open weave that reveals an abundance of graceful angel wings' and is 'elegantly woven from the finest cashmere'. The baby pink blanket is part of Marie Chantal's angel wings range which also includes matching baby grows, hats and sleepsuits with a similar pattern on including a baby grow in white for 45 and blue cashmere romper for 195. And Athena's blanket is not the only nod to her beloved grandfather's family, with the Princess calling her daughter Athena after the Greek goddess of wisdom. But despite giving birth to the next generation of royals, the mother-of-three made sure to pay tribute to her royal relatives from previous generations and honoured her grandfather, the late Prince Philip, with a Greek royal connection Beatrice chose to swaddle her newborn daughter in a pink blanket made by Marie Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece and the wife of the late Duke of Edinburgh 's nephew, Crown Prince Pavlos (pictured together) Alongside bringing up her own children, Marie founded her luxury childrenswear brand, Marie-Chantal, in 2000 The blanket swaddling baby Athena retails for 240 on Harrod's website or 225 from Marie Chantal's online shop and is made of 100 per cent cashmere The announcement and first photo of the little one was posted on the royal's Instagram account and the caption read: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. 'The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces. 'The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family, have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 'Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. 'Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena's older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.' Athena is the fourth grandchild for Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. Their others include Princess Eugenie's sons August, three, and Ernest, one, whom she shares with her husband Jack Brooksbank. Edo, 41, also posted on Instagram to reveal his new daughter was 'tiny and absolutely perfect'. He shared the same photograph of Athena wrapped in a blanket, with the caption: 'Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi. 'We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect. 'We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her. The baby pink blanket is part of Marie Chantal's angel wings range which also include matching baby grows, hats and sleepsuits with a similar pattern on including a baby grow in white for 45 and blue cashmere romper for 195 Princess Beatrice shares her newborn daughter with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (pictured).The eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is already mother to Sienna Elizabeth, three, and stepson Wolfie, eight Alongside the statement of her pregnancy announcement last October, Beatrice, 36, shared a picture of Edo, Sienna and Wolfie walking in the woods Princess Beatrice is already mother to Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, three (pictured) 'Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena. 'A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time.' Reposting the baby announcement on her Instagram story, Athena's aunt Princess Eugenie wrote 'welcome baby girl'. Her grandmother, Sarah Ferguson, wrote: 'Overflowing with love and joy to be able to welcome Athena Elizabeth Rose into the world. She is already so adored and Im incredibly blessed to be a Granny once again. So proud of Edo, Beatrice and the rest of my little 5-a-side team!' The Duchess of Edinburgh greeted the 'leader of the Opawsition' with affectionate pats as Steve Darling's guide dog Jennie accompanied the Lib Dem MP for a reception at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Sophie, 60, joined her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh at the reception held by King Charles and Queen Camilla to welcome new Members of Parliament and Members of the House of Lords on January 29. For the occasion, Sophie picked an elegant white maxi dress with long sleeves that she paired with beige kitten heels and gold jewellery - including a dainty necklace and patterned hoop earrings. While Sophie was poised as she spoke with attendees, she could not resist kneeling down to give Jennie a pat on the neck as the golden retriever - who has become somewhat of an internet celebrity - basked in the attention. Jennie belongs to Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, Steve Darling, and has previously been dubbed the 'best politician in parliament' after winning hearts thanks to adorable pictures of her online. Darling was elected as for the MP for Torbay, in the south of England, during the election in July. Dubbed 'Britain's most famous guide dog', Jennie has become a social media sensation since photographs of her napping during PMQs sent the internet into a meltdown. Parliament's 'golden girl' also has a social media fan page called 'Rt Hon Jennie' that has nearly 20,000 followers. The Duchess of Edinburgh greeted the 'leader of the Opawsition' with affectionate pats as Steve Darling's guide dog Jennie accompanied the Lib Dem MP for a reception at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday Sophie's love of dogs is well-known; she has three pooches of her own, including a Cocker Spaniel called Mole and two black Labradors, Teal and Teasel, and is a patron of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Jennie first made headlines after it was revealed she had survived a vicious XL Bully attack in 2023. At the time, Darling, who is registered blind, said it took himself and three others to pull the XL Bully away from Jennie while recalling the 'traumatic' incident'. 'Sadly, it just went straight for the throat,' Darling told the BBC at the time. 'It ended up being on the floor and screaming - something I never want to hear again in my life. I ended up wrestling with both dogs on the floor, [there was] no sign of the owner. 'We ended up having four people trying to get the dog off of Jennie. We then managed to get Jennie behind a gate while I just lay on the floor on top of this dog to hold it down, and it was really quite traumatic.' Since recovering from the attack, Jennie has become a permanent fixture at PMQs - much to the delight of her fans. The Buckingham Palace reception was attended by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch, as well as Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage, who Sophie was seen chatting with. For the occasion, Sophie picked an elegant white maxi dress with long sleeves that she paired with beige kitten heels and gold jewellery - including a dainty necklace and patterned hoop earrings. She is photographed here in conversation with Lib Dem MP Tessa Munt Dog lover Sophie also spent some time with Darling's guide dog Jennie, who has become something of an internet sensation The Duchess in conversation with Munt, the Lib Dem MP for Wells and Mendip Hills The Duchess of Edinburgh seen speaking to Labour MP for Doncaster and Isle of Axholme, Lee Pitcher, during the reception hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla Elsewhere at the event, Sophie was seen speaking to Reform UK's Leader and Deputy Leader, Nigel Farage (left) and Richard Tice (Centre) respectively She was also photographed in conversation with Liberal Democrat MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, Tessa Munt and Labour (Co-op) MPs Helena Dollimore and Alice Macdonald and Lee Pitcher. This reception was held on the same day that Buckingham Palace introduced the newest member of the Royal Family. In a statement, the palace confirmed Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi had welcomed their second child together, daughter Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, last week. 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. 'The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces,' the statement read. 'The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 'Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. Princess Beatrice has given birth to a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, Buckingham Palace has announced 'Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena's older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.' Forty-year-old Edo, also posting on Instagram, revealed his new daughter was 'tiny and absolutely perfect'. He wrote on Instagram sharing a photograph of Athena wrapped in a blanket: 'Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi. 'We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect. 'We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her. 'Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena. 'A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time.' Reposting the baby announcement on her Instagram story, Athena's aunt Princess Eugenie wrote 'welcome baby girl'. Princess Beatrice, 36, waves at crowds as she arrives at St Mary Magdalene Church accompanied by her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and her stepson Christopher Woolf 'Wolfie' Mapelli Mozzi Beatrice, who fondly refers to Wolfie as her 'bonus child', placed a loving hand on the eight-year-old's back Athena Elizabeth, whose middle name is no doubt a sweet tribute to Beatrice's late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, adds to the Mapelli Mozzi brood which also includes three-year-old Sienna and Edo's son from a previous relationship to Dara Huang, 'Wolfie' - often referred to as Princess Beatrice's 'bonus' child. The Princess of York's last public appearance was on Christmas Day in Sandringham where she joined the royal family for their annual trip to St Mary Magadalene Church. Looking effortlessly elegant, the late Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter joined other Royal Family members, such as King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales for the occasion. She was accompanied by her husband Edo and Wolfie. Karoline Leavitt made history when she became America's youngest press secretary at 27, but the high achiever is also a devoted mother and loving wife. Leavitt, who is known for her gun-loving ways and conservative values, had her first White House briefing on Tuesday, delivering barbed insults to 'legacy media' as well as announcing that social media influencers and content creators will be able to attend her briefings. She then we on to declare 'sanity has been restored,' and that 'Trump is everywhere again,' immediately becoming the MAGA darling of the Trump administration. Leavitt is also fast becoming a White House style icon, stunning in the Brady Press Briefing Room on Tuesday in a gorgeous, berry-colored two-piece suit with a belted back. She also made waves after donning a gorgeous gray-blue coat to her swearing in ceremony. The wife and mother hails from New Hampshire, and ran for the U.S. House to represent New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District in 2022. While the general public is fast becoming familiar with the blonde's professional life, not as much is known about her private life, including husband Nicholas Riccio - who is 32 years her senior. Here, FEMAIL look into Riccio's life, who went from rags to riches and is now married to Trump's press secretary. Karoline Leavitt made history when she became the country's youngest press secretary at 27 The high achiever is also a devoted mother and a loving wife to her husband Nicholas Riccio, 59 Who is Nicholas Riccio and how did they meet? Riccio, 59, founded the real estate business Riccio Enterprises LLC and currently, he manages beachfront houses in New Hampshire, where the couple is from. While he has a successful business now, the doting husband hasn't always had a stable home. According to the Portsmouth Herald, Riccio was living on the streets by the age of 18, relying on friends for basic hygrine. 'When I was 19 or 20, I would call my buddies to go over their houses to watch a game just so I could take a shower,' Riccio told the local newspaper in 2005. He attended Plymouth State University, and kickstarted his career in real estate after completing a course in 1990. It is unknown how the couple met, with very few posts about Riccio on Leavitt's social media account. He also does not appear to have a public account of his own. The List published a theory that the couple met when Leavitt ran for a seat in Congress, representing New Hampshire's first district, in 2022, and Riccio was working on her campaign finance committee. Some of Riccio's properties have also been used to host the Women for Trump event, which Leavitt attended. Welcome to MAGALAND: Insider Trump's Second 100 Days - The podcast bringing you the latest news and gossip from the White House. Listen here. She also made waves after donning a gorgeous gray-blue coat to her swearing in ceremony It's unclear when they officially tied the knot, but the press secretary has 'wife' in her Instagram bio and appears to wear a wedding band It's unknown how the couple met, with few posts of Riccio on Leavitt's social media account, and he doesn't appear to have a public account of his own When did the couple get married? Leavitt announced her engagement to her real estate mogul partner on Christmas Day in 2023, announcing the news in an Instagram post. It's unclear when they officially tied the knot, but the press secretary has 'wife' in her Instagram bio and appears to wear a wedding band. The couple welcomed their first son, Nicholas 'Niko' Robert, in July 2024, with Leavitt gushing it was the 'best moment in her life.' 'It's true when they say there's nothing comparable to the love you feel for your child,' she wrote in the caption, along with a series of pictures. The post continued: 'My heart has grown bigger than I ever imagined possible. Babies are the ultimate blessing and I'm bursting with gratitude for our beautiful, happy, healthy boy.' Leavitt was famously was on maternity leave when Donald Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania, which, encouraged her fast return to work - just four days after giving birth. Riccio is a doting dad to baby Nico In October, Leavitt spoke to The Conservateur, about juggling motherhood with her fast-paced job. She said she was thankful for her Riccio and his flexible work schedule, as he could take care of Nico while she was at work. 'Leaving the baby every day to go to work, it does break your heart, Leavitt admitted. 'It's incredibly challenging emotionally, physically, spiritually,' she added. 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. Alabama Barker has shut down rumors that she secretly got pregnant by rapper Tyga. The 19-year-old, who is the daughter of Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, was also accused of hooking up with Soulja Boy, 34. The rumors started after Barker's rival Bhad Bhabie, 21, released a diss track about her called Over Cooked, which some music fans believe contained hidden allegations that Barker had been with both Tyga, 35, and Soulja Boy. Responding to the shocking claims on TikTok, a defiant Barker wrote, 'Let's clear this up! I never in my life have remotely been near Tyga.' She continued, 'I've also never been pregnant, nor do I know Soulja Boy. The end.' DailyMail.com has reached out to Barker, Bhad Bhabie, and Tyga for comment. Bhad Bhabie, real name Danielle Bregoli, and Barker have been in a public feud for the last couple of months. When contacted by DailyMail.com about the feud, a rep for Bregoli declined to address the incident with Barker directly, but stated that Bregoli was focused on her music career. Alabama Barker has shut down rumors that she secretly got pregnant to rapper Tyga 'Danielle is excited to be back working on new music and is looking forward to doing what she loves most: creating art that connects with her fans and continues to push her boundaries as an artist,' they said. The drama started when Bregoli accused Barker of trying to steal her on-again/off-again boyfriend Le Vaughn. Barker addressed the allegations in December and said she has 'no interest' in Le Vaughn. Barker, who turned 19 on December 24, then said that it was Le Vaughn who has been contacting her and 'confessing his feelings' for her for nearly a year. In a lengthy post, she wrote: 'I want to be clear: I have no interest in this man.' Barker denied getting involved in their relationship and also claimed Le Vaughn lied to her about his name, his Instagram and his relationship status. The aspiring rapper also insisted that she was 'misled' and 'deceived.' Barker said she previously met up with Le Vaughn in Las Vegas, and at the time was 'unaware' he was dating Bregoli. She claimed that they did not have an affair and wrote that 'nothing substantial ever came from' the 'frequent communication' Le Vaughn initiated first. Responding to the shocking claims on TikTok, a defiant Barker wrote, 'Let's clear this up! I never in my life have remotely been near Tyga' The rumors started after Barker's rival Bhad Bhabie, 21, released a diss track about her called Over Cooked, which some music fans believe contained hidden allegations about Tyga Barker said that after learning that he was in a relationship with Bregoli, she 'apologized multiple times' to the Gucci Flip Flops hitmaker who welcomed daughter Kali Love with Le Vaughn last year. Earlier this week, Bregoli released a diss record about the situation, aimed at Barker, titled Over Cooked. Although Bregoli didn't directly use Tyga and Soulja Boy's names in the song, fans online believed that she was referring to the two rappers. Making things more awkward is that fact that Tyga previously dated Kylie Jenner, who is the younger sister of Alabama's stepmother, Kourtney Kardashian. Barker is also working on a music career of her own and released her first rap single Vogue in December. Her father Travis and his wife Kourtney both appeared in the music video for the song. Has Melania Trump predicted her future? In a recently resurfaced video, filmed when she was just 23 years old, the current First Lady posed as the first female President of the United States for a Slovenian commercial. The ad, previously unearthed by Univision, was made for a Slovenian clothing company. Bill Clinton was sworn in as the President of the United States in January 1993 - the same year Melania's commercial aired in Slovenia. The First Lady, known back in the day as Melanija Knavs, was an aspiring model who had hopes of expanding her career to the United States. Of course, she later moved to New York City and married President Donald Trump in January 2005. In the extraordinary commercial, Melania, now 54, could first be seen landing on the tarmac and deplaning a jet, as she wore a chic, very-oversized tan trench coat. Her style was very much of the times, as she also sported a baggy tan blazer with gold buttons and matching skirt set, along with a striped yellow scarf tied around her neck. In a recently resurfaced video, filmed when she was just 23 years old, the current First Lady posed as the first female President of the United States for a Slovenian commercial The ad, previously unearthed by Univision, was made for a Slovenian clothing company The First Lady, known back in the day as Melanija Knavs, was an aspiring model who had hopes of expanding her career to the United States Welcome to MAGALAND: Insider Trump's Second 100 Days - The podcast bringing you the latest news and gossip from the White House. Listen here. The model's curly hair was let loose down her shoulders, and swept to the side, creating a lot of volume at the top. As the posing President of The United States was stepping off the plane, she gave a wave to the crowd and then appeared to take questions from 'the press.' Brown leather briefcase in hand, she then slid into the back seat of a 1980s red Chevrolet Caprice Classic, getting escorted to the 'White House' with a gaggle of 'police' on motorcycles. While in the car, Melania touched up her makeup, and then waved to the 'crowd' outside. The crowd reel was actually taken from archive footage of fans greeting President John F. Kennedy, Natalija Gorscak, director of Slovenian National Television, told Univision. In the background of the advertisement is the 1978 Elvis Costello & the Attractions hit that featured lines such as 'She's been a bad girl, she's like a chemical' and 'Though you try to stop it, she's like a narcotic.' Shortly before being sworn in, soon-to-be-president Melania met with her cabinet at a table covered in overgrown floral arrangements. With a huge smile on her face, she then took her oath on what is staged to be the steps of the US Capitol - but don't be fooled because the ceremony actually took place in the library of the National University of Slovenia. While in the car, Melania touched up her makeup, and then waved to the 'crowd' outside Once all was said and done, Melania sat down at her desk, whipped on a pair of small-framed glasses on a pearl chain, and signed paper work And, if the commercial itself was already interesting enough, little did Melania know that she would go on to marry the 45th and 47th President of The United States, Donald Trump Last week, he was sworn in for his second term, after losing the election to Joe Biden in 2020 Once all was said and done, Melania sat down at her desk, whipped on a pair of small-framed glasses on a pearl chain, and signed paper work. And, if the commercial itself was already interesting enough, little did Melania know that she would go on to marry the 45th and 47th President of The United States, Donald Trump. Last week, he was sworn in for his second term, after losing the election to Joe Biden in 2020. Of course, Melania was right by his side at inauguration events all weekend, where she stunned in gorgeous outfits by Adam Lippes and Herve Pierre. On Friday, she accompanied Donald Trump to visit Asheville, North Carolina, a region that was devastated by Hurricane Helene this past September. 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 King revealed he does not like his curry 'too strong' as he welcomed newly elected MPs and members of the House of Lords to a reception at Buckingham Palace. The King and Queen, along with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, met the new MPs in the Ballroom on Wednesday, January 29. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, former prime minister Theresa May and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage all attended the event. Reflecting on her meeting with Charles, 76, Deirdre Costigan, the Labour MP for Ealing Southall, said she spoke to the monarch about his 'love of curries', adding that he said he did not like his curry 'too strong'. She said: 'He's very knowledgeable, isn't he? 'So I said, "I'm from Ealing Southall", and straight away he was like, "Oh yes!" - he knew it was Little India, and he talked about his love of curries. 'And he also said, "You've got a very big Sikh community there, don't you?" 'So I asked him to come to Ealing Southall and check out the curry, I hope he will. The King revealed he does not like his curry 'too strong' as he welcomed newly elected MPs and members of the House of Lords to a reception at Buckingham Palace Reflecting on her meeting with Charles, 76, Deirdre Costigan, the Labour MP for Ealing Southall, said she spoke to the monarch about his 'love of curries', adding that he said he did not like his curry 'too strong' 'But he also recognised straight away I had an Irish accent,' she continued. 'He said, "You're Irish." And he said, "It would be great to get a state visit as well."' Asked if the King mentioned what sort of curry he liked, Ms Costigan replied that Charles said 'not too strong' but did not elaborate further. During the reception, the King also met Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling and his beloved guide dog Jennie and gave the golden retriever's head a scratch. Charles said to Mr Darling: 'She knows her way around the house, does she?' Mr Darling said she knew the best place to go for the food, before the King asked Mr Darling how the food was in the Houses of Parliament. The Duchess of Edinburgh, who is patron of Guide Dogs, also met Mr Darling and greeted Jennie by saying 'Oh my goodness, I'm your patron', before making a fuss of her. Sophie knelt down on the floor to stroke Jennie and the right honourable hound gave her a paw. Before meeting the King and Duchess of Edinburgh, Mr Darling told reporters Jennie 'thinks the Palace of Westminster is her palace, and she's the Queen of it, and everybody comes there just to love her'. During the reception, the King also met Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling (left) and his beloved guide dog Jennie and gave the golden retriever's head a scratch The Liberal Democrat MP of Torbay, Mr Darling continued: 'So when we get off the train at Paddington, her tail is on such a high wag as we make our way towards the Central line, she knows where she's going, and she's really excited.' Mr Darling said Jennie is a 'good bridge builder for people from other parties', which he said was 'really important' as he could have conversations he otherwise would not have had. Paul Waugh, Labour MP for Rochdale, said the King was 'impeccably poilte' during their meeting. 'He was impeccably polite, as you'd imagine,' Mr Waugh told reporters. 'Knows a lot about every constituency, got the sort of incredible encyclopedic knowledge of every area of the UK, as you might imagine.' Mr Waugh added that he told the King that Rochdale was the 'home of the Co-op' and jokingly asked if he shopped at the Co-op, to which Charles 'burst out laughing'. He said the new MPs were honoured to be there, but the King 'was making (it) absolutely clear we are the VIPs as well'. The reception was held on the same day that Buckingham Palace introduced the newest member of the Royal Family. In a statement, the palace confirmed Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi had welcomed their second child together, daughter Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, last week. King Charles with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during the reception on Wednesday King Charles III and Queen Camilla (centre) with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch (left) and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (right) during a reception for members of Parliament newly elected in the 2024 election, and members of the House of Lords, at Buckingham Palace in London. 'Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. 'The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces,' the statement read. 'The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 'Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. 'Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena's older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.' Athena Elizabeth, whose middle name is no doubt a sweet tribute to Beatrice's late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, adds to the Mapelli Mozzi brood which also includes three-year-old Sienna and Edo's son from a previous relationship to Dara Huang, 'Wolfie' - often referred to as Princess Beatrice's 'bonus' child. Athena is now 11th in line to the throne. Hundreds of shoppers are rushing to Kmart Australia to get their hands on a 'genius' $5 kitchen gadget. The new Chicken Shredder is conveniently designed to effortlessly shred cooked meat. The device quietly launched across stores and online but it didn't take long for eagle-eyed shoppers to notice the hot buy on shelves. One dedicated customer, who goes by Foodie Mumma Ren, spotted the product in stores and shared an image with her Facebook followers. The affordable item can be used by placing the chicken inside, popping the lid on and lifting the handles up and down. While most people tend to shred chicken using two forks and a bowl, the gadget removes the fuss when preparing meals. The Facebook post quickly caught the attention of others - but opinions were divided. 'Do I need it? Probably not. Do I want it? Absolutely!' one person wrote. Kmart's new Chicken Shredder is conveniently designed to effortless shred cooked meat Another said: 'Omg no way.' One person pointed out: 'People like me who have disabilities and issues with dexterity, grip, strength, etc would love this. If you don't need it, don't buy it.' However, some shoppers dubbed it as a 'useless appliance' since other products can be used to shred chicken. 'Two forks for the win! This thing would be impossible to clean,' one said. 'How lazy can we get?' another asked. Others agreed and said the product will likely be a 'nightmare' to clean. Earlier this month the budget department store released a fashionable shirt that looks similar to styles retailing for $120. The Short Sleeve V-Neck Tie Front Top has been compared to the Dissh Emelia White Linen Wrap Shirt, which costs $119.99. The Short Sleeve V-Neck Tie Front Top from Kmart Australia (left) has been compared to the Dissh Emelia White Linen Wrap Shirt, which costs $119.99 (right) One shopper behind the popular page Kmart Insider spotted the 'dupe' and raved about it online. 'Kmart preparing us for resort life with this new linen blend top that looks just like Dissh!' the Instagram caption read. Both short sleeve shirts feature a tie-up front, drop shoulder and v-neck design that's perfect to wear to the office or the beach. However, the Dishh version is made from 100 per cent linen while the Kmart alternative is made from a blend of linen and viscose. The relaxed fit is stylish, trendy and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. The Kmart top is also so popular it's sold out online. A woman was left humiliated after accidentally sending her boss inappropriate text messages instead of her boyfriend. The American woman had taken a cannabis edible and messaged her boss two times during what she thought was playful banter with her partner. 'I'll knock you the f*** out with your ratatouille mustache. Respectfully,' the first text read. The behaviour seemed out of the ordinary for the employee, so the boss responded assuming the messages weren't for her. The boss replied: 'I imagine not for me, unless I have a mustache.' Thinking her boyfriend was being amusing, the girlfriend responded with: 'You got some funny looking facial hair attempts in your Instagram pics.' But it didn't take long for her to realise the embarrassing blunder she had made and she quickly apologised. 'I cannot believe I just did that. We joke around in texts, like playfully. I'm so sorry omg,' the girlfriend wrote. The American woman had taken an edible and texted her boss two inappropriate messages thinking it was her boyfriend (pictured: the texts) Her boss said the texts made her laugh and urged the employee not to feel bad about the mix up. Sharing screengrabs of the texts on Reddit, others thought the exchange was hilarious while some felt sorry for the girlfriend. 'I think I would literally evaporate,' one commented. 'The first text has me screaming,' another said. 'My boss is one of my relatives and I would still pass away if I did this,' a third added. Another said: 'That is sooo funny. I owned a company for decades and I would have just laughed about your comments that were supposed to be for your boyfriend.' Someone else admitted they would quit if they ever made the same mistake while another said they would have a 'huge panic attack'. Last year another boss was slammed for texting an employee about a non-essential work issue while he was on holidays. Tom felt instantly stressed after reading the message from his boss explaining the Area Manager wasn't impressed with the team's performance. Last year another boss was slammed for texting an employee about a non-essential work issue while he was on holidays British career expert Ben Askins was sent the text messages and read out the conversation in a video. 'Hi Tom, hope you're having a great time on your holiday. No need to reply right now but I just wanted to keep you in the loop,' the boss wrote. 'We had a visit from the Area Manager and he's pissed about our figures. I think we're going to have to have some really tough meetings when you're back.' Feeling confused, Tom replied: 'Just seen this [sic] and it's got me a little concerned. Shall we have a call?' But the boss refused and encouraged him not to think about it. 'Like I said, I don't want to worry whilst you're on your break. There is nothing you can do about it but wait until you're back. But it's a real s*** show, he's in a bad mood and I really don't know how it's going to be when you get back,' the boss replied. The NHS is run by bureaucrats who lack ideas and are obstructing the reforms needed to fix it, a damning report by MPs warns today. The public accounts committee (PAC) found that while the Governments ambitions to overhaul the health service represent a golden opportunity to improve patient care, bosses are not willing to make the necessary changes. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, the committee chairman, said last night: The Government has told the public the NHS is broken. This will not come as news to patients, nor to its staff. Nor, indeed, does it to this committee, which has long warned of the systemic issues plaguing the NHS issues which the Government has transformative ambitions to address. We were aghast, then, to find among senior officials in charge of delivering these ambitions some of the worst complacency displayed to the PAC in my time serving on it. NHS England is accused in the report of being overly optimistic in its ability to improve productivity, and that the Governments ambitions for the NHS seem to run counter to officials lack of ideas or drive to change. In September, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer laid out plans for three big shifts in the NHS: moving from hospital-based to community care; from analogue to digital; and from treating ill health to preventing people getting sick in the first place. However, the PAC report reveals that, under questioning, officials from both the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England did not seem ready to take that on. It states: There was no real urgent motivation and readiness to drive the change in the NHS that is needed. It also reveals the switch to digital in parts of the NHS has been glacially slow, with some Trusts still reliant on fax machines. The NHS is run by bureaucrats who lack ideas and are obstructing the reforms needed to fix it, a damning report by MPs warns today (stock image) The public accounts committee (PAC) found that while the Governments ambitions to overhaul the health service represent a golden opportunity to improve patient care, bosses are not willing to make the necessary changes (stock image) Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, the committee chairman, said last night: The Government has told the public the NHS is broken. This will not come as news to patients, nor to its staff' Those who gave evidence to the committee included Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, Julian Kelly, its chief financial officer, and Sir Chris Wormald, the then permanent secretary to the Department of Health and Social Care. Sir Geoffrey added: We have a simple message for those senior officials truly fresh ideas and radical energy must be generated to meet what is required. An NHS England spokesman said last night: The PAC report contains basic factual inaccuracies and a flawed understanding of how the NHS and the Governments financial processes work. While NHS productivity is now improving at double pre-pandemic levels, far from being complacent, NHS England has been open about the problem and the actions being taken to address it. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman added: Fixing the broken NHS requires urgent and radical reform. This will be a challenge, but health leaders have said they will meet this task, and we will work with them to deliver it. A new 60,000-a-year Alzheimer's drug, said to be the first treatment to slow progression of the memory-robbing disease, is a rip off that results in 'tiny' benefits at the cost of deadly risks, experts have warned. Donanemab has been hailed 'a new hope' in the fight against dementia, after research suggested it slowed the memory-robbing illness in its early stages. Now, one London clinic has become the first in Europe to offer the drug to patients privately for an 'eye-watering' annual sum, after the NHS spending watchdog refused to fund it. According to health chiefs, the benefits of the infusions were 'not enough' to justify the cost. But, experts have warned Britain's 700,000 Alzheimer's patients against splashing out on the treatment sold by Re:Cognition Health in London's Harley Street. Not only is the cost 'eye-watering', patients could be risking a 'major and irreversible complication', Professor Rob Howard, an expert in old age psychiatry at University College London, told MailOnline. 'About 40 per cent of patients who are treated with this class of drugs develop brain swelling and bleeding,' he said. 'In most people, this isn't too serious. But in about 1 per cent of cases, this complication can lead to severe life-changing side effects including strokes and death.' Experts have long believed donanemab could herald a new era of dementia treatment, after studies showed it slowed the memory-robbing illness in its early stages Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss The benefits, meanwhile, are 'tiny', according to Professor Howard. 'The clinical trials are very clear. They show that the difference between the patients who receive the drug and the placebo at 18 months is tiny. 'An experienced clinician assessing a patient wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the same patient who'd had the treatment for 18 months and who had had a placebo.' Other experts have echoed Professor Howard's stance, declaring the price tag 'ridiculous'. Professor Bart De Strooper, an expert in Alzheimer disease at University College London, said: 'I'm happy to see the drug become available but the price is ridiculous. 'Scientists still need to find out which subgroup of patients can actually benefit.' Professor Tom Denning, the head of the University of Nottingham's Centre for Dementia, told MailOnline that health watchdog NICE was right to deny NHS patients access to donanemab 'as it is difficult to see how they would ever become cost-effective'. 'The benefits as evidenced in the clinical trials are modest, to say the least. They certainly don't stop patients' dementia from progressing over time.' The drug has been proven to slow progression of the disease by as much as 35 per cent in trials by helping to remove the build up of the harmful protein amyloid in the brains of people with early-stage Alzheimer's Around 900,000 Brits are currently thought to have the memory-robbing disorder. But University College London scientists estimate this will rise to 1.7million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 per cent uptick on the previous forecast in 2017 The drug, which patients receive through a drip in their arm every month, works by stimulating the body's immune system to remove the build up of the harmful protein amyloid in the brains of people with early-stage Alzheimer's. In October, it got the green light from UK medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). But NICE decided to block it for NHS along with a second Alzheimer's drug called lecanemab, as both produced benefits 'too small' to justify the cost. At the time NICE said it had identified 27 other drugs which it 'expects to be asked to evaluate over the next few years'. Re:Cognition administered the first dose of donanemab on Friday, with the clinic's CEO and medical director Dr Emer MacSweeney saying the moment marked 'a significant milestone in the fight against Alzheimer's disease'. She added: 'As the first clinic in Europe to deliver [donanemab], we are proud to continue leading the way in providing access to life-changing therapies.' While the cost of the drug will vary on the patient and number of MRI scans required, the price is expected to start from 60,000 every year. Recent analysis by the Alzheimer's Society estimates the overall annual cost of the dementia to the UK is 42billion a year, with families bearing the brunt. NICE also said it had identified 27 other drugs which it 'expects to be asked to evaluate over the next few years' An ageing population means these costs which include lost earnings of unpaid carers are set to soar to 90billion in the next 15 years. Around 944,000 in the UK are thought to be living with dementia, while the figure is thought to be around 7million in the US. Alzheimer's affects around six in 10 people with dementia. It is thought to be caused by a build-up of amyloid and tau in the brain, which clump together and from plaques and tangles that make it harder for the brain to work properly. Eventually, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and dementia symptoms develop. Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time. Dementia are expected to sky-rocket in the coming years, making a cheap screening tool vital to get to grips with the challenge. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer. Nine people have died in a new outbreak of an 'eye-bleeding' Ebola-like virus, global health chiefs have warned. Marburg, one of the deadliest pathogens ever discovered, has already infected ten people in the African nation of Tanzania since the country officially announced the outbreak last week. Of these infections nine have died Africa's health agency has announced reflecting the virus's 90 per cent mortality rate. The cases were reported in the Kagera region of Tanzania. The area is located in the northwest of the country and has a population of nearly three million. But because the country's main international airport in the capital Dar es Salaam is easily accessible by train, experts are worried the disease could spread further, The Sun reported. Ngashi Ngongo, from Africa Centre for Disease Control Centre (CDC), told an online briefing they are doing everything they can with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to limit the toll of the outbreak. Authorities have identified 'about 281 contacts' of the 10 cases, which are being closely monitored for infections. Marburg virus (MVD) is initially transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials. 'There have been a total of 31 tests that have been conducted, two confirmed, and 29 I think, that are negative,' Ngongo said. There are currently no vaccines or treatments available meaning medics are forced to focus on helping patients survive the infection. This often puts health workers at direct risk of the virus, which can cause people to bleed from their eyes. Marburg is a haemorrhagic fever where organs and blood vessels are damaged, causing bleeding internally or from the eyes, mouth and ears. The virus can be spread by touching or handling body fluids of an infected person, contaminated objects or infected wild animals. It is said initially to be transmitted to people after prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by fruit bats. Symptoms appear abruptly and include severe headaches, fever, diarrhoea, stomach pain and vomiting. They become increasingly severe. In the early stages of Marburg haemorrhagic fever, it is very difficult to distinguish from other tropical illnesses, such as Ebola and malaria. Infected patients become 'ghost-like', often developing deep-set eyes and expressionless faces. 'We would expect further cases in the coming days as disease surveillance improves,' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X earlier this month Marburg has a mortality rate of up to 88 per cent. There are currently no vaccines or treatments approved to treat the virus The WHO says it has a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of up to 88 per cent, meaning it can kill nearly nine in ten people it infects. The outbreak in Tanzania comes less than a month after a Marburg outbreak in neighbouring Rwanda was officially declared over. A total of 66 people were infected, roughly 80 per cent of which were healthcare workers. The country reported 15 deaths, with Rwandas response praised internationally for its low death rate of 23 per cent the lowest ever for a Marburg outbreak in Africa. In March 2023, Tanzania's Bukoba district experienced its first Marburg virus outbreak, which is thought to have killed six people and lasted for nearly two months. 'We would expect further cases in the coming days as disease surveillance improves,' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X earlier this month. In spite of the regional threat, global risk remains low as the virus does not spread easily between people, WHO said. A British mathematician has revealed a surprising sex 'hack' that could make women who get pregnant more likely to give birth to a boy. Professor Hannah Fry took to Instagram to discuss a peculiar trend, which involves a spike in baby boys being born after world wars have ended, known as the 'the returning soldier effect'. Pointing to graph showing the ratio of baby boys and girls born in England and Wales she explained: 'You've got some really definite peaks one in 1919 just after the end of the First World War, another one in 1945 just after the end of the Second World War'. The academic and television presenter said evidence suggested this phenomenon was the result of a combination of social circumstances and a quirk that makes women more likely to have boy if conception occurs early in their 'fertile window'. Professor Fry said people tend to have more sex after wars as soldiers come home to their wives or lovers, leading to greater chances of conception. This increased frequency of sex means a woman is more likely to become pregnant earlier in her cycle, and Professor Fry highlighted it was this aspect that could lead to a peak in baby boys. 'The chances of a woman conceiving a male or female child actually very subtly changes depending on when in her cycle she conceives,' she said. 'So slightly earlier, ever so slightly more likely that she'll have a baby boy.' This Government graph shows the ratio of male births (purple line) compared to 100 female births in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland between 1910 and 2021 Experts have theorised that this may be due to differing hormonal or acidity levels within a woman's cycle, which can alter the environment of the cervix. These changes make it more likely sperm carrying a Y chromosome, which makes a boy, will successfully reach the egg first. Other studies suggest an imbalance in boys and girls is due to a very slight increase in female embryo mortality compared to males. But Professor Fry warned that those hoping to use the early cycle method to influence the sex of their baby aren't guaranteed success. She explained that on an individual level the increased chance of having a boy is 'tiny'. 'When you scale up to the size of a population this becomes a pattern that becomes really clear,' she said. The returning soldier effect, despite the name, isn't always linked to conflict, Prof Fry said. Another spike in baby boys was seen in Britain in 1973 when the country was experiencing an energy crisis, and many people were only working outside of the home a few a days a week. But Professor Fry warned that those hoping to use this system to influence the sex of their baby would likely be unsuccessful. Stock image 'I think we now know what everyone in Britain was doing during their three day week,' Professor Fry said. While the 'the returning soldier effect' is real, it's worth highlighting that even in normal periods slightly more baby boys are born than girls. This typically translates to roughly 104 boys for every 100 girls. This doesn't make a difference to the population as, statistically, slightly more boys die before reaching adulthood than girls, generally through accidents or developmental problems. Scientists are raising the alarm over a potential new pandemic virus that could be emerging in California. This week, officials reported the first outbreak of a rare but deadly H5N9 strain of bird flu on a duck farm in Merced County, just outside the Bay Area. But tests showed that the birds had also been infected with H5N1, the strain of bird flu currently decimating dairy farms, which led to California declaring a state of emergency. Scientists warned that this suggested the two viruses may have infected the same cell and swapped DNA in a process known as reassortment which virologists fear could create a new super virus that is better able to infect and spread between humans. These fears come amid a communications 'blackout' at America's health agencies the NIH, CDC and FDA ordered by the new Trump Administration that is looking to overhaul the agencies. Some doctors have warned this leaves the US susceptible to the emergence of deadly viruses as the agencies are unable to raise the alarm. The warning over the duck farm in California was revealed in a notification from the World Organization for Animal Health, which is based in Paris. Dr Angela Rasmussen, a virologist in Canada, warned: 'It does suggest there's enough [H5N1] virus around that reassortment might become more frequent. With enough H5 in these animals and enough seasonal flu in humans, you get them together, and you have a recipe for a potential pandemic virus.' The infections with H5N9 and H5N1 were detected on a duck farm in California (stock image) Gavin Newsom, governor of California, is pictured above in May 2020 in Sacramento She warned that because ducks only suffer a mild illness from bird flu, and continue to fly, eat and mingle while infected, it raised the risk that they could pick up other viruses while infected. The cases on the California duck farm were detected in late November, with the facility quarantined and all 120,000 birds on the farm killed. Testing in January later revealed that the ducks had been infected with two types of bird flu. There is no evidence at this time that it has spread to other farms. Your browser does not support iframes. The case, nonetheless, raises fears over a new virus emerging that could be better able to infect and spread between humans. Dr Rasmussen made her comments to the Washington Post, and added on X: 'This is an avian reassortment and unlikely to threaten us, but it kills birds. 'The more H5 is around in the more hosts, the greater the risk of a reassortment that does threaten us.' Dr Peter Hotez, a virologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas who urged people to mask up during the Covid pandemic, said on X: 'It suggests to me that there's a lot of H5N1 around, making recombination events more likely. 'Although some flu experts I've spoken to feel that some types of reassortments are more likely than others: So it's not clear what this would mean for an H5N1 and seasonal human flu?' On Friday last week, the Trump administration was revealed to have ordered a communications 'blackout' at the major federal health agencies. They were told to pause all external communications, including publishing scientific reports, updating websites and issuing health advisories. The directive came without warning, insiders warned, with little guidance as to how long it would last. The above map shows where cases of bird flu have been detected in humans. California and Washington state have detected the most cases The above map also shows where H5 has been detected in wastewater, with California having a concentration of infections The above shows a map of cattle farms that have reported infections with H5N1 The health agencies play a vital role in gathering and sharing critical information with the public, including on outbreaks of infectious diseases, raising the alarm over foodborne diseases and food recalls. The US has been battling an outbreak of bird flu for more than a year, which has led to the deaths of millions of wild and domestic birds and spread to more than 900 cattle herds. A total of 67 people have been infected so far, including one person in Louisiana who died following their infection. California has recorded the majority of cases in humans, with 68 infections so far mostly among farm workers who suffered symptoms like conjunctivitis, or red eye. The state is also recording H5 viruses in its wastewater. The virus is also causing a major outbreak in the animal world, and among cattle with more than 700 dairy herds now reported to have been infected across the US. The infections have already led to the culling of nearly 40million laying hens in the US, driving up the price of eggs which are expected to jump 25 percent in the first few months of this year. There are also concerns that the spread of the virus in dairy herds may later lead to cattle being culled, which would also drive up the price of milk. The grieving family of a woman 'likely' killed by a reaction to a dye routinely injected into patients before scans have warned patients of the risks of the diagnostic tool. Yvonne Graham, 66, suffered a cardiac arrest minutes after medics at Northampton General Hospital injected dye called contrast medium ahead of a CT scan to investigate a bloated stomach. While attempts were made to resuscitate the former butcher, she died just hours later on February 1 last year. Ahead of an inquest into her death, an autopsy stated that Mrs Graham's cause of death was 'likely' an extreme allergic reaction to the dye. Speaking of the death, her daughter, Yolanda, 39, said she believes her mother would still be here if she'd had access to an EpiPen a medical injector designed to save patients from life threatening allergic reactions. She also said her mother should never have been given the dye in the first place as she had kidney disease and it is well-known that the substance can cause damage to the organ in those who are vulnerable. Yolanda, a hairdresser from Daventry, Northamptonshire, said: 'It's just such a shock. It doesn't feel real. I still can't get my head around it.' Yolanda, who was outside the scan room on the day her mother died, said mere minutes after her mother went in, the doors flung back open and a team of medics rushed in. Yvonne Graham, 66, suffered a cardiac arrest minutes after medics at Northampton General Hospital injected dye - called contrast medium - ahead of a CT scan to investigate a bloated stomach Mrs Graham's daughter Yolanda, 39, said she believes her mother would still be here had there been an EpiPen, a medical injector designed to save patients from life threatening allergic reactions, in the scan room 'I heard her make a heaving noise like she was sick, then a doctor came out and was asking me her medical history he was writing it on his hand,' she said. 'Surely they should have read her notes before injecting her it's just bad practice. 'There was no protocol. It's ridiculous not to have an EpiPen or a crash trolley in the room.' According to an autopsy report, released 10 months after the death, Mrs Graham was placed on a ventilator, but no pulse was found and medical care stopped as 'the prognosis at this stage would be extremely poor'. She was moved to a critical care unit to allow the family to say their goodbyes. Yolanda said her mother had been well before going into the scan room and had remarked how she was looking forward to upcoming holidays with her family. Yolanda said her mother had been well before going into the scan room and had remarked how she was looking forward to booked holidays and quadbiking trips with her family Julie Hogg, chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, said: 'We offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Graham at this difficult time. Pictured: Northampton General Hospital where Mrs Graham was treated 'I don't know how this can just happen you shouldn't just die from a precautionary scan,' she said. 'People need to be told about the risks with this dye. 'It took ten months to get a statement from them about what happened how can it take so long?' Contrast dye is injected into patients before a CT scan to help medics get a clearer view of the veins, arteries and internal organs and diagnose medical problems. Ms Graham underwent the scan to check for internal problems that may have triggered the severe bloating she was experiencing. Contrast dye is injected into patients before a CT scan to help medics get a clearer view of the veins, arteries and internal organs and diagnose medical problems. Stock image Allergic reactions to the dye are rare. Estimates vary, but about three per cent of patients are thought to respond badly to the dye, suffering mild problems like vomiting and rashes. Severe life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis, like those Ms Graham suffered, are even rarer thought to only occur between one in 2,500 and one in 10,000 patients. Julie Hogg, chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, said: 'We offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Graham at this difficult time. 'We have worked with the coroner at pace to provide all appropriate statements required of us for the forthcoming inquest. 'We acknowledge that we should have improved our communication with Mrs Graham's family during this time, and we would like to apologise for any additional distress this may have caused them. 'Our team has reached out to the family to offer support ahead of the inquest and update them on the current position'. The NHS states: 'Complications of a CT scan are rare. Some people can have an allergic reaction to the contrast medium (dye). 'This can cause weakness, sweating and difficulty breathing.' Robert F. Kennedy Junior was told bluntly he 'frightens' people as he was grilled during his confirmation hearing to become health secretary. RFK Jr was challenged about a number of conspiratorial claims he's made, including comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps, claiming pesticides turn children transgender and claiming Covid had been designed not to target Ashkenazi Jews. 'You frighten people,' said Rhode Island Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse during a testy exchange about RFK Jr's previous comments about vaccines. The nominee to be Health and Human Services (HHS) chief, 71, promised he 'will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those vaccines' after being challenged on extreme comments he'd made previously. In the past, he has also repeatedly linked using vaccines to autism and raised concerns over their safety and effectiveness. Democrat Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), who has voted for other Trump nominees, slammed the HHS Secretary nominee for promoting conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine rhetoric. Among them was a suggestion from Kennedy that Covid had been 'designed' to target black and white people, but not Ashkenazi Jews. And he was also challenged over his claim that Lyme disease an infection spread by ticks is an 'engineered bioweapon' from the 1950s. Robert F. Kennedy was rattled by his first heated exchange with senators today, where they repeatedly brought up his past claims (image from the hearing) RFK was in a packed hall for his hearing today, with many supporters - who were sometimes loud - in the background The hearing with the Senate Finance Committee has now concluded, although Kennedy will be back on Capitol Hill tomorrow at 10am for a second hearing with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Trump nominated Kennedy to head up HHS to 'shake up' America's health agencies and 'Make America Healthy Again'. But senators will need to confirm the nomination, with many raising concerns over a number of his views dubbed as anti-vaccine and conspiracy. These were some of the most tense moments from the confirmation hearing: Covid was genetically-engineered to target white and black people Senator Bennet challenged RFK Jr over his claims that Covid was genetically engineered to target white and black people. 'Did you say that Covid-19 was a genetically-engineered bioweapon that targets black and white people but spared Ashkenazi jews and Chinese people?', he asked. 'I didn't say it was deliberately targeted,' RFK Jr replied, 'I just quoted an NIH-funded and NIH-published study.' 'I quoted an NIH study, I quoted an NIH study,' he insisted before Senator Bennet said he would 'take that as a yes' and move to the next question. The New York Post reported that RFK Jr made the claims to supporters at a press event on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, in July 2023. He said: 'Covid-19. There is an argument that it is ethnically targeted. 'Covid-19 attacks certain races disproportionately. Covid-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.' Several studies have been published suggesting that people from minority ethnic groups have a higher risk of death from Covid than white adults. But this has been linked to disparities in wealth, healthcare access and higher rates of comorbidities in some minority groups rather than Covid being genetically engineered. Lyme disease is a 'militarily-engineered bioweapon' Senator Bennett also attacked Kennedy's previous claim that tick-borne Lyme disease is an engineered bioweapon. 'Did you say that Lyme disease is highly likely a militarily-engineered bioweapon?,' he asked, before adding, 'I've made sure I've put in the highly likely.' RFK Jr replied: 'I probably did say that.' A debunked conspiracy theory suggests that Lyme disease, which infects 475,000 Americans every year, was cooked up in a Long Island laboratory in the 1950s. Scientific studies show, however, that bacteria causing Lyme disease has been circulating in North American forests for at least 60,000 years, and that ticks that carry it have been around for at least 99million years. The oldest documented case of Lyme disease is the skeleton of the Tyrolean iceman mummy, from 5,300 years ago, found in the Italian alps. Senator Michael Bennet, Democrat for Colorado, launched a blistering attack on RFK Jr over some of his past statements, including moments where he had peddled conspiracy theories Other studies have shown that ancient Lyme disease bacteria has been found in 15-million-year-old fossils of ticks preserved in amber. In a previous episode of his podcast published in January 2024, Kennedy said: 'Another thing that keeps us from enjoying the outdoors and keeps us locked inside and the idea that this may have been, is highly likely to have been a military weapon. 'We cannot say 100 percent for sure, but we do know that they were experimenting with tics there. 'We also know that they were experimenting with diseases of the kind, like Lyme disease, at that lab, and they were putting them in tics and then infecting people.' Kennedy has also previously suggested that West Nile Virus was created at the Plum Island lab and that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was purposely spread from apes to humans so pharmaceutical companies could profit from vaccines. The CDC's work is reminiscent of Nazi death camps Trump's HHS nominee also had a fiery exchange with senators over his comments comparing the work of the CDC to 'Nazi death camps'. Senator Raphael Warnock, a Democrat for Georgia where the CDC is based told the hearing: 'You have compared the CDC's work to Nazi death camps. You've compared it to sexual abusers in the Catholic church.' He added: 'For me, those are disturbing characterizations of the CDC workers I know who are trying to keep the American public safe every single day.' RFK Jr denied that he had made the comments, which prompted Senator Warnock to read out a transcript of the conversation he was referring to. Senator Raphael Warnock challenged RFK Jr over his suggestions that the CDC's work was comparable to that of Nazi death camps Welcome to MAGALAND: Insider Trump's Second 100 Days - The podcast bringing you the latest news and gossip from the White House. Listen here. RFK Jr tried to interrupt during the reading, but was told: 'Let me finish, I am just reading your words.' Senator Warnock said, reading the transcript: 'Let me read your words. It says that the institution CDC and the vaccine program is more important than the children that it is supposed to protect. And, you know, it is the same reason that we had a pedophile scandal in the Catholic church. It's because people were able to convince themselves that the institution of the church was more important than these little boys and girls that were being raped. 'To me, this is like Nazi death camp. I mean what happens, what happens to these kids, one in 31 boys in this country, their minds are being robbed from them.' The words are from a previously unpublished private audience that RFK Jr gave at AutismOne, a conference for parents of autistic children, back in 2019. They were first reported in November last year by NBC News. Nazi death camps were extermination centers established by Nazi Germany in World War Two as part of the Holocaust, a systematic genocide against Jews and other groups. The 80th anniversary of the Soviet Army's liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, observed as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, was on Monday this week. Pesticides make children trans Senator Bennet also challenged RFK Jr on his previous claim that exposure to pesticides was making children transgender. In an irate voice, the Senator said: 'Did you say that exposure to pesticides causes children to become transgender?' RFK Jr responded: 'No, I never said that.' Quotes from an episode of his podcast, published in June 2022, however, show that he did make the comments. He said: 'I want to pursue just one question on these, you know, the other endocrine disruptors because our children now, you know, we're seeing these impacts that people suspect are very different than in ages past about sexual identification among children and sexual confusion and gender confusion. The above shows insurance claims for mental health care, according to LexisNexis. They analyzed data from more than 300million patients 'These kinds of issues that are very, very controversial today.' Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that are common in pesticides, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, although they haven't been linked to making someone transgender. Suggestions that this may be the case are based on a 2010 study in frogs, which found that exposure to some pesticides in young male frogs caused them to become demasculinized and completely feminized as adults. There has been a surge in the number of people identifying as transgender in recent years, particularly among young girls where the number has tripled, according to some estimates, in just five years. Many scientists have said the uptick is down to a more accepting society. But some detransitioners have also blamed it on rising rates of mental health problems, saying they were misdiagnosed as trans when they only needed therapy. I wish I hadn't vaccinated my children In a fiery exchange, senators also blasted RFK Jr on his shifting position on vaccines and accused him of lying. Seantor Ron Wyden, a Democrat for Oregon, said: 'Mr Kennedy, you have spent years pushing conflicting stories about vaccines. You say one thing, and then you say another. 'In your testimony today under oath you denied that you were anti-vaccine, but during a podcast interview in July of 2023 you said, quote, no vaccine is safe or effective. 'In your testimony today, in order to prove you're not anti-vax, you note that all your kids are vaccinated. But in a podcast in 2020 you said, and I quote, you would do anything, pay anything, to go back in time and not vaccinate your kids.' Raising his voice, Senator Wyden said: 'Mr Kennedy, all of these things... CANNOT BE TRUE. So, are you lying to Congress when you say you are pro-vaccine, or did you lie on all those podcasts?' Senator Bernie Sanders showed images of these onesies at the hearing, which are being sold by an organization that RFK Jr helped to found RFK Jr has seven children and says he got them all vaccinated meaning they likely received the measles and polio vaccines among others. Responding to questions over his support of vaccines in the hearing, Mr Kennedy said: 'I support the measles vaccine, I support the polio vaccine. 'I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult to access any of these.' Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democrat for Vermont, similarly blasted the HHS secretary hopeful over the 'militantly anti-vaccine' organization he co-founded, called the Children's Health Defense. Sanders showed images of onesies sold for $26 by the organization, daubed with slogans such as, 'unvaxxed, unafraid', and 'No vax, no problem'. Slamming RFK Jr, he said: 'Now, you are coming before this committee and you say you are pro-vaccine, and yet your organization is making money selling a child's product to parents... which casts fundamental doubt on the usefulness of vaccines.' RFK Jr responded that he now had 'no power' over the organization and that he had 'resigned from the board'. But Sanders rebuffed that he had only resigned a few months ago, before shouting: 'Are you supportive of this?! Are you supportive of this clothing which is militantly anti-vaccine?' RFK Jr then responded saying that he was 'supportive of vaccines'. African AIDS is 'different' from western AIDS Facing yet more evisceration from the Senate committee, RFK Jr was then asked about his views on the causes of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Senator Bennet said: 'Did you write in your book, it's undeniable that African AIDS is an entirely different disease from western AIDS? Yes or no Mr Kennedy?' He replied: 'I, I am not sure if I made that...' Senator Bennet then said he had the record that he would hand to the chairman. Senator Bennet also challenged RFK Jr over his claims that African AIDS was 'different' from western AIDS RFK Jr reportedly made the claims in his book 'The Real Anthony Fauci', published in November 2021. At the time, they received coverage on the Joe Rogan podcast, with the host saying: 'If it's telling the truth, just about the AIDS crisis... Is this the guy that's telling the truth?' AIDS is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which gradually destroys the body's immune system leading to severe complications and the development of AIDS. Studies show differences in HIV diagnosis rates between Black individuals in the U.S. based on whether they were born in the U.S. or Africa, with African-born individuals being more likely to have the disease. This disparity has been linked to higher HIV prevalence in Africa rather than differences in how the virus behaves. These studies were published to advocate for increased healthcare funding to prevent and control HIV infections among African-born Americans. Hundreds, if not thousands, of new beauty products land on the You magazine desks throughout the year. As journalists, our goal is to test as many of these launches as possible, but every skin barrier needs a break now and again. Thats why its important to have a skincare routine to fall back on that doesnt cause breakouts or flare-ups, and soothes, nourishes and protects the skin. For me, that routine consists of a line-up of Korean products. They are known for their focus on skin health and prioritise advanced ingredients to achieve smooth, radiant and dewy skin. From the Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm (16.50, LookFantastic) to the Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream (22, Boots); some of my all-time favourite skincare heroes are from K-beauty brands. Another Korean beauty product that ticks all my boxes is the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask and Im not the only one whos obsessed with the overnight lip treatment. If you follow any beauty influencers on TikTok, youve probably noticed them reaching for the tiny red jar at the start of their Get Ready With Me videos to prep their lips or at the end of their Get Unready With Me videos as the last step in their nighttime skincare routine. The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask tops the list of most popular skincare products of 2024 19, Sephora Launched by the K-beauty brand in 2015, the 19 lip mask has slowly been building up a worldwide fanbase. In the last year alone, there have been 3.7 million searches for the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, 77.8k Instagram posts and 34.2k TikTok mentions and it was crowned the second most popular skincare product of 2024, following a bar of turmeric soap, in a study compiled by the Harley Street Skin Clinic. The nourishing formula is enriched with berry fruit complex, vitamin C and coconut oil and Laneige recommends applying a generous amount overnight to gently exfoliate and soften your lips. That being said, I also like using it as a lip balm during the day. The Berry flavour is the most popular and my favourite but it also comes in Gummy Bear, Sweet Candy and Vanilla iterations. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has taken issue with Donald Trump's first week back in the White House, bizarrely mocking his response to the Los Angeles wildfires. Speaking to Pod Save America host Jon Favreau, Maddow said she was perplexed by President Trump's insistance that California simply needed to 'turn on the valve' to gain access to water to help fight the fires. California officials were slammed amid reports that firefighters ran out of water and hydrants were dry as they fought valiantly to contain simultaneous blazes tearing through affluent parts of Los Angeles. President Trump has made several key executive orders since returning to power last week which have ruffled the feathers of left-wing commentators and celebrities. But when Maddow was asked about what she finds most shocking about his presidency so far, she bizarrely honed in on a comment he made on Truth Social about the wildfires. 'You know what it was? It was the, in the flurry of first couple days of actions, there was the stuff about water in California. 'Trump started sort of elaborating on it. There was an executive action about it, but then he also started talking about it, about how we need, we need to turn the valve. 'He thinks that North is up and that there's a water tower, like it's a New York building. And if you just turn the valve, then down gets the water.' Speaking to Pod Save America host Jon Favreau, Maddow said she was perplexed by President Trump's insistance that California simply needed to 'turn on the valve' to gain access to water to help fight the fires Trump shared to Truth Social this week that the military 'entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER' President Donald Trump (middle right) and first lady Melania Trump (middle left) toured some of the devasation from the Pacific Palisades fire on Friday. Trump boldly claimed he had 'TURNED ON THE WATER' Trump shared to Truth Social this week that the military 'entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER.' He said as a result of the efforts 'turning on the valve', water was now 'flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. 'The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!' Trump visited Los Angeles on Friday after repeatedly critisizing the state's fire response. The 78-year-old president contends that there's a giant spigot that California needs to turn on to bring water into the Los Angeles area from the north. He said California authorities - including the state's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom - failed to do that to preserve an endangered fish called a Delta smelt. State officials worked swiftly to rebuke Trump, with California Governor Gavin Newsome insisting: 'There is no water shortage in Southern California right now, despite Trump's claims that he would open some imaginary spigot.' Fox News's Jennifer Griffin later added: 'US defense officials tell me they did not send troops to 'turn on the water' in California, despite President Trump's claims overnight.' State officials worked swiftly to rebuke Trump, with California Governor Gavin Newsome insisting: 'There is no water shortage in Southern California right now, despite Trump's claims that he would open some imaginary spigot' The California Governor's past has come under the microscope again amid scrutiny over his response to the disaster Around 11 p.m. Monday Trump took to Truth Social to say that he had fixed California's water problems. 'Enjoy the water, California!!!' the newly sworn-in president boasted Within two hours, California's Department of Water Resources posted a response on X, clapping back at Trump's brag Then-President Joe Biden had explained that power outages had impacted some hydrants. Some residents in the Pacific Palisades have sued over the fact that a 117-million-gallon reservoir built to help the area in case of fires was offline during the blazes. The Los Angeles Times reported that the reservoir had been drained after a tear was found in the reservoirs floating cover last January. Work to repair the cover hadn't been completed by the time Palisades fire ripped through the area earlier this month. Maddow also referred to a moment in Trump's campaign in which he was 'riffing a lot on the difficulty of washing his hair and how many times he has to flush the toilet to make whats in the toilet go down the toilet. 'And I was realizing like, oh, we're gonna get the plumbing stuff again,' Maddow joked. Maddow earlier compared Trump to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. The outspoken liberal had been speaking about Trump's recent January 6 pardons, saying: 'There are rumors circulating that Trump had wanted to bring his felons... all to the White House. 'That's the sort of thing that probably sounded great at a Trump rally, probably sounded like it was something the people wanted. '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.' CNN's Jake Tapper was left speechless after a close aide to President Trump seemingly blamed employees voting for Kamala Harris as the reason they lost their job. Stephen Miller, President Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, appeared on CNN's The Lead Tuesday to defend Trump recent executive orders - including one that paused all spending on foreign aid. 'Theres two million employees in the federal government,' Miller said before making the shock claim. 'Overwhelmingly the career federal service in this country is far left, left-wing.' Tapper responded that he didn't know that to be fact. Miller continued: 'We looked at USAID as an example, 98 percent either donated to Kamala Harris or another left-wing candidate. Tapper interjected, asking him: 'Now you are demonizing an entire workforce', before Miller shouted him down by saying: 'Did you just say that saying someone voted for Kamala Harris is demonizing them? 'You just said I am demonizing someone by saying they voted for Kamala Harris', Miller continued - before Tapper asked to get the interview back on track. Stephen Miller, President Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, had appeared on The Lead alongside Tapper on Tuesday Miller said that 98 percent of the career federal service backed Kamala or similar left-wing politicans After a brief calm, Miller continued that it was essential for Trump to 'get a hold of government' which included people who review spending on grants. He added: 'This might be something like saying, "I want to build a $500-million fountain in the courtyard of the Department of Commerce". 'This might be something like saying, "I want to fund gender studies in Afghanistan." There has to be political control and review.' Dozens of officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development were placed on leave on Monday. In an email obtained by The Washington Post, newly installed acting administrator Jason Gray said: 'We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President's Executive orders and the mandate from the American people. 'As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice.' Trump, on January 24th, declared the State Department and the U.S. AID 'shall not provide foreign assistance' until a high-level review of the programs is completed, except to Israel and Egypt and in severe cases where emergency food assistance is needed. The 90-day pause is to ensure all programs conform with Trump's 'America First' policy and the administration threatened 'disciplinary action' for any staff ignoring the orders. Miller appeared on the show after Trump suspended dozens of government officials for trying to circumvent his executive order on freezing all foreign aid Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff for policy, speaks with reporters outside the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 28 January 2025 Miller's comments come after a testing few hours in the White House, after the administration's freeze on federal grants sparked chaos and confusion. Trump aide's spent most of the day attempting to clarify its spending freeze over which programs would be impacted. The Trump announcement sent shockwaves through Washington after the White House budget office late Monday issued the sweeping order. It would have halted taxpayer money from being doled out for initiatives in education and health care, housing assistance, disaster relief and a host of other areas pending a review. The administration argued the funding should be put on hold while officials ensured no publicly funded programs are 'woke,' and that all are in line with executive orders he signed last week abolishing the government's DEI agenda. The memo reiterated that the pause was not meant to target any 'assistance provided directly to individuals,' such as Medicare or Social Security. Miller's comments come after a testing few hours in the White House, after the administration's freeze on federal grants sparked chaos and confusion. White House press sec Karoline Leavitt is seen here speaking on Tuesday But the move faced immediate backlash as it was not clear how the spending freeze would impact programs such as Medicaid, SNAP and other government assistance. It was estimated the pause would have frozen up to $3 trillion in federal grants and loans. Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday blasted the president, calling the effort unconstitutional and an attempt to consolidate power. But the decision to put staff opposed to the plan on leave is part of Trump's greater plan to purge the federal government of those who disagree with his agenda. Already, the president fired the inspectors general from more than a dozen federal agencies in a Friday night purge. His executive order terminating all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs has sidelined 395 government bureaucrats. He's also worked on clearing out Justice Department staff who worked with special counsel Jack Smith, who led two prosecution cases against him. On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan blocked the pause on federal grants, loans and other financial assistance which could have totaled trillions in funding. CNN staffers have revealed how they feel about Jim Acosta's exit this week - calling it classy and quick. 'I think we're just taken aback about how fast it was,' one staffer told Fox News Wednesday. 'It happened in a flash.' 'Him leaving isn't unexpected given the reporting,' the employee added, mentioning the weeks of headlines about tension behind the scenes. 'Him leaving so fast is what was unexpected.' A second CNN staffer expressed admiration over how Acosta handled the situation, framing it as 'classy.' 'People admire him,' the insider said Wednesday, after Acosta's strongly worded signoff the day before. 'That is quite simply how they see it, as a fact - as opposed to there being any discussion.' The stance was then echoed by the first, who said 'Look, I think folks liked Jim' - before comparing his resignation to the ouster of Chris Cuomo in 2021 and Don Lemon's firing two years later. 'But Cuomo went and CNN moved on. Lemon left and CNN moved on,' the first staffer said. 'People can be liked, and people will move on.' Acosta, meanwhile, is already advertising a Substack secretly started two weeks ago, called the Jim Acosta Show. Its first post - titled Coming Soon - is dated January 16, a day after it was first reported Wolf Blitzer was set to assume his hour. Scroll down for video: CNN staffers have revealed how they feel about Jim Acosta's exit this week - calling it 'classy' and sudden in interviews. Acosta is seen here near his DC home Tuesday The same day, Acosta abruptly announced - on the air - that he was leaving the networked. In interviews with Fox News, staffers said he had been well-liked That prediction that came true last week, with a strategic shift at CNN that also included layoffs. It saw CEO Mark Thompson fully confirm Blitzer was taking the 10am timeslot for a new Situation Room series show cohosted by Pamela Brown. Four days before - at CNN's Manhattan office - Thompson called a meeting just before Donald Trump was set to be sworn in. There, he demanded a drastic tone-down in anti-Trump reporting, reports from former CNN staffer Oliver Darcy indicated. Darcy, in his Status newsletter, was first to report on tension brewing secretly between Acosta and the network. Acosta's former colleagues, meanwhile, further told Fox they were convinced Thompson pulled Acosta from his CNN Newsroom timeslot because he was too anti-Trump - and that most manning the newsroom feel differently. 'I think there's room for someone like Acosta. I think personality and presence matter a lot on TV,' the first insider said. 'In a 24-hour network there is room for a stronger voice,' they continued, 'People have to want to tune in... It's all an art, which sounds silly, but programming is art, not science.' Acosta showing that voice in full-force during what proved to be his final broadcast Tuesday, taking aim at 'tyrants.' They also said they were convinced CEO Mark Thompson (seen speaking onstage at a Warner Bros Discovery event in May) pulled Acosta from his CNN Newsroom timeslot because he was too anti-Trump 'I just wanted to end today's show by thanking all of the wonderful people who work behind the scenes at this network,' he told viewers, following an hour that saw him slam Trump's recent deportations as 'a dog and pony show.' 'You may have seen some reports about me and the show,' he continued, referring to a litany of speculative headlines and accounts initially obtained by Darcy. 'And after giving all of this some careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot, CNN offered me, I've decided to move on. 'I just wanted to end today's show by thanking all of the wonderful people who work behind the scenes at this network,' he continued, adding how he came to the decision after 'some careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot CNN offered.' But, Acosta concluded, 'I've decided to move on.' The speech went on from there, with Acosta quickly honing in on his old nemesis, the commander-in-chief. 'People often ask me if the highlight of my career at CNN was at the White House covering Donald Trump,' he said, reminding onlookers of their repeated clashes during the president's first term. 'Actually, no,' he sniped, saying instead his crowning achievement came during coverage of then-president Barack Obama's trip to Cuba in 2016, since he himself is the son of a Cuban refugee. The two regularly clashed during Trump's first term, and Acosta mentioned him during his final broadcast '[I] had the chance to question the dictator there, Raul Castro, about the island's political prisoners,' he recalled of the trip, before using it as political ammunition. 'I took home this lesson. 'It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant,' he asserted. 'I've always believed it's the job of the press to hold power to account. 'I've always tried to do that here at CNN,' he went on. 'And I plan on going doing all of that in the future.' That's when he urged Americans to 'not give in to the lies' he appeared to suggest were being perpetuated by the current administration. 'Ill have more to say about my plans in the coming days. But until then, I want to thank all of you for tuning in.' For a conclusion, Acosta offered a spin on his usual sign-off. 'It has been an honor to be welcomed into your home for all these years,' he told viewers as the hour waned. 'Thats the news. Reporting from Washington. Im Jim Acosta.' Earlier in the day, Acosta was joined by guests like Illinois Democrat Mike Quigley and fellow Congresswoman Rosa Delauro of Connecticut, who had strong words about the president's first week in office. Acosta devoted much of his hour Tuesday to Trump's slew of executive actions, often reporting with a disapproving tone Acosta would occasionally interject with his opinion, offering editorialized remarks like, 'Say it ain't so,' and publicly whether 'we are in the middle of [a] retribution campaign. 'Yeah, so much for an independent law enforcement,' Quigley replied to the latter, after the Trump Administration faced accusations of going after specific people within the Justice Department. 'The first Trump administration wanted to go after their enemies,' Quigley, a Democrat, claimed. 'They wanted to overturn a lawful election.' The rest of the hour carried a similar tone, with Acosta devoting much of his time to Trump's recent moves. 'He's out there joking at events that he's going to run for a third term. What do you think of that?' he at this point asked, referring to Trump. 'Yeah, absolutely nothing surprises me,' Quigley replied, categorizing the conservative as 'an autocrat'. At another point during his final episode, Acosta read out a quote attributed to a 'career' DOJ employee obtained by Politico. In it, the official argued that some of Trump's recent executive actions felt retaliatory toward Democrats. 'This it feels like a nonviolent war. It's just wild. Everybody is a sitting duck, and these people have no power or control over the situation,' the person said - leading Acosta to give his final, foreboding warning. Pictured, 30 Hudson Yards, where staffers in CNN's Manhattan office are processing Acosta's very public exit 'Don't give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth and to hope,' he continued, eventually calling Trump 'a tyrant'. 'Even if you have to get out your phone,' he went on. 'Record that message. "I will not give in to the lies. I will not give in to the fear." Post it on your social media, so people can hear from you, too.' Acosta went on to state how he'd share news of his planned career moves in the coming days, before going public with his Substack at 4pm. At that point, a more dressed-down Acosta emerged in a self-filmed video posted to X, where he confirmed he was ready to take a stab at journalism on his own. 'Welcome to my new venture,' Acosta told more than 2 million followers on the platform, where he's now linking to his Substack. With a portrait of George Washington visible in the background and a Substack watermark visible, he told those watching,' his was my last day at CNN. And I did want to jump on Substack live here for a moment and say, welcome to my new venture. I'm going independent - at least for now.' The video was published shortly after two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times the journalist was already pondering his next steps, as CNN also seeks to implement a new business model that puts emphasis on its digital presence. Acosta went on to state how he'd share news of his planned career moves in the coming days, before going public with his Substack at 4pm. A still from his first video is seen here. The blog, called The Jim Acosta Show, was started two weeks ago, when reports began to emerge In his video, Acosta at one point teased, 'This is just the beginning.' 'Hold on to the truth,' he added. 'And I hope we'll keep this conversation going. Great to see all of you here. We'll talk some more soon.' Meanwhile, 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 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. Jake Tappers The Lead will also shift to airing later in the day, from 5pm to 7pm ET. The new lineup will go into effect in March. CNN has baptized new White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as a 'spinmeister.' The network's fact-checker Daniel Dale accused Leavitt, 27, of spinning information regarding a pause of federal grants and loans during her first White House press briefing on Tuesday. Leavitt was repeatedly asked about the spending freeze, and said payments for Social Security, Medicare and food stamps would not be affected. However, she was criticized for not saying what would happen to nonprofit programs like Meals on Wheels. 'Its a classic spinmeister tactic saying I answered that when you havent answered it and apparently cant answer it right away,' Dale said on CNN News Central. 'Theres considerable uncertainty around the country among nonprofits of various kinds.... So they may not get direct individual payments straight from the federal government but their lives [...] are very much dependent on the aid that comes through an intermediary organization. 'And we still do not have clarity on what is happening with the funding that usually goes to those entities.' On Wednesday president Donald Trump rescinded his order freezing trillions of dollars in federal grants as he revealed millions in waste had been uncovered in a crackdown on woke government projects. Trump officials had argued funding should be put on hold while they ensured all government spending is in line with executive orders the president signed last week abolishing the Biden administration's DEI agenda. CNN has baptized new White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, as a 'spinmeister' The network's fact-checker Daniel Dale, left, accused Leavitt, 27, of spinning information regarding a pause of federal grants and loans during her first White House press briefing on Tuesday. He is seen with Boris Sanchez and Brianna Keilar But the order, issued on Tuesday, led to confusion including Medicaid portals being temporarily shut down, and aid groups warned lives were in danger as critical funding for vaccines and other health issues was frozen. Leavitt announced a shake-up for White House reporters in her highly-anticipated first briefing on Tuesday. The 27-year-old who made history as the country's youngest press secretary scolded traditional media for 'losing trust' and said millions of Americans are instead looking to other outlets for their news. 'We know for a fact that there have been lies that have been pushed by many legacy media outlets in the country about this president, about his family and we will not accept that,' she stated. 'We will call you out when we feel your reporting is wrong or there is misinformation about this White House.' She announced that two seats usually reserved for White House staff would become 'new media' seats - and those individuals would get to ask the first questions. Traditionally the wire service, the Associated Press, gets the first question - while the White House Correspondents' Association dictates which outlets get which seats in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. President Donald Trump rescinded his order freezing federal funds 'Starting today this seat in the front of the room, which is usually occupied by the press secretary's staff, will be called the "new media" seat,' she said. 'My team will review the applications and give credentials to new media applicants who meet our criteria and pass United States Secret Service requirements to enter the White House complex.' Leavitt also announced that the Trump 2.0 administration would restore the press passes of 440 whose passes were 'wrongly revoked' by the Biden administration. 'We welcome independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers and content creators to apply for credentials to cover this White House,' she said. Throughout the briefing Leavitt called on reporters from a variety of outlets - including the AP, which got the third question, CNN's Kaitlan Collins, NBC's Peter Alexander, as well as the Daily Caller's White House correspondent Reagan Reese - who was seated in the back row of the briefing room. Early in the briefing she called on Brian Glenn, a reporter for the conservative outlet Real Americas Voice, who's the boyfriend of key Trump Congressional ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. At the top she made some news - explaining that the mysterious drones spotted flying over New Jersey were authorized to conduct 'research' and didn't represent a foreign threat. She also showed off photographs of illegal immigrants who had been deported and what previous crimes the White House said they committed. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared photographs of deported illegal immigrants that listed the previous crimes that they committed Reporters raise their hands throughout the White House briefing room during press secretary Karoline Leavitt's first briefing of the second Trump administration Asked later about the Trump administration's deportation strategy, she said that every immigrant in the country illegally was a criminal. 'All of them,' she said. 'Because they illegally broke our nation's laws and therefore they are criminals, as far as this administration goes. I know the last administration didn't see it that way so it's a big culture shift in our nation to view someone who breaks our immigration laws as a criminal but that's exactly what they are.' 'If they broke our nation's laws, yes, they are criminals,' she reiterated when pressed. When it was the AP's turn to address the new press secretary, the reporter asked the same question of Leavitt that was given to previous press secretaries: would she pledge not to lie to the American people. 'I commit to telling the truth from this podium every single day. I commit to speaking on behalf of the president of the United States. That is my job,' she answered. 'And I will say it's very easy to speak truth from this podium when you have a president who has implemented policies that are wildly popular with the American people - and that is exactly what this administration is doing.' The Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines is not a place you want to find your name, says retired judge Stephen Gold. If you end up on it, the ramifications for you or any business you own could be considerable - and for some time. You may even be refused a mortgage or credit card. A job offer may be out of the question because you are deemed to be financially imprudent. Your savvy fiancee may decide you aren't such a good bet after all. Supplies of goods for your business may only be available if you pay for them in cash, up front. Stephen Gold explains how the register of debtors works, the plans to expand it to name claimants too and how to avoid being put on it in the first place... What's worse than having bailiffs banging your front door in full view of binocular-wielding neighbours? It's having details of a debt you once owed, or still owe, recorded in a register open to all the public to view for the foreseeable future. The Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines is run by Registry Trust, a not-for-profit company, on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. Here I will explain the ways of avoiding inclusion on the register, and how if to your horror you find yourself on there, you may get the entry against you cancelled. The Government announced plans last month to expand the register by also identifying the claimants who pursued debts they were owed. I will look at the potential consequences for claimants who have successfully brought proceedings of their names becoming open to the public. Stephen Gold: If you are on the Register of Judgments, Orders and fines, you may be refused a mortgage or credit card What judgments and orders go on the register? Judgments of the County Court for the payment of money are the primary candidates for registration. Money is the key - so not, for example, a judgment that says you must reestablish a boundary fence or cease playing your Hammond organ by 11pm on weekdays. Similarly, judgments of the High Court, which will usually be for substantial amounts, have been added on to the candidates for registration since the register was started. Also added are most orders for the payment of money which were made by a tribunal, and that would include an award by an employment tribunal. The Great Escape: Excluded debts The main judgments that will not be registered are those made by the High Court or County Court in cases that were contested, usually by you putting in a defence. It matters not that the defence was spurious, farcical or the biggest load of nonsense ever to be committed to a piece of paper, or all three (though it is worth noting that this kind of defence is likely to add to what you are ultimately required to pay through wasted costs and possibly extra interest). It matters not that you failed to turn up at court when the case was heard. If a defence has gone in, then that is good enough. But hold on. The exemption from registration will come to an end in a contested case in the following circumstances. - You fail to settle and an order is made by the court for the judgment to be paid by instalments as a result of an application by the claimant; - You apply for an instalment order; - The claimant takes certain steps to enforce the judgment, such as requesting that the court orders your wages to be docked each month towards what is owed. The following are also exempt from registration: - Judgments in family cases, for example that maintenance or a lump sum has to be paid to a current or former spouse or partner; - Judgments for you to pay arrears of mortgage instalments or rent you may or may not have been ordered to give possession of the property to the claimant at the same hearing unless and until your mortgage lender or landlord takes a step to enforce that judgment by, for example, sending in the bailiffs. The life of the registration If the judgment has been rightly registered, it stays put for six years from the date of the judgment, but not six years from the date it was registered, which could be some time later. That probably means, then, problems with getting a new mortgage or credit generally for that period of time, at least. However, you may be able to get the registration cancelled after you have settled a debt owed under a judgment. The easiest way of earning cancellation is to settle the judgment within one month. Having done so, many defendants neglect to notify settlement to the court. If that is not done by either side, the court will be ignorant of settlement. Once it does know, it will cancel the registration without requiring payment of any fee (which makes a change). Should it be you, the defendant, asking for cancellation, you will need to send the court proof from the claimant that you did settle and within one month. If that is not forthcoming, you may apply to the court for cancellation (using form N443) and include evidence that you settled in full and when and stump up a 15 fee for the privilege (which does not make a change). You may have settled the judgment but late. It could be one day late or two years late. It could be by instalments or after enforcement action was taken against you. In this situation, you will not qualify for cancellation. However, you will qualify for the runners-up prize which is a certificate of satisfaction. The entry will still remain stained on the register for the six years, but it will be shown that you have settled. Better than nothing. Register of Judgments: If to your horror you find yourself on there, Stephen Gold explains how to get the entry against you cancelled 'I never knew. Honest' In 2023 the number of judgments in England and Wales which were registered was 1,019,295 and the expectation is that last year's figure will be higher. The majority of them were registered after court proceedings had been started and the defendant failed to do anything about defending them. Normally, action to defend has to be taken within 14 days of date on which the court claim form is treated as coming to their attention. Not an eternity. These are known as default judgments. However, perhaps you with your family were sunning yourselves in The Maldives for a month and found letters from the court with the claim form and a copy of the judgment on the doormat as you dropped down your cases. Perhaps this paperwork was sent to a former address and you never received it. In most cases, the paperwork will be posted by the court to what the claimant last knew to be your home or, in the case of a business, your principal or last known place of business. The address will have been notified to the court by the claimant. The court does not make its own address enquiries. If the claimant has reason to believe that you are no longer at the address last known to them then court rules demand that they take reasonable steps to ascertain your current address. Often, they fail to do so. There is another problem. The court will use first-class post to send you the claim form. But dare I say it? - the service rendered by Royal Mail is not invariably first-class. In fact, it is estimated that each year millions of letters are lost in the post although a considerable proportion of addressees fail to complain (and perhaps a lot of them are ignorant of the fact that they have anything to complain about). In just three months last year, Ofcom has revealed that over 92,000 complaints of loss or mis-delivery were made. There's also the possibility that the court claim form will be delivered late. Last December, Ofcom fined Royal Mail 10.5million for failing to meet its first and second class delivery targets in 2023/4: the second sanction in just over a year. It is not unusual for a default judgment to be made against a defendant even though they never received the posted paperwork or received it too late to put in a defence within the stipulated time. What counts against them is the court rule that, provided the claim form was correctly addressed, the defendant is to be treated as not only having received it because it was posted but having received it on the second business day after the day it was posted. I think this rule is ripe for a overhaul. Challenging a default judgment You can apply to the court for a default judgment to be set aside - that is a fancy name for a cancellation - with everything being restarted so that you can put in a defence. Around 9 per cent of judgments are set aside. Sometimes, the court has a discretion about what it does and may set aside: other times it must do so. It may set aside where you didn't actually get the claim form or got it too late to put in a defence even though the law pretends you did get it and on time. The judge will want to be satisfied that you have a real prospect of successfully defending a good move would be to come up with a draft of the written defence you would rely in if the judgment were set aside or that there is some other good reason why there should be a set aside. But you must apply promptly. There is no specified period defined for what is 'prompt'. But if, say, you have waited for more than a fortnight to apply after discovering that the judgment was made - perhaps you wanted to obtain legal advice or absorb this article which is rather long and, you may think, heavy going you should explain in the application why you did not make it earlier. The court must set aside where the judgment should never have been made for the reason that procedural rules have been breached. For example: - At the point of the judgment, the time had not yet expired for you to put in a defence; - The claim form was posted to an address that did not comply with the rules; - The paperwork lacked essential details of what the claim was about, called 'particulars of claim'. In this sort of situation, the requirement to apply promptly for the set aside does not figure. This is not always appreciated. If the court does order that the judgment is set aside, it should go on to get the registration cancelled by Registry Trust. Ensure that it does so as this step sometimes slips under the radar. The credit reference agencies such as Experian and Equifax are likely to have picked up the judgment details from Registry Trust and included them in their own data on you. That makes it important for you and it is down to you and not the court - to ensure that their data are put right once the registration is cancelled. You can search the register for details of what it is showing on you, at a cost of between 6 and 10. Go to trustonline.org.uk. Setting aside but liable for debt Take this scenario. You owe money. Your creditor has obtained a valid judgment for what you owe. You have now got hold of enough money to settle the judgment, but you are too late to get the registration cancelled within the one month time scale. You could apply for a set aside on the ground that there is a good reason for the judgment to go. Some judges not all - might be persuaded of this and adjourn the application for a short period to enable you to settle as promised and later, with evidence you have settled, order a set aside. This will then lead to a cancellation on the register. There is another prospective route to cancellation. This involves you reaching an agreement with your creditor to pay off the debt in one go or by instalments and for the creditor to agree to the registration being cancelled. You can make some payment immediately to demonstrate your good faith. This route will be of particular appeal to the creditor where they are struggling or expect to struggle to get their money through one of the usual enforcement methods, such as using the court bailiff. Perhaps you are prepared to borrow money from a family member or friend to pay the creditor which you would not be prepared to do if the registration stood. It is possible that in consideration of you borrowing, your creditor will agree to the amount of the judgment being reduced. This agreement would need to be incorporated into a formal form of draft order and submitted to the court. Many judges will be prepared to go along with the sort of arrangement because it makes commercial sense to do so but not all so there is no guarantee it will get through. If the judge is unhappy then no part of the order will be made. That means, for example, you won't find yourself having to borrow but not getting the judgment registration cancelled. No judgment but an agreement If a claim is made against you for money you admit you owe, there is an alternative to your creditor obtaining a judgment which will lead to its registration. It is an agreement with your creditor which sets out how you will settle and is converted into a court order but will not lead to a registration so long as you keep to it. It is called a 'Tomlin Order' and I looked at its use in my previous article on debt. It is worthwhile investigating with your creditor whether they would be prepared to go along with one of these. Retired judge and writer Stephen Gold Ex-judge Stephen Gold's The Return of Breaking Law, published by Bath Publishing, is an irreverent guide of over 750 pages to legal rights and winning in court or losing well. It is full of tips and template documents and letters. Among the numerous other areas featured are consumer rights, financial remedies on divorce, succeeding on small claims, making a will, battling with sellers, creditors, domestic abusers, lenders and landlords - and how Stephen coped as lawyer to the Kray Twins. Register to include claimants too The judgment details that are currently registered include your name and address, the amount of the debt, date of the judgment and the relevant court. But not the identity of the claimant. That is the change the Government has said will be made. In future, the claimant's name will be added in but, curiously, not their address. Is this a big deal? Not humongous: the size of an average elephant. The name of the claimant can already be ascertained from the court if you have the time and energy to wait for a court clerk to answer your written request or answer the phone. Having the claimant's identity registered will help you where you have discovered you're on the register some time after the judgment was made - maybe you never received any paperwork from the court - and genuinely do not have a clue what the debt is all about. This could especially be so where the benefit of a historical debt has been sold on for peanuts to 'Very Dodgy Debt Collectors Limited'. Their name will come up in future and this will enable you to quickly get in touch with them. Debt advisers will give thanks for the change too as it will ease their task in helping with judgment set aside applications and putting forward any settlement proposals to the claimant. It will also help creditors who may be thinking of starting court proceedings against you, to confer with the registered creditor and invite from them any information they have about your financial circumstances and their chances of recovering their money. In fact, it makes sense for any would-be claimant, who is thinking about suing somebody for recovery of a debt, to make a search at the registry or with a credit reference agency so they can decide whether or not it is financially viable to go ahead and invest money in taking proceedings. The change will also assist creditors who have obtained judgments which have gone unpaid to liaise with other creditors and find out what they have done about enforcement - although unpaid creditors are in competition with each other to try and get their money first. The downside to the changes is the non-disclosure of the claimant's address. Big businesses with multiple offices who are contacted by interested persons may curse being troubled by interested persons. 'Mabel, there's someone on the blower. Says we got a judgment for a fiver in Toytown county court five years ago against a Mister Smith and wants to know if he paid and might he have any good gear the bailiff could seize.' 'I'm working from home. Tell him to ring back next year.' Credit repairers no thanks... Don't waste money on paying a non-lawyer firm to repair your credit by obtaining the setting aside of a registered judgment. They don't have a direct line to the judge. Applications prepared by these firms can almost be spotted in the dark, even by me without my specs on. Some I have seen as a judge followed these sorts of lines. 'The defendant never received the claim form and, if it was delivered, he was away at the time and the dog must have eaten it as there was vomit in the hallway when he returned and, in any event, they would have been too distressed to read anything which might have come from the court as their spouse had just deserted them and, incidentally, the postman is always delivering the defendant's post to the man up the street.' Application dismissed. Car makers are taking bold stances on the fuel types they're plotting to sell between now and the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel models. France's Renault has said that it will ditch plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, instead focusing on conventional - self-charging - hybrids only, while South Korean brand Genesis has announced it is pulling internal combustion cars from its showrooms completely. Talking to Autocar, Renault chief executive Fabrice Cambolive said that the brand has 'decided to bet on full hybrid' cars - a noticeable move away from many other manufacturers such as Volvo and Volkswagen who've recently invested in PHEVs. At the same time, Korean upstart Genesis has confirmed it will become a fully electrified brand in the UK by the end of 2025, phasing out any petrol and diesel-powered cars that remain in stock. These are just two of the latest instances of manufacturers pivoting away from certain fuel types with just five years until governments begin outlawing the sale of new combustion engine cars. Despite the 2030 ban in the UK looming, the role of hybrid cars in the UK's transition remains to be seen. Renault has said it is going to 'bet on full hybrid' and is unlikely to be bringing out plug-in hybrids ahead of the 2030 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel models The Government is currently consulting on what types of new hybrids will be given a five-year stay of execution beyond the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, with experts predicting it will likely only be PHEV models that will stay in showrooms up to 2035 due to their longer ranges in electric-only mode. Ministers have been warned that Britain needs to also restrict the availability of all new hybrid cars from 2030 or it will make a 'catastrophic misstep' towards achieving net zero. Renault's Cambolive said the decision to steer away from PHEVs and to 'bet on full hybrid' was a no brainer, saying: 'For me that is the easiest way to have low-consumption cars and to prepare our customers to go to EVs.' Currently, Renault offers just one plug-in hybrid model the Rafale E-Tech 4x4 SUV which has a unique powertrain setup that uses three electric motors and a 1.2-litre petrol engine to produce 66 miles of EV-only range from a 22kWh battery. Renault claims the powerful, fuel-efficient and self-charging E-Tech fully hybrid powertrain gives a combined range of 683 miles. Cambolive gave Autocar no sense that the company will adapt its PHEV setup to other Renault models, leaving just the Rafale as the lone plug-in option. Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive told Autocar: 'For me that [full hybrid] is the easiest way to have low-consumption cars and to prepare our customers to go to EVs' Renault offers just one car as a plug-in hybrid; the Rafale E-Tech 4x4 SUV The CEO also said that one of his 'biggest problems' for traditional plug-in hybrids is that 'they consume more energy when the battery is empty' - something that doesn't happen with the Rafale. The Megane and Captur were offered as plug-in hybrids until 2021, but Cambolive said that small cars as PHEVs are 'not so interesting' and he's not sure 'it's worth it' to make them because buyers in this market will shift straight to EVs. He commented: 'When you go to the lower segments, if you can't afford to charge the car, you have a full-hybrid solution, and it's far enough. Otherwise, you shift to EV. 'The plug-in hybrid was the cherry on the cake, but with advantages that are liked to the size of the car.' It remains to be seen how Renault's 'decision to focus on hybrid and pure-BEV cars' in the 'short term' will fit in with the UK's 2035 plans to ban hybrid cars. South Korean brand Genesis has confirmed it will go fully electric within 2025, and will only sell remaining petrol and diesel models from stock it currently has Genesis to go all-electric by close of 2025 One manufacturer doubling down on its commitment to EVs-only is Hyundai-owned Genesis. The South Korean luxury brand has just announced that it will kill off its combustion cars as it moves to a battery electric (BEV)-only lineup by the end of 2025. In 2025 Genesis will offer three all-electric models to UK customers: the Electrified G80 saloon, the electrified GV70 SUV and the GV60 SUV. Petrol and diesel- powered G70s, G70 Shooting Brake and GV70 and GV80 models will continue to be sold from stock only. Once these are sold Genesis will only sell electrified-only cars. Could hybrid cars help manufacturers hit ZEV targets? All car manufacturers in the UK are subject to the Government's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets. In 2024 - the first year ZEV was made law - car makers had to sell 22 per cent EVs, but this is rising each year until it reaches 100 per cent in 2035. By the end of 2025 automakers will need to achieve 28 per cent. The fine for missing the quota is a punishing 15,000 per model below the required threshold. The ZEV mandate forces car makers to sell an increasing volume of EVs between now and 2035 - but hybrids might be allowed to count towards the targets However, CO2 flexibilities in the targets mean that reducing the average emissions of combustion engine models sold counts towards yearly targets. So, the Government's current consultation into which hybrid models (except for mild hybrids which will be banned from 2030) can continue to be sold after 2030 could help car makers hit the ever rising targets. Fully hybrid models and plug-in hybrid models both cut overall CO2 emissions because they allow the car to be driven for long periods without using polluting petrol or diesel engines. If these are allowed to be sold past the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars then manufacturers will be able to hit the CO2 part of the ZEV targets easier, without having to sell so many fully electric cars - achieving some breathing room. Rachel Reeves has announced a 65million investment into electric car charging infrastructure as part of raft of new measures to kickstart the economy. On-street charging was prioritised in the Chancellor's speech on Wednesday morning delivered from the Siemens Healthineers factory in Oxfordshire, in which she pledged new policies to boost UK economic growth. The money earmarked for the network of EV devices aims to make charging more accessible and accelerate the switch to zero emission vehicles in what has been dubbed a 'welcome boost' by industry insiders. Connected Kerb, an EV charging company that delivers on-street charging and works with manufacturers including Vauxhall, will receive the 65million investment to expand its network across the UK. The funding will come via the new National Wealth Fund (NWF) and Aviva Investors. Currently, a lack of on-street EV charging is seen as one of the biggest barriers to EV uptake. With a third of households in England not having access to off-street parking - and therefore rely on public chargers - and an uneven spread of devices across the country, the Chancellor will hope the investment will trigger increased EV demand as Labour stands by its promise to outlaw sales on new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. Chancellor Rachel Reeves' announced 65m investment in public chargepoint installer Connected Kerb as part of today's speech kickstarting economic growth The NWF is reportedly taking a 10 per cent equity stake in Berkshirebased Connected Kerb worth 55million, while Aviva Investors the global asset management branch of Aviva Group will put up the further 10million. Adam Wood, Renault UK managing director, said: 'Investment in off-street charging infrastructure is especially welcome, both for addressing a critical requirement to give people without a driveway an easy, affordable way to charge an electric car, and for signalling a firm government commitment to making the transition to electric vehicles happen to the timescales it has set with its mandate.' Wednesday's announcement marks one of the first investments made by the NWF and unveils the latest move in Labour's commitment to a future of zero-emission cars. The Chancellor also used the announced on Wednesday to confirm a 28million equity investment in Cornish Metals, a firm that mines minerals for EV batteries and solar panels. As part of its election manifesto, Labour pledged to 'set binding targets for EV chargepoint rollout' as well as 'release and redirect the existing 950million Rapid Charging Fund' to 'remove planning barriers to chargepoint rollout'. The Chancellor then doubled down on this commitment in the Autumn Budget when announcing a further 200million investment in public charging between 2025 and 2026. It was established that local authorities will be given funding to support on-street charging across England. Connected Kerb, is an EV charging company that delivers fast, on-street charging to those without home chargers and works with manufacturers including Vauxhall The investment in Connected Kerb will help the firm achieve its ambitious targets of quadrupling its charging sockets to 40,000 and help Britain achieve its target of 300,000 public chargers installed by 2030. James Taylor, Vauxhall UK's managing director, called the extra funding for kerbside chargepoints a 'welcome boost' at a 'pivotal time'. He added: 'We need to ensure that these new on-street chargers, which are key to enabling those without a driveway to charge their EV, get installed in the right towns and streets where they will get used.' Which areas of the UK are falling behind in the public charging rollout? While the Government recently announced that the UK is on track to deliver the required number of chargepoints by the end of the decade, some areas are lagging behind. This is Money recently reported how there's a geographical North-South divide for EV public charger availability. The latest published figures by chargepoint mapping service ZapMap shows that the North of England is far behind the South for device accessability. The North East is massively lagging behind the South East in the public charging rollout Last year we also reported that the latest government data showed that there were regional disparities in the changepoint rollout, with the South East averages 82 devices per 100,000, with the South West just behind with 80, as of the end of July. In comparison, Yorkshire and the Humber has only 56 chargers per 100,000. And the North West doesn't fair much better with 60 chargers per 100,000. However the North East fairs better overall with 72 per 100,000, yet is the only area of the UK to not see an increase in devices in the last quarter. But Connected Kerb, has since announced plans to more than double the number of chargepoints in the North East via its partnership with South Tyneside Council. The rollout of 2,100 new EV chargepoints deployed marked the largest ever deployment of charging infrastructure in the North East and will see the region - which is home to just 2.7 per cent of the UK's charging infrastructure receive a 126 per cent boost in its existing network, playing a fundamental role in levelling-up access to charging infrastructure. Your browser does not support iframes. Will EV prices be subsidised to boost sales? It's been rumoured that ministers are drawing up plans to subsidise electric car purchases as part of efforts to encourage uptake. The Financial Times claims that the government is considering guaranteeing consumer loans in order to incentivise private EV uptake amid a sales struggle. The government has reportedly started discussions with the car finance sector to try to increase the availability of low-interest or interest-free loans to help boost EV sales. Ford UK managing director Lisa Brankin has said that the auto industry 'really needs government-backed incentives to urgently boost the uptake of electric vehicles' Underwriting private sector loans to reduce the monthly repayments to help bring EV purchase costs to levels closer to petrol or diesel vehicles, is an option on the table according to in the know government and industry figures. The EV industry has long been calling for the government to bring back EV incentives as private sales continue to fall well below the required amount to hit EV targets. UK markets are the worst supported in Europe for any government incentives to help people transition from a petrol or diesel engine to an EV powertrain, and we really do need now for the Government to step up. Calling for the government to 'step up' and 'assist' the industry, Polestar UK managing director Matt Galvin told PA that the UK is the 'worst in Europe for any government incentives to help people transition from a petrol or diesel engine to an EV powertrain'. Ford UK managing director Lisa Brankin similarly told the BBC: 'The one thing that we really need is government-backed incentives to urgently boost the uptake of electric vehicles.' HSBC is planning to axe parts of its investment banking business in the UK. In a huge shake-up, the banking giant is preparing to wind up its mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and equity capital markets (ECM) units in the UK, Europe and the US in a bid to simplify the business. Boss Georges Elhedery in charge since September is pressing ahead with a major overhaul of the Asia-focused bank including a geographic split between East and West. A HSBC spokesman yesterday said the bank will retain more focused M&A and ECM markets in Asia and the Middle East. The spokesman did not disclose how many jobs would be affected or when the changes would take place. Shore Capital analyst Gary Greenwood said: At the end of the day, these are expensive businesses to run and if you are not winning the business and generating the fees then its easy to lose money. Cuts: HSBC boss Georges Elhedery (pictured) is pressing ahead with an overhaul of the Asia-focused bank including a geographic split between East and West Last year, Elhedery unveiled proposals to divide the lender into four units amid growing tensions between China and the West. Santander's chairman in the UK is quitting amid mounting speculation over the banks future in Britain. William Vereker will step down this year. The announcement came after Ana Botin, chairman of the entire Santander group, last week denied reports the bank was looking to quit the UK. But Verekers exit will fuel speculation over the future of the Spanish bank in Britain. LVMH hailed a recovery in sales over Christmas as it sold its stake in fashion label Stella McCartney back to the British designer. The French group, whose brands include Givenchy, Celine and Louis Vuitton, posted a 1 per cent rise in sales to 20billion in the final three months of last year. The group had suffered its first quarterly sales drop since Covid in the three months to the end of September. LVMH supremo Bernard Arnault said he sees a wave of optimism in the US, where the luxury industry has pinned its hopes on a revival following Donald Trumps return to the White House. Arnault, 75, one of the worlds richest men, attended Trumps inauguration in Washington with members of his family earlier this month. But there were still signs that a slowdown in China the worlds second largest economy and a crucial market for luxury goods has hit demand for expensive handbags and clothes. Royal following: Stella McCartney (pictured with King Charles) has bought back the stake LVMH bought in her fashion label Sales at LVMHs fashion and leather goods division the biggest part of the business and home to brands Louis Vuitton and Dior labels slipped 1 per cent. And its wine and spirits division, which includes Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot, saw an 8 per cent fall as drinkers made the switch from champagne to cheaper alternatives. But areas including watches and jewellery as well as perfume and cosmetics fared better. Arnault said: This capacity to weather the storm in highly turbulent times is yet another testament to the strength and relevance of our strategy. The update came as Stella McCartney, 53, bought back the 49 per cent stake LVMH held in her fashion label. The move reflects her desire to write a new page in her story independently after five years of investment, a joint statement from LVMH and McCartney said yesterday. The Governments revised tone about the UKs economic prospects - deployed in Davos and across the airwaves has been music to the ears of my peers in the City. Davos, with hundreds of the worlds leading financiers, investors and CEOs in attendance, set the perfect stage for the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to lead this welcome change in approach. The potential of a third Heathrow runway, plans to ease rules on non-doms and the surprise shake-up to the Competitions and Markets Authority leadership, are clear signals of the Governments renewed intent to get growth going as a priority. Delivery is key. And warm words must now be matched by bold action and swift implementation. My many years in the financial markets have led to a healthy regard for risk; one it seems the Government now shares and not before time. Government, regulators and businesses must now embrace risk and bet on Britain to unlock our full potential, from life sciences and AI to financial services and cybersecurity. Make no mistake this is not a call for complacency from those charged with protecting consumers. But our economy has been stagnant for too long, and we never quite re-balanced the risk register following the financial crash. The Lord Mayor Of London, Alastair King We welcome proposals from the Bank of England to set up a concierge service to help foreign firms invest in the UK. And the City of London Corporation is supporting efforts to ensure the UKs new Office for Investment matches its peers in Ireland and Singapore, which have successfully attracted significant global investors. There are also things we can do at home to make our financial markets more attractive. Reform of ISAs is one attractive area - why should those investing in purely in cash and non-UK equities have the same tax breaks as those who take the risk to invest into UK-quoted equities? The incentives appear misaligned. Removing stamp duty on shares is another area ripe for revisiting. As cheerleader-in-chief for UK financial and professional services, Ill be urging businesses to bet on Britain again and again. I will be looking at the Mansion House Compact signed by our largest DC pension funds in 2023 and urging them forward in fulfilling the 2030 target to invest 5 per cent of funds into unlisted UK equities. These investments are consequential to Britons across the country. They help fund AI start-ups in London; fintechs in Edinburgh; life science firms in Cambridge all innovative businesses that make Britain great. So, let us help them start, scale and stay here, creating the high-skilled and high-wage jobs that benefit our economy. Re-adjusting our risk appetite can help encourage as evidenced in the latest Bayes Business School research the financial services sector to remove barriers to growth. Risk should be viewed as an opportunity, not solely a threat. The sooner the UK embraces that, the better for our economy. Morrisons saw its sales rise last year as the supermarket group claimed market share gains from competitors and grew its loyalty card user base. The group said last week it would axe more than 200 jobs as part of a cost-cutting plan, joining Sainsburys in reducing headcount in the months after the October Budget. The move followed Morrison's chief executive warning that supermarkets faced an 'avalanche of costs' after Rachel Reeves hiked taxes for employers. Morrisons was one of over 70 businesses, including Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys, that told Rachel Reeves in a recent open letter that changes announced in the Budget meant price rises were a 'certainty'. Last week, Sainsbury's confirmed plans to cut over 3,000 roles as it prepares to close all its remaining in-store cafes and hot food counters. On Wednesday, Morrisons said like-for-like sales rose 4.1 per cent in the year ending 27 October, while earnings jumped to 835million from 751million in the previous 12 months. Job cuts: Last week, Morrisons said it would axe more than 200 jobs as part of a cost-cutting plan The annual results did not cover the key Christmas trading period, when Morrisons suffered IT issues, forcing it to cut the price of items including turkeys and Champagne for some customers. But the supermarket did show its best quarter since 2021 for the three months to 27 October, when sales grew 4.9 per cent compared to the previous year. Morrisons, which has its headquarters in Bradford, West Yorkshire, and employs over 100,000 people, has been owned by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice since 2021. The group said More Card linked sales grew to 68 per cent at the year end. Chief executive Rami Baitieh said: 'This has been a year of urgent reinvigoration and positive progress for Morrisons. 'Customer transactions increased, market share grew from Q2 and we saw positive switching from our competitors. 'The improvements across the business have resulted in better availability in our stores, sharper prices, more effective promotions and a strong and growing loyalty scheme.' Former Carrefour France boss Baitieh joined Morrisons as chief executive in November 2023, and last January said the supermarket's performance was not good enough. His turnaround strategy has focused on improving the retailer's price competitiveness, product availability and its 'More Card' loyalty programme. A scheme to price match Aldi and Lidl on key items was introduced in February. The car parts arm of GKN looks set to be sold to a US rival in a 1.2billion deal six years after Melroses hostile takeover of the British engineer. Dowlais, spun out of GKN in 2023, will be snapped up by American Axle in a blow to Londons stock market. Corporate raider Melrose bought GKN for 8billion in 2018 in a move that faced fierce opposition over fears the 266-year-old company would be split up and sold off. Melrose restructured it, axing hundreds of jobs as it closed a plant in Birmingham. It then spun off GKNs automotive division under the name Dowlais while retaining the aerospace business. FTSE 250-listed Dowlais will leave Londons stock market after just two years in a major setback for the exchange, if shareholders approve. Takeover: Car parts maker Dowlais, spun out of GKN in 2023, will be snapped up by American Axle in a blow to Londons stock market The merged firm will be listed in New York and based in Detroit, Michigan. Following the deal, Dowlais London office in Victoria will close. Chief executive Liam Butterworth, who will pocket 928,500 150 per cent of his 619,000 base salary to oversee the merger, said the move will allow it to adapt and be flexible to how the industry is evolving, including the global challenges facing the transition to electric vehicles. The company will have 50,000 employees, with 1,250 jobs at risk after the merger. Duplicate corporate, head office, administrative and senior management positions, which could amount to around 40 UK jobs, are in the firing line. Manufacturing, and research and development jobs in the US and Europe are also at risk. The businesses expect to reap 242million in savings. The takeover values Dowlais shares at 85.2p each. American Axle shareholders will own 51 per cent, while Dowlais shareholders will own around 49 per cent. Butterworth, who will leave after the deal completes, has a 0.17 per cent stake in Dowlais that will be worth nearly 2million, according to Refinitiv. But Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: This is far from a done deal and there is a real chance that Dowlais shareholders push back for a better offer. Dying Ronnie Biggs in final plea to Straw to be released Jack Straw is today considering an urgent plea by Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs to be released on 'compassionate grounds'. Biggs, who turns 80 next week, is in hospital suffering from severe pneumonia. His legal representatives made the plea for release after he was taken from his cell to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital earlier this week. Scroll down for video Ronnie Biggs, 79, pictured left in a Norwich hospital bed, is suffering from severe pneumonia and could be released from prison on 'compassionate grounds' At the time, his son Michael said doctors had told him there was 'not much hope' for his father. The Prison Service confirmed the request had been received and would be dealt with as soon as possible. A spokesman said: 'We can confirm that an application for the early release on compassionate grounds of a prisoner at HMP Norwich has been received by the Public Protection Casework Section in the National Offender Management Service. 'We do not discuss the cases of individual prisoners. 'All applications are processed as soon as we reasonably can and each is carefully considered on its merits against the published criteria.' Four weeks ago Justice Secretary Jack Straw refused Biggs's request for parole, saying he was 'wholly unrepentant' about his crimes. Biggs, from Lambeth, south London, was a member of a 15-strong gang which attacked the Glasgow to London mail train at Ledburn, Buckinghamshire, in August 1963, and made off with 2.6 million in used banknotes. He was given a 30-year sentence but after 15 months he escaped from Wandsworth prison in south west London by climbing a 30ft wall and fleeing in a furniture van. Biggs was on the run for more than 30 years, living in Australia and Brazil before returning to the UK voluntarily in 2001 in search of medical treatment. He was locked up in Belmarsh high security prison on his return before being moved to a specialist medical unit at Norwich prison. Earlier requests for release on compassionate grounds were refused in 2006, 2007 and last month. Slain Melbourne gangster Sam 'The Punisher' Abdulrahim shrugged off repeated attempts to execute him - but admitted if his killers ever got lucky it would just mean his 'time was up'. Abdulrahim's time was up just about 1030am on Tuesday when he was ambushed and executed in the underground carpark at Melbourne's Quest Apartments in Preston. Underworld sources have revealed Abdulrahim, 32, was killed by a professional hit squad of up to four gunmen after a $2 million bounty was placed on his head. It's understood Abdulrahim, a champion boxer and former Mongol bikie, flew into Melbourne from Thailand on Monday and had only stayed at Quest one night before his murder. He had previously dismissed fears for his life when he broke his silence about earlier assassination attempts on footy legend Sam Newman's podcast, You Cannot Be Serious. He admitted it may only be a matter of time before he was killed, but he insisted he was not worried or living in fear. 'No, not really,' Abdulrahim said. 'You know, when my time is up, my time's up.' But Abdulrahim was a marked man and had already survived an execution attempt when gunmen shot him eight times as he left his cousin's funeral in Fawkner in June 2022. The attack occurred just months before he went onto Newman's podcast. Sam Abdulrahim (pictured) was successfully gunned down outside his hideaway at Preston's Quest Hotel in Melbourne's north on Tuesday morning Police managed up to 40 loved ones at the crime scene, with some allowed to enter the car park to see Abdulrahim's body Abdulrahim was shot multiple times before the perps fled in a suspected stolen white Porsche SUV found burnt out nearby in Reservoir 'When the car pulled up next to me I thought it was one of my mates,' he told Newman in 2022. 'Then I looked up and I just seen something pointed at me and I thought surely this is a joke.' 'Then I just remember getting pumped with bullets.' Abdulrahim was later told he died twice on the way to hospital. The earlier attempt on his life had come just weeks after the former pro boxer had left the Mongols bikie gang. He then went into hiding in May 2024 after narrowly escaping another ambush when gunmen shot at him 17 times outside his Thomastown home in the city's northern suburbs. The attack was said to have been sparked after his role in setting up the 2016 murder of northern suburbs drug trafficker Kadir Ors by George Marrogi outside Campbellfield Plaza. Abdulrahim was also said to be seen as a serious threat of muscling into the lucrative illicit tobacco trade controlled by Middle Eastern crime gangs. The murder has also sparked fears of retaliation attacks after Abdulrahim's sister Ektimal (pictured right) took to social media just hours after his death with a message for his killer Sam Abdulrahim (pictured) survived injuries from two shootings in June 2022 and May 2024 A bullet casing was found at the scene of Sam Abdulrahim's murder His many enemies are believed to have included Middle-Eastern organised crime bosses Kazem 'Kaz' Hamad and Ahmed Al Hamza. Exiled crime boss Hamad is ruling his empire from Iraq while he wars with the Haddara clan for tobacco supremacy. The bloody war raging for almost two years has ravaged Melbourne with arsons, shootings and violent extortions. It was revealed on Wednesday, Hamad taunted Abdulrahim in a chilling phone call prior to the boxer's death. 'Hey, I'm still alive brother. Eight shots later and I'm still alive,' Abdulrahim bragged on the phone. Hamad replied: 'You're lucky. Luck, luck, luck'. Other potential Abdulrahim enemies include the Mongols and Comanchero motorcycle gangs while three other kingpins who were likely out for The Punisher's blood - Nabil Maghnie, Gavin Preston and Kadir 'KD' Ors - are now all dead. Chilling footage showed Kazem 'Kaz' Hamad (pictured left, with ex-Mongols boss Toby Mitchell, right) taunting now-slain underworld figure Sam 'The Punisher' Abdulrahim It's understood Abdulrahim's actions along with feared prison boss George Marrogi (pictured) sealed his doom In his last weeks alive, Abdulrahim was said to have become 'something of a ghost' as he moved between Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand but returned to Melbourne when his funds ran dry. One man at the crime scene told Daily Mail Australia he had attempted to warn Abdulrahim not to leave the previous location he had been hiding out at. 'He wasn't scared, he wasn't scared of anything, he always said, "When my time comes, my time comes",' the man said. On Tuesday, Abdulrahim was shot multiple times in the underground car park before his killers fled in a stolen white Porsche SUV, later found burnt out in nearby Reservoir. A second suspected getaway vehicle, a Ford Ranger, was also discovered on fire in Westmeadows. A woman who was with Abdulrahim when he was executed escaped unscathed. Up to 40 friends and family of the feared gangster converged outside the hotel, with police allowing some to enter the car park to see Abdulrahim's body. The murder has also sparked fears of retaliation attacks after Abdulrahim's sister Ektimal took to social media just hours after his death with a message for his killer. 'Whoever shot my brother to death, I'm after u mother f***er,' she wrote. 'I know it's u dog. Never ends here.' On Tuesday, The Punisher's luck finally ran out and his time was up. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dash cam, CCTV, or any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Traumatised villagers have accused police of abandoning them after scores of suspected travellers drove cars through fields, set fire to vehicles and even attacked two fire engines while hare coursing. Up to 70 masked people in abour 25 4x4s brought terror to Fenland communities in Cambridgeshire as they took part in the illegal sport. Locals left cowering in their homes felt powerless as police failed to respond to dozens of 999 calls. A video uploaded to social media by one victim showed cars churning up fields as they went off-road. Chief Constable Nick Dean had to issue a humiliating apology at a public meeting attended by 300 people yesterday, where he drew laughter after sheepishly admitting: 'I perhaps got it wrong in hindsight.' Farmer Matthew Latter, from Sutton Gault, described how he had to barricade his family in their home for more than three hours after dozens of men wearing balaclavas smashed their way through gates and moved concrete blocks to access his land. He told the meeting: 'There were 13 4x4s. I called police three times. I gave the what3words coordinates of exactly where they were but we didn't have any response absolutely zero. 'My seven-year-old daughter was crying and was utterly terrified.' Farmer Matthew Latter, from Sutton Gault, described how he had to barricade his family in their home for more than three hours after dozens of men wearing balaclavas smashed their way through gates and moved concrete blocks to access his land Balaclava-clad hare coursers terrorised villagers after driving their 4x4s through farmland Footage of several men that Hertfordshire Police are looking to speak to He added: 'My question is, how bad does it have to be? They had cut through every single gate, moved every single concrete block. 'We have been left with four vehicles dumped, two have been burnt out, one is stuck. But despite all this, we have yet to have a police officer come out to us.' Leo Butler, of Chatteris, said: 'What I would like to know is where were the police? There were no helicopters, no police cars, not one police officer nothing.' A woman who called 999 after spotting thugs stealing from a service station in Wimblington said she was told to call back on 101 as it wasn't an emergency. More than 200 of fuel, food and drinks were taken. Another local warned failure to respond in future could leave police with 'another Tony Martin on your hands'. Farmer Mr Martin was jailed for murder later reduced to manslaughter after shooting at burglars in his Norfolk farmhouse in 1999. The meeting at Manea British Legion Club was convened by North East Cambridgeshire Tory MP Steve Barclay and Fenland District councillor Charlie Marks. Mr Marks, who spotted a man with the pickaxe handle, said it was pure luck that no one had been killed or seriously injured. He added: 'You can only imagine what that meant if anyone happened to get in their way.' Up to 70 masked people in about 25 4x4s brought terror to Fenland communities in Cambridgeshire as they took part in the illegal sport An abandoned car used by hare coursers covered in mud in Manea, Cambridgeshire The chief constable told attendees he had gone with his 'gut feeling' over the failure to provide adequate resources but admitted there was 'no excuse' for the failure, saying: 'I perhaps got it wrong in hindsight.' A regional level enquiry will be launched to look into what went wrong, he added. The chaos began when a convoy of up to 30 cars tore through villages including Manea, Wimblington, Welney, Chatteris, Fordham, Ely, Prickwillow and Littleport on Saturday. Travelling at up to 60mph on 30mph roads, the men drove onto fields at will, ruining crops and intimidating owners and staff. There were reports of deer being killed as well as hares. Two fire engines were damaged and their crews threatened as they took part in a training exercise in Chatteris. The force is belatedly 'appealing for information, dash cam footage or CCTV following a number of incidents of hare coursing, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to crops as well as putting lives at risk with dangerous driving'. The police response following the hare courser incident Cambridgeshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston tells a meeting he will hold police to account as MP Steve Barclay watches with Chief Constable Nick Dean, pictured left Local policing commander Superintendent Ben Martin said: 'The information we had in advance of this gathering had very limited detail, so a force-wide dispersal order was put in place. 'However, due to the scale of the incident and the multiple locations where offences took place, as well as a significantly demanding weekend elsewhere in the county, we didn't have the resources available to deal with every report we received from members of the public.' A Cambridgeshire Fire Service spokeswoman said: 'While two of our on-call crews were out training near Forty Foot Bank in Ramsey on Saturday, they were involved in a minor incident with a group of people in a number of vehicles. 'This resulted in a small amount of damage to the fire engines and some of the equipment. However, this had no impact on the crew's availability to respond to any emergency.' AMP to roll out 'numberless' debit cards in Australia first An Australian bank is releasing numberless debit cards for customers, with account details only viewable on a secure app and not on the plastic itself. AMP announced the move on Tuesday, with the first of the cards to be given to customers in February. The bank has partnered with Mastercard to produce the numberless cards in an effort to combat scams and hacks targeting susceptible small businesses. The card faces will not include any of the traditional digits or cardholders' identities, with those details only accessible in the AMP banking app. The app includes fraud protection systems, and multiple different biometric authentication measures. AMP announced their new banking app will be accompanied by 'numberless' cards for businesses Users will be prompted to use face and touch ID to use the app, and will have to upload a video selfie when they first sign up. Richard Wormald, the Australasian president of Mastercard, said the measures will allow small businesses 'to spend less time worrying about fraud and scams, and more time focusing on what they do best'. 'Numberless cards represent a significant step forward in payment security, offering cardholders additional protection against fraud and account compromise,' he said. Technology from London-based Starling Bank will support AMP's digital banking system. Overseas, several banks have already issued numberless cards to their clients. Curve, a digital wallet company, began issuing the numberless cards in Europe in 2020, followed by Chase UK and Barclaycard in 2022. FamPay in India also began issuing numberless cards in mid-2020. MasterCard aims to cut all numbered cards by 2030. Georgia Congressman Rich McCormick suggested kids should be working at McDonald's rather than getting free school lunches as lawmakers on Tuesday reacted to President Trump's latest spending freeze attempt. The Republican lawmaker was being interviewed on CNN when he was asked if he would support getting rid of school lunches for his constituents. The question came as the pair were discussing the White House pause on federal grants, loans and other financial assistance pending review and how the move would impact Americans amid widespread confusion. The freeze was set to go into effect on Tuesday evening but was temporarily blocked by a judge minutes before. During the interview earlier in the day, McCormick praised doing a 'top-down' review of government spending. That's when anchor Pamela Brown brought up the free and reduced lunch program for students as well as the Head Start program for early childhood education. Rep. Rich McCormick suggested during an interview with CNN's Pamela Brown that kids should work at McDonald's rather than qualify for free school lunch She asked the GOP lawmaker whether he would support getting rid of such programs and what he would say to his constituents. 'When you talk about school lunches, hey, I worked my way through high school. I don't know about you, but I worked since I was before I was even 13 years old. I was picking berries in the field before we had child labor laws that precluded that. I was a paper boy,' McCormick said. 'And when I was in high school, I worked my entire way through. You're telling me that kids who stay at home, instead of going to work at Burger King and McDonald's during the summer, should stay at home and get their free lunch instead of going to work? I think we need to have a top down review,' he went on. Brown asked the congressman to clarify whether he thinks all the kids eligible for free lunch or breakfast in his district were just sitting at home. McCormick said he does not but argued the pause would give them a chance to see where the money is really being spent. 'Who can actually go and actually produce their own income? Who can actually go out there and do something that makes them have value and work skills for the future?' he said. But McCormick, who was being interviewed from Doral, Florida where House Republicans were holding a retreat did not stop there. He suggested kids who received free lunches were taking advantage. Rep. McCormick made his comments about kids working at McDonald's rather than getting free school lunch while he was being interviewed about the Trump plan to freeze financial assistance pending a review. The pause was set to go into effect Tuesday evening but was temporarily halted by a judge 'How many people got their start in fast food restaurants when they were kids versus just giving a blanket rule that gives all kids lunches in high school who are capable of going out and actually getting a job and doing something that makes them have value, thinking about their future instead of thinking about how they're going to sponge off the government when they don't need to?' he asked. Brown pointed out that many of the kids being discussed are not old enough to work. 'I get that,' he responded. 'It doesn't apply to everybody.' The owner of a popular Greek restaurant has spoken out after his 'shaken' staff had a tip jar stolen from 'under their noses' on the Australia Day long weekend. In CCTV footage from Monday night, the man is seen waiting for a waitress to walk out of sight before he pounced on the hard-earned tips. Peter Papas, the owner of Kazzi Beach Greek in Balmoral on Sydney's lower north shore, said the man came in at about 7.30pm and asked about the price of chips. He then left the restaurant, but came back a few minutes later where he was caught on video brazenly snatching the jar and walking away. 'It was the Australia Day long weekend and our staff worked so hard over three days, no doubt looking forward to sharing their tips at the close of business,' Mr Papas told Mosman Collective. 'This lowlife has waltzed in and scoped out the tip jar, then waited to strike in the split second the cashier's back was turned.' Mr Papas said the Kazzi staff are like 'family' to him, so he replaced the stolen tips. 'Many of the kids who work with us are local and they were upset to think something like this happened right under their noses,' he said. The man waited for a waitress to pass before he brazenly snatched the tips jar (pictured) The man is seen reaching over the counter and grabbing the jar (pictured) If you recognise the man in the footage, you can report him by phoning Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Aussies were quick to react to the brazen theft in the comments. 'What a lowlife... we love your rest(aurant) as the service always so good. What a shame,' one person wrote. 'Stealing the staff tip jar is an act that really exemplifies the lowest of behaviour!' a second said. A third said they had recently experienced a theft at their business. 'Joining the club. We had our tip jar stolen off the front counter at my kiosk down the road only a month ago,' they said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Papas for further comment. The filmmaker ex-husband of P.E Nation's co-founder has been cleared of a domestic violence charge laid more than a year after the couple ended their relationship. Tim Tregoning had been accused of stalking or intimidating Claire Tregoning - who now uses the surname Greaves - with intent to cause harm in November 2023. The 43-year-old bleached blond, who has 'Claire' tattooed on his ribs next to a heart and arrows, was due to face a three-day hearing into that allegation and two other charges this week. Instead, the intimidation charge was dismissed on January 20 when Tregoning, who faced court wearing a knotted neckerchief, pleaded guilty to the two other offences committed in July 2023. Tregoning was still required to appear in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday when defence lawyer Bryan Wrench said the details of a statement of facts had not yet been agreed. Mr Wrench said Tregoning would be making an application for the two remaining offences to be dealt with under mental health provisions of the law and dismissed without conviction. Tregoning's private life started hitting the headlines in 2016 when his wife launched activewear brand P.E Nation with Pip Edwards in a partnership which made both women multi-millionaires. Greaves stepped down from her day-to-day role in March last year when P.E Nation issued a statement saying she would be 'pursuing other creative endeavours'. Tim Tregoning, the filmmaker ex-husband of P.E Nation's co-founder Claire Tregoning, has been cleared of a domestic violence charge laid more than a year after the couple ended their relationship. He is pictured outside Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday Tim Tregoning's private life started hitting the headlines in 2016 when his wife launched activewear brand P.E Nation with Pip Edwards in a partnership which made both women multi-millionaires. Claire Tregoning - now Greaves - (left) is pictured with Edwards The label's co-founders were then hit by rumours of a falling-out, with Edwards wiping all traces of Greaves from P.E Nation's social media. Edwards took over as the sole creative director and gave P.E Nation an overhaul and relaunch, but in August announced she too was taking a 'step back' from the brand. The following month Edwards returned to streetwear label Ksubi, where she first made her name in the 1990s, as creative director. While neither woman has revealed the reason why they went their separate ways, Edwards said in June last year that Greaves was 'the product one' in their business partnership. 'She was an amazing designer and I was more the marketing side of things,' Edwards told the Kyle and Jacki O Show. Edwards went on to say she had fond memories of working with her former partner and praised Greaves for being an 'amazing designer'. Tregoning and Greaves quietly ended their 11-year marriage in mid-2022 and sold their five-bedroom Avalon mansion for $6.4million in February 2023. Greaves described their parting as 'amicable' when she confirmed the split to Sydney Morning Herald gossip columnist Andrew Hornery in January that year. Tregoning, who has 'Claire' tattooed on his ribs next to a heart and arrows, was due to face a three-day hearing into three allegations including one that he intimidated his ex-wife Tregoning and Greaves (above) quietly ended their 11-year marriage in mid-2022 and sold their five-bedroom Avalon mansion for $6.4million in February 2023 'It is very amicable, we still love each other, we are co-parenting and he remains a great friend,' she said. 'Things change and that's just what happened for us, but we are getting through that with a lot of respect and support for each other.' Tregoning had pleaded guilty in November 2022 to possessing a prohibited drug after police caught him with almost a gram of cocaine at Bondi Beach. Greaves wrote him a glowing reference which was tendered in Waverley Local Court where a magistrate heard Tregoning bought the drugs while he was in a post-separation state of 'unravelling'. The court also heard Tregoning had undergone sessions with psychologists and psychiatrists to help with his depression and a diagnosis of ADHD which caused him to act impulsively. Tregoning is a cinematographer who has been involved with a range of high-profile productions including a Netflix series. He was involved in making the film Snow White and the Huntsman starring Chris Hemsworth, as well as television series Puberty Blues and commercials for Qantas, NRMA and Audi. Earlier this month Ms Greaves was spotted cosying up to renowned Sydney cocktail maker and bar tsar Matt Whiley at Avalon Beach. Whiley is the creator of boutique gin company Wolf's Nose and has helped set up seven award-winning bars in London Sydney. He is also mates with Edwards's latest boyfriend Joshua Clapp, the owner of hospitality-focused construction and design firm Steel and Stitch. Tregoning is still the subject of an interim apprehended violence order taken out by police in November 2023 to protect Greaves. The father-of-two's bail conditions include that he not go within 100m of where Greaves lives or works and that he stay at an address on the Northern Beaches. He cannot contact Greaves except through a lawyer or upon agreement in writing if the contact relates to their children. Tregoning will return to court in April for a mental health hearing. A 28-year-old banker was mysteriously found dead in his Texas apartment, prompting local police to probe his 'unexplained' death. Carter McIntosh, an investment banker at Jefferies Financial Group's Dallas office, was found dead inside his apartment at around 11am on Monday, according to records obtained by Business Insider. It is unclear why police responded to McIntosh's apartment that day, and a cause of death has not yet been listed - with the Dallas Police Department saying it is unknown at this time. 'Based on the date, approximate time and location, this incident is being investigated as an unexplained death,' Public Information Officer Michael Dennis said. Jefferies CEO Richard Handler and President Brian Friedman notified employees of McIntosh's untimely passing in an internal memo on Tuesday, according to Business Insider. 'It is with tremendous sadness that we report we learned yesterday that Carter McIntosh, one of our talented associates in Dallas, has passed away,' the memo said. 'Our most sincere condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues. 'We are in touch with Carter's family, who know we stand ready to support them in any way we can,' Handler and Friedman added. Carter McIntosh, 28, was found dead inside his Dallas apartment at around 11am on Monday He was an investment banker at Jefferies Financial Group's Dallas office 'Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we hope that Carter's memory is a blessing for them during this very sad time.' McIntosh worked at Jefferies as an investment banking associate for the firm's team covering technology, media and telecommunications. He joined the bank in September 2023, and had previously worked as an analyst at Moelis & Co until June 2023. Before that he was an equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York City until the Spring of 2021. McIntosh graduated from Seton Hall University in New Jersey with a bachelor's degree in finance a few years earlier. Following the news of his death, a first-year analyst took to the Wall Street Oasis forum to argue that the working culture at Jefferies 'has gotten out of hand,' claiming that the bank is 'horrible right now,' the New York Post reports. 'Hopefully someone does something to fix this,' the anonymous poster wrote. 'The firm's teams are stretched too thin, timelines are increasingly aggressive, and there's a very notable lack of consideration for junior employees' quality of life. 'My friends at other banks can't believe when they hear what's going on at Jefferies,' he claimed. It is unclear why police responded to McIntosh's apartment that day, and a cause of death has not yet been listed - with the Dallas Police Department saying it is unknown at this time Jefferies CEO Richard Handler and President Brian Friedman notified employees of McIntosh's death in an internal memo on Tuesday Another banker also wrote that he worked with McIntosh and Moelis, calling him a 'friend' with a 'really great sense of humor.' McIntosh's death comes less than a year after a former Green Beret passed away just one year into a grueling investment banking job at Bank of America, where associates said they worked 100-hour weeks that left them feeling sick. Leo Lukenas III, 35, died of 'acute coronary artery thrombus' - a disease that causes the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel of the heart. The father-of-two and former member of the Army's Special Forces joined the banking industry the summer before in an attempt to 'pursue new opportunities for his family,' according to his loved ones. Lukenas' death prompted Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase to crack down on the number of hours junior bankers worked. Bank of America said at the time it would introduce a timekeeping tool that requires employees to specify how their time is spent, and JPMorgan Chase said it would cap junior bankers' work hours at 80 per week - but with certain exceptions such as when there is a live deal. DailyMail.com has reached out to Jefferies for comment. Kristi Noem made a splash on social media for a glammed up raid on 'dirtbags' in New York City - earning her the nicknames 'ICE Barbie' and 'American Badass.' The Homeland Security head posted a video on X as she joined ICE to oust immigrants of the streets of the Big Apple as part of Donald Trump's mass deportation plan. 'Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets,' said Noem, while sporting long flowing hair under her law enforcement cap. In the early morning post on Monday, Noem showed footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting a man described as 'criminal alien with kidnapping, assault and burglary charges.' While some on social media celebrated her efforts, one left-wing activist slammed Noem's presentation in the video, even accusing of her of having had botox. 'So Kristi Noem got her face puffed up with filler and Botox, underwent hours of hair extension attachments, hired professional make-up and hair, strapped on her customized bulletproof vest and filmed herself arresting your maid,' Heather Thompson wrote. Several anti-Trump social media users responded to Thompson referring to Noem as 'ICE Barbie,' with some photoshopping graphics from the film onto one of the photos of Noem. Liberal outlet The Daily Beast also couldn't help but comment on Noem's looks: 'Noem donned a bullet-proof vest and a cap with a police crestwhile still looking like shed stopped off at hair and make-upto pose alongside ICE and DEA agents, some of them carrying assault rifles.' Kristi Noem has been attacked as 'ICE Barbie' by furious liberals after earning praised for her efforts to embed with those tasked to work on Donald Trump 's immigration crackdown Early Tuesday, social media was lit ablaze with a tweet from the newly named head of Homeland Security. The post, published at 6:30am, showed footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arresting a man Noem described as 'criminal alien with kidnapping, assault and burglary charges', on the streets of New York City DailyMail.com has reached out the Trump administration and Department of Homeland Security for comment. Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 25, is wanted for a host of charges out of Aurora, Colorado linked to the gang's takeover of multiple apartment complexes in the city last summer. Sources told the New York Post Zambrano-Pacheco was apprehended when officers swooped on an Ogden Avenue apartment in the Bronx on Tuesday. He is accused of being among those who were filmed breaking into an apartment last August in an incident which propelled the city into the national spotlight. Three people were taken into custody including a man with an international warrant for homicide in the Dominican Republic, officials told CNN. A source told DailyMail.com that the raids are part of an ongoing operation being carried out in every borough of the city. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem attended Tuesday's dawn raid and confirmed an an individual with kidnapping, assault and burglary charges was taken into custody. She shared footage of the swoop on X and vowed to clamp down on 'dirtbags'. Noem, who assumed the role the day before after serving as governor of South Dakota , further warned: 'Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets' Several anti-Trump social media users responded to Thompson referring to Noem as 'ICE Barbie,' with some even photoshopping graphics from the film onto one of the photos of Noem 'Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets,' Noem wrote. 'We are doing this right - doing exactly what President Trump promised the American people - making our streets safe.' Mayor Eric Adams was quick to assert the action was just business as usual. 'Early this morning as it regularly does as part of a multi-agency task force our city coordinated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on a federal criminal investigation involving a suspect hiding in New York City,' he said on X. A photo shared by the New York DEA showed them on the scene in the Fordham Heights area of the Bronx. Officers have begun storming properties across the country in sanctuary cities like New York as part of Trump's mass deportation scheme. Sanctuary cities including the Big Apple have become a haven for migrants who flock to them in the knowledge that officials there limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. Many have arrived by bus and plane from the southern border, with New York alone welcoming around 210,000 migrants in less than two years. The president has since said he 'might have to consider' pulling funding to sanctuary cities, which include the likes of Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Trump, who ran on a mass deportation platform, has made immigration his first order of business since assuming office. A Canadian mother and her son tragically died while vacationing in the Dominican Republic after suffering from severe food poisoning. The Gougeon family traveled from their home in Toronto to Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham Resort for a highly anticipated all-inclusive vacation just after Christmas in 2023. But within 24 hours, the trip took a devastating turn when April, Stephen and their two children Oliver and Wesley became violently ill - allegedly from the food at the resort's buffet. According to a $10 million lawsuit filed by Stephen on Monday, the family begged the resort for help, but were refused medical assistance until it was too late. Stephen told CTV News: 'We were all throwing up. It progressed to a point where we had to try and seek medical attention.' The grieving father said employees told him he and his family had to get themselves to the onsite medical clinic. However, Stephen said the entire family was vomiting and were too sick to even make it to their hotel room's bathroom. After calling again, his cry for help was finally answered. 'We had to plead again with the medical center to send somebody because it was clear we werent getting better,' he revealed to CTV News. From left to right, Oliver, April, Wesley and Stephen all became extremely ill after eating at their resort's buffet when they first arrived The Toronto family pleaded for medical attention, but by the time they were helped it was too late, according to the lawsuit The family was eventually taken to a local hospital, where April, 41, and Oliver, 8, passed away. They died from secondary causes related to food poisoning, according to the coroner's report obtained by CTV News. 'Flying back home without April and Oliver sitting beside us as they had done just days earlier is indescribable,' Stephen said in a statement published by Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP. 'We planned this trip so our family could get some rest and relaxation. The thought that something like this could happen was the furthest thing from our minds.' The lawsuit alleges the resort had unsanitary conditions in the areas where food was being prepared. It also references 'the absence of timely onsite medical evaluation and treatment, and the poor training of staff to identify and deal with emergencies.' 'We called asking for help. They did not take our call seriously, did not follow up on our request for medical help, and did not check in on us,' Stephen asserted. 'When they finally responded after our further plea, there appeared to be confusion about how to handle the situation. These delays cost precious time that could have been used to treat our illness. And in the end, it cost my wife and my son their lives.' Legal action is being taken against the resort, booking company Transat Tours Canada, Air Transat Holidays and the on-site medical clinic Clinica Canela. In December 2023, the Gougeon family from Toronto went to Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham Resort (pictured) for a highly anticipated all-inclusive vacation just after Christmas Oliver, 8, passed away shortly after arriving at the Dominican Republic hospital Meghan Hull Jacquin, the attorney representing the Gougeon family, described the extent of this case's negligence as jarring. She wrote in a statement: 'The Gougeon family was failed on so many levels. Tens of thousands of Canadians purchase these all-inclusive packages each year thinking a resort vacation is safe.' Stephen said in the statement: 'We would give anything to have April and Oliver back with us. 'We know that can't happen. But if we are able to compel these companies to answer to their failings, maybe we will save other families from knowing the pain we felt and still feel every day.' Hull told DailyMail.com that Stephen and his family are coming forward 13 months after April and Oliver's death to raise awareness to his situation and warn other families about this deadly possibility. 'They're just a regular family. They're a healthy family of four that purchased tickets to go to an all-inclusive resort. And within 24 hours two of them are gone,' she said. 'So he just wants to ensure that vacationers understand that there is a risk and hold the parties accountable for failing them.' Wyndham Resort has not yet responded to the claims alleged in the lawsuit. April, 41, was a lawyer and a scholarship has been created to honor her and he son's lives A Transat spokesperson addressed the situation in an email to CTV News, writing: 'We choose our suppliers with great care, and the hotel operator has assured us of its full cooperation with the authorities in shedding light on these tragic deaths.' DailyMail.com has reached out to the resort and Transat for comment. April, who was a lawyer, and Oliver have been commemorated through the April Gougeon Award in Law, a scholarship at Queen's University in Ontario that supports law students based on financial need and academic achievement. In a message shared on Linkedin, Stephen - who is also a lawyer - explained: 'Having April's name permanently enshrined in an award is one way I can keep her memory alive and allows her name to continue to help people. A home security camera has captured the moment a young woman allegedly swiped a package from her neighbour's porch in broad daylight. Footage shared by Hawkesbury City Councillor Nathan Zamprogno appears to show the woman, 24, dressed in activewear as she slides into the property's front yard. She then walks up to the porch and grabs a white delivery parcel from behind a pot plant and walks back out to the street. Mr Zamprogno said the woman allegedly stole a pair of sunglasses along with the parcel. The councillor said one of his constituents gave him the footage and he was 'happy to give a wider circulation'. The following day he received a call from a local who recognised the woman in the footage and police were contacted. 'At our Australia Day celebrations I was speaking to Superintendent Nadine from Hawkesbury Police Area Command and was very pleased to hear that two arrests have been made, for this and for and an aggravated break-and-enter at another premises in Richmond,' Mr Zamprogno wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. 'This is a very welcome outcome, and it came as a result of the hard work of the police and the vigilance of our community.' A home security camera has captured the moment a young woman allegedly stole a package delivery from her neighbour's porch in broad daylight The woman was dressed in activewear and slides when she was captured on CCTV NSW Police said a 24-year-old woman has been charged with aggravated break-and-enter and stealing a parcel worth $170. The woman was granted conditional bail and will front Windsor Local Court on Wednesday. Package thefts have become a growing problem with the rise of online shopping, and not just by porch pirates. In September last year, an Australia Post contractor allegedly stole more than $6,000 worth of iPhone 16s from a mail consignment. Police arrested the 34-year-old man in Forbes, in central New South Wales, and charged him in Parkes Police Station. The man allegedly took the consignment from the Parkes post office and put the package in his own delivery van. Australia Post was later alerted that one of the phones which were not yet due for release - was activated for use. The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max were all being released days later. Investigations led police to Forbes, where they stopped the delivery van and arrested the 34-year-old man. Ivanka Trump helped distribute relief aid in Los Angeles on Tuesday and met with families who lost everything in the devastating wildfires. Dressed casually in jeans, a denim shirt and sneakers, the first daughter helped hand out diapers, basic essentials, fresh produce and home goods to families in need. Trump joined CityServe, a group she has volunteered with going back to the days of the first Donald Trump administration, in the charity visit to the the Los Angeles Dream Center. The center has been leading a massive collection and donation effort. Matthew Barnett, the head of the center, said in a social media post that Ivanka spent more than an hour meeting with three different families and then stayed to pass out boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables. 'It's amazing what work you're doing here to support the community,' Ivanka said in the video. Ivanka Trump visited the Dream Center in Los Angeles Tuesday morning Ivanka Trump meets with family's affected by the wildfires Ivanka Trump's work with CityServe included supporting those who suffered in the fires in Maui, Hawaii and from hurricanes in North Carolina. She also worked with them to help refugees from the Ukraine. The California wildfires killed at least 29 people and torched more than 16,000 buildings, including homes, stores and schools. They've caused billions in property damage. Recovery efforts in the mixed-income community of Altadena and the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighborhood are expected to take time. The federal government, California state legislature and county is involved in funding efforts. Additionally, Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped Magic Johnson, Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter and 2028 Olympics organizer Casey Wasserman to lead a new private-sector initiative to support the wildfire recovery efforts. Ivanka's visit to the West Coast follows one made by President Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Friday. The first couple received an aerial tour of the devastation, met with families and local officials. President Trump also clashed with the city's Democratic mayor and a liberal lawmaker over how to go about building thousands of home. He has threatened to withhold federal aid and made the controversial claim he turned the water back on (it's unclear that it was ever off). Ivanka Trump spent several hours meeting with families and handing out donations Ivanka Trump helps serve meals The first daughter was visiting as part of her work with the charity group CityServe Casually dressed, Ivanka was there to meet with families who lost everything in the fires Ivanka poses for a photo The first daughter is not rejoining the White House and has made it clear she's staying far out of politics. But she said she'll be an emotional support to her father and intends to stay involved in her charity work. She, husband Jared Kushner and their five children journeyed from their Miami home to Washington D.C. to see Donald Trump be sworn in for his second term last week. Ivanka stood front and center while her father took the oath of office on January 20th. Later that night, she and Jared danced with other family members at several inaugural balls. Ivanka stunned in a custom recreation of an iconic 1954 couture gown worn by Audrey Hepburn. The mother-of-three opted for an elegant, strapless white gown that contained a long flowing skirt and intricate black floral detailing. The dress was a recreation of a Hubert de Givenchys 1954 Haute Couture black-and-white gown that was originally designed for Audrey in the film Sabrina. This video is no longer available This video is no longer available Sky News host Peta Credlin has dressed down a male colleague live on air, accusing him of insulting the intelligence of women. Credlin grew increasingly exasperated with the network's political editor Andrew Clennell on Tuesday evening, after he said Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had to bring in some 'women friendly policies' in order to pave his way to The Lodge. 'What's a "women's friendly policy" mate?' a visibly unimpressed Credlin said. 'Do you think we don't care about the economy? We don't care about defence?' Clennell replied: 'I'm not a woman. 'But I'm saying if (Dutton) went for that constituency, if he did a couple of things in that area, and I remember Gladys Berejiklian did that sort of thing.' That comment only made Credlin more incensed. 'You insult our intelligence to think we don't care about these things,' she said. 'Well of course they do, but people vote with the hip pocket - there is a sense amongst women ...' Clennell continued before a finger-pointing Credlin interrupted that women 'do not vote with our vaginas'. Peta Credlin was less than impressed when her Sky News colleague Andrew Clennell suggested Opposition Leader Peter Dutton needed 'women friendly' policies to win government 'Well, you're the one who's asking me about a gender difference, Peta, I mean, you raised it,' Clennell retorted. 'Well... I'm asking you about what can you read in it, and you're saying that he's got to have women's policies to win women,' Peta responded. 'I find that offensive.' Clennell responded: 'What's your suggestion for winning over women for Peter Dutton, Peta?' 'I think it's about the personality, it's about the warmth, it's about women feeling they can understand the bloke,' she said. 'It's not about policies with a pink cover sheet.' Clennell at times showed his discomfort during the confrontational exchange with Credlin Polling shows Peter Dutton (pictured besides wife Kirilly Dutton) has less appeal to female voters in some age groups For a moment both sat in silence - Clennell with a type of bemused grin. 'Well it's something governments do from time to time,' Clennell eventually said. 'Anyway you're a bloke, I'm a woman, we'll see, we'll see,' Credlin said before politely ending the discussion. Credlin was the former chief of staff to Tony Abbott when he was prime minister and minister for women. Analysis of the last three Australian Financial Review/Freshwater Strategy opinion polls found that 37 per cent of young male voters aged between 18 and 34 prefer Mr Dutton as prime minister, compared with 27 per cent of women the same age. The gender split continued into older age groups with 44 per cent of men aged between 34 and 55 years preferring Mr Dutton, compared to 34 per cent of women. Freshwater director Michael Turner told the Australian Financial Review this could reflect different gender priorities. 'While young women are significantly more likely to prioritise government services, prosperity is a major focus for younger men, with a clear majority (59 per cent) choosing job security, economic management, and taxes as a priority for the federal government right now,' Dr Turner said. 'What's more, young men are clearly responding to the engagement, as they are now significantly more likely to rate Dutton and the Coalition as best to manage the economy and government taxes.' Newly unemployed Jim Acosta appeared to know his days were numbered at CNN weeks before announcing he'd refused a demotion to midnight. Acosta has announced his new career move after revealing that he would be leaving CNN in a tantrum on Tuesday. The anchor announced that he launched a brand-new Substack - just hours after making his final on-air broadcast with the legacy media outlet. It appears that the new venture - which he is calling 'The Jim Acosta Show' - has been in the works since at least January 16, which is when the first post on the Substack is dated. The post comes just one day after former CNN staffer Oliver Darcy broke the news of Acosta's possible move to midnight in his Status newsletter. It comes with a headline of 'Coming Soon' and the copy reads only: 'This is The Jim Acosta Show.' The newly announced Substack, meanwhile, will see him rub shoulders with others who have left their respective legacy news stations for more autonomy, including Darcy. Darcy's success with a newsletter format shows a shifting landscape in terms of news - one CEO Mark Thompson has seemingly caught wind of upon airing his intent to shift CNN's operations to being more digital-based last week. Newly unemployed Jim Acosta appeared to know his days were numbered at CNN weeks before announcing he'd refused a demotion to midnight Acosta has announced his new career move after revealing that he would be leaving CNN in a tantrum on Tuesday 'Welcome to my new venture,' Acosta told more than two million followers on X, while repeating a warning he delivered during his final broadcast. The video was published shortly after two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times the journalist was already pondering his next steps, including a potential launch of his own journalistic enterprise. Hours before, the anchor engaged in a very public split from the station, taking shots at Donald Trump in the process. Acosta framed his old enemy as 'a tyrant', after devoting much of the hour to report on his recent moves. Trump was thrilled, decrying Acosta as a 'major loser' in a Truth Social post after reports surfaced about his decision to leave. 'Wow, really good news!' he wrote on social media. 'Jim Acosta, one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag, has been relegated by CNN Fake News to the Midnight hour, Death Valley, because of extraordinarily BAD RATINGS (and no talent!)." Acosta reportedly was losing his morning show in the latest CNN revamp, with the idea of getting moved to a midnight shift. Trump indicated he had little faith in Acosta's talent, after the famous CNN figure announced he would make his future known at a later date. "Word is that he wants to QUIT, and that would be even better,' he wrote. 'Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up. Good luck Jim!' It appears that the new venture - which he is calling 'The Jim Acosta Show' - has been in the works since at least January 16, which is when the first post on the Substack is dated U.S. President Donald Trump answers a question from Jim Acosta of CNN during a press conference Acosta gave a dramatic farewell message to viewers on Tuesday, revealing that the highlight of his career as a journalist was when he asked Raul Castro at a joint press conference with former President Barack Obama. He indicated that Trump was a 'tyrant' as he delivered his closing missive to viewers. 'My closing message: Its never a good time to bow down to a tyrant dont give in to the lies. Dont give in to fear. Hold on to the truth and hope,' he said. Acosta clashed frequently with Trump during his his first term, even as the president mocked him and his network as 'fake news.' The most contentious moment of his White House career was when he stubbornly refused to release a microphone to a Trump staffer during a press conference in November. 'CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN,' the president said to Acosta, accusing him of being 'horrible' to people in his staff. The White House revoked Acosta's press pass after the contentious exchange but a subsequent lawsuit and a decision from a federal judge sided with CNN, allowing his credentials to be restored. Trump supporters frequently mocked Acosta on the campaign trail repeatedly shouting that 'CNN sucks' and accusing him of being 'fake news.' During an October 2020 rally, a masked Acosta shot back at Trump supporters during a live report. 'As this crowd is chanting that there are members of the press here who suck, I should also point out what also sucks: getting the coronavirus,' he said. President Donald Trump on Tuesday banned federal funding for transgender sex-changes for minors, adding to his ongoing flood of executive orders after taking office. The president signed an executive order condemning the practice of sex transition surgeries for minors, noting that 'countless' children regretted the surgeries that 'mutilated' and trapped them into fighting 'a losing war with their own bodies.' 'it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called 'transition' of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,' the executive order from Trump read. The president is acting quickly to roll back efforts by the Biden administration to extend federal benefits for children The White House noted in a memo that four out of five children outgrew feelings of gender dysphoria, without costly and irreversible surgeries they later learned to regret. Prior to taking office, Trump promised that on 'Day one' of his administration that he would end the 'transgender lunacy' in the federal government. ''The left-wing gender insanity being pushed in our children is an act of child abuse,' Trump said in a campaign video vowing to 'revoke Joe Biden's cruel policies on so-called gender-affirming care.' The order applies to any individual under the age of 19 and blocks any use of 'chemical and surgical' use of puberty blockers or any other efforts to remove or alter a person's physical appearance to help them identify as the opposite sex of their birth. President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office after signing executive orders at the White House Trump also ordered the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review and publish updated 'best practices' for children suffering from 'gender dysphoria.' The order directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to defund institution receiving federal grants that support gender surgeries. It also orders Department of Defense health insurance through Tricare to prevent coverage of 'chemical and surgical mutilation of children.' Trump campaigned on the issue of ending transgender sex-changer surgeries, calling it an issue of common sense. 'It's going on ... pushing transgender ideology on minor children,' Trump said during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. in October. 'How about that one? Your child goes to school and they take your child. It was a he and comes back a she. And they do this. Often, without parental consent.' The Biden administration made transgender surgeries for minors a moment of moral clarity, condemning state level bills that outlawed transgender surgeries for minors. President Joe Biden speaks before signing an executive order to improve government services, in the Oval Office of the White House, Protesters show support for the trans community during Transgender Day of Visibility 'Transgender people are some of the bravest people in our nation. But nobody should have to be brave just to be themselves,' a document released by the Biden White House read in April 2022. Biden also decried state efforts in states like Florida and Tennessee to ban surgeries for minors as 'close to sinful' and cruel.' 'Whats going on in Florida is, as my mother would say, close to sinful. Its just terrible what theyre doing, Biden said during a 2023 interview with Kal Penn for The Daily Show. 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 public has been warned not to approach a man who escaped from a NSW jail early on Wednesday morning. David Johnson, 44, escaped from a minimum security correctional facility in South Nowra, 173km south of Sydney. Johnson was last seen on The Links Road at about 7.45am and the police are appealing for information to help find him. He is described as being white, about 185cm (6'1") tall, with a medium build, brown hair, blue eyes and a goatee-style beard. When last seen, he was wearing a black bomber jacket, hi-vis shirt and black trackpants. Anyone who sees Johnson is urged not to approach him but to call 000 immediately. The public has been warned not to approach David Johnson (pictured) who escaped from a NSW jail early on Wednesday morning Staff on a mental health ward where a mother-of-two tried to kill herself with a ligature could have committed a 'grave error' and 'missed' or 'allowed' the item into the unit, an inquest has heard. Personal trainer Michelle Sparman, 48, from Battersea, in south-west London, died days after apparently trying to take her own life at Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton, where she was a voluntary in-patient in Rose Ward, a locked 20-bed female-only mental health unit. Ms Sparman was admitted to the ward after taking an overdose and harming herself, which saw her being rushed to A&E at Chelsea and Westminster hospital on August 21, 2021. On entering Rose Ward, she was put in the 'red' or 'danger zone' category for 72 hours while staff got to know her and was supposed to be searched for any items that could harm her or others and observed four times an hour. But on August 24, Ms Sparman, who was a part-time call dispatcher for the Met Police, was found by ward staff on the floor of her shower room with a ligature around her neck. She died at Kingston hospital four days later. An inquest into her death at Inner West London Coroner's Court heard on Tuesday how there was no record of Ms Sparman or any other patient being allowed access to the item, with a coroner blasting the ward's 'sub-optimal' record-keeping. Dr Rose Mbah-Maduabueke, a ward psychiatrist who assessed Ms Sparman, said patients would be searched in an 'airlock' before coming onto the ward and items found that could be used to hurt themselves or others would be removed and stored or returned to relatives. But ward manager Meredith Kuleshnyk said that once a patient and their belongings were searched, they could keep certain items if staff deemed it safe in in their individual written risk assessments. Personal trainer Michelle Sparman (pictured), 48, from Battersea, in south-west London, died days after apparently trying to take her own life at Queen Mary's hospital in Roehampton Ms Sparman was admitted to the ward after taking an overdose and harming herself, which saw her being rushed to A&E at Chelsea and Westminster hospital If a patient was allowed to keep an item, it would be noted on their individual record but not in a centralised place, the manager said. Quizzed by coroner Bernard Richmond KC about the 'conundrum' of how the ligature came onto the ward, Ms Kuleshnyk admitted she could still not account for how the item arrived there, as she did not believe any patients had them. But she admitted that 'if someone wanted to hide something, it's possible in any environment, even a prison' and suggested if Ms Sparman was wearing a 'big baggy jumper' it could have been missed. Ms Kuleshnyk, a nurse who managed the ward since 2013, insisted there are 'different level of searches' on the ward and that if an item was 'was covered up, you might not see it, it's not necessarily a case of someone not doing their job properly'. Ms Kuleshnyk insisted it was 'unlikely' there could be such items on her ward that she didn't know about and that there were 'very robust' search procedures in places. But the coroner fired back: 'When it came to Michelle Sparman, your search procedures couldn't be less robust could they.' She replied in the aftermath of the 'tragic incident', there had been 'learning' including more staff training around searches and the provision of a search room. Ms Kuleshnyk said she questioned staff about the circumstances surrounding the incident and Ms Sparman's care, but admitted there had been no formal investigation or disciplinary action taken against any staff. Assistant coroner Richmond pressed: 'You've got a ward you're in charge of where someone has hanged themselves and you can't say how it's happened? Pictured: Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton, London where Ms Sparman died 'Aren't you metaphorically climbing the ceiling, working out how this happened? 'So just having a word with staff isn't going to cut it is it, there needs to be an investigation.' She replied: 'We explored it, but we didn't hit an outcome, we didn't get any answers.' The coroner asked her: 'Is there not the potential that someone has committed a very grave error? 'You have got to consider the possibility one member of your staff has somehow allowed [it] in that should not have been there.' Roger Stephens, Ms Sparman's ex-partner, previously told how the mother-of-two had tried to harm herself repeatedly on a walk with him outside the ward, which he said he told nurses about on their return. Ward nurse Catherine Mhlanga said she and her colleagues would have acted if they had known about the ligature or had been told about Ms Sparman's attempts to hurt herself while her on walk with her ex Mr Stephens. Earlier, Dr Mbah-Maduabueke told the inquest Ms Sparman had told how she initiated the split from Mr Stephens and that he had bombarded with a mixture of 'angry' messages before switching them to say he loved her. She said Ms Sparman confided that although Mr Stephens had been looking after their young sons and it was hard to say 'negative' things about him, he could be 'manipulative, he will say one thing and do something else' and that she did not want to reunite with him. An inquest into Ms Sparman's death was held at Inner West London Coroner's Court heard on Tuesday She said the mother-of-two told her: 'He would send messages like "You have ruined my life" because she ended the relationship and he was unemployed.' Ms Sparman's brother, Shaun Case, previously told the inquest that she broke up with Mr Stephens after he allegedly lied about his whereabouts on a work trip and meeting another woman, but was 'bullied' into staying with him after he 'bombarded' her with texts about her mental capacity, fitness to be a mother, and the effect on him. Mr Case said he was 'shocked' by the messages and remembered Michelle speaking about anxiety, sleeplessness, and her fear of 'unpredictable' Mr Stephens turning up at her flat. Giving his evidence, Mr Stephens conceded sending too many texts, making Michelle's life 'very difficult', and putting stress on her, but also insisted he 'absolutely' loved her and blamed her mental health issues on hormone changes. Jennifer MacLeod, legal counsel for Ms Sparman's family, indicated she would take instruction on whether they would be seeking a finding of 'neglect' ahead of the coroner's conclusion later this week. For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support A popular wedding venue and several other buildings have been destroyed as uncontrolled bushfires rage in Victoria's west. Hundreds of firefighters are battling three uncontrolled bushfires, one threatening Dimboola and Wail on the edge of the Little Desert National Park, and two in the Grampians National Park about 50km to the south. The Dimboola fire, ignited by lightning in the Little Desert on Monday, has rapidly expanded to over 65,000 hectares. Moving at a frightening pace, it left residents of the township of 1,500 people with only minutes to gather their belongings and evacuate. The Little Desert Nature Lodge, which is a wedding and function venue, was destroyed in the blaze. 'The lodge just exploded, it's totally gone,' Hindmarsh Shire Council mayor Ron Ismay said. 'It's very sad, it was a great venue for people of the area.' Mr Nugent confirmed a farmhouse west of Dimboola was also destroyed, and another near a river may have been damaged. Wedding and conference centre Little Desert Nature Lodge was destroyed in the Dimboola blaze (pictured) The fire near Dimboola spread rapidly, with residents given just minutes to leave their homes Residents were told to evacuate as the fire reached the outskirts of town but some at Dimboola District Hospital and the town's aged care facility couldn't get out in time. About 190 people and their pets took refuge at a makeshift relief centre 40km away in Horsham, with 27 staying overnight. The fire was downgraded to watch and act on Tuesday afternoon. However very hot temperatures forecast for this weekend and into next week have firefighters on the alert. 'I'm incredibly thankful that no lives have been lost from this fire, and we have no reports of injuries either,' Emergency Management commissioner Rick Nugent told reporters at the State Control Centre in Melbourne. Dimboola resident and Hindmarsh Shire Council deputy mayor Chan Uoy said the smell of smoke lingered in the town as he and other locals returned home on Tuesday afternoon. He had just 30 minutes' notice to evacuate late on Monday in hot, dry winds and smoke haze. 'The wind was vicious, it was hot, it was ominous. 'It's like this massive cloud covering following you, it's quite dramatic.' At the relief centre in Horsham, municipal recovery manager Mandi Stewart said locals were very relieved the fire wasn't more severe. Pictured is an aerial view of the fire at the Little Desert National Park Aussies in Dimboola (pictured) were told to take shelter as bushfires raged 'It looked fairly bad,' Ms Stewart said. 'The towns been pretty all right, there's one area sort of on the south of the town that there's still no access to.' Little Desert National Park and Wail State Forest remain closed and the rain line between Victoria and SA has been suspended. A second emergency warning issued for Strachans, Victoria Point and Victoria Valley in the south western part of Grampians National Park has been downgraded to watch and act. Hours later, watch and act alerts were issued for a blaze at the Wallaby Rocks Road area near Zumsteins in the park's north affecting Brimpaen, Laharum, Wartook, Cranage, Zumsteins and Glenisla Crossing. The fires are in the remote areas not scorched by fires earlier this summer. 'It's incredibly dry in there,' Mr Nugent said. These pictures just show how serious the situation is in Dimboola in Victoria's north-west It took 21 days to bring fires in the Grampians, sparked on December 17, under control. Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said the fires would present a 'similar scenario' as a cool change gave way to gusty conditions. 'The Grampians fire will be a real challenge for the coming days and potentially weeks,' he said. Premier Jacinta Allan said there were up to 150 fires across the state as high heat and winds brought dangerous conditions and fire bans. Labour suffered its first Parliamentary defeat in government last night as peers backed reforms to stop big tech firms ignoring copyright rules when training AI systems. Crossbench peer Baroness Kidron had tabled a series of amendments to the Data (Use and Access) Bill to make it clear that the data-gatherer tools used by tech firms should stick to UK copyright law. Backed by the recently formed Creative Rights In AI Coalition, whose members include the Publishers Association, UK Music, the Motion Picture Association and DMG Media, which owns the Daily Mail, her amendments sought to counter the widespread theft of data by AI firms which use it as raw material for their products without crediting the source. Last night peers voted 145 to 126 in favour of a package of amendments to the Bill. Baroness Kidron said her measures would record when, where and how intellectual property is taken and, crucially, allow creators to understand what has been taken so they can seek redress. She added that hundreds of organisations and many individual rights holders are watching... to see what this House will do in the face of a Government proposal that will transfer their hard-earned property to another sector without compensation, and with it their possibility of a creative life, or a creative life for the next generation. The peer went on: The Government are doing this not because the current law does not protect intellectual property rights, nor because they do not understand the devastation it will cause, but because they are hooked on the delusion that the UKs best interests and economic future align with those of Silicon Valley. Crossbench peer Baroness Kidron tabled a series of amendments to the Data (Use and Access) Bill which clarify that 'web-crawlers' and 'data-gatherers' should stick to UK copyright law Peers voted 145 to 126, majority 19, in favour of a package of amendments to the Data (Use and Access) Bill She said the failure to defend the property rights of citizens and wealth creators is bewildering. Her amendments were backed by Sir Elton John and Paul McCartney. Sir Elton said last week: The wheels are in motion to allow AI companies to ride roughshod over traditional copyright laws. This will allow global big tech companies to gain free and easy access to artists work to train their AI and create competing music. Owen Meredith, head of the News Media Association trade body, said the vote was a warning to Government against ill-judged plans to weaken our gold-standard copyright regime and hand over copyrighted material carte blanche to AI firms. In the film Valiant pigeons flock together to deliver vital messages to the frontlines. The 2005 animation saw a band of unlikely airborne heroes unite to aid the D-Day landings by bringing information back to Allied Headquarters. And now a medal awarded to one of the pigeons which inspired the film, has gone on sale for 10,000 at the Laidlaw Auctioneers of Carlisle, Cumbria. Tommy was awarded the Dickin Medal for delivering a vital message from the Dutch Resistance containing the location of a German arms factory which was then bombed. The blue cock pigeon was blown of course while taking part in a race from Dorset to Cumbria in 1942 and found himself in Holland. A postman handed him over to the resistance fighter Dick Drijver, who placed a coded message reading: 'God bless Queen Wilhelmina and long live Winston Churchill' in a container attached to his leg. Tommy was awarded the Dickin Medal for delivering a vital message from the Dutch Resistance containing the location of a German arms factory which was then bombed. Pictured: Major General JW Van Oorschot,left, with his owner, right, William Brockbank in 1946 Rhe blue cock pigeon was blown of course while taking part in a race from Dorset to Cumbria in 1942 and found himself in Holland A medal awarded to Tommy has gone on sale for 10,000 at the Laidlaw Auctioneers of Carlisle, Cumbria Tommy flew to Britain carrying the secret information, but during his 400-mile journey back to his owner William Brockbank, one of his wings was hit by a German sniper's bullet. Undeterred Tommy battled on reaching home shores and the RAF used the message he was carrying to plan a successful bombing raid at the German munitions factory. In 1946, he was awarded the Dickin Medal, which is the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, as well as a Dutch medal for valour. Animals were first awarded the medal in 1943 after Maria Dickin, who set up the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, suggested the idea. To date the Dickin Medal has been awarded 75 times, to 38 dogs, 32 World War Two messenger pigeons, four horses and one cat. Animals were first awarded the medal in 1943 after Maria Dickin, who set up the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, suggested the idea Tommy pictured with Dutch resistance member and pigeon fancier Dick Dryver The 2005 animation Valiant took inspiration from pigeons like Tommy The most recent Dickin Medal was given to a dog called Bass in January 2023. During a firefight in Afghanistan, he identified five improvised explosive devices, which were then deactivated by soldiers, preventing the loss of life. One of the earliest recipients of the medal was the pigeon White Vision, who flew for nine hours in October 1942, to rescue 11 crewmen who were stranded in sea off the Hebrides. In December, the Dickin medal presented to Antis the Alsatian, sold for 60,000. Thousands of ICE officers have been dispatched to the San Diego border crossing as they prepare to take '100,000 immigrants' back to Mexico and Central America in one of the biggest migrant raids in recent times. Marines have already descended on the area in an attempt to secure the crossing as President Trump ramped up his promise of cracking down on illegal immigration. Around 1,500 active duty troops were deployed to the nearly 2,000-mile border this week, including 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California. DailyMail.com can now reveal that they have been joined with what has been described as a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP'. A White House intelligence source said: 'There is a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP in front of Camp Pendleton right now, ready to do the biggest illegal immigrant grab in recent history. 'The West Coast is this week and the East Coast is next week. It is about to get crazy in California. They need to fill 100,000 spots', meaning arrests is the directive. The source continued: 'They are going to be taking 100,000 immigrants back to Mexico, Columbia, El Salvador and Guatemala in this grab.' Border czar Tom Homan says he is not satisfied with the pace of migrant deportations - despite ICE's 'unprecedented' number of arrests - and claims the US needs to 'open the aperture up' and carry out 'more deportations'. Marines have already descended on the area in an attempt to secure the crossing as President Trump ramped up his promise of cracking down on illegal immigration. An aerial shot of Camp Pendleton is seen here U.S. Marines with the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, deploy concertina wire as they re-enforce the border wall, January 25, 2025 Migrants deplane a U.S. military aircraft after it landed in Guatemala on January 24, 2025 The Pentagon expects additional troops to be ordered to deploy in the next few days as defense and homeland security leaders iron out requests for more support. It was also announced on Tuesday that the military would allow ICE to use Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado to detain migrants. The US military's Northern Command said in a statement it started providing facilities at Buckley to ICE starting on Monday. Buckley Space Force Base is located in the city of Aurora, a Denver suburb, which figured prominently during Trump's presidential campaign last year. Trump said that apartment complexes in Aurora had been taken over by members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which was refuted by city officials. During a campaign event there in October, Trump pledged to launch an Operation Aurora targeting gang members Immigration arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, according to ICE, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024. But Homan says America needs to carry out 'more deportations' of illegal migrants. 'It was a great start. The first week was unprecedented,' he told Fox News' Jesse Watters of efforts so far, hailing how under Trump's new policies, illegal border crossings have dropped from '10,000 a day to under 600'. 'It's great, it's good, but we're not finished and we need more deportations,' Homan said, adding: 'A lot more deportations and that's what we're working on.' The border czar's remark comes just days after he vowed that numbers of daily deportations and arrests will 'steadily increase' as they ramp up efforts to curb illegal immigration. Around 1,500 active duty troops were deployed to the nearly 2,000-mile border this week, including 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California The Pentagon expects additional troops to be ordered to deploy in the next few days as defense and homeland security leaders iron out requests for more support. Pictured are US Marines at the San Diego border crossing A White House intelligence source said: 'There is a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP in front of Camp Pendleton right now, ready to do the biggest illegal immigrant grab in recent history.' Pictured are Marines at the border crossing ICE officers have already begun storming properties across the country in sanctuary cities like New York. Pictured are agents in NYC Sanctuary cities including the Big Apple have become a haven for migrants who flock to them in the knowledge that officials there limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. Pictured are agents in NYC ICE officers have already begun storming properties across the country in sanctuary cities like New York. Sanctuary cities including the Big Apple have become a haven for migrants who flock to them in the knowledge that officials there limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. The president has since said he 'might have to consider' pulling funding to sanctuary cities, which include the likes of Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Trump, who ran on a mass deportation platform, has made immigration his first order of business since assuming office. ICE agents have arrested more than 3,500 people since the inauguration last Monday, Axios reports. On Friday, a senior official in the Trump administration revealed exclusive deportation and detainment data with DailyMail.com, including chilling details of dangerous criminals that were previously walking the streets freely. Among the worst of the worst to be picked up by ICE on Friday included Cesar Augusto Polanco, 59, a Dominican Republican national who was living free in Boston despite a criminal conviction for second-degree murder. Almost 5,000 Homeland Security and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers have been deployed by the Trump administration to carry out raids. The raids have sparked fear in migrant communities, especially since Trump signed an executive order which will now permit raids in the likes of schools and churches. Trump, who ran on a mass deportation platform , has made immigration his first order of business since assuming office Immigration arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, according to ICE, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024 Many migrants are said to be in hiding, turning usually crowded factories, warehouses and grocery stores into ghost towns. Frightened undocumented migrants began hunkering down after Trump took office for the second time last week, with dozens failing to turn up to work. Trump ordered each of ICE's field offices to make 75 arrests per day and managers would be held accountable for missing those targets. ICE insiders told the Washington Post they are concerned that the quotas make it more likely that agents will 'engage in more indiscriminate enforcement tactics or face accusations of civil rights violations.' However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reportedly told the outlet, 'your story is false,' but did not elaborate. The operations are being overseen by Trump's hardline border Czar Tom Homan. He justified relaxing rules governing enforcement actions at 'sensitive' locations such as schools, churches and workplaces, saying it sends a clear message to illegal immigrants. ICE agents are seen conducting arrests in San Diego, California U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conduct an arrest as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's wide-ranging immigration crackdown in Chicago, Illinois 'There are consequences of entering the country illegally. If we don't show there are consequences, you're never going to fix the border problem,' Homan, who was on the ground in Chicago this weekend to oversee the bolstered ICE plans, told ABC News. However, the move was criticized by Catholic Charities USA which called for 'dignity' in dealing with the border crisis. 'We recognize the need for just immigration enforcement and affirm the governments obligation to carry it out in a targeted, proportional, and humane way,' the organization wrote. 'However, non-emergency immigration enforcement in schools, places of worship, social service agencies, healthcare facilities, or other sensitive settings where people receive essential services would be contrary to the common good. 'All people have a right to fulfill their duty to God without fear.' A majority of people say the UK should bring back the death penalty, according to a new poll. The support behind reintroducing capital punishment is mostly being driven by millennials - born in the late 1980s to mid 1990s - with three in five (58 per cent) backing the idea, with a quarter (27 per cent) against. The survey, carried out by public opinion think tank More in Common, showed Britons backed the use of the death penalty for heinous crimes such as serial murder and deadly terrorist attacks. Some 56 per cent were in favour of rapists facing capital punishment, too. Public support had increased since More in Common last carried out the poll in autumn 2023 from 50 to 55 per cent, reported The Times. The new poll was carried out after there were debates about whether it should be brought back following the sentencing of triple child-killer Axel Rudakubana. The murderer avoided a whole life sentence as he was aged 17 when he carrier out his sick stabbing spree in which he killed little Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine. Rudakubana, 18, began a 52-year sentence last week at one of Britain's most notorious prisons, Belmarsh in south-east London, where he was placed in isolation for his own safety. The new poll was carried out after there were debates about whether the death penealty should be brought back following the sentencing of triple child-killer Axel Rudakubana (pictured) A view of the death chamber from the witness room at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility shows an electric chair and gurney August 29, 2001 in Lucasville, Ohio He was convicted of murdering three girls and ten counts of attempted murder. Luke Tryl, executive director at More in Common, told The Times: 'If the terrible crimes committed in Southport trigger a national debate about the death penalty then the public's starting point will be one of support for its reintroduction. 'Overall, 55 per cent of Britons say the death penalty should be reintroduced for certain crimes but asked about acts of terrorism or serial murder, support then rises even further to 70 per cent. 'While it seems unlikely this government will reopen the debate, it will have to work harder to convince people that existing sentences for terrorists and murders really are tough enough, and that killers like Axel Rudakubana will never be set free.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been openly vocal about being against the death penalty. During his career as a barrister he was called to the bar in several Caribbean countries where he defended convicts sentenced to death. In 2018, while Brexit shadow secretary, flew to Taiwan to lobby against the punishment. He was previously director of The Death Penalty Project - a campaign group that provides free legal representation to individuals facing the death penalty. A Downing Street spokesman said: 'The government has no plans to bring back capital punishment. Parliament abolished the death penalty more than 50 years ago, and in free votes has consistently voted against it being restored in recent decades. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (pictured January 28, 2025) has been openly vocal about being against the death penalty 'In 1998, parliament made clear in a free vote that it was opposed to the death penalty for all offences.' The 1965 Murder Act abolished the death penalty for murder in the UK and it was abolished for all crimes in 1998. The last executions were by hanging and took place in 1964. Meanwhile, a survey of 2,016 adults by More in Common found a majority support banning under-16s from social media, reported The Telegraph. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch revealed last week she refuses to allow her child to have a smartphone and would ban them for under-16s. She has given a 'brick' phone to her 11-year-old daughter who had had just started secondary school. Ms Badenoch told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday: 'We need to give our children the very best start in life. 'We didn't have these things when we were young and even as adults we find it addictive. If adults are addicted to this, then what chance do children have?' Ms Badenoch added that teachers had told her that children who have smartphones had lower levels of concentration than children who didn't. 'I am someone who strongly believes that young people should not be using smartphones, ideally up until the age of 16,' she said. 'I have a child who's nearly 12, she's just started secondary school, she's not been given a smartphone, she has a brick phone. 'And the reason why is because it is very difficult to control the sorts of information that they are getting.' The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor who was fired for shooting porn with his wife has filed a lawsuit to fight for his job back. Joe Gow has claimed that his first amendment rights were violated when he was removed from his position by the UW Board of Regents in December 2023. After losing his position as chancellor, Gow was still a tenured communications professor and placed on paid leave until September 2024, when the board officially fired him. Gow said interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan sent him a report accusing him of producing pornography using university technology as well as 'unethical and potentially illegal behavior.' On Monday, Gow filed the lawsuit against the board in a bid to get back in the classroom. He is demanding to be reinstated as a professor and wants lost wages and damages. 'It's having the system do the right thing. And the university do the right thing and put me back in the classroom,' Gow told WXOW. 'You know this really is a first amendment case because why they fired me from a tenured faculty was because they didn't like the books and videos my wife and I made on our own time.' Gow has claimed that the material he creates with his wife Carmen Wilson - under the name 'Sexy Happy Couple' - is not illegal or distasteful. Joe Gow has claimed that his first amendment rights were violated when he was removed from his position in December 2023 Gow has claimed that the material he creates with his wife Carmen Wilson - under the name 'Sexy Happy Couple' - is not illegal or distasteful Gow came under fire when invited porn star Nina Hartley (pictured right) to speak at the university and paid her $5,000 The day the lawsuit was filed was also the first day of classes for the spring semester. He said to News8Now on Monday: 'According to the plan I had made with President Rothman before all the controversy, I would have been going back to the classroom today. 'So it's very fitting that we're filing this lawsuit to try and get my back into the classroom because I really miss teaching, I have a lot to offer and this just isn't right.' Universities of Wisconsin spokesperson Mark Pitsch declined to comment on the lawsuit because it is an ongoing situation, the Associated Press reported. In September 2024, the university's lawyer Wade Harrison said Gow's behavior was 'unethical, hypocritical and unacceptable' and that 'Gows pornography videos are not protected by the First Amendment.' The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression said in a statement to WXOW: 'Joe Gow is suing the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to vindicate his rights to engage in protected expression outside the classroom. 'We support Gow's drive to hold UW accountable for violating his fundamental first amendment rights.' Aside from making porn, Gow and Wilson have a YouTube channel called 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' where they cook vegan recipes with other porn stars before having sex with them. Gow and Wilson have published two e-books about their experiences as porn stars On Monday, Gow filed the lawsuit against the board in a bid to get back in the classroom Gow and Wilson have a YouTube channel called 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' where they cook vegan recipes with other porn stars before having sex with them Gow has also published two books with his wife about their experiences in the porn industry. Despite arguing that his role at the university was never intertwined with his adult activities, Gow found himself in hot water after paying porn star Nina Hartley $5,000 from his discretionary fund to speak at the La Crosse campus in 2018. Gow and Wilson have filmed an explicit video with Hartley. During the 90-minute address, Hartley told students it is acceptable to enjoy, not enjoy or have mixed feelings about porn. She also stressed that pornography is fantasy. Gow later apologized for the 'sensationalist' media attention Hartley's appearance had attracted and said he was naive about the possibility that her profession would overwhelm her message. He also personally reimbursed the school for the $5,000. One of the country's most sought-after properties has finally been sold after its owners couldn't resist a massive offer from a developer. The 1.21ha property in Brisbane's outer south has been owned by the children of the original buyers since they passed away a few years ago. Described as the 'last remaining development site' in Eight Mile Plains, a fast-growing suburb 14km from the Brisbane CBD, agent JJ Macalino told Daily Mail Australia the owners couldn't have done better than the $11million they walked away with. 'We've had a lot of offers ranging from $8million up to $11million and the local Brisbane developers made the highest offers,' Mr Macalino said. 'It's been more than 30 years (since it last sold) because the original records weren't even on RP Data so the family has had it at least that long. 'We knew it was going to sell, it was just a question of how much interest we got. 'It's exciting because it's a limited listing and representing something like this is good because we get to speak to a lot of developers to see what they want to do with it.' The developer who bought the property has plans to divide the plot into almost 30 house and land packages worth a combined $39million. Owners at 77 Gaskell Street in Eight Mile Plains, in Brisbane's outer south, finally gave in to developers and sold their property for a huge deal (the property is pictured) A DA submitted by Saunders Havill Group, on behalf of developer SEQ Developments 9 Pty Ltd, to the Brisbane City Council showed an application was first made in August for 26 house sites ranging from 300sqm to 600sqm. The average house price in Eight Mile Plains is $1.5million, up 14.5 per cent in 12 months, 66.7 per cent in three years and a mind-blowing 100 per cent since the start of the Covid pandemic in early 2020. According to PropTrack data, for every house listed for sale in Eight Mile Plains there are, on average, 1,644 interested buyers. If all 26 house sites go for the average price of the region, they will be sold off for a combined $39million. Developers from around the country were so keen to buy the property that they resorted to knocking on the front door to express their interest in person. Mr Macalino described Eight Mile Plains as a 'hot spot' due to its proximity to shopping centres, motorways and office buildings. Brisbane City Council defined the area as the 'southern gateway to Brisbane' and one of the city's most important employment hubs. The owners of 77 Gaskell Street weren't the first to dig their heels in and refuse to sell when a developer came knocking. Just last year, the Zammit family in Sydney's north-west ignored all offers from developers to sell their $60million five-bedroom home in The Ponds (above) This tightly held 1.21ha property at 95-101 Winzor Street, Salisbury, sold at auction in October of last year for a whopping $5.5million Just last year, the Zammit family in Sydney's north-west ignored all offers from developers to sell their $60million five-bedroom mansion in The Ponds. Developers were forced to build around them with homeowners forced to share a boundary fence with the massive block of land. However, neighbours said they had no issue with the family refusing to sell. 'It doesn't really bother us,' one father said. 'It's their land, they can do what they want with it.' For nearly three decades, an Adelaide family refused to sell their massive block to developers even as an entire housing estate was built around them. They eventually cashed in, with the tightly held 1.21ha property at 95-101 Winzor Street, Salisbury, selling at auction in October for a whopping $5.5million. Land Services SA data showed it was registered to the late Carmelina Miliado who had owned the land with her husband for close to 60 years. For 30 years, developers had been knocking on their door in the hope to secure the land but the couple refused to sell, even as land and house prices skyrocketed. An OpenAI safety researcher has labeled the global race toward AGI a 'very risky gamble, with huge downside' for humanity as he dramatically quit his role. Steven Adler joined many of the world's leading artificial intelligence researchers who have voiced fears over the rapidly evolving systems, including Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) which can surpass human cognitive capabilities. Adler, who led safety-related research and programs for product launches and speculative long-term AI systems for OpenAI, shared a series of concerning posts to X while announcing his abrupt departure from the company on Monday afternoon. 'An AGI race is a very risky gamble, with huge downside,' the post said. Additionally, Adler said that he is personally 'pretty terrified by the pace of AI development.' The chilling warnings came amid Adler revealing that he had quit after four years at the company. In his exit announcement, he called his time at OpenAI 'a wild ride with lots of chapters' while also adding that he would 'miss many parts of it'. However, he also criticized developments in the AGI space that has been quickly taking shape between world-leading AI labs and global superpowers. 'When I think about where I'll raise a future family, or how much to save for retirement, I can't help but wonder: Will humanity even make it to that point?' Steven Adler, a safety researcher for OpenAI, chillingly called the global race toward AGI a 'very risky gamble, with huge downside' for humanity through a post on X announcing his sudden departure from the company OpenAI along with Sam Altman (pictured), its CEO, has been the center of dozens of scandals that appeared to stem from disagreements over one of Adler's main concerns - AI safety Adler continued the series of posts with a mention of AI alignment, which is the process of keeping AI working towards human goals and values rather than against them, Fortune reported. 'In my opinion, an AGI race is a very risky gamble, with huge downside,' he wrote. 'No lab has a solution to AI alignment today. And the faster we race, the less likely that anyone finds one in time. 'Today, it seems like we're stuck in a really bad equilibrium. Even if a lab truly wants to develop AGI responsibly, others can still cut corners to catch up, maybe disastrously,' he added. 'And this pushes all to speed up. I hope labs can be candid about real safety regs needed to stop this.' Adler shared that he'd be enjoying a break before he decides his next move. As he concluded, he asked his followers what they see as 'the most important and neglected ideas in AI safety/policy.' OpenAI has been in dozens of scandals that appeared to stem from disagreements over one of Adler's main concerns - AI safety. In 2023, Sam Altman, OpenAI's co-founder and CEO, was fired by the board of directors over concerns about his leadership and his handling of AI safety. In November of 2023, the board said that after conducting a deliberative review process, Altman was 'not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,' CNBC News reported. Additionally, Altman was said to be more eager in pushing ahead in delivering new technologies rather than making sure artificial intelligence would not harm humans. However, he was reinstated only five days later after pressure from fellow employees and investors. Adler's announcement on Monday - and chilling warnings - are just the latest in a string of employees who have stepped down from the company. Last year, Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike, two prominent AI researchers for OpenAI that had been co-leading the company's Superalignment team at the time, also left the company, Fortune reported. Leike blamed the lack of safety concerns for his departure, noting how 'safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products' over the past years. In November, 26-year-old Suchir Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco home just three months after he accused OpenAI of violating copyright laws in its development of ChatGPT. Balaji was also a former employee of OpenAI and joined the company with a belief that it has a potential to benefit society. Stuart Russell, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, previously told the Financial Times that the 'AGI race is a race towards the edge of a cliff' Police said they found no evidence of foul play at the scene and ruled the death a suicide, but Balaji's parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy have continued to question the circumstances of their son's death. According to Balaji's parents, there was blood in their son's bathroom when he was found dead, leading them to believe a struggle had taken place. His sudden death came just months after he resigned from OpenAI over ethical concerns. According to the New York Times, Balaji left the company in August because 'he no longer wanted to contribute to technologies that he believes would bring society more harm than benefit.' Daniel Kokotajlo, a former OpenAI governance researcher, told Fortune in August that nearly half of the company's staff - specifically the ones that focused on the long-term risks of superpowerful AI - had left the company. These former employees have joined the group of growing voices criticizing AI and the handling of its internal safety procedures. Stuart Russell, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, previously told the Financial Times that the 'AGI race is a race towards the edge of a cliff.' 'Even the CEOs who are engaging in the race have stated that whoever wins has a significant probability of causing human extinction in the process, because we have no idea how to control systems more intelligent than ourselves,' Russell added. Comments among these educators and researchers come as there is increased attention on the global race between the United States and China, especially after a Chinese company released DeepSeek DeepSeek spooked investors on Monday after they were informed that the company had potentially built an equal or better AI model than leading US labs - even leading to the US stock market losing $1 trillion overnight as investors lost confidence in Western dominance Altman said on Monday that it was 'invigorating to have a new competitor' and would move up some of OpenAI's new releases to match DeepSeek's 'impressive model' Comments among these educators and researchers come as there is increased attention on the global race between the United States and China. Investors were spooked on Monday after news went public that DeepSeek, a Chinese company, had potentially built an equal or better AI model than leading US labs. After its release in January, DeepSeek quickly became the most-downloaded free app on the Apple Store - beating rivals like ChatGPT. Additionally, the cost of training and developing DeepSeek's models appeared to only be a fraction of what is required for its Western rivals. DeepSeek said that its third version of the system used Nvidia's H800 chips for training, which are not top-of-the-line - and only 2000 of them, compared with the tens of thousands that are normally used for training models of a similar size. This is said to have cost just $6million, compared to $100million+ that US firms have funneled into their models. The app also distinguishes itself from other chatbots by articulating its reasoning before delivering a response to a prompt. After DeepSeek-R1 was released this past January, the US stock market lost $1 trillion overnight as investors lost confidence in Western dominance in the AI sector. The news led to a reaction from leading tech figures in the US, including Altman. In response to the news, Altman said on Monday that it was 'invigorating to have a new competitor' and would move up some of OpenAI's new releases to match DeepSeek's 'impressive model.' Additionally, he said that he looked 'forward to bringing' the world 'AGI and beyond.' Shocking details have come to light about the alcohol-fueled party a Florida elementary school principal held at her house that was attended by more than 100 underage students. Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the 47-year-old principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, was arrested following the raucous 'white lie' party on January 19, alongside third-grade teacher Karly Anderson, 45. The two face charges of child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, with Hill-Brodigan also facing a criminal charge for hosting an open house party. Cocoa Beach police wrote in an affidavit obtained by Fox 35 they responded to Hill-Brodigan's home at around 9pm, after receiving numerous complaints about noise, alcohol and narcotics use. Some neighbors even claimed that children were walking through their yards, swearing at the homeowners. When the police arrived, they found over 100 minors in matching t-shirts, with some students telling police that 'alcohol was ready and available in multiple red/white coolers inside the residence,' PEOPLE reports. They claimed the party was advertised on Snapchat, and said 'parties like this happen once or twice a month' at the home. Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the 47-year-old principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, was arrested following the raucous 'white lie' party on January 19 She (left) and third-grade teacher Karly Anderson, 45 (right), are facing charges of child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, with Hill-Brodigan also facing a criminal charge for hosting an open house party Hill-Brodigan initially denied being involved in the events at her home or any other 'underaged ragers,' police said. But students claimed she asked some of them to help make preparations for the party, and 'seemed OK with what was happening.' By the time the police arrived, they said they found a boy on the front lawn 'vomiting and shaking,' and requiring treatment from the Brevard County Fire Rescue 'During this time the homeowner, Hill-Brodigan, was seen by Officers in the driveway of her residence turning off the outside lights and entering her residence, causing BCFR to use auxiliary lighting on their vehicle to treat the juvenile,' the CBPD previously said in a press release. Meanwhile, a clearly intoxicated Anderson - the teacher - allegedly began yelling at paramedics for putting the boy 'in a machine,' apparently referring to the patrol vehicle. An officer eventually had to tell her to go away so he could take care of the boy, the affidavit says. It also notes that before the police even arrived at the home, one officer called Hill-Brodigan, who claimed she was down the street and would return home to 'handle the issue.' The students, however, claimed Hill-Brodigan - whom they knew was the elementary school principal - was inside the house while the party was going on. Hill-Brodigan became principal of the elementary school on May 2, 2024, according to the school's website At the time she wrote that she was 'over the moon excited to be the new principal' and claimed to have served the students and parents of Brevard County for the last 23 years She reportedly told one of her sons to stop the event, but her son ignored her and she allegedly took no further action to stop the party. As the party then continued, fights broke out, including when one student even allegedly slapped another for punching a third student, PEOPLE reports. At another point, a boy wearing a mask was seen pointing a Beretta pistol at someone recording a video, the affidavit says. But police said they found no juveniles with firearms at the party. Still, at least two juveniles were arrested. According to a police report, officers began conducting traffic control around the home, and a sergeant stopped a vehicle that ran a stop sign and allegedly almost hit his vehicle. The underage driver agreed to take a Breathalyzer test, which showed she had a 0.118 blood alcohol content - nearly twice the legal limit for drivers who are 21 and over. Another girl in the passenger seat was also busted for marijuana possession. When police arrived at her home, they said they found a boy on the front lawn 'vomiting and shaking,' and requiring treatment from the Brevard County Fire Rescue Hill-Brodigan became principal of the elementary school on May 2, 2024, according to the school's website. At the time she wrote that she was 'over the moon excited to be the new principal' and claimed to have served the students and parents of Brevard County for the last 23 years. 'Students, families, and staff are very close to my heart, I really enjoy what I do,' she said. The principal has since posted a $3,500 bond and was released Saturday morning, while Anderson was released on a $3,000 bond. They are both on leave pending an investigation, with Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell saying he was 'very troubled' by the allegations. 'We hold our leaders to the highest of standards, and if these allegations are true, it's a complete failure in leadership and [a] violation of our trust,' he told Fox 35. 'The district is cooperating fully with police as they investigate this matter, and will strive to provide families with full transparency.' In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik-1, causing shock and alarm across the West. It had been generally assumed that the US was far more technologically advanced than the Russians, and the rude awakening provided by the 'Sputnik crisis' sparked the famous Space Race between the two superpowers. Now, a leading Silicon Valley tech investor has warned of a new 'Sputnik moment'. That's how billionaire Marc Andreessen this week described China's latest breakthrough in the battle to develop Artificial Intelligence currently the defining issue for the tech world. The release of a cheap but remarkably powerful new generative AI platform by a Chinese tech company called DeepSeek has turned out to be just as unsettling for American self-confidence as the appearance of a Soviet spacecraft orbiting the Earth. Andreessen, a major donor to Donald Trump, described the software a 'chatbot' that allows people to have conversations with it as 'one of the most amazing and impressive breakthroughs' he had ever witnessed. And plenty of people agree with him. It takes a lot to wipe the smug grin off the faces of Silicon Valley's multi-billionaire bosses, but DeepSeek has managed to seriously rattle many of them as its new AI model and the astonishing claims made about it sparked a bloodbath on Wall Street on Monday, taking a staggering $1trillion (800 billion) off the value of the shares of major US tech companies. One of them, microchip manufacturer Nvidia which only last year was crowned as the world's most valuable company because of its key role in supplying the chips supposedly needed for AI plunged nearly 17 per cent in value (the equivalent of $589 billion or 490 billion) in the biggest one-day drop for a single company in US history. Liang Wenfeng, the founder of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek (pictured right) when he was younger Wenfeng, who by Chinese media accounts has just turned 40, launched his app in the United States on the same day as Donald Trump 's inauguration DeepSeek's AI Assistant is said to perform on-par with ChatGPT at a fraction of the price Why the panic? China has shattered American certainty about which country will lead the world in developing AI. DeepSeek run by Liang Wenfeng, a nerdy 39-year-old Chinese billionaire hedge funder with a terrible haircut has unveiled an AI system which, with certain caveats, matches the achievements so far of America's most advanced chatbots such as the latest version of ChatGPT. And, worryingly for Silicon Valley and Wall Street, DeepSeek says it has demonstrated that low-cost AI can be created without using expensive US technology. Demand from those wanting to try out DeepSeek's chatbot (which can be accessed via an iPhone app, or simply on the internet) has been immense, although yesterday it proved difficult to register for it, with the company's website curiously blaming 'large-scale malicious attacks' on its services. President Trump warned that DeepSeek should be a 'wake-up call' for American industries. It's particularly galling for him as he has been talking up Silicon Valley's AI brilliance, recently announcing a $500 billion initiative called Stargate to develop the technology. Sam Altman, boss of OpenAI, the leading US artificial intelligence developer, has tried to see the bright side: he called the Chinese rival 'impressive' and claimed it was 'invigorating to have a new competitor'. This was quite a volte-face for a man who only last summer characterised AI development as a 'race' between democracy and authoritarianism. President Donald Trump has branded Chinese AI startup DeepSeek as a 'wake-up call' for US tech titans after fears of upheaval in the AI gold rush rocked Wall Street AI is already entrenched in our daily lives. It's employed in everything from mobile phones and Amazon's 'virtual home assistant' Alexa to delivery drones and driverless cars. Sceptics have warned that AI has been ridiculously over-hyped, but others say it could revolutionise all manner of services, including health care and defence, albeit at the potential cost of millions of people's jobs. DeepSeek is a so-called large language model, which harnesses the vast trove of information on the internet to create super-intelligent computers that can outperform humans. DeepSeek's chatbot has been hailed as a giant leap forward because it is said to achieve the same results as the equivalent AI models in Silicon Valley, but more cheaply, quickly and efficiently. It also consumes less energy (a major factor given that AI requires enormous computing power), and requires fewer and less advanced chips than those powering the AI being developed in the US. While America's OpenAI says it spent $1billion (800 million) 'training' ChatGPT, for example, DeepSeek reportedly spent less than $6 million (4.8 million) on its last chatbot. And although some advanced US models charge users, DeepSeek's chatbot is 'open source', meaning anyone around the world can use it for free. Little wonder there is such demand. China has said it aims to become the global leader in AI by 2030, but many in the US believed Washington had put an end to that notion when the Biden administration in 2022 started putting in place controls on exports of high-powered chips to China. The new Chinese chatbot launched last week and quickly overtook its rival ChatGPT to become the downloaded free app on Apple's US App Store However, it appears DeepSeek not only got around those controls by finding a loophole in US regulations that allowed them to keep purchasing advanced chips before Washington finally closed the door. It also adopted a policy of hiring super-bright young computer engineers. DeepSeek's boss, Mr Liang, who made his fortune using AI to spot good investments on stock markets, believes that inexperienced workers are more likely to 'think outside the box'. So it proved as those workers developed a way of streamlining the traditional, very time-consuming method of building an AI chatbot by processing every last gobbet of information on the internet. Instead, the DeepSeek system relies on knowing where to look for answers online a process that may take a little longer but is far more efficient. To many, especially those who instinctively distrust something that comes out of China and appears designed to damage business rivals in the US, the stunning success of DeepSeek sounds a little too good to be true. Some suspect that the Chinese government provided financial backing to DeepSeek, founded in 2023, although experts who've looked at the company's data say that it appears the business genuinely found a way of cutting costs. It's also been claimed that the company hasn't been entirely honest about the microchips it used, because it managed to stockpile tens of thousands of the advanced American Nvidia chips before those restrictions came into force. DeepSeek's arrival destabilized the AI market and caused the US stock market to hemorrhage $1trillion on Monday OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote that R1, one of several models DeepSeek released in recent weeks, 'is an impressive model, particularly around what they're able to deliver for the price' However, perhaps the most powerful reason to worry about DeepSeek's AI is that it may provide China with a hugely productive means of spying on the West. Under a 2017 Beijing law, all Chinese organisations are required to 'cooperate with national intelligence efforts' a fact that hardened Washington's opposition to the Chinese-owned video-sharing giant TikTok (although the company has denied sending US user data to the Chinese government). The popular service has been under a court-ordered ban in the US since earlier this month, due to government concerns it is hoovering up users' private information and passing it to the communist regime, significantly weakening US national security. DeepSeek's chatbot is itself collecting a vast amount of information and sending it back to China, where it is headquartered in the city of Hangzhou, one of the country's tech hubs. This much the company freely admits: according to its English-language DeepSeek privacy policy, 'We store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China.' Meanwhile, even the information that DeepSeek sends back in the other direction has a pro-Beijing bias. Users have already discovered that its chatbot declines to answer politically sensitive questions such as those about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre or President Xi Jinping, while at the same time putting a pro-Beijing gloss on other controversies like the mistreatment of the Uyghur ethnic minority. In China, DeepSeek has been hailed as a national triumph that could change the country's destiny and which has plunged Silicon Valley into its 'darkest hour'. Yet the new AI platform may not be all it seems, and like the Soviets being beaten to the Moon in 1969 China may not win the AI race. But like Sputnik, DeepSeek has delivered a short, sharp shock to the notion of American 'exceptionalism' that its new president and the tech titans who have embraced him love to trumpet. A council has banned charity volunteers who have looked after a medieval cemetery for the last decade from using a lawnmower - citing health and safety reasons. The group, who have been maintaining the ancient St Giles Hill Graveyard in Hampshire, fear they may be have to stop taking care of the resting place. The Friends of St Giles have been told they can no longer use power tools on the site - which is the resting place of a Titanic casualty and seven WWI victims - due to Winchester City Council insurance rules. They have since warned they can't go on maintaining the graveyard which offers sweeping views of Winchester, if they have to keep the grass down 'using a pair of scissors'. Even though a volunteer has never suffered an injury whilst tending to the area, charity chairman Dave Stewart, 73, said that the council seemingly had a 'sudden' change of heart. Winchester City Council told the group via a phone call to stop using power tools earlier this month. In a follow up email, an official said: 'I understand that you will be annoyed at this as you have been maintaining the graveyard for so many years with no problems with the use of these tools... 'Please know that we really are not trying to be difficult, we really appreciate and value all the work you carry out at the graveyard... 'However, it is more complex than we would have expected and we have been consulting with our insurers, health and safety and other councils to ensure we come to the correct decision for this authority. Winchester City Council has banned charity volunteers who have looked after a medieval cemetery for the last decade from using a lawnmower citing health and safety reasons The Friends of St Giles been told they can no longer use power tools on the site due to Winchester City insurance rules (pictured: Dr David J Stewart) 'This must be incredibly frustrating for you but we have no other option but to explore the implications of allowing use of power tools more thoroughly.' Dr Stewart said the group has its own insurance to use power tools like lawnmowers but will be forced to close down if the ban stays in place. The Friends have been looking after St Giles Hill Graveyard since 2014, and the council has even sent some of their staff to help the good samaritans on occasion. The council promised a 'full explanation' for the ban, but even after meeting with the trustees of the charity on January 24, no such thing has materialised. But Dr Stewart said the volunteers can't keep going without lawnmowers and other power tools. He said: 'It's pretty soon it gets into the growing season. By March, everything starts to grow and we won't be able to really keep up with it. 'All because we have projects to develop, meadow areas and basically we need to keep the place in good shape to be able to do those things. 'So we can't keep grasses and other vegetation down using a pair of scissors. And trimmers, it would take a large number of volunteers a lot of time to do that. Dr Stewart worries of the consequences if the ban isn't lifted soon, adding that the group had spent ten years 'getting it [the graveyard] in a good shape,' before adding: 'And it could well be that in a year it could be overgrown again, things grow so fast.' The Friends began their work at the cemetery on an ad hoc basis to nurture the land and wildlife, before becoming a charity in 2019 in order to get insurance to be able to use the lawnmower. The site dates back to medieval times but the oldest observable grave in the cemetery dates back to 1694. Winchester City Council officially took charge of the resting place towards the end of 2021. Retired geologist Dr Stewart said that the group has about 75 volunteers, working in groups of between 10 to 12, with each person working one day every month. He said the charity has become a group where people make friends and socialise. He said: 'The tragedy is that our volunteers love coming here... If we had to abandon the thing because of this, it would be tragic for them as well as us.' The council promised to explain what's made them implement the lawnmower ban at a meeting with the charity on January 24 this year. Instead, the council representative just said that she would try and resolve the issue by drawing up a licence agreement. Even though a volunteer has never suffered an injury whilst tending to the area, charity chairman Dave Stewart , 73, said that the council seemingly had a 'sudden' change of heart. The volunteers plan to work on the cemetery until the beginning of February but won't be able to if the ban isn't lifted by then. The volunteers plan to work on the cemetery on February 1, but won't be able to if the ban isn't lifted by then. A council spokesperson said: The Friends have already been told that they can continue their work on Saturday. 'We have no intention of banning any part of the brilliant work they do and are working with the Friends to sort this out. 'We want to do everything we can to enable volunteers across the district, but as with our contractors, we also have a duty to ensure that volunteer activities on public land are safe, insured and the equipment is properly maintained. 'This is not just for our assurance, but theirs and the publics safety too. We are confident that the volunteers can continue their work and we will support them to do so. The weighting of the Crown Nominations Commission to select Justin Welby's successor about to start its deliberations suggests the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be a more conservative figure. This could cause problems for the future monarch William. The heir is thought to want to change the religious oaths at the coronation and may even wish to end links with the CofE. He has already indicated that he sees no reason why Prince George should be an Anglican. Welby apparently had no problem with that. The day after baptising Prince George, he was asked if he would be comfortable with George one day converting to, say, Buddhism. 'He's perfectly entitled to be that,' he replied. The weighting of the Crown Nominations Commission to select Justin Welby 's successor about to start its deliberations suggests the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be a more conservative figure. Prince William has already indicated that he sees no reason why Prince George should be an Anglican. Welby apparently had no problem with that Jamie Oliver reveals he was the target of male abuse in his early Naked Chef days when wives and girlfriends nagged partners to 'get their arses into the kitchen'. 'I did get chased once', he tells the Louis Theroux podcast. 'I ran about 300 metres, and he got me in a corner. 'He pinned me up against the wall and goes, 'Thanks to you, I have to cook three times a week'.' Jamie Oliver reveals he was the target of male abuse in his early Naked Chef days Emily Maitlis, having failed to catch President Trump's eye when performing a cartwheel on camera in Washington's Capitol Hill, endured further disappointment from former Welsh Commonwealth Games gymnast Gabby Logan. 'Gabby is deducting points from my cartwheel on the leg wobble,' wails Emily. 'I have never felt more exposed.' Emily Maitlis failed to catch President Trump's eye when performing a cartwheel on camera in Washington's Capitol Hill Unveiling tomorrow night's 18 candidates for the new series of The Apprentice, Lord Sugar seems to doubt the ability of some to scoop his 250,000 winner's investment prize, saying: 'I have a bunch of CVs here and some of them contain more crap than the River Thames.' Lord Alan Sugar revealed there's 'more crap than the River Thames' on the contestants' CVs With Energy Secretary Ed Miliband under fire for appointing a personal photographer at taxpayers' expense, Andrew Neil concludes: 'At least he'll have someone close to hand to snap the blackouts his energy policies portend.' Charmingly oafish actor Danny Dyer tells GQ magazine about his friendship with the late playwright Harold Pinter. 'He would buy me a six-pack of lager and invite me over,' remembers Danny. 'He liked the fact that we were from the same area, and that I said 'c***' a lot.' Let-down-in-love Vanessa Feltz, still looking for Mr Right two years after splitting from cheating fiance Ben Ofoedu, wails that she cannot turn to online dating apps. 'It's very difficult,' she confides. 'You know, if I did go on one, within ten seconds of seeing me, they'd text their mates saying: 'It's that fat bird off the telly!' A fighter jet burst into flames after crashing at a military base, with the pilot managing to escape unscathed. Footage captured at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska shows the F-35 fighter jet barreling to the ground before exploding on Tuesday afternoon. The jet can be seen flailing around in mid air, while the pilot safely descends underneath a parachute before it burst into a ball of flames. It remains unclear what caused the pilot to eject and send the jet crashing to the ground at this stage. In a statement the 354th Fighter Wing's office described the incident it as causing significant damage. They said: 'The pilot is safe and has been transported to Bassett Army Hospital for further evaluation.' Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the fighter wing, added: 'Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security. Footage captured at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska shows the F-35 fighter jet barreling to the ground before exploding on Tuesday afternoon In a statement to Anchorage Daily News, the 354th Fighter Wing's office described it as causing significant damage 'I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.' Townsend also told reporters that the pilot had been executing 'standard procedures' at the time of the incident. He added: 'I think it is premature to speculate on the causes of the incident, essentially [the pilot] experienced an inflight malfunction, was safely able to eject, but resulted in the crash of the aircraft.' The F-35A is the Air Force's latest fighter jet that had replaced the F-16 Fighting Falcons, and the A-10 Thunderbolt II's. According to Air & Spaces Forces Magazine, the average price of one of the jets is roughly $81 million. There are currently 54 of the jets stationed at the base, which is situated near Fairbanks, according to Anchorage Daily News. The jets are long-range supersonic jets that come with stealth capability, and are also capable of reaching anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in one mission. It comes after a similar F-35 jet crashed in rural South Carolina in September of 2023, with the pilot also parachuting to safety. The jet went missing, with officials asking the public to call in if they had any information on the jet, causing a media frenzy. They found it a day later. Townsend also told reporters that the pilot had been executing 'standard procedures' at the time of the incident The F-35A, seen here, is the Air Force's latest fighter jet that had replaced the F-16 Fighting Falcons, and the A-10 Thunderbolt II's It took 17 days to collect and examine the wreckage and clean up spilt fuel and other hazards from the woods at a cost of more than $2.1 million, according to a report. A Marine investigation last year blamed the pilot of the jet for ejecting when he didn't need to, causing it to fly unmanned for 11 minutes before it eventually crashed. The report blamed the stealth technology onboard as well as a transponder that didnt work and the plane flying at low altitude with a system that automatically stabilizes flight without a pilots control on the disappearance. The jet suffered several system failures as the pilot tried to land at Joint Base Charleston in heavy rain in September 2023 after a 50-minute training flight with another F-35. Lightning had been reported nearby and the aircraft suffered an electrical event that caused malfunctions in its radios, transponders and air navigation system. The pilots helmet display also flickered on and off three times. The exact nature of what happened was blacked out in the report released to the public. The pilot then said he had no reference to where he was in relation to the ground and was unsure what instruments he could trust, so he decided to eject. Marine investigators determined there was no need to abandon the aircraft because its computer was still controlling its flight as evidenced by the jet staying in the air for more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) and 11 minutes with no pilot. The standby instruments were still providing accurate data and the backup radio was still at least partially functioning, according to the report. The report noted that investigators arent sure what data the pilot was receiving or what he saw in his helmet just before and at the time he ejected because the crash recorder did not record that information. A young Aussie has been praised after offering a solution on how to solve the massive debate around Australia Day. West Australian Ronan Fitzgerald, 21, gave his thoughts on Tuesday about whether or not the public holiday should be moved from January 26. 'Not to get too political, but I reckon we can solve the Australia Day debate,' Ronan said in a TikTok video. 'By just having a public holiday every Monday, we can celebrate the country with a long weekend, every single week.' Social media users were overwhelmingly in support of the solution and called for a standard four-day work week in Australia. 'Great idea,' one said. 'But, Tuesday is an awful day to start, so we have to do Wednesday... oh no...' another joked. 'He's got my vote,' another said. One suggested the best way to negotiate the Australia Day debate would be to separate two dates over two days. 'Have the actual date as a national day of mourning and designate a separate day for celebrating what the nation is today,' she suggested. It comes after the heated debate leading up to the Australia Day long weekend. Many Australians have backed a proposal to move Australia Day to another date and use the day to not only celebrate the country, but also acknowledge the mistreatment of First Nations people. Former Bachelor star and proud Wiradjuri woman Kiki Morris in the lead-up to the day, told the ABC she would be supportive of an Australia Day on another date. Many consider the date, the day Captain Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack in Port Jackson, as the beginning of the colonial suffering of Indigenous people. For them, the date is regarded as 'Invasion Day' or the 'Day of Mourning'. 'I think that Australia is such a wonderful country and it's offered a safe space for so many people to live and bring up their families,' Ms Morris said. Western Australian bloke Ronan Fitzgerald reckoned year-round public holidays were the answer to the Australia Day debate 'For those people, we deserve to celebrate what Australia means to all of us, but definitely, the date needs to be changed. 'We need to be sensitive to our ancestors and our history as well.' Some social media users supported Mr Fitzgerald's solution simply because they wanted a four-day work week. Many suggested they would support the Greens in upcoming elections due to previous support from party members for the four-day work week. Federal Greens senator Barbara Pocock has been a big supporter of work-life balance measures in her role as chair of the Senate Select Work and Care Committee. On Wednesday, major marketing agency Claxon announced they would implement a permanent four-day work week, effective immediately The move comes after a three-month trial last year which saw the agency condense its 38-hour week into four days. The whole team will take Fridays off, at no cost to their hours or salaries. 'This isnt just about improving culture; its about enhancing productivity and performance,' Claxons CEO Daniel Willis said. The anti-terror watchdog has called for a new policing unit to be created in order to tackle 'lonely' and autistic boys who are obsessed with violence like triple child-killer Axel Rudakubana. Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has called for something similar to Scotland Yard's Fixated Threat Assessment Centre - which monitors risks to royals, politicians and other prominent figures. Mr Hall said the new police body would sit alongside counter-terroism and serious organised crime. 'And the reason it's so important is because the internet has changed everything it absolutely has changed the way in which terrorism, traditional terrorists, how they practice themselves, but also the sorts of causes and the sorts of individuals who are now being picked up by it,' he told the Times. Mr Hall has been tasked by the Prime Minister with investigating whether terror laws should be widened to include people such as Southport killer Rudakubana. But he said he was 'really dubious' about widening the definition of terrorism and instead pointed the finger at the internet. 'The truth is that a lot of the lonely, often autistic boys would not have had access to the capability or the ideology, would not have found one another, would not have realised that they could develop a sense of identity, but for the internet,' he added. And he poured cold water on the prospect of being able to censor content on American social media sites such as X and Meta due to the United States' First Amendment to uphold freedom of speech. Jonathan Hall KC (pictured), the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has called for new police unit similar to Scotland Yard's Fixated Threat Assessment Centre - which monitors risks to royals, politicians and other prominent figures The new unit would be created in order to tackle 'lonely' and autistic boys who are obsessed with violence like triple child-killer Axel Rudakubana (pictured) Mr Hall warned hateful messages could be spread by AI chatbots which have already been used by terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic State. Rudakubana is said to have been fascinated by violence 'for its own sake' rather than possessing the clear ideology that current laws require for an act to be considered terrorism. That lack of an ideology meant he did not fit the criteria for the counter-extremism Prevent programme, despite being referred to it three times amid concerns over his fixation with violence. Rudakubana's horror attack at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport on July 29 saw him murder three young girls and attempt to murder another ten people. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of 52 years behind bars. Sir Keir Starmer said last week the Southport case demonstrated there was now a different kind of terrorism and suggested expanding the definition to address 'extreme violence carried out by loners, misfits, young men in their bedrooms'. Yesterday, Commission for Racial Equality Trevor Phillips told how he raised concerns as early as 2018 about government legislation that would harm the effectiveness of Prevent. Writing in the Sun, he criticised the introduction of a new category in the scheme for those who have 'vulnerability but no ideology or counter-terrorism risk.' Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was among the three little girls killed in the attack in Southport Bebe King, six, was also killed in the knife attack at The Hart Space in Southport last July Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, was the third girl killed in the horror knife attack in Southport The former Racial Equality Commission head called for a 'thorough investigation' to 'ask whether those who missed the signals did so because they did not want to ask difficult questions about the killer's racial background'. It comes after retired police officer Norman Brennan said many are 'too frightened to intervene' due to the 'ethnicity' of people they are concerned about. Mr Phillips claims that the introduction of the category was behind the steep drop in referrals to Prevent over concerns about Islamist ideology. Figures show that while almost 3,200 people were referred to Prevent for concerns related to Islamic extremism in 2018, that number had plummeted to 1,400 by 2019 - the same year as the introduction of the no ideology category. Last year the number was just 913, compared to 2,489 who had 'no ideology or counter-terrorism risk'. No such drop was seen in other categories, including right-wing extremism. Mr Phillips claims: 'In short, two thirds of the cases that might previously have been categorised as 'Islamist' were, in effect, reassigned to a 'no ideology, no risk' category. 'Why? There is, in my view, only one likely explanation.' He blamed calls for the expansion of the definition of Islamophobia brought by a group of MPs led by now-Health Secretary Wes Streeting. 'Many, including myself, in a report for the Policy Exchange think tank, warned that its loose terms ('a type of racism . . . that targets expressions of Muslimness') would lead to the chilling of speech, particularly in public services,' Mr Phillips wrote. Axel Rudakubana skulks in the back of a taxi on his way to murder three young girls The killer appeared to have been sleeping in the living room of the messy Merseyside home Ominous pre-cursor equipment for the production of poison was found across the house Axel Rudakubana had enough raw materials to kill 12,500 people by the time police uncovered his home laboratory and a lunch-box in which he was refining ricin Two Apollo Cerbera knives with 20cm blades, one still in its sheath, were recovered from the killer's house days after he bought them on Amazon A grisly array of hunting arrows was also recovered from the teenager's armoury A lethal bow was found in the bag where Rudakubana kept his newest knives He added that police leaders told Parliament they feared the definition would hamper both Prevent and counterterrorism. Rudakubana was born in Cardiff into a Christian family, and there is no evidence he was motivated by Islamic extremism - although his search history on his computer was wiped just before he left home to carry out his attack. But there is evidence that he was obsessed with extreme violence in all its forms - having researched Adolf Hitler, Genghis Khan and various killings and mass murders. Immediately before the attack, he had viewed footage of the attempted murder of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney in April. His Prevent referrals included concerns raised by his school after he made comments about school shootings, posted pictures of Colonel Gaddafi on Instagram and expressed an interest in the London Bridge attack, the IRA, MI5 and the Middle East. Meanwhile his phone contained images from conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Korea, as well as copious academic material relating to war and genocide. Using the device, he had search history relating to Nazi Germany, ethnic violence in Somalia and Rwanda, and slavery. He also had an American academic study of an al-Qaeda training document, which had been downloaded at least twice since 2021. A private school that was fined $140,000 over a student's death says it has since taken steps to ensure the safety of both pupils and staff on school trips. Melbourne's Kilvington Grammar School student Lachlan Cook, 16, was on a class expedition to Vietnam in September 2019 when he suffered complications from his type-1 diabetes. He began vomiting, complaining of abdominal pain and his blood sugar levels were high, but once he became unresponsive, staff only took him to a local hospital. Lachlan's condition deteriorated further and he was flown to Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital where his life support was ultimately switched off in October 2019. A coroner in 2023 found Lachlan's death was preventable, with WorkSafe issuing charges to both Kilvington and travel company World Challenge Expeditions. The school and company both pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to a charge of failing to ensure that persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks. Judge Angela Ellis handed down the sanctions on Wednesday, having found the risk of Lachlan dying would have been significantly reduced if different steps were taken. She noted the World Challenge trip leader did not have training in diabetes management and she did not pass on Lachlan's condition when she first reported his symptoms to the company's on-call operations centre. Kilvington Grammar School student Lachlan Cook, 16, suffered diabetes complications during the to Vietnam in September 2019 and later died in hospital in Melbourn Judge Angela Ellis on Wednesday sentenced Kilvington (pictured) to a $140,000 fine, while World Challenge was fined $150,000. That delay and lack of communication prevented Lachlan from receiving the appropriate care, Judge Ellis said. The two Kilvington teachers on the school trip also did not receive additional training and Lachlan's diabetes management plan was not provided to them, the judge said. Lachlan's risk of dying would have been substantially reduced if there had been more training and information sharing, Judge Ellis said. But she accepted Kilvington and World Challenge had no prior convictions and had shown remorse through their early guilty pleas. The judge sentenced Kilvington to a $140,000 fine, while World Challenge was fined $150,000. Both the school and company received a conviction. Kilvington principal Rob French apologised to Lachlan's family and said the school accepted responsibility for its role in the 16-year-old's 'truly devastating' death. Mr French said Kilvington had since implemented restorative practices, including annual staff training in the management of diabetes. 'We will continue to apply these to ensure the safety of our students and staff, both domestically and internationally,' he said. World Challenge director Peter Fletcher also apologised to the family and said his company was constantly reviewing its safety policies and procedures. 'We will continue to work with our partners, schools, and with families to make these trips as safe and inclusive as they can possibly be,' he told reporters outside court. WorkSafe executive health and safety director Sam Jenkin welcomed the sentences, saying the staff should have been better trained to identify Lachlan's serious symptoms. Lachlan's family were not in court on Wednesday although they watched remotely on video link. The main leaders of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group face being returned to Ireland as it emerged that a new extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates is to be ratified 'very soon'. Kinahan gang members, including main players Daniel Kinahan and Christy Kinahan Jnr, face being sent back to Ireland to face serious charges for murder, drugs and firearms offences. The DPP is now considering criminal charges against them following the submission of an official garda investigation file. While gardai believe that the upper echelons of the cartel are based in the Emirates, there have been fears that their connections with the Russian mafia will allow them to evade arrest there and that they could flee to Moscow. Senior Kinahan gang leader Sean McGovern, who is wanted in Ireland for murder, is already in custody, having been arrested in Dubai three months ago. However, there are potential legal problems as Mr McGovern was arrested prior to this extradition treaty being in place. It remains to be seen if Mr McGovern can be sent back to Ireland due to this reason. Speaking yesterday, new Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan said the new extradition treaty would be ratified 'promptly'. Kinahan gang members, including main players Daniel Kinahan and Christopher Kinahan Jr, face being sent back to Ireland to face serious charges for murder, drugs and firearms offences Top Kinahan member Sean McGovern (pictured) was arrested by UAE police last year McGovern, who is wanted in Ireland for murder, is already in custody, having been arrested in Dubai three months ago 'I want to commend Minister McEntee (former justice minister) for that excellent piece of work. 'That treaty needs to be ratified and once it's ratified, then it can come into operation, and any individuals who need to be extradited, hopefully, will be extradited. 'I would have thought that ratification will be done very quickly. 'It could be done without debate, and I suspect it will be done without debate. 'Any persons who have been involved in criminal activity in Ireland, I would like them seeing them extradited back here to face the arms of the law.' Garda Commissioner Drew Harris would not be drawn on commenting on the Kinahan gang but said that the ratification of the treaty will be down to the trojan work of diplomats. Justice Minister jim O'Callaghan said the new extradition treaty would be ratified 'promptly' 'I know there's been a huge political and diplomatic effort that has gone into that. And in effect, then that places Ireland in a favourable position with the UAE. 'But again, that has been a huge political and diplomatic effort, and I think that is something that we should all welcome, and certainly we hope to see a very positive outlook. 'What I would say is that's a political arrangement between two sovereign nations as law enforcement. 'It's our duty to investigate and report to the DPP, who then decide on precedence and extradition. 'Beyond that, there is a judicial proceeding, and in effect, we've done our job when we presented a file of evidence to the DPP.' Charlamagne tha God had a tense exchange where he predicted Elon Musk would 'crash and burn' with Vivek Ramaswamy after discussing his quick exit from DOGE. Ramaswamy, 39, departed the fat-cutting new agency he was supposed to run with Elon Musk before it could even get started in Donald Trump's administration. The former presidential candidate has been rumored to be running for governor of Ohio in 2026 instead. Speaking the Charlamagne on The Breakfast Club Tuesday morning, Ramaswamy was directly asked: 'What happened with DOGE? Did you get pushed out? Did you get fired?' Ramasawamy responded by suggesting the DOGE that Elon wanted had a 'slightly different vision from where we started to where we landed.' He tried to describe how he wanted to dismantle the bloated government bureaucracy whereas Musk wanted a 'technology-first approach.' 'And what he and I both concluded and I think this is right is given my focus on law, on legislation, the right way to realize my vision is through elected office, so that's what I'm gonna be pursing.' He also claimed that running for governor of Ohio and working on DOGE would violate the Hatch Act. Charlamagne tha God had a tense exchange where he predicted Elon Musk would 'crash and burn' with Vivek Ramaswamy after discussing his quick exit from DOGE Ramaswamy, 39, departed the fat-cutting new agency he was supposed to run with Elon Musk before it could even get started 'I would say that we arrived at it pretty mutually. I've been committed to this path of likely running for governor of Ohio for a long time. My plan initially might have been to do those at the same time,' Ramaswamy said. 'Once it became clear that was impossible to do at the same time, once it became clear to me that that was the right next leadership destination for me, it felt like the start of the project on day one was the right way to start that next chapter.' He claimed that he and Musk are 'on good terms, good personal relationship, slightly different approaches to the project.' However, Charlamagne had a more pointed question: 'Do you think you were pushed out of DOGE because Trump rolled back the DEI initiatives?' Ramaswamy denied it: 'It was really just an actual mutual decision where you look at here was one vision on approach, heres a different vision on an approach. Thats great, theres no right or wrong answer.' The radio host and ally of Kamala Harris during her failed presidential run was not convinced and even nastier words for DOGE. 'I hear you, Vivek. I don't believe you. I think you either got pushed out or you know that it's going to implode. I think that you know Elon is gon' crash and burn it, and you're a smart guy, and you said, 'You know what, let me get out of Dodge and go do my governor Ohio thing.'' Ramaswamy deflected, denied and said: 'Were all on very good terms. And so I wouldnt want to speak for anybody else, but I will say that theyre very supportive of of the decision that I made to pursue as my next step.' Ramasawamy suggested the DOGE that Elon wanted had a 'slightly different vision from where we started to where we landed' Ramaswamy tried to describe how he wanted to dismantle the bloated government bureaucracy whereas Musk wanted a 'technology-first approach' The former presidential candidate has been on a media tour post-DOGE and before announcing his run for governor, sitting down with Fox News' Jesse Watters Monday. Watters joked that Ramaswamy was leaving DOGE 'after like three Scaramuccis' and asked him what happened, as it was previously reported that Musk wanted him out. 'Scaramuccis' are a unit of measurement based on the extremely short, 11-day tenure of Trump White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci. 'Well, the reality is, I'm pursuing an elected office very shortly. We will have an announcement soon,' Ramaswamy answered. Watters then asked Ramaswamy about the rumors that he and Musk weren't getting along. 'I think that's incorrect,' Ramaswamy replied. 'But what I would say is, we had different and complementary approaches.' Watters also asked Ramaswamy straight up if Musk had fired him. 'It's - no, we had a mutual discussion,' the 2024 Republican hopeful answered. 'And I think I wish him well.' Ramaswamy further explained their 'different' approaches in a similar manner to his talk with Charlamagne. Vivek Ramaswamy denied that he had been fired by Elon Musk but confirmed that he was leaving the newly created Department of Government Efficiency before it even gets off the ground 'I focused more on a constitutional law, legislative-based approach,' he said. 'They focused more on a technology approach, which is the future approach.' 'No better person to lead that technology, digital approach than Elon Musk,' he offered. 'But when you're talking about a constitutional revival, it's not just done through the federal government, it's done through federalism, where states also lead the way,' he continued. 'So I will have to be saying more on that very shortly Jesse, But that's going to be my next stop.' He also claimed that he and Musk were 'on the same page.' 'Divide and conquer,' he explained. 'In saving the country, it's not a one-man show from the top down or the bottom up. It's all of the above. And that's what I'm for.' Ramaswamy further teased an Ohio governor's bid by saying he was flying back to the Buckeye State later Monday night. 'We look at the country over the last 20 years, Silicon Valley was at the bleeding edge of the American economy. I think the Ohio River Valley can be at the bleeding edge of the American economy for the next 20 years,' he said, readying his pitch to voters. 'People leaving this state from New York or California, right now, they go to Florida or Texas,' he said. 'I think places like Ohio should be where they're headed in the next couple of decades.' Vivek Ramaswamy was asked by Fox News' Jesse Watters if he was fired from DOGE - the Department of Government Efficiency - by Elon Musk (left). President Donald Trump (right) had tasked Musk and Ramaswamy to be co-leaders of the project Watters said the weather in Ohio might even improve over the next few years. 'All right, if global warming keeps happening, it's going to get really nice and sunny in Ohio,' the Fox News anchor said. Ramaswamy, if he announces, will follow Ohio's Attorney General Dave Yost into the Republican primary. They will be vying to replace the term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine. Ramaswamy ran in the 2024 GOP primary against Trump but when he fell short in the Iowa caucuses last January he quickly endorsed and campaigned for the now-president. Without him, Musk's DOGE has hit the ground running much like the rest of the Trump administration in the first week on the job. DOGE has set to work removing the Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council website from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. President Trump has been highly vocal about his intention to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion offices across federal government, describing them as 'Marxist.' Elon Musk has revealed the Department of Government Efficiency's first task since Donald Trump returned to Oval Office Just yesterday the website described its services as the 'principal interagency forum to implement and sustain a national strategy for DEIA across Federal government' The website now shows a 404 server error with the message: 'Page Not Found.' 'I will end all of the Marxist diversity, equity and inclusion policies across the entire federal government immediately,' Trump said in December. Now, Musk is ensuring that Trump's vision is carried out at the highest level, with the removal of the executive council website. Just yesterday the website described its services as the 'principal interagency forum to implement and sustain a national strategy for DEIA across Federal government.' But Musk's call to wipe the website from the personnel platform indicates the entire department will be - or has already been - shuttered. The department is also looking into stopping production of the penny to save taxpayers money. In a post on X, the 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. Musk's DOGE has been tasked with reducing government expenditure and improving productivity within the public service. He claims it can save $1trillion - but that number has already been worked down from the initial $2trillion he promised recently. A British teenager jailed in Dubai for a holiday romance with a 17-year-old girl is set to lodge a pardon request believed to be supported by foreign secretary David Lammy. Marcus Fakana, now 19, from Tottenham, has prepared a plea to the ruler of the UAE, who is understood to have intervened in cases where tourists have fallen foul of his country's laws in the past. The teen's pardon request is expected to be accompanied by a letter of support from the Foreign Secretary, who has previously been accused of not doing enough to help Fakana. The young construction apprentice is currently serving a one-year sentence in one of Dubai's most notorious jails. He was arrested in August after he had consensual sex with a 17-year-old from London during a holiday in the UAE city with his parents. The girl was just one month away from turning 18, but sex with anyone under the age of 18 is an offence in the Gulf State. The CEO of Detained in Dubai, a pressure group that is helping Fakana, has now said the British Embassy has prepared a pardon application. Radha Stirling said according to The Mirror: 'The British Embassy has been in touch with Marcus while in prison on a regular basis and a pardon application has been prepared. Marcus Fakana (pictured), now 19, from Tottenham, has prepared a plea to the ruler of the UAE, who has intervened in similar cases involving tourists in the past Pictured is the high-security al-Aweer prison where Fakana is serving his sentence. The jail houses some of Dubai's worst offenders, including murderer, terrorists and rapists Radha Stirling, founder of British-based aid group Detained In Dubai, said Fakana spent New Year's in isolation and his birthday in Dubai jail 'Marcus is praying that the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, will pardon him. 'David Lammy has promised a support letter to accompany the pardon request, but he could certainly do more,' Mr Stirling added. However, he called on the foreign secretary to do more saying that he shouldn't just be providing a letter of support and 'wiping his hands' of the situation. Mr Stirling said he expected Mr Lammy to be meeting with the Dubai government and UAE's ambassador to the UK and 'making things happen'. Fakana recently celebrated his 19th birthday in the maximum-security al-Awir prison, which houses death row inmates, murderers, terrorists and violent gangsters. The detention centre is notorious for its cramped conditions, where 20 inmates are often into cells designed to house just three to four people. Prisoners have previously claimed to have been tortured for confessions, and rape is reportedly an 'everyday occurrence', carried out by both inmates and guards. Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum delivers a speech during the Founders Memorial event in Abu Dhabi on February 4, 2019 The family of Marcus Fakana, from Tottenham, London, have been left devastated by his prison sentence, sources previously claimed David Lammy has come under fire for not doing enough to help Marcus who is currently serving a one year sentence in one of Dubai's most notorious jails Marcus is pictured with his family who have been battling to get the teenager released Fakana and the 17-year-old girl he met on holiday were reportedly planning on continuing their relationship when they were back in London. But the girl's mother is understood to have found birth control pills, photos and chats upon their return to the UK. She informed the Dubai police, who arrested Fakana at his hotel. Detained in Dubai previously said that Fakana 'feels abandoned by the British government' following his conviction. Mr Stirling said: 'The police had discretion to charge him with a misdemeanour like 'offensive behaviour' or similar, but chose to charge him with the felony of sex with an underage girl, the same law a 40 year old engaging in sex with a 14 year old would have been charged with. 'Although Marcus received the lowest statutory sentence, it is clear that this could have been handled more reasonably and the prosecutors could have exercised more discretion.' 'He never imagined that he would be going to jail for a holiday romance with a girl who was a few months younger, but is now the same age. 'It is just shocking. His life is being ruined. Here we have two British tourists who were on holiday in a consensual relationship and now one is going to jail. 'Dubai likes to market itself as a glamorous party destination, one for influencers, yet they are jailing a British tourist for a something that would not be a crime in his own country and ruining his life.' A doctor shows a hallway at the medical centre of Al-Aweer prison during the Covid pandemic Here is a picture of one of the meals a former prisoner has said he was served in the Dubai jail Protesters march in Westminster, demanding the release of Fakana on January 4 Ms Sterling added: 'I did expect the British Government, as other governments have done, to step up and save one of their citizens from unjust sentencing. 'Marcus did plead guilty, but police and prosecutors had a disturbing litany of details in his file which ended up making it more than a misdemeanour and heard in a higher court. 'They said he was older than 19 and he was from Pakistan. He was a British citizen. There were a lot errors deliberately to torment him.' According to his own account, apprentice builder Fakana had arrived in Dubai on August 26 with his family on holiday. The teen told police after his arrest that the girl approached him and asked him to have sex with her. The prosecution document stated: 'We received a complaint via the Dubai Police application about the rape of a 17-year-old British woman by an unknown person at the Hilton Palm Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai. 'When the complainant was asked over the phone about the details, she stated that an unknown person had recognised her daughter (the victim) at the hotel and raped her by force on August 27 while she was in the country.' A Foreign Office spokesman previously said: 'We are supporting a British man in the UAE and are in contact with his family. 'The British Embassy Dubai was not involved in reporting any offence to the UAE authorities. 'They have informed the UAE authorities of the error in their records and all other interested parties are also aware.' A shooting that left a Vermont border patrol agent dead may be connected to several other murders spanning from Pennsylvania to California. Swanton Sector Border Patrol agent David Maland, 44, was killed when the occupants of a car started firing at him when he stopped them about 20 miles from the US-Canada border on January 20. The suspected shooters have been identified as Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Washington and Felix Bauckholt - a German national who was shot dead at the scene. Youngblut was injured during the shootout and taken to the hospital. Maland was also taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The motives behind the incident remain unclear. But prosecutors believe the Vermont shooting was not an isolated crime - tying Youngblut to a double homicide in Pennsylvania and a fatal stabbing in California. In November 2024, Youngblut filed an application to marry Maximilian Snyder, a 22-year-old data scientist, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. On Friday, Snyder was arrested and charged with murdering a Vallejo, California landlord named Curtis Lind, 82, on January 17. He appeared in court on Tuesday. A criminal complaint filed in Solano County claims that Lind was stabbed and killed 'for the purpose of preventing his testimony in a criminal proceeding,' KTVU reported. Swanton Sector Border Patrol agent David Maland, 44, was killed when the occupants of a car he stopped about 20 miles from the US-Canada border started firing at him Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Washington has been accused of shooting and killing the border patrol agent and has been linked to three other deaths across the country Lind had previously survived being attacked with a sword during an argument with his tenants in 2022. The landlord shot dead one of his attackers, 31-year-old Emma Borhanian. The other two suspected assailants, Suri Dao, 21, and Alexander Jeffrey Leatham, 27, were arrested. The pair was charged attempted murder and aggravated mayhem for attacking Lind with a sword. They were also charged with murder for Borhanian's death, according to KTVU. Dao and Leatham are set to appear in court on February 19 - and Lind was supposed to testify against them. In 2019, Borhanian and Leatham were arrested after participating in an outlandish protest in Westminster Woods, a camping retreat in Occidental, California, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The Sonoma County Sheriffs Office said they allegedly blocked themselves in the wooded area to protest artificial intelligence and a Berkeley nonprofit organization that was hosting an event there. In 2021, Borhanian, Leatham and the two others who protested with them - Gwen Danielson and Jack Lasota - sued the retreat and Sonoma County deputies. They claimed they were tortured and belittled for being transgender, but the case was dismissed because the group stopped showing up to court. Curtis Lind, 82, was stabbed to death at his Vallejo, California property on January 17 Maximilian Snyder, a 22-year-old data scientist, has been arrested and charged with Lind's death. He was also set to marry Youngblut Youngblut may also be associated with the suspected killers of Richard Zajko, 71, and his wife Rita, 69, who were found dead in their Delaware County, Pennsylvania home in January 2023. In court on Monday, prosecutors revealed that a person who may be involved in the Zajkos' murders allegedly bought the guns Youngblut and Bauckholt used in the Vermont border patrol shooting. Additionally, Youngblut was in consistent contacted with another unnamed 'person of interest' who was detained in Pennsylvania in connection to the double homicide, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Youngblut has been charged with one count of using a deadly weapon while assaulting a United States Border Patrol agent, and one count of using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to that assault, according to the US Attorney's Office. Seattle law enforcement revealed that Youngblut's parents told police she was missing days before she allegedly killed Maland, NBC5 reported. Her parents said they had not heard from her in days and were growing concerned. Youngblut reportedly moved out to go live with a friend and changed her phone number. They disclosed that their daughter had become estranged, pulling away from friends and lying about who she was with and her whereabouts. But since Youngblut is an adult, police determined there was no reason to formally report her missing. Richard Zajko (right), 71, and his wife Rita (left), 69 were found dead in their Pennsylvania home in 2023 When Youngblut and Bauckholt were stopped in a Prius by border agents, Bauckholt reportedly had an expired visa. The pair had been on police's radars after a Vermont hotel employee noticed them checking-in wearing all black clothing. Youngblut allegedly had an exposed gun. They told police they were in Vermont looking for property to buy and checked out on January 19, according to prosecutors. Before the shooting, they were last seen at a Walmart. Bauckholt bought aluminum foil and went to the car to wrap items in it. After the attack, officers reportedly found two pistols, two phones wrapped in tin foil, a ballistic helmet, night vision goggles, a tactical belt, two full-face respirators, bullets, hand-held radios, a dozen electronic devices and travel documents, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. They also allegedly spotted Youngblut's journal, which contained 'cypher text' and statements referring to drug use - including 'coming up on acid' and 'this LSD trip seems pretty mellow.' The parents and brother of an eight-year-old who died after being denied lifesaving medicine, in the belief God would save her, have been found guilty of manslaughter. Elizabeth Struhs died on January 7, 2022 at the family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, after six days without being given her prescribed insulin shots for type-1 diabetes. The girls' parents, and 12 members of fringe Christian group 'The Saints', were accused of killing her by withholding her medication. Elizabeth's father, Jason Richard Struhs, 53, and the leader of the group, Brendan Luke Stevens, 63, faced murder charges at the trial before Justice Martin Burns in Brisbane's Supreme Court. But Justice Burns had the option of finding them guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter, which he did on Wednesday. Elizabeth's 49-year-old mother Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, and 22-year-old brother Zachary Alan Struhs were also found guilty of manslaughter, along with 10 other members of The Saints. The trial saw chilling text messages between group members and family before Elizabeth's death which showed the group believed she would be healed by God. 'Rest in His glorious love, power and faithfulness. This is just a little trial to prove that you are all truly faithful to our faithful God,' Stevens told Elizabeth's parents on January 4. Elizabeth died on January 7, 2022 at her family's home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane , after six days without her prescribed insulin shots for type-1 diabetes The girl's father, Jason Richard Struhs, 53, was charged with murder but found guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday This is just a little trial to prove that you are all truly faithful to our faithful God,' Brendan Luke Stevens, found guilty of manslaughter, told Elizabeth's parents before she died The next day Stevens sent another text saying 'we sit and wait for the amazing miracle that God will perform'. Another group member messaged Elizabeth's older brother saying her sickness was 'just Satan having his last go'. Jason told the group he was feeling 'scared' about his decision to withhold the insulin, but they encouraged him to hold firm. 'Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,' Therese Stevens told him. Throughout the week, rather than seeking medical intervention, the group prayed for God to heal Elizabeth. On January 6, the day before Elizabeth died, one congregation member messaged another saying, 'Elizabeth doesn't appear to be breathing but we are all around her praying'. Stevens spoke for all defendants at the start of the months-long, judge-only trial in 2024. He claimed they held a reasonable belief that God would heal Elizabeth in line with the group's rejection of modern medicine. Elizabeth's 49-year-old mother, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, was also found guilty of manslaughter 'This isn't really a trial about murder of a child as it is religious persecution,' Stevens said. After considering his verdicts for nearly five months, Justice Burns delivered them on Wednesday in a courtroom specially modified to put all 14 defendants on trial at the same time. Therese Maria Stevens, 37, Sebastian James Stevens, 24, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, Camellia Claire Stevens, 29, Andrea Louise Stevens, 35, Alexander Francis Stevens, 26, Acacia Naree Stevens, 32, Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 26, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, and Keita Courtney Martin, 24 were the other Saints members found guilty of manslaughter. The Saints shun all medical intervention, outside of basic first aid, in favour of the supposed healing power of God. Aussies will no longer be able to use plastic bottles in Bali as the famous tourist spot attempts to curb the wave of rubbish polluting its streets and beaches. The Bali Provincial Government has banned the use of drinking water in plastic packaging from February 3. Tourists will now need to provide their own stainless steel drinking bottles. It comes after environmentalists called for urgent action after 66,000kg of rubbish was collected by volunteers between Christmas Eve and the first week on January, according to organisation Sungai Watch. Almost 3,000 volunteers picked up straws, cosmetics packaging, plastic bags, bottles and fishing nets at Kedonganan Beach which is close to the tourist spot of Kuta. Two sea turtles were also found trapped beneath layers of plastic. The new regulation applies to all regional apparatuses, regional-owned enterprises (Badan Usaha Milik Daerah or BUMDs), and schools within the Bali Provincial Government. 'This policy aims to ensure that all regional apparatuses, BUMDs, and schools in Bali truly implement restrictions on the use of single-use plastic,' Bali regional secretary Dewa Made Indra said. New laws are aimed at stopping the amount of plastic polluting Indonesia (pictured) All agencies are prohibited from providing drinking water and food in plastic packaging, both for use in the workplace and during official activities such as meetings and ceremonial events. 'It is not permitted to provide drinking water in plastic packaging, either in glass or bottle sizes, and it is not permitted to provide food, cakes, or snacks in plastic packaging,' Mr Indra said. The policy was also implemented in schools to educate students about reducing plastic waste. To ensure the effectiveness of the policy, the Bali Provincial Government instructed all heads of regional apparatuses, BUMDs, and school principals to supervise and control each agency. Mr Indra said that the step was an effort to reduce plastic waste while supporting Bali's vision as an environmentally friendly and sustainable tourist destination. 'We hope that this policy can be implemented responsibly by all related parties to realise a greener and more sustainable Bali,' he said. The new rules will also stop the large number of tourists from polluting the region. 'This isn't just a local problem, it's a crisis impacting all of Indonesia,' co-founder of Sungai Watch Gary Bencheghib said. Tourists (pictured in Bali) will now need to provide their own stainless steel drinking bottles 'The scale of this pollution is staggering, and it requires urgent action from individuals, businesses, and the government to address the root causes of plastic waste.' The organisation is storing the rubbish so it doesn't got to landfill or land back in the water and plans to upcycle or recycle what it can. 'This is just one of thousands of beaches in Indonesia in similar conditions,' Sungai Watch second co-founder Sam Bencheghib said. Sungai Watch said Indonesia had insufficient waste management systems and also blamed the 'overwhelming use' of single-use plastics across Indonesia. In November, Bali took out the top spot in a list of destinations to avoid over claims its natural beauty had been eroded by tourism. Fodors Magazines put the idyllic Indonesian island on its 2025 'No List'. '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.' Elon Musk hinted he was the mastermind behind Donald Trump's latest decision to purge federal employees by posting a symbolic picture on X harkening back to his infamous Twitter cleanse. The billionaire Tesla founder in 2022 sensationally took over Twitter and renamed it X to much dismay from staff, 80 per cent of whom found themselves unceremoniously sacked. At the time, he sent a letter to staff titled: 'A Fork in the Road' which warned he needed to be 'extremely hardcore' in order to 'build a breakthrough Twitter 2.0 and succeed in an increasingly competitive world.' 'This will mean working long hours at high intensity,' he told staff. 'Only exceptional performance will constitute a passing grade.' Musk offered employees a link to click if they were certain they wanted to 'be part of the new Twitter.' Anyone who did not click the link by 5pm the very next day were immediately handed three months severance pay and let go. 'Whatever decision you make, thank you for your efforts to make Twitter successful.' Now, Donald Trump's letter to federal employees has been revealed and illustrates the stark similarities between the two - including the same exact title - suggesting that 'First Buddy' Musk has had a significant role in shaping the policy. Musk has since shared on X that he commissioned an artwork of an enormous fork standing in the road Musk carried a sink into Twitter headquarters after the purchase while stating: 'Let that sink in' Elon Musk has hinted he is the mastermind behind Donald Trump 's latest decision to purge federal government with a symbolic picture harking back to his Twitter cleanse 'If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people to the best of your abilities and look forward to working together as part of an improved federal workforce. 'At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions. 'If you choose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country and you will be provided with a dignified, fair departure from the federal government utilizing a deferred resignation program.' Musk has since shared on X that he commissioned an artwork of an enormous fork standing in the road. 'Two years ago, I commissioned an art piece: A Fork in the Road,' he wrote. 'Had to make sure that civilization took the path most likely to pass the Fermi Great Filters.' The art piece is located at the Tesla HQ in Texas. Musk's role with the Department of Government Efficiency is primarily to reduce unnecessary government spending. Musk and Trump developed a close friendship during the presidential campaign after the billionaire endorsed the Republican and became a high spending donor 'DOGE is saving the Federal Government approx. $1 billion/day, mostly from stopping the hiring of people into unnecessary positions, deletion of DEI and stopping improper payments to foreign organizations, all consistent with the Presidents Executive Orders,' DOGE said in a statement. 'A good start, though this number needs to increase to > $3 billion/day.' The Trump administration started sending emails to thousands of federal workers Tuesday evening offering them a chance to voluntarily vacate their government posts while remaining on the payroll for months. To take the deal, employees were told to type the word 'resign' into the subject line of their response. The 'majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,' according to the email. A spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management said the employees who accept the terms were being offered the chance to go on administrative leave through Sept. 30 at full pay. An administration official told DailyMail.com the program could save up to $100 billion, but the the White House has not put forward information on how it got to the figure. Officials are predicting up to 10 percent of the workforce could take the deal for a delayed resignation. Musk and Trump developed a close friendship during the presidential campaign after the billionaire endorsed the Republican and donated $250 million to help him win. The billionaire Tesla founder sensationally took over Twitter and renamed it X in 2022 to much dismay from staff, 80 per cent of whom found themselves unceremoniously sacked Elon Musk claimed on Tuesday that President Donald Trump asked SpaceX to bring the astronauts home as soon as possible Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stuck at the International Space Station since June 5. They are pictured giving a news conference in July Trump rewarded his loyalty with the DOGE role, praising Musk's history of ruthless business decisions. In addition to his work with DOGE, Musk revealed Trump has tasked him with bringing home the two astronauts stranded in space. Musk, who founded SpaceX and has been outspoken in his vision to get humans on Mars, was tasked in August with bringing Butch Wilmore, 62, and Sunita Williams, 59, back to Earth in February after NASA officials deemed Boeing's Starliner was not up to the mission. Yet Williams' and Wilmore's replacements are not set to arrive at the International Space Station until late March or early April - meaning the stranded astronauts will have to stay until then to conduct a handover. In a post on X, though, Musk said he was tasked by President Donald Trump to immediately bring the stranded astronauts home. He then hit out at former President Joe Biden for not acting sooner. 'Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long,' he lamented. Trump later confirmed that he made the request. 'I have just asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to "go get" the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned by the Biden administration,' he wrote on his Truth Social platform. 'They have been waiting many months on [the] Space Station,' he continued. 'Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe,' the president said. A New York State trooper who claimed he was shot on a Long Island highway by a random gunman falsified his story, prosecutors have claimed. Thomas Mascia, 27, set off a multistate manhunt on October 30 when he said he stopped in the median of the Southern State Parkway to check on a disabled vehicle and was shot by a dark-skinned male in a black sedan with a temporary New Jersey license plate, NBC News reports. He even described the vehicle as having rear-tinted windows and custom made dual exhaust-tips, according to Newsday. 'Shots fired, shots fired, I'm hit,' the trooper radioed to his colleagues that night. 'I'm bleeding pretty good in the leg. Got a tourniquet on.' But Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly claimed on Monday that Mascia actually shot himself before he reported the incident. He then allegedly brought the gun he used to the home he shared with his parents and drove to the parkway to report that he was shot. The report 'started off with an adrenaline-fueled rush, no doubt, to find whoever was responsible for assaulting a state trooper,' State Police Superintendent Steven James said at a news conference. Thomas Mascia, 27, claimed he was shot on a Long Island highway by a random gunman He claimed he stopped in the median of the Southern State Parkway to check on a disabled vehicle and was shot by a dark-skinned male in a black sedan with a temporary New Jersey license plate Investigators searched through New York, New Jersey and even Delaware for the vehicle. But within a few hours, James said, 'the story began to unravel.' State police conducted extensive video canvassing to try to find the vehicle Mascia had described, but could not find any surveillance footage showing the Dodge Charger. They also could not find any tire marks at the scene to indicate a quick getaway, and noted that Mascia never flagged down another driver for help, the New York Times reports. Authorities also failed to find any footage of the shooting when they reviewed body-worn camera video, and noted they did find several .22-caliber shell casings on the ground. Using GPS and license plate readers, however, investigators claim that Mascia scattered the shells himself, then drove to a local park where he shot himself in the leg and applied a tourniquet. They further discovered that the bullet that struck his leg appeared to have come from his own weapon. 'The evidence uncovered and the absence of evidence told us everything we needed to know,' Donnelly said. Investigators searched through New York, New Jersey and even Delaware for the vehicle 'Even though Mascia tried to hide his tracks, it didn't take long for everyone to uncover that his harrowing story was nothing more than an elaborate work of fiction. 'He knew the fear that it would create. But he did it anyway. Whether for sympathy, attention to ease a wounded ego, what he did is unconscionable.' Prosecutors also noted in a criminal complaint that his actions caused state police to 'temporarily shut down the Southern State Parkway in an effort to locate the nonexistent shooter, causing alarm and inconvenience to the public.' Meanwhile, Mascia was brought to a local hospital to be treated for the gunshot wound to his right leg. When he was released the next day, local police held a ceremony for him. 'Law enforcement throughout Long Island celebrated that he was safe, and we vowed to find the dangerous individual who shot him,' Donnelly said. 'But we never would. Because the shooter that we were all looking for existed in Mascia's head, in his imagination.' When Mascia was released from a local hospital the following day, local police held a ceremony for him Mascia, who became a state trooper in 2019, was suspended without pay since early November - when state police first announced they launched an investigation into the shooting. He then resigned from his position on Friday, and is now facing charges with tampering with evidence, false reporting of a crime and official misconduct. The former trooper and his parents, Dorothy Mascia, 55, and former NYPD Officer Thomas Mascia Sr., 62, turned themselves in to state police on Monday, after investigators discovered a Smith & Wesson semiautomaitc rifle inside their home while conducting a search following the shooting. Police say the weapon was not the one Mascia shot himself with, but as a convicted felon, his father is not allowed to own a gun. He was charged in 1992 for illegally buying and selling cocaine in a massive corruption scandal, and was fired in 1993 after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute. All three Mascias have pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance, as the former trooper's lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, said he has been suffering from 'untreated mental health issues' for years. 'There are many less severe and less dangerous ways to garner sympathy that don't include shooting oneself,' he wrote in court documents obtained by NBC News. 'This case is a tragedy that was caused by unseen and untreated mental health issues. And now an entire family is suffering for it as they usually do in such situations.' Mascia is now facing charges with tampering with evidence, false reporting of a crime and official misconduct State police officials had also said last year they were investigating whether Mascia suffered from mental health problems, but an investigation and psychiatric exam found 'no apparent red flags,' James said. He called Mascia's conduct 'egregious' and said it 'harmed the reputation of law enforcement in general. 'What I will make clear is that the State Police, we do not tolerate such conduct, especially wrongdoing when a member breaks the law.' The New York State Troopers Benevolent Association also released a statement saying: 'We are saddened and sickened by this case. 'The actions of one individual must not be allowed to cast a negative light on that commitment and detract from the important, positive work Troopers do every day across the state. 'Our focus remains on serving New Yorkers,' the Benevolent Association said. 'We'll leave it to the court to ensure justice is served in this case.' Mascia is now facing up to four years in prison, and is due back in court on February 5. EXCLUSIVE Great Northern Brewing has sensationally abandoned a campaign aimed at supporting national parks after outraged customers boycotted the beer. The popular beer brand's 'Outdoors for a Cause' campaign vowed to match donations of any amount up to $200,000 when customers gave to the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife charity. The campaign was supposed to run from January 15 to March 31, but the brewing company brought it to a stop last night after thousands of complaints from outdoor enthusiasts. Opponents were upset the beer brand was supporting the creation of national parks, which have stricter policies than state parks and make it more difficult to camp, bring a family dog on a trip or drive a 4WD. Great Northern marketing head Zac Gelman told Daily Mail Australia it had taken its customers' advice on board and dropped the campaign. 'Great Northern's Outdoors for a Cause campaign was yesterday paused following feedback from our passionate drinkers,' Mr Gelman said. 'Our donation to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife will now not be used to buy land to add to national parks. 'Our donation will instead be used for the preservation of endangered species.' Great Northern drinkers were abandoning the beer after a controversial campaign In a sudden U-turn, Great Northern said it was now backing those who want to preserve the less restrictive state forests. 'Whether it's hiking, fishing, 4-wheel driving or just relaxing, Great Northern drinkers use and preserve their precious spots in the great outdoors and we support them,' Mr Gelman said. Great Northern underestimated the amount of its drinkers who supported the protection of state forests. One angry drinker, Jake Seddon, shared footage on TikTok showing him pouring out his Great Northern in anger over the beer brand's campaign. 'Great Northern supporting locking us out of our parks,' the caption read. Another, Sean McLachlan took to Facebook to post a video of him puncturing his Great Northern can and letting it spill out. 'G'day Australia, this used to be my favourite beer before you went woke,' he said. Four-wheel driving Facebook group 4WD TV was infuriated by the campaign. 'In an absolutely disgraceful move Great Northern Brewing has gone woke with a campaign to help get us locked out of forests,' they wrote. Sean McLachlan punctured his Great Northern can and let it spill out Leonie Blackwell, who runs the Facebook page 'Victorians against the Great Forest National Park', told Daily Mail Australia that Great Northern Brewing would be regretting their decision. 'It's really disappointing that major companies like that are blindly buying into supporting issues without really understanding the full context of the impact they will have,' she said. 'They're trying to look good but they need to have a much bigger vision than just trying to look cool and trendy. 'I would hope they're regretting their decision to do this. A lot of people who drink Great Northern also go camping.' Only $2,286 was raised for the cause before it was abandoned. A national park is an area of land that has been reserved for the protection and conservation of biodiversity, native plants and animals, ecosystems, places of cultural significance and natural or geological features. State forests offer a lower level of environmental protection and the list of permitted activities is generally broader and includes things like trail biking, authorised hunting, horse riding and dog walking. In 2010 the Japanese company Asahi, through its wholly owned Victorian subsidiary Carlton United Breweries, announced the launch of Great Northern Brewing. Great Northern is styled on 'Cairns Draught', a product first brewed in 1924. In 2022 it was the best selling beer in Australia. Aussie comedian Tom Ballard has been slammed by the Jewish community after performing what appeared to be a Nazi salute during a stand-up show. The 35-year-old ABC regular and former Triple J radio host was doing a routine at the Basement Comedy Club in Melbourne on Saturday night when he allegedly performed the salute repeatedly as part of his skit. Some of the members of the audience were Jewish and filmed the moment before sharing the footage with the media. Nazi symbols and gestures were banned by the Victorian government in October 2023 to 'send a clear message that Nazi ideology and the hate it represents is not tolerated' in the state. 'There are several exceptions to the offence, which include where the display is made reasonably and in good faith for genuine academic, religious, artistic, or educational purposes,' the Victorian government website states. Ballard's bit started with him saying 'you can't do anything in Australia' and that the position of a person's hand when they waved a greeting at someone was central to whether they were breaking the law. Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, Dr Dvir Abramovich, said to use the gesture for laughs was to 'desecrate' the memory of Jews who died at the hands of the Third Reich. 'Tom Ballard's performance wasn't comedy, it was cruelty disguised as humour,' Dr Abramovich said. Aussie comedian Tom Ballard has been slammed by the Jewish community after performing what appeared to be a Nazi salute during a stand-up show (the moment is pictured) The 35-year-old ABC regular and former Triple J radio host (pictured) was doing a routine at the Basement Comedy Club in Melbourne on Saturday night when he allegedly performed the salute repeatedly as part of his skit 'This wasn't just a bad joke; it was a slap in the face to the victims, the Diggers who sacrificed their lives to defeat Hitler and to those who endured the atrocities of the Holocaust. 'The Nazi salute is not edgy or funny, it's a weapon of hate, emboldening neo-Nazis and white supremacists.' Dr Abramovich has demanded an apology from The Basement Comedy Club, adding he was not out to censor comedy but that some topics were 'too sacred'. Earlier this month in the US, billionaire Elon Musk was slammed over a gesture he made during a rally in Washington on Inauguration Day, in which he thanked Donald Trump's supporters for helping secure the President's return to the White House. He then slapped his hand on his chest and extended his arm straight outward and upward with his palm facing downwards. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Musk amid criticisms that the Tesla billionaire made a Nazi salute during the MAGA victory rally. Netanyahu says Musk has been 'falsely smeared' over his straight-arm gesture earlier this week and thanked him for being a 'great friend of Israel'. Netanyahu's response comes after left-wing activists beamed a massive image of Musk's infamous raised-arm salute and the word 'Heil' on to Tesla's Berlin factory last week. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ballard's management and The Basement Comedy Club for comment. Donald Trump is thanking the only person who could have turned on the water in the aftermath of Los Angeles' deadly spate of wildfires: Donald Trump. Trump had previously claimed that he was able to get the U.S. military to have 'TURNED ON THE WATER' in the aftermath of Los Angeles' deadly spate of wildfires. He signed an executive order Friday demanding that federal agencies 'maximize' all water delivery to the Golden State and telling them to 'override' any state policies that could hinder them. California attempted to clarify on social media, saying that the 'military did not enter California' and the pumps were only turned off due to maintenance. 'The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days,' The California Department of Water Resources posted on X. That didn't stop Trump from taking another victory lap on the issue Tuesday evening, giving himself a hearty kudos for the efforts. 'The water is flowing, big time, in Northern California. The long empty reservoirs will soon be full. Thank you President Trump!!!' The state's full comment on the matter suggested this was all the fixing of the offline federal pumps. 'State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful,' the agency said. Donald Trump is thanking the only person who could have turned on the water in the aftermath of Los Angeles' deadly spate of wildfires: Donald Trump However, two hours earlier, Trump took to Truth Social to say that he had fixed California's water problems. 'The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond,' Trump said 'The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER.' 'Enjoy the water, California!!!' the new president added. Trump visited Los Angeles on Friday after repeatedly making false claims about the state's fire response. The 78-year-old president contends that there's a giant spigot that California needs to turn on to bring water into the Los Angeles area from the north. He said California authorities - including the state's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom - failed to do that to preserve an endangered fish called a Delta smelt. During a recent appearance on MSNBC, Newsom called Trump's spigot claims 'wild-eyed fantasies.' 'That somehow there's a magical spigot in Northern California that just can be turned on and all of a sudden there will be rain of water flowing everywhere,' Newsom said. California attempted to clap back at the president on social media, saying that the federal government only 'restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days' Around 11 p.m. Monday Trump took to Truth Social to say that he had fixed California's water problems. 'Enjoy the water, California!!!' the newly sworn-in president boasted On Sunday Trump had ordered the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to deliver more water and hydropower through the Central Valley Project even if the order was in conflict with state or local laws. Newsom's office pushed back explaining that the move wouldn't have made a difference during the height of the fires - as Los Angeles didn't suffer a water shortage. President Joe Biden had explained that power outages had impacted some hydrants. Some residents in the Pacific Palisades have sued over the fact that a 117-million-gallon reservoir built to help the area in case of fires was offline during the blazes. The Los Angeles Times reported that the reservoir had been drained after a tear was found in the reservoirs floating cover last January. Work to repair the cover hadn't been completed by the time Palisades fire ripped through the area earlier this month. An Indiana man who faked his own death as a way to avoid paying child support was found hiding in plain sight in his hometown. Jeffrey Bell Jr., 51, of Salem, was arrested on numerous charges last week after attempting to fool the court into believing he was dead and therefore couldn't pay the large amount of child support he owed. Last week, Indiana State Police announced on Facebook that an investigation into the father resulted in his ultimate arrest. The investigation came after Detective Travis Baker met with the Washington County Child Support Administrator in April of last year who informed him that she had received emails stating that Bell had passed away. Due to an untimely passing, the large amount of child support he owed would ultimately go unpaid. Despite reports that Bell had died before he was able to pay off his debts, Baker was also informed that he may still be alive and staying with his girlfriend at her home in northern Washington County. Shortly after hearing the news, Baker headed over to the home where he was met by Bell. Yet Bell's alleged lie about being dead didn't end when he was confronted at the front door. Jeffrey Bell Jr., 51, of Salem, Indiana, was arrested on numerous charges last week just months after he faked his own death as a way to avoid paying child support Bell was ultimately found alive and well in the very same county after Detective Travis Baker met with the Washington County Child Support Administrator in April of last year about his death (pictured: The Washington County, Indiana, Clerk's Office) Once officers tracked him down, he initially denied that he was the one-and-only Jeffrey Bell standing in front of them. Nevertheless, Bell was positively identified and handed a court date of January 23 at the Washington County Circuit Court on charges of False Informing. On the day of his first court date, Bell appeared through a virtual online meeting after he claimed that he was out of state and couldn't be there in person. During the appearance, police came to believe that Bell was actually still in Indiana and attending the meeting from the same Washington County residence where he had originally been caught alive. Once again, Washington County Sheriff's deputies went to the home to see if Bell was actually in the state. In a not-so-surprising twist, Bell was indeed inside the home and not across state lines, leading to presiding Judge Larry Medlock to order the 51-year-old man to be taken into custody and immediately taken to the courtroom. Bell was ultimately charged with three counts of failing to appear, one count of false informing and one count of contempt of court. He is being held in the Washington County Jail on a $100,000 bond for the False Informing charge and without bond for two of the Failure to Appear charges along with the Contempt of Court. Bell's attempt to evade child support payments came less than a year after 39-year-old Jesse Kipf of Kentucky admitted to also faking his own death to avoid paying more than $100,000 in outstanding child support Bell is being held on a $500 bond for the last Failure to Appear charge. As of now, Bell is still in custody and is set to appear in court on February 6 in regards to the contempt charge, Law and Crime reported. As for the false informing charge, a jury trial is scheduled for May 13. Bell's attempt to evade child support payments comes less than a year after a Kentucky father admitted to also faking his own death to avoid paying more than $100,000 in outstanding child support. Jesse Kipf, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of computer fraud on March 29, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. The plea agreement said Kipf accessed Hawaii's death registry system in January of 2023 and created a fake death certificate by using an out-of-state doctor's personal information. Kipf was then listed as deceased in multiple government databases after he 'assigned himself as the medical certifier' and certified his own case. The plea agreement revealed that Kipf faked his death in other states and stole other identities 'in order to avoid his outstanding child support obligations to his ex-wife.' Bell is being held in the Washington County Jail on a $100,000 bond for the False Informing charge and without bond for two of the Failure to Appear charges along with the Contempt of Court According to the plea agreement, Kipf 'also infiltrated private business networks, using credentials he stole from other real people.' He then went on to sell access to the private business networks to buyers online, the agreement said. Kipf not only stole the identities of multiple people, but also harmed numerous corporate and government computer networks resulting in more than $79,000 in damages. The doctor that he pretended to be, who has been identified as 'C.N.', also suffered damages that totaled to more than $116,000. According to the agreement, Kipf has agreed to pay all the parties for his wrongdoings, for a total amount of more than $195,000. He was initially indicted in November 2023 by the federal grand jury on five counts of computer fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of making false statements on applications, according to a news release. Kipf was indicted for making false statements in order to open credit accounts in 2020 and 2023, as he used a false social security number, the indictment said. Under his plea agreement, Kipf faces a maximum of seven years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines. His initial charges carried a sentence of more than 30 years behind bars. Five of the seven years were related to his aggravated identity charges and the other two were for his computer fraud charges. A Minnesota mother who survived cancer has died while skydiving in Arizona after experiencing parachute 'complications.' Ann Wick, 54, of Stillwater was skydiving at Skydive Arizona in Eloy with a group when the fatal incident occurred on Friday around 4 pm. Her chute became twisted after it deployed and she was unable to trigger her emergency one, according to police. Her brother Jeff Wallis told KARE 11: 'There was an equipment failure of some sort. Her chute got tangled and she was not able to release the chute to get her emergency chute out.' Paramedics were already on the scene for training, so they were able to immediately respond to Wick's accident - but their efforts were unsuccessful. The Eloy Police Department and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating Wick's death, according to a statement from the police department. In a statement to People Magazine, Skydive Arizona wrote: 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. 'Despite the parachute fully deploying as designed, observers noted the canopy was turning. No corrective actions appeared to be taken by the jumper, nor was the reserve parachute deployed. The injuries sustained during landing proved fatal.' Ann Wick, 54, of Stillwater was skydiving at Skydive Arizona in Eloy with a group when the fatal incident occurred on Friday around 4 pm When her son Charlie and daughter Rosalie were teenagers, Wick decided to go to nursing school. She became a registered nurse shortly before she passed away The mom had recreationally skydived nearly 300 times. Her brother described her as a 'thrill seeker.' Wallis said his sister spent her life defying the odds - overcoming injuries, having children, battling sickness and becoming a nurse. Wick grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota with her parents and three brothers, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported. At 20 years old, she was in a serious car crash that doctors said would make her infertile. In 2010, Wick was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and underwent 'grueling surgeries and chemo,' her family shared in a statement to KSTP, but was able to beat it. When her son Charlie and daughter Rosalie were teenagers, Wick decided to go to nursing school. She became a registered nurse shortly before she passed away. 'She felt it was her calling to help others. She also began skydiving around the same time,' her family wrote. Wallis created a GoFundMe page to help Wick's children cover funeral costs and other expenses. So far, more than $3,800 in donations have been collected. Wallis said his sister spent her life defying the odds - overcoming injuries, having children, battling sickness and becoming a nurse Wick had skydived nearly 300 times when she experienced the deadly 'complication' with her chute 'You want it to be a bad dream,' Wallis said to KARE 11. 'You realize it is not a dream, then you are crying because you realize it is real.' In August 2024, a California skydiver died alongside her instructor in a freak weather event. Kayla Kieko Black, 28, was pronounced dead at a Riverside County hospital after she and her skydiving instructor hit twin 'dust devils' at around 40 feet above ground. Dust devils are small tornadoes that form in areas of strong surface heating, like Arizona, when there are clear skies and light winds, according to the National Weather Service. They are generally considered harmless, but as Black and her instructor, Devrey LaRiccia Chase, 28, hit the twin dust devils as they were preparing to land on August 2 they started to experience turbulence. By the time they reached around 25 feet off the ground, they hit the second dust devil - leaving them no time to react and slammed into the ground. Australian soldier Oscar Jenkins is alive in Russian captivity following reports that he was captured and executed while fighting for Ukraine. Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday afternoon confirmed reports that the Melbourne-born teacher is alive. The 32-year-old had travelled to the war zone and was serving alongside Ukraine's army when he was captured by Russian soldiers late last year. Senator Wong has called on Russia to release Mr Jenkins and warned it would 'unequivocal' response if Mr Jenkins was harmed. 'The Australian government has received confirmation from Russia that Oscar Jenkins is alive and in custody. We still hold serious concerns for Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war,' she said in a statement. 'If Russia does not provide Mr Jenkins the protections he is entitled to under international humanitarian law, our response will be unequivocal. 'We have made clear to Russia in Canberra and in Moscow that Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war and Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment. 'I have also spoken directly with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister and the President of the ICRC and am grateful for their ongoing advocacy for Mr Jenkins.' Australian soldier Oscar Jenkins (pictured) is believed to be alive and in Russian captivity following reports that he was executed after he was captured while fighting for Ukraine Mr Jenkins was captured by the Russian military while serving as a foreign mercenary for Ukraine (pictured, soldiers patrolling Ukraine's border) Senator Wong said she had also spoken with her Ukrainian counterpart the International Committee of the Red Cross president. The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to Mr Jenkins' family. Ukraines ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko welcomed the update. 'Im very happy hes alive, its fantastic news,' he said. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to take the 'strongest action possible' against Russia if it was confirmed Mr Jenkins had died since being captured while fighting in Ukraine. Recent unconfirmed reports said the prisoner of war was executed, prompting the Australian government to launch 'urgent enquiries' with Moscow and to call in the Russian ambassador for an explanation. A foreign soldier, who served alongside Mr Jenkins in Ukraine's 66th mechanised brigade, claimed the Australian was tortured and executed to make an example of him to other would-be foreign mercenaries. The rumours followed highly disturbing footage of Mr Jenkins being slapped across the face and questioned by Russian soldiers on December 22, 2024. Mr Jenkins, a 32-year-old teacher from Melbourne, had travelled to the war zone and was serving alongside Ukraine's army when he was captured by Russian soldiers late last year Mr Jenkins told the soldiers, through English and broken Ukrainian, that he was fighting for Ukraine in the Donbas region. The Prime Minister on Wednesday said he had 'received that information through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade' about Mr Jenkins and was 'seeking confirmation'. 'I am reticent to confirm that is the case, but certainly that has been the statement made by Russian authorities through to our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials as well, so if that is the case it certainly would be welcome,' Mr Albanese told the ABC. 'It is something that we have demanded information on and we are demanding more information so that we can be certain that what has been suggested is in fact the case.' Mr Jenkins was born in Melbourne and attended Melbourne Grammar School. He later studied biomedical sciences at Monash University and worked as a lecturer at a Tianjin college in China. Mr Jenkins was the first Australian combatant reportedly captured by Russian forces and his death would have marked the first for an Australian prisoner of war in more than 70 years. A joint counter terror investigation involving 100 officers has been set up after a caravan stashed with explosives along with a note of known Jewish targets was found at a semi-rural property. The vehicle was found by a resident at a property in Dural in north-west Sydney on January 19. Police found enough explosives to create a 40-metre blast inside the van along with a note containing the addresses of Jewish targets and a synagogue. Officers also found a note in the caravan, which is understood to have read 'f*** the Jews'. Police are treating the situation as a credible terror threat and are investigating the van's origins, owners and any associates of the owners. The owner of the caravan is in police custody after they were previously arrested for other alleged offences. It's understood they have not been charged in relation to the explosives found in the caravan, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Police are yet to confirm if the plot is linked to far-right extremists, Islamic terrorists or any other group. An unknown number of other arrests have also been made, with some also alleged to be connected other alleged anti-Semitic attacks. A caravan filled with explosives and a note with the addresses of Jewish people was found at a property in Sydney's north-west NSW Police is now working in partnership with AFP, the NSW Crime Commission and ASIO in its ongoing investigation 'That caravan contained an amount of explosives and some indication that those explosives might be used in some form of anti-Semitic attack,' NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said. 'We're taking this seriously and all lines of inquiry are being pursued, but I want to stress we do not believe there is an ongoing threat from this discovery.' It's understood the resident who reported the van to police was concerned that the seemingly dumped vehicle posed a safety risk to passing cars. The man had towed the caravan onto his property before realising its contents. Police have since seized the van. 'Some things just don't add up,' one source involved in the operation told the Daily Telegraph. 'Leaving notes and addresses are too obvious, likewise leaving it on a public road makes us believe it could well possibly be a set up.' Deputy Commissioner Hudson was tight-lipped about which group or individuals may be behind the frightening plot. A counter-terrorism investigation is currently underway concerning a van filled with explosives found at a Dural property earlier this month NSW Premier Chris Minns addressed the media on Wednesday night after a caravan stacked with explosives along with a note of known Jewish targets was found at a semi-rural property 'We don't have any particular ideology in relation to what's causing this or any common links between certain ideologies, but nothing's excluded at this stage,' Deputy Commissioner Hudson told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday night. 'We pursue everything until we get to the truth, and we will do that.' NSW Premier Chris Minns described the incident as the discovery of a potential mass casualty event. 'There's only one way of calling it out and that is terrorism,' he said. 'I want to make it very clear, please take this threat incredibly seriously. NSW Deputy Commissioner David Hudson doesn't believe the plot is linked to far-right extremists but couldn't rule it out. 'As I've said for many, many weeks now, the full resources of the state of NSW and NSW have been deployed to confront this very serious threat to our community. 'I want to make it absolutely clear, and I understand community concerns about this story and similar escalating incidents of anti-Semitic violence in our community that anyone attempting terrorism, violence, hatred in our community will be met with the full force of the law, that there are massive amounts of police and government resources being devoted to this investigation, that there will be absolutely no tolerance under any circumstances for these acts of criminal violence in our community.' Police believe the threat stemming from the dumped van had been contained. 'We will not rest until these matters are resolved,' Deputy Commissioner Hudson said. 'We understand the concerns of the community. We understand the concerns of the Jewish community, and we take all these threats exceptionally seriously.' Police found a load of explosives in the van along with a note containing the addresses of Jewish targets and a synagogue. Pictured are police at the semi-rural property Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has 'unequivocally' condemned the act. 'The full might of the AFP, ASIO and NSW Police are being utilised in this major investigation by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team,' he said in a statement. 'The NSW Police have people in custody and continue with other agencies, including those involved in AFP Special Operation Avalite to investigate threats, violence and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community, and take action and hold people to account for crimes. 'Hate and extremism have no place in Australian society.' The incident comes after a spate of anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney, with a childcare centre near a synagogue in the city's east set alight and sprayed with anti-Semitic graffiti on January 21. Four days before, a house that formerly belonged to Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin was targeted in an arson and graffiti attack. Two men have been charged over a separate attack on a synagogue in Newtown after it was spray-painted with red swastikas and briefly set alight in the early hours of January 11. Federal police have identified that foreign actors recruiting local 'criminals for hire' could be behind some of the attacks targeting Jewish communities. Cars have been set alight, a synagogue burnt down and anti-Semitic slurs painted on buildings and cars in attacks that have escalated in frequency and severity since December. A disgraced Hollywood producer and former child actor told a court he performed CPR on two women before they died after a wild night fueled by alcohol and drugs. David Pearce is charged with the horrific deaths of Christy Giles, 24, a model and aspiring actress, and Mexican-born architect Hilda Cabrales-Arzola, 26, whose bodies were dumped at two separate Los Angeles area hospitals by Pearce and a roommate on November 14, 2021. Both women had been drugged with a fatal cocktail of fentanyl, ketamine, cocaine, heroine, MDMA and the rape drug GHB. In Tuesdays testimony on the ninth floor of Los Angeles Superior Court, his second day on the stand, Pearce, 43, recounted trying to revive both women. The two friends drank red wine and did cocaine at Pearces Beverly Hills home with his friend, Michael Ansbach, he told the court, after returning from a rave at 5am. Pearce said he witnessed Ansbach do coke 20 times over the course of the previous afternoon and evening but never personally witnessed the women do drugs. Pearces roommate, actor Brandt Osborn, was with the group at the rave but went to bed when they arrived home. Pearce said he left the women alone with Ansbach, 50, while he cleaned up a mess left by his dog in the bathroom. He testified that the dog, left alone for 12 hours with just a bowl of water, had destroyed the bathroom. He then busied himself cleaning up the mess, washing the dog and taking it for a short walk. David Pearce, 43, told a court he performed CPR on two women before they died after a wild night fueled by alcohol and drugs Christy Giles, 24, and Hilda Marcela Cabrales Arzola, 26, died in November 2021 after being dumped at separate hospitals by masked men He said he was on his own for 35 minutes dealing with the pet and had heard Ansbach offer the women an expensive pinot noir. When he finished with the dog he returned and saw them passed out and snoring. The time was 6.30am, said Pearce, who remembered the sun was coming up. He said he recalled seeing three empty wine bottles and powder on a glass table and that the powder was everywhere. It seemed they drank too much and passed out, Pearce told the court. He said he didnt see the women do ketamine or any other drugs. He said he was concerned about Giles and tried waking her up two or three times. He then picked her up and put her into bed in a spare bedroom with a bottle of water and a trash can next to the bed in case she threw up. Next he carried Cabrales-Arzola onto his bed, again with a bottle of water and a bin. Pearce said he went to bed at 7am and slept next to her on the right side of the bed. Earlier in the court case, prosecutors said Pearces DNA was found under her clothing, on her breasts, and genitalia. DNA was also found under her fingernails. Peace testified he had only touched Cabrales-Arzola when he was picking her up. Later in the afternoon, Pearce became more concerned about Giles and began performing CPR. I started to do chest compressions and CPR. She was showing signs of breath and life, he said. Pearce said he witnessed Ansbach do coke 20 times over the course of the previous afternoon and evening but never personally witnessed the women do drugs While both Giles (left) and Cabrales (right) were found with heroin in their systems, their family and friends insist the women never would have willingly taken the drug Her breathing improved. She was responding to the chest compressions and mouth to mouth resuscitation in a positive way. I was hoping that she was going to respond positively and snap out of whatever she was in. Pearce did not call 911. Pearce attempted to lift Giles but she relieved herself all over him, testified Osborn. He said I cant go like this and so he had a shower for three minutes and changed his clothes. Pearce and Osborn then took Giles to an area hospital, wearing masks, before fleeing. En route from the hospital to home, the duo called Ansbach - who had slept on a sofa that evening - to ask how Cabrales-Arzola was doing and were told she was fine, said Pearce. But once back they noticed that she had worsened and again Pearce performed CPR. I did anything I could, said Pearce, who said he performed chest compressions. Again, he failed to call emergency services. Pearce said he carried Cabrales-Arzola onto his bed, again with a bottle of water and a bin. He claimed he went to bed at 7am and slept next to her on the right side of the bed. He then put Cabrales-Arzola in the Prius and drove her to Ceda-Sinai Medical Center at 6am but when he was not able to take her in the rear entrance the two drove to another hospital in Culver City where they left her with staff before quickly leaving. Pearce said he had assumed the girls would just need to sleep off the previous evening. He told the court he regularly had drug and alcohol-fueled parties at his home but denied giving the two women drugs. Friends were passing out a my house all the time, said Pearce. I preferred it rather than them drinking and driving and passing out somewhere else. He said guests treated his home at 8641 Olympic Boulevard as a drug den and that people would party there for days. In addition to the murder charges, the disgraced former film producer had been previously charged with several counts of sexual assault against a total of seven victims spanning a 13-year period between 2005 and 2021. Photographer Michael Ansbach, 50, left, who was at the apartment with Pearce alleges how he gave him and the two women alcoholic drinks and cocaine laced with fentanyl. Brandt Osborn, 43, right, was charged with two counts of accessory after the fact.He has been released on $40,000 bond In 2014, prosecutors originally declined to pursue sexual assault charges against him, but after the deaths, several women came forward with stories. Pearce told the court that the Jane Does 1 to 7 making accusations against him had exaggerated their stories. He denied sexually assaulting any of the women and claimed they had all lied. They wanted to create a narrative, he said. He denied raping Jane Doe 2 and that he had never met her. I never physically met her so I dont know how I could rape someone I never met, he said. He said Jane Doe 6 lied when she said he anally raped her and that the alleged assault was made up because Pearce didnt help her find a job. And the other accusers, known by just their first names - Marie, Sarah, Jackie, Carrie and Susannah - were also wrong. All of them are wrong accept for you? Asked prosecutor Seth Carmack. Yes, said Pearce. Their information was inaccurate. He also denied impersonating a medical doctor to ask for a complimentary flight on United Airlines and a suite at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas. He said the emails - on his own email account - were actually written by his father, a cosmetic dentist, who died in August last year, and one of his patients. He also said he had dressed up a doctor for Halloween didnt present to be practicing physician. Pearce said his father had access to his email account and had the account password, Dave123. He also denied trying to flee the country and escape to Ukraine after the womens deaths. He claimed he was actually planning to make a documentary of the countrys conflict with Russia. I was thinking of doing what Sean Penn did and going over there and documenting it, he said. Osborn, 45, has pleaded not guilty to helping Pearce dump the girls' bodies. On Tuesday, h said when they reached Cedars-Sinai with Giles that Pearce freaked out and they chose to go to another hospital. Finally he said get in the f**king car. I didnt know what to do and I got in the car and drove to the hospital in Culver City, said Osborn, who began sobbing during his testimony. Osborn said he was dumbfounded to discover Pearce had removed the license plates from the Prius because he didnt want to be traced. I said youre an idiot, they can trace us through your iPhone, said Osborn, who added, Youre just digging this deeper! The trial continues. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko struggled to contain his irritation before snapping at a BBC journalist on Sunday, making veiled threats as the reporter bravely grilled him over his sham election. Dubbed 'Europe's last dicator', Lukashenko is set to extend his 31-year rule over the country after the rigged election, which saw him re-elected with 86.8 per cent of the vote. Lukashenko only allowed four token candidates who he approved of to have their names on the ballot paper, while his real opponents are either locked up or in exile. After casting his vote on election day, the president gave a four-hour-long press conference, with questions from media organisations friendly to his regime as well as foreign outlets. The BBC's Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg, whose questions have attracted the fury of the dictator and his ally Vladimir Putin previously, was warned by Lukashenko: 'Don't overdo it, Steve'. Their tense exchange began with a frosty comment from Lukashenko, who asked Rosenberg: 'What wretched question have you got prepared for me?' 'Good morning,' the journalist replied as members of the press press laughed along with the president, who then said 'good morning, Steve.' 'How can these elections be called democratic when your staunchest opponents and rivals are either in prison or in exile?' Rosenberg asked. 'Some are in prison and some are in exile, but you're here,' Lukashenko responded menacingly. 'Everyone has the right to choose. That's democratic. Some chose prison, others chose exile.' The BBC's Moscow Correspondent Steve Rosenberg quizzed the Belarusian dictator at the press conference The Belarusian president gave a four-hour-long press conference after voting on election day Belarus' exiled opposition leader SviatlanaTsikhanouskaya in Warsaw. She has condemned today's election as a 'farce' He then told Rosenberg: 'We didn't force anyone out of this country, what's more we opened up the country. 'I must have said five times already that we don't bare a grudge, we're not spiteful. Everyone will be given a chance.' He then went on to threaten: 'I'll tell you frankly, Steve, if you had broken the law you wouldn't be sitting here. You probably wouldn't have come here.' Rosenberg calmly brought the subject back to his previous question, pointing to a comment made by Lukashenko recently. 'But you said a few days ago that "we mustn't shut anyone's mouth." You said that.' Lukashenko, who became increasingly irate as he continued to be challenged, said: 'Absolutely not. I'm not shutting your mouth... I said we will build our country and won't let anyone have their mouth shut.' 'But your main rivals are not only kept off the ballot, but some of them are in prison,' Rosenberg hit back. 'What's more there are still more than 1,200 political prisoners.' 'Hang on, we've released quite a few,' Lukashenko protested. 'It used to be 1,200.' When Rosenberg responded that it is 'still that number,' the dictator claimed again it had reduced. 'If you subtract more than 200 what do you get? Didn't you go to school?' he taunted. 'My point is that if no one should have their mouth shut, maybe it's time to open the cells and release these political prisoners,' Rosenberg said. He referred directly to peaceful protesters Maria Kalesnikava, who was given 11 years in jail for supposedly threatening to overthrow the government, and Sergei Tikhanovsky, a YouTuber who was given 18 years for organising mass protests. Members of an electoral commission empty a ballot box to count votes during the presidential election in Minsk, Belarus, on January 26 Increasingly irritated by the line of questioning, Lukashenko exclaims 'My God!' but says he will answer the question. 'Are you talking about shutting mouths or shutting people in prison? Mouths are one thing, but prison is for people who opened their mouths too wide. Who broke the law. That's only natural.' 'You're asking me whatever you want to and I'm saying what I want. Don't overdo it, Steve,' he then warned. 'In any country if you break the law, you have to bear responsibility. The law is harsh but it's still the law. It wasn't me who thought that up.' Lukashenko has ruled the former Soviet republic with an iron fist for over 30 years having gained power in 1994. The 70-year-old seemingly sailed to victory in Sunday's vote, but the election was condemned as a sham by the European Union due to the lack of independent media in the country and the opposition candidates who remain loyal to Lukashenko. The vote takes place five years after the turbulent 2020 election which saw Lukashenko's grip on power almost come loose after millions of citizens flooded the street condemning the result and demanding the president resigns A Belarusian opposition supporter kneels in front of riot police in 2020. In response to months of protests, Lukashenko arrested 65,000 people and forced opposition figures to flee abroad Lukashenko said he did not care whether or not the bloc recognised the results. The vote takes place five years after the turbulent 2020 election which saw Lukashenko's grip on power almost come loose after millions of citizens flooded the street condemning the result and demanding the president resigns. In response to months of protests, Lukashenko arrested 65,000 people and forced opposition figures to flee abroad. This included the de facto leader of Belarus' opposition Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who stood against Lukashenko at the time. Minsk and its ally Moscow have been suppressed freedom of speech and media freedom for decades, with their crackdowns increasingly brutal in recent years amid political protests and the war in Ukraine. In 2021, Rosenberg's BBC colleague Sarah Rainsford was expelled from Russia hours after questioning Lukashenko over the the torture and imprisonment of peaceful protesters. Vladimir Putin was seen fuming at a BBC editor (pictured) for the second year in a row Putin (pictured) claimed his country's economy was 'way ahead of Great Britain' Rosenberg has continued to challenge both Lukashenko and Putin, and in December left the Russian dictator fuming after asking him 'do you think you've taken care of Russia?' Speaking at the BRICS conference, Rosenberg went on: 'Because looking in, what do we see? We see substantial losses in the so-called "special military operation" that you declared. 'We see Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region. You criticise NATO expansion but there is now more NATO on Russia's borders: Sweden and Finland. 'Sanctions, high inflation, demographic problems. Do you think you've taken care of your country?' Putin responded by mocking Britain's shrinking economy and claimed he has 'pulled Russia back from the abyss' - making no reference to Russia's heavy losses in Ukraine, spiraling inflation or other issues facing Russia under his rule. A thug who punched a grieving man at a funeral wake and broke bones in his face with a 'ferocious' single punch has walked free from court. Alan Wharton's brutal strike left his victim's jaw 'separated from the rest of his facial skeleton', while he had multiple bone fractures to his face, including both cheekbones in multiple places. He also had a deviated nose and bleeding and swelling in both eyes. The pair had known each other for three or four years before the incident at Gosforth Empire Club, Newcastle Crown Court heard, and there had been no previous issues between them. But the wake suddenly descended into chaos at 8.30pm March 28 2022 when Wharton approached his victim while he was sitting with a group at a long table, spoke to him and gestured to the door. And when the man stood up Wharton, 36, swung a powerful punch, knocking him out. He collapsed backwards, with only a chair preventing him from falling back and striking his head on the floor. Judge Gavin Doig said: 'This was an absolutely ferocious blow.' He added: 'The victim had his arms by his side at the time you ferociously punched him for no reason. Alan Wharton's brutal strike left his victim's jaw 'separated from the rest of his facial skeleton', while he had multiple bone fractures to his face, including both cheekbones in multiple places The pair had known each other for three or four years before the incident at Gosforth Empire Club (pictured), Newcastle Crown Court heard, and there had been no previous issues between them 'It's only good luck he didn't fall and hit his head and suffer even more serious injuries. Regularly, these courts see people on charges of manslaughter for acting in exactly this way. If this person died, you would be going to prison for years.' Police were contacted and the victim was taken to hospital but the force didn't interview Wharton until November 5, at which point he claimed he had been acting in self-defence. He later pleaded guilty to inflicting GBH. Wharton, now of Smithy Croft Road, Glasgow, was on a suspended prison sentence for battery at the time and also breached that suspended sentence shortly after the GBH by committing an offence of criminal damage. He was previously fined for that breach. Now he has been sentenced to 10 months suspended for 18 months and must pay the victim 5,000 compensation at 300 a month. He was also given a five-year restraining order and was fined 100 for breaching the suspended sentence. Oliver Connor, defending, said Wharton has moved to Scotland and has committed no offences since. He told the court: 'He is in a new relationship and has a new daughter. Everything about his life has changed and improved for the better.' Downing Street has indicated it wants to see plans for a new runway at Heathrow by June despite fears of a Labour split after London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared he was against it. The Prime Minister's official spokesman stressed ministers are keen to see the proposals progress after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the airport expansion as a flagship scheme in a slew of infrastructure projects aimed at boosting economic growth. No10 has already tried to distance itself from a fight with Sadiq Khan over a third runway after the London Mayor voiced his opposition. The press secretary tried to placate the mayor by saying ministers agreed the scheme would have to meet key environmental and climate obligations in order to proceed. Our live coverage has ended The grieving aunt of a boy who was allegedly bludgeoned to death by a woman he was living with says she will mourn her nephew with a tattoo tribute. Nine-year-old Thai-Li Ned was staying with the accused woman while his mother Tiarne Ned served time in prison, and he was found dead on the weekend with a 'significant head injury'. Ms Ned's younger sister Chanell King, 20, said the family cannot begin to understand what has happened. She (Ms Ned) is not doing okay at the moment, Ms King told Daily Mail Australia outside the home in suburban Townsville where the boy was staying. We're all trying to wrap our heads around what happened.. why anyone would ever hurt him. 'He was bright, active and mostly funny. Maybe I'll get a tattoo to remember him by. My other tattoos are ones I got in jail. Thai-li was found dead inside the home of 24-year-old Schynada Karkadoo, who had what police described as a 'loose' family connection with him. She has been charged with the boy's murder. Chanell King (pictured left), Ranita (centre) and friend Aileen pictured outside Thai-li's shrine in Kirwan Nine-year-old Thai-li Ned (pictured) was found dead in a Townsville home on Saturday night The events that led to him being allegedly killed by a blow to the head are being investigated by detectives, who are looking at whether a weapon was used. Detective David Miles told reporters what inflicted the blow was 'certainly, part of our inquiries... the injury is consistent with what, I would say at this stage, appears to be blunt force trauma'. One line of inquiry is that a wooden plank was allegedly used to kill Thai-li up to eight hours before his body was discovered at 7.10pm on Saturday. 'We'll await the outcome of the autopsy before we make an absolute determination of what weapon may have been used,' Detective Miles said. He added that police have information as to 'what may have transpired' but could not release details while the investigation was ongoing. Detective Miles said other children were at home when the blow was allegedly inflicted. Chanell (pictured being consoled on Wednesday) has a number of tattoos she got while in jail including a teardrop under her eye and 187 on the back of her thighs Local children left sunflowers, stuffed animals and notes outside the crime scene in tribute to the 'bright' nine-year-old Police allege Thai-li (pictured right with his mother, Tiarne Ned) was killed with a wooden plank but are awaiting further details from his autopsy Schynada Karkadoo (pictured) has been charged over the boy's death 'Anything involving a traumatic injury and the death of a child, which in circumstances like this occurs, is quite abhorrent,' he said. 'No child should be subjected to anything that obviously leads to this sort of outcome for them.' Karkadoo's case was briefly mentioned in Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday. A brief of evidence was ordered. The Kirwan home is expected to remain a crime scene until an autopsy is complete later this week. Police had previously visited the home several times for unrelated matters. 'We had had very brief interactions with this young person, but obviously being nine years of age, (he) hadn't come to our attention for any offending behaviour or anything like that,' Detective Miles said. Stuffed animals and sentimental notes have been left at the crime scene in memory of the young boy. 'You (were) so polite and humble,' one online tribute read. Another said: 'Fly high. You will be sadly missed by us all here in Mount Isa.' Karkadoo was remanded in custody and her case was adjourned until April 23. A grandmother who was dragged off her boat by a crocodile survived the terrifying attack after punching the beast in the face. Housewife Kaetek had been scouring the water for snails to feed to her ducks when she was ambushed by the vicious reptile in Aceh province, Indonesia, on Monday. The 59-year-old was fishing around in the murky waters when the croc latched onto her hand and dragged her off the boat. Incredibly, the tenacious grandmother was able to fend off the beast by repeatedly punching it in the face with her free hand. The monster eventually loosened its grip and fled when the roar of a passing motorboat scared it away. Kaetek was hauled onboard and was taken ashore, where locals quickly scrambled to take her to a local hospital. Footage shows one man carrying the injured grandmother in his hands across a slippery pontoon and . She was then placed onto a motorcycle sidecar and was rushed to the Singkil Health Centre with a severe wound on her hand. Grandmother Kaetek, 59, is recovering in hospital after she was who was dragged off her boat by a crocodile on Monday Footage shows one man carrying the injured grandmother in his hands across a slippery pontoon after a boat rescued her from the river in Aceh province, Indonesia The Indonesian archipelago is home to 14 types of crocs - with a large population of extremely large and violent estuarine crocodiles that flourish in the region's climate (Stock image) Speaking from her hospital bed, a shaken Kaetek said: 'I was rowing a boat looking for snails and water hyacinths to feed my ducks. 'When I reached toward the surface of the water to pluck up some river weeds, the crocodile suddenly pounced on my hand. I immediately fell into the river. 'I screamed for help and tried to fight back while praying. I used my free hand to hit the crocodile's face. 'Luckily, a motorboat passed by, and the crocodile let me go. I immediately went ashore and residents on the other side of the river helped me. Kaetek received 15 stitches for her injured hand. Village head Pahrul Raji said residents are now hunting the crocodile as it posed a 'serious threat' to the locals living on the riverside. He said: 'This river is used by the community for various activities. We are worried that if there are children bathing in the river, they could be the next victims. 'Therefore, we ask that this threatening crocodile be immediately captured for the safety of all.' Footage shows the grandmother being carried through a crowd of locals after she was rescued from the terrifying croc She was then placed onto a motorcycle sidecar that had arrived at the village The driver then quickly sped off and took her to the Singkil Health Centre with a severe wound on her hand The Indonesian archipelago is home to 14 types of crocodiles. A large population of these are extremely large and violent estuarine crocodiles that flourish in the region's climate. Conservationists believe that crocodiles have been driven further inland closer to villages due to overfishing reducing the crocodiles' natural food supplies combined with habitat loss from the development of coastal areas into farms. With uneducated locals in the developing country still using rivers for bathing and primitive fishing, the deadly combination of factors has led to rising numbers of crocodile attacks. A suspected Russian honeytrap spy was in an 'open' relationship with the espionage ring's surveillance controller, a court has heard. Bulgarian Katrin Ivanova told of her heartbreak at discovering controller, Biser Dzhambazov 'betrayed' her by having an 18-month fling with fellow alleged spy, Vanya Gaberova without telling her. Dzhambazov, 43, was found by police naked in bed with beautician Gaberova, 30, when they were arrested at a flat in Euston, north London in February 2023. Ivanova - who denies spying - only discovered about the fling after the arrest and has claimed she was deceived, betrayed and controlled by her long-term partner Dzhambazov, who has admitted being in on the plot. Ivanova, 33, said she was in an 'abusive relationship' with Dzhambazov, who was 'controlling' since she met him aged 17 in Bulgaria. 'I have never had a relationship with any other man, only with my partner Mr Dzhambazov,' she told the Old Bailey. Prosecutor Alison Morgan, KC, quizzed the alleged secret agent about a series of WhatsApp messages she exchanged with two men, Stoyan and Larry, in September 2021. 'There was another man and Mr Dzhambazov knew... and that is why when I found out he was in a relationship with Vanya, I do not understand. We have an open sexual relationship,' said Ivanova, who lived with Dzhambazov in Harrow, north-west London. Ivanova, Gaberova, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, were allegedly part of a group which carried out surveillance on places and people of interest to the Russian state between August 30 2020 and February 8 2023. Katrin Ivanova (pictured) said she was heartbroken at discovering Biser Dzhambazov 'betrayed' her by having an 18-month fling with fellow alleged spy, Vanya Gaberova Bulgarian national Dzhambazov, 43, has admitted to spying in the UK on behalf of Russia Dzhambazov was found in bed with alleged Russian spy Vanya Gaberova (pictured), at a flat in Euston, north London which was raided by police in February 2023 She said Dzhambazov first recruited her to carry out surveillance on Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist for a British-based website who exposed the identities of the Russian FSB agents responsible for the Salisbury nerve agent attack in 2018. However, she claimed that in late 2022 she began questioning the 'real purpose' of what she was doing for the first time on the way to Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, southern Germany. Orlin Roussev, who allegedly ran the spy ring from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, believed the site was used for training Ukrainian troops to operate Patriot missile air defence batteries. It's alleged the spies were planning to deploy an 'lmsi' device at the barracks of the US Army base to collect mobile phone data of Ukrainians training on the US missile system. This data, the court heard, could then be used by Russian forces to track Ukrainians to the frontline. Describing when she started to question her being there, Ivanova told jurors: 'When we was walking from the hotel to the barracks, this is when I started questioning exactly what was going on.' Cross-examining on Tuesday, prosecutor Ms Morgan said: 'You know it's an army barracks. What is it that worries you?' Ivanova replied: 'I was questioning what is the real purpose, why am I going to take a picture of that base?' Ms Morgan said it was publicly known the barracks were being used to train Ukrainian forces and it was believed that involved the use of the Patriot missile system. The defendant told jurors that although she had looked up the barracks, she did not know those details. Ivanova claimed that in late 2022 she began questioning the 'real purpose' of what she was doing for the first time on the way to Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, southern Germany. The Haydee Hotel guest house in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, allegedly used by Orlin Roussev to plot the actions of the spy ring The spy ring is alleged to have been masterminded by Orlin Roussev (pictured) from his guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Ivanova denied being 'a stupid person', but said she was under the 'control' of her older partner who was 'everything' to her at the time. She said: 'I started the relationship with the person I most trusted since I was 17. He was never physically abusive. 'I can say now I was in an abusive relationship. That person was controlling me without me realising. 'I was being controlled by someone who was 10 years older than me. When I came to this country I came alone with him. My family was back home, my friends was back home. 'He not only became my family and friend at that time, he became everything for me.' Ivanova denied he prevented her from doing internet searches or using her phone - or even engaging in sexual relationships with other men. Ms Morgan reminded the defendant of her earlier evidence that she had been 'heartbroken' to learn in 2021 that Dzhambazov was with her co-defendant Gaberova when she thought he was seeing a doctor in Bulgaria. The defendant agreed, saying: 'He betrayed me. He was in a relationship with another woman for 18 months. My only partner was Biser Dzhambazov.' The three involved in the love-triangle are among five Bulgarian nationals charged with spying for Russia at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London. Court artist sketches from left to right: Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova, Orlin Roussev, Ivan Stoyanov and Bizer Dzhambazov The group are alleged to have been spying on Ukrainians training on the US-made Patriot missile defence system (pictured) in Germany Ms Morgan said phone evidence revealed that he knew she was having relationships with other men at the same time. The prosecutor added: 'You are asking the jury to believe you were desperately upset Mr Dzhambazov was in Bulgaria with Ms Gaberova but you shared you were in relationships with other people.' Ivanova said: 'I was in an open sexual relationship with the knowledge. I don't go behind Mr Dzhambazov's back to sleep with another man. Having an 18-month long sexual relationship was 'something completely different', she said. Ivanova added: 'When both of us was being arrested, me and Vanya, we both refer to Biser as our boyfriend. You cannot put those two things on the same scale.' Ms Morgan said: 'You were in a relationship with Mr Dzhambazov, it was you and him against the world and the great betrayal was he was with Ms Gaberova? 'So this controlling man did not mind you having sexual relationships with other men and you shared the details together.' Ivanova replied: 'That's correct. It is not a secret.' Jurors have heard that Dzhambazov and Orlin Roussev have admitted conspiracy to spy for Russia. Ms Morgan asked Ivanova: 'It's only when you're outside Patch Barracks you have any suspicions at all about Mr Dzhambazov and Mr Roussev and what is really going on in this conspiracy?' The defendant replied: 'That's correct. I never challenged him, yes.' Ivanova, Gaberova and Ivanchev deny conspiracy to spy between August 30 2020 and February 8 2023. Ivanova has also pleaded not guilty to a second charge of possession of false identity documents. Dzhambazov and Roussev, 46, who lived in a hotel in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, have admitted the same charge. At the time of the alleged offences, Ivanova was living in Harrow, north-west London, Gaberova was living in Euston, north London and Ivanchev was living in Acton, west London. Southern England will be hit by 60mph gusts and heavy rain today as Storm Ivo strikes the coast - the third named storm to impact Britain in just six days. The storm, which was named in Portugal, will see torrential downpours pushing in from the South West this morning before spreading east along to Kent. The strongest gusts are expected in Cornwall and could reach 57mph at St Just this evening. Devon could hit 48mph at Salcombe, and Dorset 34mph at Weymouth. Further along the coast, Eastbourne in East Sussex and Dover in Kent could both have 30mph. London will be spared from the worst of the gusts, with 22mph expected. The heaviest rain throughout today will be in southern England, although there will also be frequent showers in northern Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland. Northern and central England along with Wales will be mostly dry and sunny before rain clears from southern England tonight, leaving most areas dry overnight. Flooding also remains a major risk with the Environment Agency issuing 23 flood and 134 alerts for England today, while Natural Resources Wales has seven alerts. It comes after Britain was hit at the start of this week by Storm Herminia, named in Spain. This followed 114mph Storm Eowyn, named by the Met Office, which struck the UK and Ireland last Friday and caused two deaths and widespread travel chaos. A fallen tree at Holmwood near Glasgow following strong winds brought by Storm Eowyn last Friday, in a photograph released by National Trust for Scotland today A motorist drives along a flooded country lane in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, this morning Heavy rain and strong winds will affect the south coast of England throughout today The bad weather in recent days in the UK was linked to Storm Herminia, which has now cleared to the east and named 'Ivo' by the Free University of Berlin. Separately, Portugal has given the name 'Storm Ivo' to another low pressure area pushing its way just to the south of the UK today The Environment Agency has issued 134 flood alerts (in amber) and 23 warnings (in red) today Much of the UK will be dry tomorrow with frost and any fog clearing to leave plenty of sunshine, although there will be blustery showers for the far North East. Friday will again be largely dry for most areas with any rain clearing south-eastwards in the morning, before it turns wet and windy in the North West on Saturday. Community rallies round to support elderly and vulnerable cut off by Storm Eowyn A Northern Ireland community which has been without electricity for more than four days has rallied together to bring aid to elderly and vulnerable residents. A number of large trees fell on the Eglantine Road near Lisburn during Storm Eowyn on Friday, damaging power lines and blocking access to the area. Several houses which are situated between the fallen trees had been effectively cut off. Local residents remove trees which had been blocking the a road near Lisburn However, yesterday, a number of local residents came together to saw and remove the trees which had been blocking the road. Local councillor Alan Martin then transferred hot food from the community centre in nearby Hillsborough so it could be delivered directly to the homes of pensioners. Anna Leckey, who is eight months pregnant, said the power had been out since early on Friday. Alan Martin, who is delivering hot food to residents in Lisburn following Storm Eowyn She said: 'It has been cold. We are just lucky that we have managed to get a generator so we have got some heat. 'The first couple of nights were kind of fun, exciting with the fire and the candles on, but by Sunday night it was getting tedious and dark. It is frustrating, it is annoying. Some of our neighbours have been trapped in by the trees.' Ms Leckey said residents had been told it could be Monday before the power is restored. She said: 'Hopefully it will be faster than that. I think everyone is just fed up so people have started doing stuff themselves.' Local resident John Bishorek is a member of the Lisburn Safe volunteer group. Local residents removing trees in Lisburn He said: 'There have been trees down blocking the road. Unfortunately the residents have had to end up cutting the trees themselves to open the roads up. 'Residents here have had no power since early on Friday morning. All they have been given is battery packs to charge their phones. There are a lot of elderly here and those with kids.' We have one lady who is bed-bound. She is in there shivering.' Lisburn and Castlereagh City councillor Mr Martin was delivering hot stew to elderly residents. He said: 'I have been coming back to the community day after day, but nothing seemed to be happening for them. There are about 40 houses here, a lot of older people. Neighbours have been looking after them, they are helping each other. 'Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has been very good. They have opened up centres in the area where you can get soup and a cup of tea, get the phone charged up. 'In this community because of the older folk we have decided to bring the food to them. Today we are getting stew for them.' Advertisement A Met Office spokeswoman told MailOnline today: 'Storm Ivo was named by the Portuguese Met Service as it will bring strong winds and heavy rain to south-western parts of Europe. 'The system is too far south to bring any major impacts to the UK, with just some rain in southern parts of England through Wednesday.' Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill revealed there was some confusion over Ivo, because it is a name that has been given to two separate weather systems by different agencies. The bad weather in recent days in the UK has been linked to Storm Herminia, a low-pressure system named by meteorologists in Spain, which experienced the strongest winds. But as Herminia cleared away towards the east yesterday, it was given the name 'Ivo' by the meteorology department of the Free University of Berlin, which names all high and low pressure systems impacting Europe. Mr Burkill said that, separately, the Portuguese meteorological service has given the name 'Storm Ivo' to another deep area of low pressure pushing its way just to the south of the UK today unrelated to the 'Ivo' system named by Germans. He said the Portuguese Storm Ivo would be bringing 'very strong damaging winds' to parts of Portugal as well as Spain and France. Mr Burkill added that Storm Ivo was 'not bringing much in the way of strong winds for the UK', but there would be heavy rain pushing across southern parts into this morning. He continued: 'Now there's always been a bit of uncertainty as to exactly how far north this rain is going to get, but I think we're getting a bit more confident in the idea that we're going to see some heavy rain pushing initially across parts of the South West. 'It's really just southernmost counties, just about staying to the south of London but it could push a little bit further north as we go through Wednesday - and so a wet picture there. 'But elsewhere actually a decent amount of fine weather, albeit some fairly frequent showers across parts of Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland. So this is an association with Storm Ivo, albeit it's not really a storm from our point of view. 'But in case you hear that name being batted around that's why because the worst of it is staying way to the South, and that's why it's been named by the Portuguese met service.' The Met Office has also said that over the month of January so far, the south of the UK has been wetter than the north, which is not normally the case. Provisional Met Office statistics show that counties including Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Hampshire and Surrey have seen 30 per cent more rainfall than the long-term meteorological average for January. Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: 'For many it's a dry day with some bright skies. Not the case across southern counties - rain here and we continue with this showery regime across the North East of Scotland, Northern Isles as well - strong winds. 'Now across the western periphery of Scotland expect some showers, they're running in across Northern Ireland down towards the Isle of Man, a few for Wales. Not as windy here and certainly a lighter breeze to start the day across much of England, central and southern parts of Scotland. 'But towards the South we're seeing an area of clouds just spilling northwards with some outbreaks of rain and this whole system here will skirt southern counties as we head through the day. Elsewhere through the morning it's mostly fine.' The Environment Agency said there was likely to be further flooding caused by more rain in southern England today and tomorrow. It estimated that up to 5,800 properties were protected by flood defences over recent days. Dan Bond, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: 'Environment Agency teams are out on the ground, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding and will support local authorities in their response. 'We urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.' In Somerset, authorities stood down a major incident yesterday that had been in place because of flooding in the county that led to the evacuation of more than 100 people from their homes. Cornwall Council said Storm Eowyn and Storm Herminia resulted in 183 emergency incidents from Friday to Monday, including a mini tornado which uprooted trees and damaged homes near Newquay. Gusts of 84mph and almost 60mm (2.4in) of rainfall hits parts of southern England on Monday. Approximately 37,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity across Northern Ireland yesterday afternoon, after Storm Eowyn hit at the weekend, according to Northern Ireland Electricity Networks. Scottish and Southern Electricity said yesterday afternoon it had restored power to 90,000 customers affected by Storm Eowyn and was working to reconnect a further 240 households who were still without power. Your browser does not support iframes. Damage caused by Storm Eowyn last Friday at Culzean Country Park in South Ayrshire, in a picture released today by National Trust for Scotland Meanwhile the National Trust has revealed Storm Eowyn toppled more than 10,000 trees from its properties. Strong winds on Friday, coupled with heavy rain to soften the ground, caused the loss of historically important trees across Northern Ireland and northern England. The National Trust for Scotland, a separate organisation, said each of the gardens it cares for in the south or west of the country has suffered damage. The National Trust and its Scottish counterpart have appealed for donations to pay for the clean-up and recovery operation - which will include extensive replanting. Northern Ireland, where a Met Office red warning was issued for the first time in its history, was worst affected by the storm. Around 10,000 trees were lost at the 900-acre site at Mount Stewart, County Down, as it blew through the formal gardens, estate and woodlands. A photo released today of damage caused by Storm Eowyn at Cragside in Northumberland after Storm Eowyn ripped out more than 10,000 trees from National Trust properties At Rowallane Garden, in Saintfield, County Down, 'irreplaceable specimen trees' - some more than 250 years old - were lost, leaving areas of the estate 'almost unrecognisable', the trust said. In Northumberland, the losses at the estates at Cragside and Wallington were still being assessed as the bad weather continued into this week. At Cragside, work was under way to remove a 150-year-old 45m tall tree which threatened to block a stream when it fell. Among the losses at Wallington were 200-year-old beeches, which were planted as part of the original garden designs. The National Trust for Scotland said at least 250 trees were lost across the popular Culzean Country Park. Buildings were also damaged, including the roof of the Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre. A photo issued by the National Trust today of storm damage at Mount Street in Northern Ireland Sheila Das, the National Trust's head of gardens and parks, said: 'Our ranger and garden teams are assessing the aftermath but it's already clear we've lost some very significant and precious trees, which is hugely sad. 'Mature trees, some with veteran qualities and important histories, give such character to our gardens and they connect us to the people who planted them, as well as playing a vital role in the ecosystems of our landscapes.' 'We know climate change is making extreme storms like Eowyn more likely, posing a real threat to gardens and landscapes everywhere. 'Storm Eowyn reminds us that the world is changing and that we need to adapt the places we care for, to ensure that people and nature can thrive.' Philip Long, chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland, said: 'The effect of Storm Eowyn has been devastating. 'While at the Trust we are used to dealing with and plan for difficult weather conditions, the brutal force of Storm Eowyn has wrought unprecedented widespread damage to many of Scotland's most loved places. 'Our teams have been working flat-out to make them safe for people again, but the job of repair, restoration and planting will take much longer, and we would be very grateful for people's support of our charity in this.' A fascinating letter by Neil Armstrong revealing how he would look out for aliens when landing on the moon has come to light 56 years on. Three months before the Apollo 11 mission, the astronaut was asked how he would respond to 'extraterrestrial life on the moon'. Instead of dismissing the question, he candidly admitted that the crew would not know how to defend themselves in that scenario. To mitigate the potential danger, they would keep a lookout for several hours from their spaceship to make sure the coast was clear before stepping out onto the lunar surface. Armstrong wrote: 'As to your question of whether we will be prepared to communicate and/or defend ourselves when we land on the moon, my answer is basically no. 'However, we will observe the lunar surface from the security of our spacecraft for a number of hours prior to any extra-vehicular activity.' The one page typed letter, on NASA letterhead paper, is dated April 28, 1969 and addressed to a Richard G Robinson, of Annandale, Virginia, US. It has emerged for sale for 3,200 ($4,000) at RR Auction, of Boston, US. A fascinating letter by Neil Armstrong revealing how he would look out for aliens before landing on the moon has come to light 56 years on Three months before the Apollo 11 mission, the astronaut was asked how he would respond to 'extraterrestrial life on the moon'. Instead of dismissing the question, he candidly admitted that the crew would not know how to defend themselves in that scenario Armstrong became the first man on the moon, on July 24, 1969, with fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin joining him about 20 minutes later. As the pair made history, the third man on the mission, Michael Collins, flew the Apollo 11 command module, the Columbia, around the moon. On stepping onto the lunar surface, Armstrong uttered the famous words: 'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.' The momentous moment was watched by millions of people across the world. Armstrong and Aldrin collected 47.5lbs of lunar material to bring back to earth. Between them, the pair spent three hours on the lunar surface. The pair then returned to the Colombia module in their spacecraft, the Eagle. Aldrin, now 94, is the only surviving Apollo 11 crew member. Armstrong died in 2012 and Collins passed away in 2021. Armstrong (pictured) wrote: 'As to your question of whether we will be prepared to communicate and/or defend ourselves when we land on the moon, my answer is basically no. However, we will observe the lunar surface from the security of our spacecraft for a number of hours prior to any extra-vehicular activity' Neil Armstrong (left) with Apollo 11 crewmates Michael Collins (centre) and Buzz Aldrin Buzz Aldrin stands next to the American flag after planting it on the moon Another 10 American men followed Armstrong and Aldrin in walking on the moon, but the last mission took place more than 50 years ago, in 1972. The lunar landings were the climax of a 'space race' with the Soviet Union. No Russian astronauts ever matched the achievement of their American rivals by landing on the moon. The sale of Armstrong's letter takes place on February 21. An RR Auction spokesperson said: 'While NASA scientists did not expect to find advanced alien life on the moon, Apollo 11 demonstrated humanity's growing curiosity about extraterrestrial life. 'Some precautions were indeed taken relative to interplanetary contamination, both in terms of protecting the Earth from potential 'alien' microorganisms and ensuring the integrity of the moon's environment. 'When astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins returned to earth on July 24, 1969, they were placed in quarantine at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory for a period of 21 days. 'There, the Apollo 11 spacecraft, lunar samples, and astronauts' personal items were decontaminated and analysed for the presence of any potentially harmful toxins or microorganisms - neither of which were discovered.' This is the terrifying moment an out-of-control nuclear icebreaker collided with a cargo ship that it had been sent to rescue in the Arctic. The nuclear-powered vessel, named The Fifty Years of Victory, was on its way to free the bulk carrier Yamal Krechet after it became stuck in the ice in the Kara Sea. But as it approached the trapped vessel, it began careering towards it and was unable to change direction. Shocking footage from onboard The Fifty Years of Victory shows it ploughing directly into the side of the Yamal Krechet. The ship - which was built to smash through ice ten feet thick - strikes the cargo ship's hull, causing it to rock back and forth. It then immediately reversed course and backed away after the nighttime collision. The Fifty Years of Victory and the other ship both sustained hull damage following the incident, which is expected to lead to a criminal investigation. Russian officials have stressed there is no threat to the nuclear reactor installation and life support systems on the icebreaker. This is the terrifying moment an out-of-control nuclear icebreaker collided with a cargo ship that it had been sent to rescue in the Arctic Shocking footage from onboard The Fifty Years of Victory vessel shows it ploughing directly into the side of the Yamal Krechet Pictures show the devastating damage inflicted on the hull of the Russian nuclear icebreaker Fifty Years of Victory Initial reports failed to explain the drama, as shown in the footage, and did not reveal there had been a collision. RosAtomflot, which is responsible for the Russian nuclear icebreaker ship, said: 'The 50 let Pobedy [Fifty Years of Victory] icebreaker sustained damage of port side edge plating at night on January 26 in the Kara Sea in harsh Arctic conditions, when doing ice cutting. 'Nobody was injured. 'Seaworthiness properties were not lost. 'There is no threat to life support systems and the reactor unit.' A source added: 'The nuclear icebreaker continues to operate in the waters of the Northern Sea Route in normal mode.' The Fifty Years of Victory sustained hull damage following the incident, with pictures showing a significant proportion of the hull having been torn away Damage to the hull of The Fifty Years of Victory shows some of the metal having been stripped away, revealing the inside of the vessel The Yamal Krechet cargo ship is pictured stationary in the Kara Sea The Yamal Krechet, which is a general cargo ship built in 1999, is seen travelling through the ice in the Arctic The Yamal Krechet is a general cargo ship which was built in 1999. The icebreaker is powered by two OK-900A nuclear reactors, each producing 171 MW of thermal power. The reactors supply steam to turbines, generating 54 MW of power to drive the icebreaker's three propellers. The vessel was launched in 2007. Britain is set to see far more significant population growth than other European countries over the next decade. Projections for the UK released yesterday suggest numbers will rise from 67.6million in mid-2022 to 72.5million in mid-2032. That would be driven entirely driven by net immigration of five million - as births and deaths are expected to cancel each other out. The official figures also confirm that over the last couple of years the UK overtook France, where EuroStat data indicates the population was 67.9million in 2022. By 2032 their numbers are estimated to be 69.7million, nearly 3million smaller, and by 2047 the gap could be 5.9million. The UK's expansion looks to be much faster than in Germany, where numbers are due to rise from 83.2million to 85.2million over the period. Italy had a population of around 59million in 2022, and that is actually anticipated to fall to 58.7million by 2032. Spain is on track to grow from 47.4million to 49.5million over the decade. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The ONS estimated yesterday that net migration to the UK will average 340,000 per year from mid-2028 onwards. That would be lower than the recent eye-watering record of 906,000. This year the ONS believes the level will be just under 631,000. Between 2022 and 2032 net inflows are anticipated to be 4.9million. While births could increase slightly over the decade, deaths are also rising due to the aging 'baby boom' generation born after Second World War. Across the decade they cancel each other out, with 6.8million of each, meaning there is no 'natural' change to the population anticipated. The Office for National Statistics also projects an alarming rise in the older population, with a doubling of over-85s to 3.3million by 2047. Numbers of state pension age are set to soar by 1.7million over the decade to 2032, to 13.7million people. More than one in 10 of the population could be over 75 at that point. Downing Street said Sir Keir wants to bring down 'staggeringly high levels' of migration but dismissed Tory calls for a cap, suggesting it would be 'arbitrary'. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the projections were 'shocking and unacceptable' and must be prevented from coming true. Your browser does not support iframes. However, in a potential bright spot for Rachel Reeves a think-tank has predicted that the ONS figures will give her more wriggle room for spending. The OBR watchdog could upgrade growth forecasts because the working age population is set to be 400,000 bigger in 2029-30, according to the Resolution Foundation. Keir Starmer was berated over the projections by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell in the Commons today. Mr Rosindell said during PMQs that his constituents were 'shocked, angry and dismayed' by the 'unsustainable' rise. 'Who voted for that? And will the Government do something to ensure that the population of this country is sustainable going forward, because there is no mandate for such a colossal increase in immigration in this country?' he said. Sir Keir replied: 'I think he should talk to his leader, because net migration went through the roof under the last government, nearly one million quadrupled, and who was cheering it on? Who was cheering it on? The Leader of the Opposition. 'His constituents are right to be concerned about the loss of control by the last government, we're taking control, we will bring these numbers down, but the record is absolutely clear, and it sits right there.' Donald Trump's new foreign policy chief challenged David Lammy over the UK's plan to surrender the Chagos Islands in their first discussion since the new administration entered the White House. Neither side's official readout of the call between the Foreign Secretary and Marco Rubio on Monday mentioned that they talked about the much-criticised planned handover of the archipelago to Mauritius. But sources confirmed that the deal to cede control of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was one of the issues that came up. The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Rubio challenged the Foreign Secretary over the decision. He previously labelled the deal 'a serious threat' to US national security and warned it 'threatens critical US military posture in the region' and hand an advantage to China. However UK sources played down suggestions there was a row, suggesting they had discussed the long-term protection of the air base at Diego Garcia. The talks are seen as a potential early flashpoint in the UK's relationship with the new American administration. The UK plans to cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia base used by the US for 99 years at a reported annual cost of around 90 million. Neither side's official readout of the call between the Foreign Secretary and Marco Rubio on Monday mentioned that they talked about the much-criticised planned handover of the archipelago to Mauritius. But sources confirmed that the deal to cede control of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was one of the issues that came up. However the deal has yet to be signed off, with China hawks on both sides of the Atlantic hoping that Trump will refuse to sign it off. Mr Lammy said he spoke to Mr Rubio, the first member of Donald Trump's Cabinet to be confirmed last week, on a range of issues including the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine and the Middle East. The call comes after Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump spoke on the phone for the first time since the president came to power. 'The UK and US are working together to make all our citizens safer and more prosperous,' Mr Lammy said on X. 'I look forward to meeting soon as we further strengthen UK-US ties.' The Foreign Office said in a statement the two men had discussed their shared links to the Caribbean. The Foreign Secretary has family ties to Guyana and Mr Rubio's family links to Cuba. The UK plans to cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia base used by the US for 99 years at a reported annual cost of around 90 million. 'They both welcomed the opportunity for the UK and the US to work together in alignment to address shared challenges, including the situation in the Middle East, Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, the challenges posed by China and the need for Indo-Pacific security,' the statement said. US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the two men had discussed 'a range of pressing global issues'. 'Both leaders expressed eagerness to begin working together immediately to further our many shared foreign policy objectives,' she said. 'They affirmed the depth of the US-UK special relationship and the crucial nature of our partnership in addressing issues like the conflict in the Middle East, Russia's war against Ukraine, and China's malign influence. 'They also heralded joint initiatives, including the Aukus partnership, which promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.' Bitter fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sparked fears that highly dangerous Ebola viruses could be released from a laboratory in a city stormed by Rwandan-backed rebels. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned of 'unimaginable consequences' if samples of Ebola and other pathogens held at a lab in Goma were allowed to escape and spread amid the crisis. The humanitarian organisation's regional director Patrick Youssef said the ICRC is 'very concerned about the situation in the laboratory of the national biomedical research institute, which is facing a risk of power cuts, as well as a question of preserving the samples that may be affected by the clashes.' Aid agencies have also warned that attacks on water and electricity infrastructure could fuel the spread of deadly infectious diseases like cholera, with the clashes triggering a spiralling humanitarian crisis. Following days of bitter fighting with Congolese government forces, members of the M23 armed group, which is backed by Kigali, appeared to be on the brink of seizing the key eastern city this morning. Bertrand Bisimwa, the political leader head of M23, declared today that its fighters are in the process of bringing 'the last pockets of insecurity under control.' 'Our army is working hard to guarantee total security, complete tranquility and definitive peace as is the case for all their compatriots living in liberated zones,' he said on X. The M23 armed group took control of Goma's airport on Tuesday, a security source said, adding that 'more than 1,200 Congolese soldiers have surrendered and are confined' to the airport base of the UN's mission in the DRC. Smoke billows from an armored personnel carrier (APC) of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, left on the side of the road in Nzulo, on the main road linking the North Kivu capital Goma Members of the M23 armed group walk alongside residents through a street of the Keshero neighborhood in Goma, on January 27, 2025 Residents walk past the wreckage of a burned vehicle following clashes in the streets of Goma on January 28, 2025 A boy stands amongst people from the Masisi territory in a temporary hangar at the Bulengo displaced persons camp, near Goma, North-Kivu province, on January 15, 2025 A picture from 2019 shows a WHO worker decontaminates the house of a pastor who tested positive for Ebola in the DRC Days of intense clashes have seen more than 100 people killed and nearly 1,000 wounded, with the city's hospitals 'overwhelmed' and some patients 'lying on the floor due to lack of space', the ICRC said. Hundreds of patients have suffered gunshot, mortar and shrapnel wounds, with bodies seen lying in the streets of the city, according to the United Nations. The UN said the humanitarian situation in the besieged city was 'extremely worrying' amid mass displacement, food shortages, looted aid, overflowing hospitals and widespread sexual violence. Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations' humanitarian agency OCHA, said UN colleagues were reporting 'heavy small arms fire and mortar fire across the city, and the presence of many dead bodies in the streets'. The ICRC also said its medical warehouse in Goma had been looted and had to be 'urgently refurbished'. The World Health Organization has also warned that 'hospitals and health workers are in danger'. 'We are hearing reports of health workers being shot at, and patients, including babies, being caught in the crossfire,' WHO's emergency response coordinator for DR Congo, Adelheid Marschang, told reporters. She warned that significant damage to infrastructure like water stations and electricity grids meant 'conditions are rife for the spread of infectious diseases like cholera and measles'. The violence in the mineral-rich North Kivu province around Goma has forced half a million people from their homes since the start of the year, according to the UN refugee agency. At a UN Security Council meeting on the crisis on Tuesday, the world body's peacekeeping force in the DRC warned that the fighting risked reigniting ethnic conflicts dating to the Rwandan genocide and beyond. Protesters burn makeshift barricades in downtown Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo A fire set by protesters burns outside the damaged French Embassy during a march in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, January 28 'In the past four days, the Human Rights Office has documented at least one case of ethnically motivated lynching in a (displaced persons) site in Goma,' Vivian van de Perre of the UN's DRC mission MONUSCO said. After a previous meeting of the council on Sunday, the Congolese government expressed 'dismay' at its 'vague' statement, which stopped short of naming Rwanda. At an emergency meeting on Tuesday, the African Union called on the M23 to 'lay down arms', also without naming Rwanda. The DRC has accused Rwanda of wanting to profit from the region's abundant minerals - which include gold, coltan, copper and cobalt - and has called for stronger UN action. Soldiers of the Armed forces of the Democratic republic of Congo (FARDC) ride on top of a tank as they leave the city of Goma, on January 23 Rwanda has denied the claims, saying its aim is to tackle an armed group called the FDLR, created by former Hutu leaders of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda who massacred Tutsis. A UN expert report in July said up to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers were fighting alongside M23 and that Rwanda had 'de facto control' of the group's operations. A ceasefire in August failed to keep the peace and Angola-mediated talks were abruptly cancelled last month. Aid agencies and world leaders have called for an immediate halt to the fighting. Tech giants Microsoft and OpenAI are reportedly investigating whether data output from the ChatGPT maker's technology was secretly taken by a group linked to Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek. Microsoft's security researchers observed individuals they believed to be connected to DeepSeek exfiltrating a large amount of data using the OpenAI's application programming interface (API), according to a report by Bloomberg News. OpenAI's API is the main way that software developers and business customers access its services, buying a licence in order to integrate its models into their own applications. US firm Microsoft, the largest investor for OpenAI, notified the company of suspicious activity in the autumn, according to the Bloomberg report. Low-cost Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, an alternative to US rivals, sparked a tech stock selloff on Monday as its free AI assistant overtook OpenAI's ChatGPT on Apple's App Store in the US. DeepSeek's meteoric rise has raised questions about how a start-up could have become a market leader so rapidly, apparently side-stepping a US ban on Chinese firms using the most advanced microchips available to domestic tech companies. The Chinese firm has rocked the AI sector by stating that it cost just $6 million to build an AI model using less-advanced chips - a claim some experts have suggested may be too good to be true. David Sacks, the White House's AI and crypto czar, told Fox News in an interview earlier on Tuesday that it was 'possible' that DeepSeek stole intellectual property from the US. DeepSeek's meteoric rise has raised questions about how a start-up could have become a market leader so rapidly Pictured is Liang Wenfeng, the founder of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, speaking at the symposium presided by Chinese Premier Li Qiang on January 20, 2025 David Sacks, Donald Trump's 'AI and Crypto Czar', speaks to the President as he signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on January 23, 2025 'There's substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here is they distilled the knowledge out of OpenAI's models,' Sacks said. Asked for comment on the Bloomberg report, an OpenAI spokesperson echoed Sacks in a statement that noted China-based companies and others were constantly attempting to replicate the models of leading US AI companies, without specifically naming DeepSeek or any other company. 'We engage in counter-measures to protect our IP, including a careful process for which frontier capabilities to include in released models, and believe as we go forward that it is critically important that we are working closely with the US government to best protect the most capable models from efforts by adversaries and competitors to take US technology.' Microsoft declined to comment, while DeepSeek could not be immediately reached for a comment. It comes as Chinese tech giant Alibaba today announced the release of a new version of its Qwen 2.5 AI model that it claimed surpassed the highly-acclaimed DeepSeek-V3. The unusual timing of the release, on the first day of the Lunar New Year when most Chinese people are off work, points to the pressure Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's rise in the past three weeks has placed on not just overseas rivals, but also its domestic competition. Chinese state media has celebrated DeepSeek's work for showing that even with limited computing power, firms can 'create miracles'. DeepSeek has said its recent models were built with Nvidia's lower-performing H800 chips, which are not banned in China, sending a message that the fanciest hardware might not be needed for cutting-edge AI research. Chinese tech giant Alibaba today announced the release of a new version of its Qwen 2.5 AI model Experts have now suggested that the company could have had Beijing's help in sourcing powerful chips as part of the Chinese government's drive to get ahead in its battle with the West for technological supremacy and harvest information on its enemies. Luke de Pulford, director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, told MailOnline that the UK and US governments should be worried about the power that could give DeepSeek - and by extension the Chinese government. He said that under the Chinese Communist Party's doctrine of Military-Civil Fusion 'the line between the private sector and state is increasingly blurred.' 'As with TikTok, DeepSeek has the ability to collect masses of sensitive data, all of which is vulnerable to state interference,' he said. David Sacks said that it was 'possible' that DeepSeek stole intellectual property from the US 'Aside from violations of data protection, this hands the Communist Party a strategic advantage - they can crunch and analyse intimate information on hundreds of millions of foreign nationals.' DeepSeek this week became the most downloaded free app in the US - with its skyrocketing popularity seeing the value of its rival AI firms tumble and sending shockwaves through Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Shadow Security Minister Alicia Kearns said of DeepSeek: 'There's no such thing as low cost, because the security and privacy costs are extremely high - let alone the perverted prism through which many answers will be presented. 'AI may be the space race of our time, but this time every member of our community has a role to play. 'If your data is going into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, you're helping them on this race as they suck every bit of detail about you that they can - even your keystrokes.' When asked about Taiwan, DeepSeek states that the island is part of China and adds that 'compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood' China hawks have labelled it 'Communist AI', with a major concern among Western officials being that the chatbot feeds users Chinese propaganda and disinformation. The chatbot says it is 'programmed' to provide answers that toe the Chinese government line, for example refusing to answer questions about Beijing's crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and declaring that 'Taiwan is an inalienable part of China'. Britain's last remaining gas fracking sites are to be concreted over after the industry regulator demanded they be put out of use. Cuadrilla said it was 'plugging and abandoning' its exploratory site at Preston New Road, starting next month. In 2019, the then Tory government introduced a moratorium on fracking in the UK in part because of tremors caused by the extraction of shale gas at the site on the outskirts of Blackpool. The ban was lifted by Liz Truss in her brief premiership, only to be restored by her successor Rishi Sunak. However, critics of the decision to abandon the technology - which sees high-pressure water pumped into bedrock to release gas - have compared the situation to that in America. In his first days in office, president Trump declared a national energy emergency to boost drilling and speed up pipeline construction in the US. Trump, a Republican who campaigned on a promise to 'drill baby drill,' has said the declaration will speed permitting and approval of energy projects to fix what he has called an inadequate and unaffordable US energy supply. In response to the Cudrilla announcement, Lord Mackinlay, chair of the climate-sceptic Net Zero Scrutiny Group, said: 'Back in 2022, I asked the previous Conservative government not to commit the madness of concreting up a promising and valuable shale gas site. 'Thankfully, they listened, but now Labour appears willing to close off an incredible opportunity to secure homegrown energy supplies. It seems crazy to salt the earth in this needless and reckless way.' Cuadrilla said it was 'plugging and abandoning' its exploratory site at Preston New Road, starting next month. In 2019, the then Tory government introduced a moratorium on fracking in the UK in part because of tremors caused by the extraction of shale gas at the site on the outskirts of Blackpool. In his first days in office, president Trump declared a national energy emergency to boost drilling and speed up pipeline construction in the US. A minor earthquake struck near the Preston New Road site in February 2023, disturbing dogs and rumbling cabinets, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said. The 1.5 magnitude tremor struck at a depth of 2km outside the village of Weeton. Cuadrilla said it would spend six weeks filling in shafts after receiving 'formal notification issued by the regulator, North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) in relation to the plugging and abandonment of both wells.' CEO Francis Egan said: 'The UK is heavily reliant on natural gas to keep the lights on, to heat our homes and to provide cost effective energy to British industry. That dependence will continue for the next several decades. 'Yet nearly two thirds of all the gas we use comes from abroad, including liquefied natural gas from countries like Algeria, Qatar, Egypt and Angola. 'Domestically produced gas is four times cleaner than LNG imports and it's possible to have a reliable and secure supply, produced here at home. 'Keeping these wells open doesn't cost taxpayers a penny, but once they are concreted over then we lose easy access to supplies of shale gas that could be used for decades to come. 'As President Zelensky pointed out earlier this month, European nations are still far too exposed to Russian gas supply. 'Britain should do what it does best and look to help extricate the continent from Moscow's orbit. 'We can do this by getting our hands on some of the 37 trillion cubic metres of gas under our feet, not by pouring concrete down our gas wells.' Wall Street expects US oil and gas companies to keep a lid on spending in 2025 and keep their focus on generating shareholder returns, despite Trump's actions. Big Oil begins reporting fourth-quarter results this week, and outlooks for the coming year should reflect the dissonance between Trump's oil and gas-maximizing agenda and investor expectations. The industry has pushed in recent years to drive down costs and increase production by using more efficient technology rather than drilling many new wells. Producers also must contend with lower global oil prices as the post-pandemic demand rebound runs its course and as China's economy struggles. Benchmark Brent crude oil prices are projected to average $74 per barrel in 2025, down from $81 in 2024, according to the US Energy Information Administration. One of Britain's most prolific shoplifters who stole a staggering 145,000 worth of goods in shopping trolleys from Tesco has avoided jail time. Tania Patmore, 52, admitted to 73 offences as part of a gang who filled the trolleys and then pushed them out of stores in the southeast of England without paying. But, despite her confession, she won't spend any time behind bars as she is the sole carer of her teenage daughter. Each offence consisted of taking from one to ten trolleys from the same store in quick succession. For Patmore, that amounted to stealing 184 trolleys filled with goods, and attempting to steal another 47. A sentencing hearing at Guildford Crown Court yesterday heard the value of the stolen property came to 145,000. Circuit Judge Robert Fraser gave Patmore a suspended two year sentence after Patmore's barrister said she was the sole carer for her 13-year-old daughter. The judge told Patmore: 'I make it very clear I am doing this purely because of your daughter. 'You are a very lucky lady.' Patmore thanked him from the dock. Tania Patmore (pictured), 52, admitted to 73 offences as part of a gang who filled the trolleys and then pushed them out of stores without paying Despite her confession, she won't spend any time behind bars as she is the sole carer of her teenage daughter Her barrister Matthew Morgan told the court in mitigation that it was 'brazen offending rather than sophisticated offending' and said it was prompted by the need to pay drugs debts owed by her son. Mr Morgan said: 'She wishes to apologise to Your Honour for her behaviour and says she is ashamed and disgusted with herself.' Two co-conspirators received jail sentences and two others received suspended sentences. Michael Shilliday, prosecuting, told the court that the offending was across 14 different police force areas in the south east of England and lasted just over two years, from January 2022 until February 2024. There were a total of 86 recorded instances, all but six of them at branches of Tesco. Mr Shilliday told the court: 'The typical modus operandi was the suspects entered individually with trolleys, some filled the trolley, sometimes to the brim, sometimes not, with largely high value items but not exclusively, also lower value items such as pet food, toilet and kitchen roll. Marlie Patmore (pictured) admitted 10 offences, stealing 21 shopping trolleys filled with unpaid goods and attempting to steal another six James Mytum (pictured) admitted 36 offences, amounting to 117 shopping trolleys filled with unpaid goods and attempting to steal another 26, with a total reduced estimated value of almost 72,000 'They would then leave the store with the full trolley without any attempt to pay before re-entering and collecting another trolley. 'The financial loss is enormous.' The more expensive items included perfume, meat and alcohol. From the 55 trolleys that the gang were stopped from taking, or that were recovered nearby still full, the police were able to calculate the average value of goods in each one at 628. Judge Fraser described the crime spree as 'pretty blatant'. He told the defendants: 'It might not be the most sophisticated crime but it was remarkably bare-faced. 'The shoplifting at the level you were involved in caused very significant losses to the retailers affected and inevitably the costs are passed on to consumers.' The judge added that the crime was not victimless and that people doing their weekly shopping could be impacted. In sentencing, he reduced the prosecution figures for the loss suffered by Tesco by 20 per cent, to account for the fact that the amount stolen by each defendant was a prosecution estimate extrapolated from the average trolley value, rather than a precise figure. Jason Raven admitted 60 offences of stealing 150 shopping trolleys filled with unpaid goods and attempting to steal another 38. The value of stolen goods, after being reduced by 20 per cent, was put by the judge at 94,539. The 50-year-old from Stanford Le Hope, Essex, was jailed for three years. In mitigation the court heard how he had unresolved drugs debts. James Mytum admitted 36 offences, amounting to 117 shopping trolleys filled with unpaid goods and attempting to steal another 26, with a total reduced estimated value of almost 72,000. The 41-year-old from Colchester was jailed for three years. In mitigation the court heard how he had debts to loan sharks from historical drug abuse. Marlie Patmore admitted 10 offences, stealing 21 shopping trolleys filled with unpaid goods and attempting to steal another six. The value was put by the judge at 13,500. The 29-year-old from Basildon, Essex, received 20 months suspended jail sentence. Samantha Drum admitted 42 offences, amounting to 92 shopping trolleys plus attempting to steal another 24, with a value on the goods put at over 58,000. The 30-year-old from East Tilbury, Essex, received a two year suspended sentence. Sentencing of a sixth defendant was adjourned. A confiscation hearing will take place at a later date. Women's clothing brands Millers and Noni B will close their doors after receivers for parent company Mosaic Brands failed to secure a buyer. More than 250 stores, 11 of which are in New Zealand, are expected to close by April, leaving about 930 workers without jobs. Millers and Noni B were the ASX-listed company's last two brands after it announced last month that well-known labels Katies and Rivers would close. 'Despite the best efforts of all parties, we have been unable to achieve a sale of any of the brands within the Mosaic portfolio,' partner at receiver KPMG David Hardy said on Wednesday. 'As a result, all stores in the Mosaic Brands Group will be wound down over the coming months.' Noni B stores will close within months after parent company Mosaic Brands failed to secure a buyer Millers stores will also shut down, leaving hundreds without a job Sales will be held in all outlets and the timing of each store closure will depend on stock levels, with all shops expected to close by mid-April. Mosaic went into voluntary administration in October, with KPMG partners and FTI Consulting appointed as respective receivers and administrators. The company previously discontinued five of its signature brands - Rockmans, Autograph, Crossroads, W.Lane and BeMe - in September and closed stores as it attempted to put its finances on a sound footing. The group had 763 stores and employed about 3000 people in Australia and New Zealand. The company's shares have been suspended from the ASX since September 2 because of a delay in filing its 2023/24 financial report, which was due in August. France is leading EU demands for Britain to back down on fishing rights and a youth mobility scheme in exchange for a new security pact with the bloc, it has emerged. Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly promised to 'reset' the UK's post-Brexit relations with Brussels under his Labour Government. As well as a security deal, the PM is hoping to agree a new veterinary pact, mutual recognition for professional qualifications, and help for British artists to play in the EU. But, ahead of an EU-UK summit next week, it has been revealed how French President Emmanuel Macron has bogged down talks. According to the Financial Times, Paris is refusing to engage on the security pact unless Britain meets EU demands over fishing rights and a youth mobility deal. Many EU member states want guarantees they will continue to have the same level of access to UK fishing waters as under a current deal that expires in June next year. There is also a push for Sir Keir to cave in on a youth mobility scheme to give young Europeans greater freedom to come to the UK to study and work - and vice versa for young Britons. The PM has so far resisted these demands and is wary of any deal that might risk a return of free movement rules for EU citizens. French President Emmanuel Macron is leading EU demands for Britain to back down on fishing rights and a youth mobility scheme in exchange for a new security pact with the bloc Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly promised to 'reset' the UK's post-Brexit relations with Brussels under his Labour Government Pressure from member states for a security deal with Britain to be linked to a broader package of agreements will ratchet up tensions ahead of the EU leaders' dinner with Sir Keir in Brussels on 3 February. A senior UK government official told the newspaper: 'Over the last four or five weeks it has become clear that it won't happen without early assurances on fish and mobility. 'We're back to the 'nothing agreed until everything is agreed' world.' An EU official said: 'Everything is now seen as a quid pro quo', while a French official warned: 'Security and defence cannot be separated from the rest.' Since winning power last July, Sir Keir has visited a string of EU capitals in a bid to push his 'reset'. The PM also hosted Mr Macron for dinner at Chequers, his official country residence in Buckinghamshire, earlier this month. Sir Keir has sought a close relationship with the French President since entering No10 and previously travelled to Paris to attend a French service on Armistice Day. He was the first British PM to attend the events since Winston Churchill in 1944. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: 'As part of resetting our relationship with our European neighbours we continue to work towards strengthening co-operation on areas of mutual benefit, such as on security.' Olof Gill, a European Commission spokesman, said: 'We look forward to the UK defining its priorities, including on defence and security, and will engage on that basis.' Two violent Tren de Aragua gang members, a convicted murderer, child sex abusers, and a suspected terrorist are among the latest migrants swept up by President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. In the first week of Trump's second term, the Department of Homeland Security reported deporting some 7,300 people of various nationalities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024. Agents arrested 969 undocumented migrants across the nation on Monday, with the White House once again highlighted the 'worst' offenders to be removed from city streets as part of the 'Make America Safe Again' initiative. Border czar Tom Homan says he is not satisfied with the pace of migrant deportations - despite ICE's 'unprecedented' number of arrests - and claims the US needs to 'open the aperture up' and carry out 'more deportations'. 'It was a great start. The first week was unprecedented,' he told Fox News' Jesse Watters of efforts so far, hailing how under Trump's new policies, illegal border crossings have dropped from '10,000 a day to under 600'. 'It's great, it's good, but we're not finished and we need more deportations,' Homan said, adding: 'A lot more deportations and that's what we're working on.' The border czar's remark comes just days after he vowed that numbers of daily deportations and arrests will 'steadily increase' as they ramp up efforts to curb illegal immigration. A Venezuelan national and member of the violent Tren de Aragua crime gang (left) was among those swept up by ICE Atlanta on Monday in Trump's immigration crackdown. Convicted murderer Oscar Villatoro-Lazo (right) was detained by ICE in Buffalo, New York on Monday. The Salvadoran national was sentenced to 19 years to life Also among the latest criminals to be arrested by ICE was an Afghanistan national and suspected terrorist (left). He was detained in San Diego in Monday and is being held in custody pending deportation. A Honduran national and documented Sureno gang member (right) was arrested by ICE Chicago on Monday Mexican national Fernando Hernandez-Martinez (left) was arrested by ICE agents in Atlanta. He was convicted of counts of child molestation and sentenced to five years confinement. Edgar Julca-Tangoa, (right) a Peruvian national who was the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice, was arrested Monday in Newark, New Jersey. He was wanted for aggravated sexual assault and abuse of multiple minors in Argentina Jose Guadalupe Garza, (left) a Mexican national, was arrested by ICE Houston on Monday. He was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In Corpus Christi, a Honduran national (right) wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon was arrested by ICE on Monday. He illegally re-entered the US with an outstanding state arrest warrant Nestor Alexander Cortez-Mejia, a Salvadoran national and MS-13 gang member, was arrested by ICE in Dallas on Monday. He was previously deported and has a criminal history that includes robbery and extortion in El Salvador Trump declared a national emergency on the US-Mexico border and issued a sweeping immigration crackdown, pledging mass deportations. Deportees are expected to include Venezuelans, who have left their country by the millions, and members of the violent crime gang Tren de Aragua. Trump said the day before his inauguration that he would remove members of the Venezuelan gang from the US. The White House, in its latest deportation round-up, praised ICE for arresting two Venezuelan nationals who were also TdA members in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday. The TdA members had been in the US illegally since at least last year, possibly since 2023. They have been remanded for deportation proceedings, officials said. Trump said during his campaign that apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado had been taken over by TdA members, a claim refuted by top city officials at the time. Venezuelan attorney general Tarek Saab said last week his country definitively destroyed the TdA there in 2023, adding his office is willing to restart legal cooperation with the US in order to extradite Venezuelan members of the gang. Venezuelan officials have long floated the possibility they could reject migrant flights over sanctions. It is unclear where the deportees may be sent if Venezuela will not accept them. Some 600,000 Venezuelans in the United States were eligible for deportation reprieves granted by the Biden administration. In the first week of Trump's second term, the Department of Homeland Security reported deporting some 7,300 people of various nationalities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024 But border czar Tom Homan says he is not satisfied with the pace of migrant deportations - despite ICE's 'unprecedented' number of arrests - and claims the US needs to 'open the aperture up' and carry out 'more deportations' Also among the latest criminals to be arrested by ICE was an Afghanistan national and suspected terrorist. He was detained in San Diego in Monday and was issued a final order of removal. He is being held in custody pending deportation. Mexican national Fernando Hernandez-Martinez was arrested by ICE agents in Atlanta. He was convicted of counts of child molestation and sentenced to five years confinement. Edgar Julca-Tangoa, a Peruvian national who was the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice, was arrested Monday in Newark, New Jersey. He was wanted for aggravated sexual assault and abuse of multiple minors in Argentina. Convicted murderer Oscar Villatoro-Lazo was detained by ICE in Buffalo, New York on Monday. The Salvadoran national was sentenced to 19 years to life. Trump has also issued a broad ban on asylum for migrants 'engaged in the invasion across the southern border.' He instructed the Defense Department to make it a priority to seal the border and to support border wall construction, detention space and migrant transportation. Marines have already descended to the southern border in an attempt to secure the crossing as President Trump ramped up his promise of cracking down on illegal immigration. An aerial shot of Camp Pendleton is seen here US Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, adjusting concertina wire along the southern border wall near San Ysidro, California, on January 27, 2025 Military vehicles stationed at a US Army Reserve office in McAllen, Texas on January 28, 2025 Trump empowered the defense secretary to send troops to the border, and around 1,500 active duty troops were deployed to the nearly 2,000-mile border this week, including 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California. Thousands of ICE officers have already been dispatched to the San Diego border crossing as they prepare to take '100,000 immigrants' back to Mexico and Central America in one of the biggest migrant raids in American history. DailyMail.com can now reveal that they have been joined with what has been described as a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP'. A White House intelligence source said: 'There is a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP in front of Camp Pendleton right now, ready to do the biggest illegal immigrant grab in recent history. 'The West Coast is this week and the East Coast is next week. It is about to get crazy in California. They need to fill 100,000 spots', meaning arrests is the directive. The source continued: 'They are going to be taking 100,000 immigrants back to Mexico, Columbia, El Salvador and Guatemala in this grab.' The Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division, posts photos of raids with ICE, ATF and Department of Homeland Security officers seeking to arrest migrants with criminal offenses on Jan. 28, 2025 in New York City ICE officers have already begun storming properties across the country in sanctuary cities like New York. Pictured are agents in NYC U.S. Marines with the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, deploy concertina wire as they re-enforce the border wall, January 25, 2025 Deportation flights between the US and Colombia resumed Tuesday after the diplomatic drama over the weekend that provided clues as to how Trump would deal with countries blocking large-scale plans to return migrants who entered illegally. Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to let two US military planes carrying deportees land in his country over the weekend, prompting Trump to threaten 25 per cent tariffs on Colombian exports and other sanctions. Colombia then relented and said it would accept the migrants, but fly them on Colombian military flights that Petro said would guarantee them dignity. Two Colombian air force planes landed Tuesday in Bogota with more than 200 of the migrants, many of them women and children. Petro welcomed them with a post on X, saying they are now 'free' and 'in a country that loves them.' Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said none of the 200 Colombians who were returned on Tuesday had criminal records in the US or Colombia. 'Migrants are not criminals,' Petro wrote. 'They are human beings who want to work and get ahead in life.' Earlier this week, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum made a point of saying that four flights that had landed at a Mexico City airport in the past few days carrying deportees were all civilian. Guatemala has not publicly objected, and at least three US military flights carrying deportees have landed there in the past week. Migrants on a Colombian Air Force flight after being deported from the US on January 28, 2025 US Border Patrol agents load detained migrants onto a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III for a removal flight at the Tucson International Airport in Arizona on January 23, 2025 Migrants are escorted across the Hidalgo International border Bridge as they are deported under Title 8, a law that allows for immediate deportation after crossing into the US without authorization, in McAllen, Texas on January 27, 2025 Migrants deplane a U.S. military aircraft after it landed in Guatemala on January 24, 2025 Trump has also ordered the suspension of refugee admissions into the US. All refugee travel to the US was canceled, including that of nearly 1,660 Afghans cleared to resettle in America. He reinstated his 'Remain in Mexico' policy, which requires non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico pending the resolution of their US cases. He instructed the attorney general to seek capital punishment against immigrants without legal status who commit crimes such as murder that are potentially punishable by death. He issued an order to end birthright citizenship to children born in the US if neither their mother or father is an American citizen or legal permanent resident. People born on American soil are granted citizenship under the US Constitution. Democratic state attorneys general and advocates launched lawsuits over the issue and a judge appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan blocked the order, calling it 'blatantly unconstitutional.' Trump also kicked off a process to designate criminal cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and to utilize a 1798 law known as the Alien Enemies Act against foreign gang members. The ringleader of a notorious gang of feral teenagers who kicked a father-of-three to death outside his home has been quietly released from prison after serving just 17 years for murder. The death of Garry Newlove in Warrington in 2007 became a cause celebre for justice campaigners with his widow Helen later ennobled for her work in relation to youth crime. Innocent Gary was viciously murdered in front of his daughter, then just 12, after he berated the group of out-of-control youths when he caught them vandalising his wifes car while drunk and high on cannabis. Adam Swellings, 19, Stephen Sorton, 17, and Jordan Cunliffe, 16, teamed up to brutally attack the 47 year old father, repeatedly kicking him in his head until he died. All three teenagers were handed life sentences following Mr Newlove's death, with Swellings, Sorton and Cunliffe receiving recommended terms of 17, 15, and 12 years. The youngest two have since been released on parole, with Swellings - now 36 - appearing before the board in November in a bid to be freed on licence. He had been described in parole hearings as a very aggressive and angry young man. In December, he was informed that the panel had recommended he be freed from prison. The Ministry of Justice has now confirmed to MailOnline that he has subsequently been released on licence. Ringleader Adam Swellings, then 19 and now 36, has been released on licence Garry Newlove was brutally murdered outside his home in front of his 12-year-old daughter in 2007 Mr Newlove's widow Helen was made a peer in 2010 following her campaign work on youth crime and served as the Victim's Commissioner from 2012 to 2019 A spokesperson for the MoJ said: 'This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Garry Newlove. 'Adam Swellings will be on licence for the rest of his life, with strict conditions and intensive probation supervision after he is released, and he faces an immediate return to prison if he breaks the rules.' Garry's wife Helen has tirelessly campaigned for victims of anti-social behaviour to be taken more seriously. She became Baroness Newlove in 2010 for her work in relation to youth crime and later served as the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales from 2012 to 2019. Previously, a spokesperson for the Parole Board told MailOnline: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Adam Swellings following an oral hearing. Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. Two years ago the Parole Board cleared him for a move to open prison conditions but the decision was blocked by former Justice Secretary Dominic Raab. The current Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood could have asked the Parole Board to look at the case again to ensure it had followed procedure but did not make an application to use these powers. Jordan Cunliffe, one of the killers, has already been paroled Stephen Paul Sorton, was just 17 when he participated in the attack on the father 17 years ago Under current parole laws, she did not have the power to prevent Swellings being released. A summary by the three person panel who recommended his release said Swellings had shown empathy towards the victims of his offending. He told the panel that he had matured during his sentence and that he had been selfish at the time of the index offence. It also said his behaviour in prison had been positive' also adding that Mr Swellings had 'evidenced compliance. The board added that at the time of the crime Swellings made poor decisions and had a perception that violence earned respect and acceptance.' The summary said Swellings was previously a very aggressive and angry young man. During his court trial the jury also heard how the then-teenager binged on drinks and used skunk cannabis. They stated that protective factors would reduce the risk of reoffending such as abstinence from drugs, controlling alcohol and avoiding antisocial friends. Passersby look at flowers left in Warrington where Mr Newlove died in Warrington Cheshire in 2007 The summary also noted that Swellings was supported by his family. The 36-year-old finished a minimum 17-year sentence in August 2024, with his parole hearing in November 2024 being the first one where he was eligible for release. The summary concluded that the panel were 'satisfied' that 'imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public' following the hearing. It continued: The panel had regard to the extremely serious nature of the index offence and that Mr Swellings lifestyle at the time saw him engaged in violence, drug misuse and alcohol misuse. Mr Swellings was 18 at the time of the index offence and is now 36 years old. The panel found evidence of maturation, which was supported by the professionals involved in the case. The panel considered there to be a strong release plan in place and it noted the support available to Mr Swellings from his family. It added that a range of strict licence conditions had been placed on Swellings, including residing at approved accommodation, GPS tracking and regular drug testing as well as an exclusion zone. Rachel Reeves today green-lit plans to create the UK's answer to Silicon Valley with plans for major development between Oxford and Cambridge designed to boost the economy by 78billion. A new east-west rail link and upgraded roads will link the two major university cities and Milton Keynes, which are hubs for innovation and R&D, the Chancellor said in a major speech this morning. She also threw government backing behind the creation of new towns in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. A new 'Growth Commission for Oxford' will review how to accelerate growth will be launched, and Lord Vallance, the government's former chief scientific advisor will be appointed as 'Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion'. The emphasis on the Oxford-Cambridge region marks a shift away from the Tories' 'levelling up' agenda, in which resources were directed to the 'left behind places' in a bid to emulate the levels of prosperity and opportunity in London and the south east. Instead, Ms Reeves used her speech to say Oxford and Cambridge offer 'huge economic potential for our nation's growth prospects'. It sat alongside backing for a new third runway to expand Heathrow airport. Ms Reeves used her speech to say Oxford and Cambridge offer 'huge economic potential for our nation's growth prospects'. Your browser does not support iframes. A new 'Growth Commission for Oxford' will review how to accelerate growth will be launched, and Lord Vallance , the government's former chief scientific advisor will be appointed as 'Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion'. Chris Curtis, the Milton Keynes North MP and co-chairman of Labour Growth Group said: 'This speech marks an inflection point for our country. 'For far too long those who have sought to block building, stifle innovation and halt progress have had the system on their side in the UK - now that era is firmly at an end and the time for change is here.' Mrs Reeves announced that the Environment Agency has lifted its objections to a new development around Cambridge with 4,500 new homes, as well as office and laboratory space in Cambridge City Centre. East West Rail involves boosting railway links between Oxford and Cambridge with new and upgraded lines. The scheme has three stages, with initial services from Oxford to Bletchley and Milton Keynes scheduled to begin this year. The other two stages are reliant on Government funding and approval. These involve services being extended from Oxford to Bedford, and then from Oxford to Cambridge via Bedford and Bletchley. A new railway station at Tempsford, Bedfordshire, would provide connections between the East Coast Main Line and East West Rail. New rail links across the region between Oxford and Cambridge are part of wider plans to pave the way for economic growth in the region. Oxford will also get a new growth commission aimed at helping boost the city's economy, following a similar initiative in Cambridge. New reservoirs will be built near Abingdon in Oxfordshire and in the Fens near Cambridge to quash fears of a water shortage as new homes are built. They will be among nine new reservoirs built as the Government has agreed for water companies to invest 7.9 billion to improve infrastructure. The Chancellor told an audience at a Siemens factory near Oxford: 'Just 66 miles apart these cities are home to two of the best universities in the world, two of the most intensive innovation clusters in the world and the area is a hub for globally renowned science and technology firms in life sciences, manufacturing, and AI. 'It has the potential to be Europe's Silicon Valley. The home of British innovation. 'To grow, these world-class companies need world-class talent who should be able to get to work quickly and find somewhere to live in the local area. But to get from Oxford to Cambridge by train takes two and a half hours. 'There is no way to commute directly from towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes to Cambridge by rail. And there is a lack of affordable housing across the region. 'Oxford and Cambridge are two of the least affordable cities in the UK. In other words, the demand is there but there are far too many supply side constraints on economic growth in the region.' Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California which is home to many of the world's largest tech companies. She added: 'Taken together, these announcements show that for the first time a government is providing real leadership to deliver this project with a clear strategy for the entire region backed by funding for the housing and infrastructure we so badly need.' The Treasury said the announcements are designed to create the right conditions to increase investment in growth sectors including life sciences, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. An urgent manhunt is underway after a North Carolina inmate wanted for attempted murder escaped prison through a ventilation system. In a statement released by Craven County Sheriff's Office, prison officers discovered that John Matthew Nigh, 37, was missing from his assigned cell in Craven County Jail at around 4pm on Sunday. Following a search for Nigh, they determined that the prisoner, with the help of his cellmates, managed to remove a ceiling grating, enter a utility chase and exit the roof through a ventilation housing. Nigh's cellmates were able to conceal his escape by stuffing a mattress and making it look as if he was asleep. The sheriff's office said that a statewide 'be on the look-out' order was issued for the inmate to all law enforcement agencies in North Carolina. 'Craven County Investigations Bureau and Special Investigations Bureau Deputies responded and began the investigation and search. The U.S. Marshalls Fugitive Task Force is also assisting', the sheriff's office said. 'Nigh has been armed in past encounters with Law Enforcement Officers and should be considered dangerous. Anyone having information about his whereabouts should call the Craven County Sheriffs Office at 252 633 2357, their local law enforcement agency or 911.' The inmate was described as a six-foot-two white male by the authorities. He has a tattoo of the letters 'JMN' on his upper left arm, and a cross on his upper right arm. A manhunt is underway for a North Carolina prison inmate named John Matthew Nigh, who is believed to have escaped from Craven County jail on Sunday Aerial view of Craven County Jail. The inmate is said to have escaped through an air ventilation system, police said Picture shows Craven County jail in New Bern, North Carolina, as local police issue a BOLO for a dangerous inmate who escaped over the weekend Nigh had previously been arrested at a home in Hubert after being wanted for charges in Pamlico County. According to officials, Nigh had been approached by cops but fled out the door into the woods and fired two shots at three approaching deputies. No one was injured, but Nigh was arrested and taken into police custody. The inmate had a series of pending court dates, including attempted first degree murder. Lord Peter Mandelson has admitted he was 'ill-judged and wrong' to brand Donald Trump a 'danger to the world'. The Labour peer walked back his comments about the American President as he prepared to be confirmed as the UK's new ambassador to the US. This will see him move into the swanky British ambassador's resident in Washington DC, which recently underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment. Ahead of his official start as the UK's top diplomat in the US, Lord Mandelson said Mr Trump had won 'fresh respect' since winning a second term in the White House. He also claimed the property mogul turned politician 'could become one of the most consequential American presidents I have known in my adult life'. Lord Mandelson was forced to disown his 2019 remarks about Mr Trump after they emerged following his nomination as the UK's new ambassador to the US. In the comments to an Italian podcast, the former MP and Cabinet minister also suggested Mr Trump was 'little short of a white nationalist and racist'. It had been feared Lord Mandelson's past views would hinder Sir Keir Starmer's efforts to boost the Labour Government's relations with Mr Trump. Lord Peter Mandelson has admitted he was 'ill-judged and wrong' to brand Donald Trump a 'danger to the world' The Labour peer walked back his comments about the American President as he prepared to be confirmed as the UK's new ambassador to the US PM Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with outgoing ambassador Dame Karen Pierce at her swanky residence in September The British embassy in Washington DC recently underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment But, speaking to Fox News, Lord Mandelson said he was 'confident' of striking up a strong working relationship with Mr Trump's new administration. Quizzed about his previous comments, he said: 'I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong. 'I think that times and attitudes toward the President have changed since then. 'I think people have been impressed, not just by the extraordinary second mandate that he's received from the American people, but the dynanism and energy with which he approached bot just the campaign but government as well. 'I think that he has won fresh respect. He certainly has from me, and that is going to be the basis of all the work I do as His Majesty's ambassador in the United States.' As he lavished praise on Mr Trump at the start of his second term, Lord Mandelson added: 'I think President Trump could become one of the most consequential American presidents I have known in my adult life. 'Why do I say that? Because there are so many threats and challenges the world is facing at the moment. 'It takes courage, somebody sometimes who is prepared to be argumentative and, indeed, disruptive. Not just take business as usual and say 'well, this is the way we've done things in the past, so let's just carry on doing what we have always have done'. 'I think something more and better and bigger is required in the world in the 21st century.' He also claimed Mr Trump would bring 'leadership to all the freedom-loving democracies in the world' over the next four years. Lord Mandelson also dismissed concerns about the prospect of Mr Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer being about to forge a successful relationship. 'They're not Siamese twins... but they're both pragmatic people,' he said. 'They know where each is coming from, they want to find common ground. 'I feel very optimistic. I feel very upbeat about the relationship that they're both going to have.' Lord Manelson is expected to be confirmed as the UK's new ambassador to the US despite reports that concerns had been raised about his links to China. Downing Street this week defended the Labour peer amid a report that a dossier about him had been passed to the FBI. US senators reportedly handed a document outlining his links to China to federal investigators. The PM's spokesman said Lord Mandelson had declared all his interests as part of the clearance process. Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted he believes only Donald Trump can end the war in Ukraine as he is 'feared' by Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian president claimed the lack of US presence in Europe had left the door open for Russia to prepare for an invasion and attack the country in 2022, following several 'weak, even treacherous agreements'. He added the US was the only country that could now provide 'real security guarantees' for Ukraine and said he was 'confident that if President Trump wants to, he can force Putin into peace'. Zelensky wrote on X on Wednesday: 'President Trump's recent rhetoric about Putin wasn't just toughit was fair. And that's exactly the kind of Trump that Putin fears. 'A strong Trump means a strong America, and a strong America means a strong Ukraine with real security guarantees.' He continued: 'I am confident that if President Trump wants to, he can force Putin into peace. If the U.S. applies pressure on Putin through the Global Southincluding China and IndiaPresident Trump can negotiate for them to do the same.' Zelensky also took aim at former President Joe Biden, saying that America's absence in Europe was 'a mistake of the previous administration'. He also claimed he had urged Biden to 'impose the strongest preventive sanctions' against Putin before his 'full-scale invasion', but was told the US would only act if they invaded - a move which Zelensky said was 'illogical'. Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted he believes only Donald Trump can end the war in Ukraine as he is 'feared' by Vladimir Putin . Pictured: Zelensky with Trump during their meeting in Trump Tower in New York on September 27, 2024 Ukrainian emergency and rescue personnel together with military members carry a body of a victim killed following a Russian strike on a supermarket, in Kostyantynivka in August 2024 Ukrainian servicemen along with civilians carry a woman they flee the town of Irpin, in March 2022 While Zelensky mostly praised Trump for his stance on the war, he also criticised the US President for his disapproval of NATO, claiming the military alliance 'remains the cheapest security guarantee for everyone'. His post continued: 'I know President Trump isnt the biggest fan of NATO topic. But NATO remains the cheapest security guarantee for everyone. Whats the alternative? We need strong security guarantees.' It comes as Russia's defence ministry said earlier it had downed 104 Ukrainian drones over western regions including Kursk and Bryansk, with smaller numbers intercepted over Smolensk, Tver, Belgorod and elsewhere. Ukraine said one strike had hit an oil refinery in the town of Kstovo in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, around 800 kilometres (500 miles) from the front lines in eastern Ukraine. Falling debris from a drone triggered a fire at the site, Russia said earlier. 'As a result of repelling a drone attack, debris fell on the Sibur-Kstovo enterprise causing a fire to break out,' Sibur, a large petrochemical firm that owns the facility, said on Telegram. Both Sibur and the regional governor said there were no casualties and firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze. The governor of Russia's Smolensk region, Vasily Anokhin, also said a Ukrainian drone 'was shot down during an attempted attack on a nuclear power facility,' adding there was no damage or casualties. The governor did not specify which facility, but the Smolensk nuclear power plant is located near the town of Desnogorsk. Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a drone strike on a private factory in Kharkiv on January 28, 2025 Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a drone strike on a private factory in Kharkiv on January 28, 2025 Residents repair the roof of a house destroyed by a Russian drone strike in Chernihiv on January 28, 2025 Ukraine's military said Russia had also launched an overnight drone attack of its own, resulting in air alerts in multiple Ukrainian regions. The Ukrainian air force said it had downed 29 Russian drones over nine mainly southern and eastern regions. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said debris from a Russian drone had fallen in a central district of the capital. And in the southern Black Sea region of Odesa, the governor said Russian drones had attacked port facilities in the town of Izmail. In the southern city of Kherson, mayor Roman Mrochko said a 52-year-old man had been fatally wounded in a Russian drone attack. An incredibly poignant last letter home from a tragic Tommy to his army veteran dad days before he was killed in the First World War has been unearthed 111 years later. Lance Corporal William Burton was inspired to follow in the footsteps of his father, also called William, who had served with distinction in the Boer War. But soon after joining the army in 1914, the 21-year-old was sent to the Western Front to fight against German forces. In October 1914, his father wrote to ask whether he had enough underwear to keep him warm during the autumn months in the trenches. William penned a letter in response asking his 'dear dad' to send him an undershirt and a night cap as 'they are very warm'. He also asked him if he could send him cigarettes once a week as all he had was army-issue pipe tobacco. Seven days later, William was killed during a heroic rearguard action near Pont Fixe, a bridge over La Bassee Canal in northern France. Now the military archive of the father and son has emerged for sale at auction for 4,000. An incredibly poignant last letter home from a tragic Tommy to his army veteran dad days before he was killed in the First World War has been unearthed 111 years later. Lance Corporal William Burton was inspired to follow in the footsteps of his father, also called William In October 1914, his father wrote to ask whether he had enough underwear to keep him warm during the autumn months in the trenches. William penned a letter (above) in response asking his 'dear dad' to send him an undershirt and a night cap as 'they are very warm' William's battalion stood firm in the face of a heavy German counter attack but paid a heavy price, with 150 men killed, 122 wounded and more than 150 missing. William's body was never recovered, so his father did not get to bury his son. He is commemorated at Le Touret Memorial in northern France. William Snr served as a sergeant in the Dorset Regiment and fought in the Boer War. His vast array of mementos includes his medals, swagger stick, soldier's book, photos and other ephemera. But his son's effects, owing to his short career, are more sparse, consisting of his medals and death plaque. William Snr left the Dorset Regiment in 1919 and lived well into his late 80s before he died in 1954. The archive, which he kept in his army trunk, was passed to a family friend for safekeeping. They have remained in the friend's family for seven decades but are now being sold by a descendant who lives in Dorset. Now the military archive of the father and son has emerged for sale at auction for 4,000 William as a boy with his father, also called William, and his mother Dolly outside their home A letter from the army persuading Sergeant William Burton to return to military service, five years after his son's death on the Western Front In the letter, William told his father that he had not been able to find cigarettes as the Germans who had been to the towns had taken them all. He added that he had also been learning a little bit of French. The lance corporal wrote: 'Just a few lines to you to thank you for the packet of cigarettes... I should like you to send me some cigarettes every week.' He added: 'In answer to your letter asking me if I wanted drawers & undershirt & a night cap I would like one like I have enclosed as they are very warm.' Michael Roberts, senior valuer at Duke's Auctions of Dorchester, said: 'The local vendor's family were friends with the father and when he died in the 1950s they took custody of the archive so it could remain together for future generations. 'The archive, which has been kept in Sgt Burton's trunk, has been passed down to the vendor. 'It is an incredibly poignant and quite remarkable collection. 'As a father myself I can't imagine the grief that Sgt Burton felt losing his son so young. Lance Corporal William Burton's medals. From left to right: The 1914 star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal Sergeant William Burton's medals. From left to right: The Queen's South Africa Medal, the King's South Africa Medal and the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal The sale of the father and son's archive takes place tomorrow William Burton's notebook. The object features in the family collection 'The father had a distinguished military career and was commended for his actions in the Boer War. 'The son would have idolised him and wished to follow in his footsteps. 'It is so sad that he was killed so soon into the war, and since his body was not recovered the father never got to bury his son. 'The letter is very touching because it was written just a few days before the son was killed. 'You wonder if the father actually received it before learning of his son's death. 'It must have been a heavy burden for him to carry for the remaining 50 years of his life.' The sale takes place tomorrow. Vogue launched a vicious review of Melania Trump's newly-revealed White House portrait, comparing the first lady's look to that of a magician. The magazine spent four years fawning over the previous White House administration, featuring both Jill Biden and Kamala Harris on the cover several times each, and its latest piece on Melania reaffirms their preference for Democrats. Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is a known Democrat - and was once even rumored to be considered for an ambassadorship under president Barack Obama. 'Trump looked more like a freelance magician than a public servant,' wrote Hannah Jackson about the white-and-black portrait by Regine Mahaux. Jackson raged against the 'situationally inappropriate tuxedo' worn by Melania for the historic photograph, which shows the first lady in a power pose. 'Trumps clothing certainly didnt help the boardroom pastiche,' Jackson continued. 'Trump looked more like she was guest starring on an episode of The Apprentice than assuming the role of first lady of the United States.' Jackson concluded: 'Its perhaps unsurprising that a woman who lived in a gold-encrusted penthouse, whose fame is so intertwined with a reality television empire, would refuse to abandon theatricseven when faced with 248 years of tradition.' Melania Trump surprised her devoted Instagram followers with her new official White House portrait, which was unveiled on Monday. Vogue magazine said Melania Trump's first lady portrait made her look like a magician and a participant on The Apprentice The magazine featured both Jill Biden and Kamala Harris on the cover several times each during the Biden years. Melania was never put on the cover during Trump's first term The black and white image was a big departure from former First Ladies, who have traditionally chosen much more colorful images. Instead, Melania, whose stylist Herve Pierre has revealed in the past that it's difficult to dress her because many American designers refuse, showed off a black Dolce & Gabbana pantsuit with a white shirt. 'Trump look more like a freelance magician than a public servant,' wrote Hannah Jackson The Washington Monument was visible in the background. The photo was taken on January 21, the day after the inauguration, in the Yellow Oval Room of the residence by Belgian photographer Mahaux. Vogue famously excluded Melania from its pages while she was first lady, breaking its tradition of putting the presidents' wives on its coveted cover. Melania was secretly recorded in 2018 expressing rage that Vogue had not asked to feature her on its cover. 'Vogue said like, oh, we want to do a profile. Profile? F*** you, profile. I don't need no profile. Yeah, what I need another profile? It might be a cover. I'm like, might be a cover? I don't give a f*** about Vogue and any magazine.' While Democratic first ladies such as Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton were put on the Vogue cover, Republicans such as Laura and Barbara Bush were not. Melania, 54, shared the photo on the official FLOTUS Instagram account, which has four million followers. Unfortunately, many of the followers were left over from when they followed Jill Biden's account and were shocked to realize they were suddenly following Melania. Welcome to MAGALAND: Insider Trump's Second 100 Days - The podcast bringing you the latest news and gossip from the White House. Listen here. Anna Wintour famously excluded Melania from Vogue while she was first lady. The editor - famed for her icy demeanor - is a staunch Democrat But Melania's followers adored the intense snap - and some even thought it looked like a Vogue cover - although some social media critics thought it appeared to be heavily Photoshopped. Some thought the picture looked strange, with one person saying, 'That's not an official photo. That's a heavily Photoshopped official photo.' On X (previously Twitter), some people accused her of heavily editing the image. 'Looks like she's made of plastic. It's so over-processed, heavy softening and blurring filtering. There's nothing warm or real about this image,' a commenter wrote disparagingly. Some of Melania's fans were recently left up in arms over the fact that she wasn't given the same respect in the fashion community that previous first ladies received despite the glamorous portrait. 'Jill Biden was given three Vogue covers. Zero for Melania. What a joke,' Link Lauren, the former senior advisor to RFK Jr., tweeted. For the latest White House gossip and news, listen to the Daily Mail's new politics podcast, Welcome to MAGAland - hosted by Germania Rodriguez Poleo and Kelly Laco. Available wherever you get your podcasts now. Noel Clarke's lawyers have accused the Guardian of 'fabricating evidence' in an effort to bolster their investigation into claims of sexual misconduct against the star. Clarke, 49, best known for his Kidulthood film trilogy and appearing in Dr Who, is suing the Guardian over a series of articles published in 2021 and 2022 that accused him of sexual misconduct and bullying. He appeared at the High Court today as his legal team argued investigative reporters at the newspaper deleted messages when they were aware of the possibility of legal action. Mr Clarke's barrister claimed that shortly before the first story was published Paul Lewis, the Guardian's head of investigations, instructed two journalists working on the story to delete a series of messages that had been sent between themselves via the encrypted app Signal. In one message Mr Lewis wrote: '...can we clear all our Signal messages please? Delete this entire thread. I'll create a new thread which will likely be disclosable in court.' In another, sent almost three hours later, he wrote: 'please delete all Signal threads, including this one and individual one on one discussions we've had or you've had with each other.' Arthur Lo, representing Clarke, said: 'These messages speak for themselves. It must have been at the forefront of the defendant's investigative team that litigation was likely. Noel Clarke arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice, central London, for a hearing in his libel claim against the publisher of The Guardian newspaper Mr Clarke is bringing legal action over their reports of allegations that he had been accused of sexual misconduct by a number of women Mr Clarke previously claimed that the allegations cost him lucrative acting roles, a Bafta award and said that TV series he appeared in were dropped 'The instruction seems to be to delete all Signal threads which in any event were on auto delete. 'The intention is the fabrication of a thread which would be favourable in court. That seems to be the intention behind Mr Lewis' messages.' Lawyers representing Clarke asked for Paul Lewis, the head of the Guardian's investigations unit, to go into the witness stand today to give evidence over the deleted messages. However, this application was rejected as Clarke's lawyers will have the opportunity to put their accusations to him on the matter during the full trial. Addressing the fabrication allegation, Philip Williams, who is also representing Clarke, said that he is not claiming that Mr Lewis created a false document. Instead, Mr Williams said he is claiming that the deletion of messages was an attempt to swindle the court and Clarke. The Guardian firmly denies any wrongdoing and stands by their reports. Gavin Miller KC for the Guardian issued a thunderous denial of the allegations made by Clarke. He said: 'There is nothing by the way of evidence to support these very serious allegations of deletion of evidence and fabrication. 'They appear to have been made to launder damaging allegations against Guardian journalists which could not be made outside of court. Mr Clarke's lawyers have accused the Guardian of 'fabricating evidence' in an effort to bolster their investigation He appeared at the High Court today as his legal team argued investigative reporters at the newspaper deleted messages 'They are being made under the protection of privilege which is regrettable. There is not a scintilla of evidence.' The first article said 20 women who knew Clarke through work had made allegations. Clarke has vehemently denied any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing. In their skeleton argument, Mr Clarke's lawyers allege Mr Lewis's messages 'clearly indicate an intention to delete and fabricate new evidence' and accuse the newspaper of 'perverting the course of justice'. Mr Lewis's messages were sent after Clarke's lawyers had warned the paper that the actor would sue if they published defamatory articles, it is claimed. The Guardian's lawyers accused Mr Clarke of attempting to 'smear' its journalists and said Mr Lewis's instruction to delete messages was made to comply with the newspaper's policy on 'data minimisation'. Mr Lewis later discovered the two threads of messages that he had asked to be deleted and that all but two pages of these were disclosed to Clarke's team, the newspaper added in a written submission. This, the Guardian claimed, 'fatally undermines' Clarke's case that Lewis wanted to conceal them from the court. 'There is no evidence either that any evidence was 'fabricated',' the Guardian said in its submission. Clarke, 49, pictured as DC Martin Young in 'Viewpoint', has vehemently denied any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing Clarke is suing the Guardian for defamation over a series of articles published in 2021 and 2022 that accused him of sexual misconduct and bullying It added that it had disclosed thousands of documents related to its investigation, including 80 pages of Signal messages and 500 emails sent between Mr Lewis and the two journalists. Clarke claims the allegations cost him lucrative acting roles and saw primetime shows Bulletproof and Viewpoint dropped by Sky and ITV. It also led to the British Academy of Film and Television Art stripping Clarke of his Outstanding Contribution to Cinema award and suspending his membership. His lawyers last week revealed he is seeking to amend his damages claim to 70m - up from 10m. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2022, Clarke said the allegations left him contemplating suicide and that his family was financially 'running on fumes'. The Guardian has said 32 people are to give evidence in support of its defence. They include 26 people who will say they were the victims of - or witnesses to - serious misconduct by Clarke, or can 'otherwise corroborate' the allegations. A six-week trial is due to start in March. A Chinese sexual predator allegedly raped ten women after plying them with drink and drugs until they were unconscious so he could film the attacks, a court heard today. PhD student Zhenhao Zou, 27, was studying at University College London when he was accused of carrying out 11 rapes on unconscious woman stupefied with a cocktail of drugs including MDMA, GHB, ketamine and xanax. Inner London Crown Court heard today that while the engineering student presented as a smart and charming person to the outside world, in reality he was a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist. Zou is accused of filming himself attacking two victims in London and another eight women at an unknown location in China between September 2019 and May 2023. In an extraordinary case, the majority of his victims have never been identified after police brought many of the rape charges based on the defendants own recordings of the attacks captured on his mobile phone and a series of secret cameras, it was said. Zou is charged with 11 rapes of 10 women, three counts of voyeurism, 12 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and eight of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply. The defendant first came to the UK in September 2017 to study at Queens University in Belfast before going on to do a masters degree at University College London from 2019 to 2021, followed by a PhD at the same university from 2021. To the outside world, he undoubtedly presents as a smart and charming young man, prosecutor Catherine Farrelly, KC, said. Phd student Zhenhao Zou, 27, was studying for a masters degree at University College London when he is accused of carrying out 11 rapes on unconscious woman Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Zou appearing at Inner London Crown Court Inner London Crown Court (pictured), located near Elephant and Castle in south London He is also a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist. The prosecution case at this trial is that he would meet women, he would stupefy them, either with drink or drugs, and, once they were significantly under the influence of those drink or drugs, he would rape them. Often, he would record himself doing so and you will be shown several recordings during this trial which the prosecution say are the defendants souvenirs of many rapes that he had committed; items that he kept for his own private sexual gratification, so that he could watch, at his leisure, his rapes of these women, who he had rendered unconscious and totally vulnerable to his will. The defendant, wearing gold rim spectacles and a blue suit, showed no reaction as the case was opened yesterday. Police launched an investigation when a Chinese woman claimed that she had been raped after being plied with vodka and wine at a friends party in May 2023. The victim recalled screaming and crying as she attempted to flee but Zou dragged her back by her clothes into his bedroom, it was said. She told police that she felt hopeless after being imprisoned as she started to lose consciousness. I was really tired, I cant fight back, I have no strength, she told police. Zou raped me when I was unconscious, she added. Police later recovered a video of the attack in which the victim can be heard pleading with Zou, saying she felt unwell and wanted to go home, but he urged her to finish a large glass of vodka he had given her, the court heard. When she begged for him to let her go, Zou allegedly responded Calm down, dont move. Lie down. In one clip, an unconscious woman appears to wake up and tries to stop the attack crying: I dont want, I beg youI hate you. I will never have anything to do with you again. Zou allegedly responded: Really dont push me, its pointless. Its not the first time we have done it. This is the second time. The sound insulation here is very good. The prosecutor said: She tells the defendant to let go of her. She asks the defendant not to restrain her and tells him that he is controlling her. At one point in the recording, she can be heard screaming repeatedly and she appears to try and get up from the bed on several occasions and the defendant pushes her back down each time. The victim later posted on social media about the attack which led to another victim coming forward, the jury heard. When he was arrested police found videos relating to nine of the victims as well as a series of intimate photographs taken while the women were unconscious, the court heard. Zou, who was living in Elephant and Castle in south-east London, denies all 35 charges against him. The case continues. Robert F. Kennedy faced an avalanche of attacks over his views on vaccines in a fiery confirmation hearing to be Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary. One of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks strenuously denied Democrat claims that he once said pesticides are more likely to make children transgender. The 71-year-old former presidential nominee was also interrogated over his previous suggestions Lyme disease and COVID were bioweapons. As he gave a passionate defense of his resume to the Senate Finance Committee, the scion of the Kennedy political dynasty was watched by wife Cheryl Hines. Screaming protesters were dragged out of the packed committee room as they tried to derail the hearing, which was make or break RFK Jr.'s battle to be in Trump's second administration. Follow all the updates at DailyMail.com's live blog. Lloyds Banking Group has announced it will close 136 high street branches in a huge blow for customers. It will shut 61 Lloyds, 61 Halifax and 14 Bank of Scotland sites between May this year and March 2026. The move comes weeks after the finance giant shook up its business to allow customers of Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to use stores across any of its brands. Lloyds blamed the decision to shut the branches on customers shifting away from banking in person to using mobile services. All workers at the affected branches will be offered jobs elsewhere in the company, it said. A spokeswoman for the business said: 'Over 20million customers are using our apps for on-demand access to their money and customers have more choice and flexibility than ever for their day-to-day banking. 'Alongside our apps, customers can also use telephone banking, visit a community banker or use any Halifax, Lloyds or Bank of Scotland branch, giving access to many more branches. Lloyds Banking Group has taken the decision to close 136 of its high street branches Sixty-one Halifax branches will close between May this year and March 2026 Your browser does not support iframes. 'Customers can also do their everyday banking at over 11,000 branches of the Post Office or in a Banking Hub.' Banks and building societies have closed 6,214 branches since January 2015 - at a rate of about 53 each month, according to consumer champion Which? In the wake of the Horizon IT scandal, the Post Office is also planning to close 115 branches, leaving many communities with nowhere to access their money or discuss financial issues in person. Last month, Lloyds unveiled plans to scrap 101 of its high street branches in 2025. While many people now use their bank's app or telephone banking to manage their cash, there remains a large proportion who are unable to do so. According to charity Age UK, only 14 per cent of those aged 85 and above bank online, with 58 per cent relying on face-to-face banking. The wave of branch closures have triggered fears that elderly, isolated people will be hit hardest. Speaking about the closures set to take place this year, a spokesman for Lloyds Banking Group said mobile banking was 'more popular than ever, with over 19.5million customers' using the group's app. The Bank of Scotland will close 14 branches over the same period 'Alongside our app, customers can bank online, over the phone, at a Banking Hub, a Post Office or by speaking to one of our Community Bankers,' they added. NatWest Group, which comprises NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, has closed 1,428 branches since January 2015 - the most of any banking group, research by Which? revealed. Lloyds Banking Group was hot on NatWest Group's heels, however, shuttering 1,243 locations over the same period. Which? also reported that Barclays is the individual bank that has most dramatically decreased its branch numbers, with 1,228 branches now closed over the last nine years. Which? previously said that by the end of 2024, there would be 33 parliamentary constituencies without a single bank branch. While the rate of closures had initially appeared to slow down since reaching a peak in 2017, researchers said that in 'recent years there has been a troubling surge'. During the pandemic, branch closures dropped to 369 in a single year, but that number was outstripped within the first three months of 2021. Bank bosses were accused of 'engaging in a race to close branches', which resulted in the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introducing measures to ensure the 'reasonable provision of cash deposit and withdrawal services' in September 2024. Sam Richardson, from Which? Money, said: 'This milestone of more than 6,000 bank branch closures in just nine years underscores the seismic shift that has taken place in terms of our banking habits and the character of the high street.' This video is no longer available This video is no longer available A man has drowned at a popular inner-city beach in front of shocked onlookers. Emergency crews were called to St Kilda pier in Melbourne at about 8.25pm on Wednesday following reports of a swimmer in distress in the water. Crowds were seen watching from the busy beachfront promenade as a search was launched. A police helicopter scoured the ocean in the fading evening light as boats criss-crossed the water searching for the missing swimmer. A nearby carpark was blocked with at least six emergency vehicles. A man drowned at St Kilda Pier on Wednesday night. Pictured is the search effort as beachgoers watched on The man's lifeless body was eventually pulled from the water by emergency responders. He was unable to be revived, despite the best efforts of paramedics. The man is yet to be formally identified Police are not treating the drowning as suspicious at this stage. At least 74 people have drowned this summer since December 1, three more than the same time last year. A family who were accused of leaving an arranged marriage bride in a vegetative state after she 'failed to meet expectations' have been freed from jail after their convictions were quashed. Ambreen Fatima Sheikh was 30 when she was said to have been given the anti-diabetes drug glimepiride, which induced catastrophic brain injury, after she was brought to the UK from Pakistan following an arranged marriage. She was also allegedly doused in a caustic substance, thought to be a cleaning fluid, as she was abused in the Huddersfield house in the days leading up to her admission to hospital on August 1, 2015. It was initially thought Ms Sheikh, now 39, would die - but when her ventilator was turned off in hospital, she began to breathe for herself. She has been left unaware of herself or her environment, without motor response or response to pain, and will never recover. She only survives by being fed through a tube and will eventually die as a consequence of what happened to her, although this may not happen for many years. Husband Asgar Sheikh, 31, father-in-law Khalid Sheikh, 55, and mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh, 52, were last year jailed for a total of 23 years. They were found guilty of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm following a trial. But they now have been released from prison after the conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal who found the case was 'riddled with evidential difficulties'. The convictions for perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice were upheld. Brother-in-law Shakalayne Sheikh was found not guilty at the trial of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm. He was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and was handed a six month suspended sentence. Ambreen Fatima Sheikh was 30 when she was allegedly given the anti-diabetes drug glimepiride Husband Asgar Sheikh pictured at Leeds Crown Court last year Brother-in-law Shakalayne Sheikh was originally handed a sentence of six months suspended for two years after he was convicted of perverting the course of justice Mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh was originally jailed for seven years and nine months Sister-in-law Shagufa Sheikh was handed a sentence of 18 months, suspended for two years Father-in-law Khalid Sheikh was jailed for seven years and nine months last year Sister-in-law Shagufa, 29, was handed a suspended sentence for causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm. She also had her conviction overturned. Judges found the case, heard at Leeds Crown Court, was 'riddled with evidential difficulties', court documents show. Last year, the trial heard evidence that, soon after Ms Sheikh arrived in the UK, the family were not happy with her housework and chores, and Khalid Sheikh had suggested she should be sent back to Pakistan. Concerns were raised by members of the extended family and two police officers carried out a welfare check in July but reported Ms Sheikh as being fit and well. The judge said she attached 'little weight to that assessment' because Ms Sheikh spoke little English and her father-in-law was present during the visit. She said she did not know who administered the corrosive substance, which left severe burns on Ms Sheikh's lower back, bottom and right ear, and must have left her in considerable and lasting pain. And she said she did not know who 'tricked or forced' her to take the glimpiride, which was prescribed to Shabnam Sheikh and is extremely dangerous to non-diabetics, even in small doses. Although the family refused to give evidence, prosecutors suggested she was subjected to a 'pattern of violence' behind closed doors. She was socially isolated and her sister, who also lived in Britain, was said to be threatened with death by Asgar when she came to visit. Ambreen's father-in-law Khalid Sheikh, 55, and mother-in-law Shabnam leaving court in 2023 Ambreen's mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh, left, and sister-in-law Shagufa Sheikh leaving court in October 2023 Ambreen's husband Asgar Sheikh, right, with his brother Sakalyne Sheikh in October 2023 leaving court The judge last year decided there was a two to three-day delay between Ms Sheikh falling unconscious and the family calling an ambulance, during which she became highly dehydrated and inhaled fluids which may have exacerbated her brain injury. Even when the family called 999, they lied about what had happened to her, the judge said. 'You would all have been aware of her pain and distress,' she said. 'It's just not realistic to conclude that you did not all know of Ambreen's predicament and her desperate need for emergency medical care. 'You all also knew why she was in that condition.' The court heard that Ms Sheikh is now being looked after in a palliative care setting and will not recover but could live for decades more. She was in good health before her collapse and there is some evidence that she was a teacher in Pakistan, the court heard. One witness said she was 'intelligent, bright, ambitious and happy-go-lucky' before she moved to the UK, and the judge said she was someone who would 'light up a room'. The judge said Ms Sheikh's father is now dead and her mother is in poor health in Pakistan. An exhausted new father who killed another motorist after drifting off into a 'micro-sleep' while behind the wheel has avoided prison. Ion Tigulea, 40, was 'deprived' of sleep after the arrival of his newborn and nodded off for up to eight seconds before he crashed into Michael Wells. The Romanian was doing 50mph when he suddenly veered to the edge of a road, hit a kerb, then 'swerved sharply' the other way and smashed head-on into the 64-year-old's car. The court heard the only explanation for the fatal crash was that he was suffering from a lack of sleep caused by the birth of his daughter four weeks previously. At Winchester Crown Court in Hampshire, Tigulea escaped with a suspended sentence after admitting causing death by careless driving. A judge was told the crash happened on September 21, 2022, on the A33 single carriageway near Sherfield on Loddon. Mr Wells, from Wokingham, Berkshire, was driving to work in Basingstoke and Tigulea, a tanker driver, was driving the opposite way to work in Reading. The court heard he nodded off while he was driving his Volvo S40 while it was still dark at 6.25am on a road he was familiar with. Ion Tigulea, 40, pictured, killed another motorist after drifting off into a 'micro-sleep' while behind the wheel Road traffic collision investigators found that he had 'switched off' 175 metres (575ft) before the collision with Mr Wells' Ford Fusion. Mr Wells, who was also heading to work, died at the scene after suffering devastating chest injuries. Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court Tigulea veered into the wrong side of the road and caused the smash and that investigators examined whether he was distracted or fell asleep. Mr Jones said: 'The defendant failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and collided with [Mr Wells'] Ford Fusion. 'The defendant's Volvo S40 drifted to the near side of the road before the crash... After the Volvo mounted the kerb, it swerved sharply to the right side of the road and directly into the path of the oncoming traffic. 'A distraction by the defendant may explain why he had the crash, but it does not explain why he did nothing or very little to try to regain control of the vehicle.' Mr Jones said a collision investigator said Tigulea was either 'severely' distracted or 'asleep'. Analysis of the crash showed he had 'switched off' for 125 to 175 metres before the collision, the equivalent of six to eight seconds based on him driving 50mph. 'He entered a period of micro-sleep for that time', Mr Jones said. 'If he was not asleep then he would have plainly been able to avoid collision with the kerb.' At a police interview, Tigulea said although he had a four-week old newborn baby at home he was 'well-rested' and claimed he had 'seven hours of sleep' the night before. At Winchester Crown Court (pictured), Tigulea escaped with a suspended sentence after admitting causing death by careless driving He 'could not answer the question' when detectives asked him what happened. Mr Jones continued: 'The prosecution say it is clear he fell asleep, he was deprived of adequate sleep or rest. The subsequent driving plainly fell below what was expected for a competent driver. 'We submit that, what other explanation is there for the defendant, a new father to a four week old baby? It is a matter of logic he was deprived of sleep or adequate rest.' Mr Jones said it is now 'entirely accepted' by Tigulea that he fell asleep. Andrew Houston, defending, said Tigulea's employer described him as 'honest and trustworthy'. Him and his family went back to his native Romania in Spring 2024 and Tigulea has complied fully with the UK courts, Mr Houston said. He worked as an Uber driver in Romania but was disqualified when he admitted causing death by careless driving in the UK. Mr Houston said Tigulea supports his wife and two daughters, who are seven and two. 'This was a terrible incident for everybody but this is a man who is now 40, he works hard, people rely on him and trust him', Mr Houston said. 'He does not need to learn to drive again, this is a man who fell into a six to eight second micro-sleep while driving when he did have a new baby. This is a man who is remorseful.' Sentencing, Judge Adam Feest gave Tigulea a six month sentence suspended for 18 months and disqualified him from driving for 18 months. He also ordered Tigulea to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, which means he will have to remain in the UK to complete it. Criticising Tigulea's actions, Judge Feest KC told him: 'It was more than a momentary lapse of concentration.' Harrowing dashcam footage has captured the moment an asylum seeker broke a nurse's spine just three weeks before her wedding by ploughing into the back of her car while fleeing from police. Nurse Clare Kehoe, who suffered a fractured spine and pelvis, had to rely on strong painkillers and crutches to get through her 'dream' wedding after Nasir Al Soaimi smashed into her Volvo car just three weeks before her big day. Harrowing footage shows Al Soaimi, who has never passed a driving test, slam the uninsured black Citroen into the driver's side of Miss Kehoe's car as he tore along a busy road at 58mph. Her injuries stopped her from going to work for months and she was forced to forgo the honeymoon they had booked in Paris. She still needs physiotherapy to this day. Last week, Al Soaimi, 19, who is from Kuwait and claims he did not know a licence and insurance were required for UK motorists, was locked up for 28 months, with a two year road ban after release and may now face deportation. He had pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dnoangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and no insurance. Newcastle Crown Court heard Al Soaimi's vehicle had caught the attention of the police on the city's Coast Road that evening and checks revealed it was not insured. Officers indicated for the vehicle to stop but Al Soaimi continued to Jesmond Road and onto Claremont Road, where he travelled at 58mph on the 30mph stretch. Clare Kehoe pictured with her husband Lee Anderson before the crash took place Harrowing footage shows the moment Nasir Al Soaimi caused horror injuries to bride-to-be nurse Al Soaimi, 19, was trying to flee police when he severely injured nurse Clare Kehoe just three weeks before her wedding He then smashed into the passenger side of the nurse's car as she pulled out from a side street on April 1 last year. The court heard a passenger in Al Soaimi's vehicle ran off while Miss Kehoe was cut out from her car by the emergency services. 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 mother 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 [me] 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 that her enjoyment of looking back at pictures of her special day has been impacted and said: '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.' Soaimi smashed his vehicle into the passenger side of Ms Kehoe's car as she pulled out from a side street 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 Clare Kehoe, pictured left, at a festival. Her injuries stopped her from going to work for months The footage shows the moment the two cars collided in the horror smash Nurse Clare Kehoe suffered a fractured spine and pelvis as a result of the crash last year Mr Recorder Anthony Dunne told Al 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 Al 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 Al 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.' Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment a young girl turned in fear as a man stalked behind her, ready to pounce. The terrifying encounter unfolded Monday in Houston, Texas, as police say the suspect grabbed the girl and tried to grope her as she walked home from school. Neighbors expressed their shock at the brazen attack in broad daylight, with the victim, seven, seen walking with her older siblings in the sleepy Woodland Heights neighborhood. In the footage, first reported by ABC13, the man was seen walking quickly behind the group of young children to close the gap with them, causing the seven-year-old to turn around. The girl's mother said when the group rounded a corner out of view, the man tried to grab and grope the young girl. The suspect turned and fled when the girl started to scream, and he was seen in separate footage running down the street to escape. Cops said they have launched an urgent investigation to find the man and are investigating the incident as a possible attempted kidnapping. He was described as being in his late 20s or early 30s with a mustache, wearing a camo jacket, white shirt, jeans and work boots. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Houston Police Department at 713-308-1180. Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment a young girl turned in fear as a man stalked behind her ready to pounce in Houston, Texas on Monday The suspect grabbed the girl and tried to grope her before fleeing the scene when she screamed, as separate footage showed the man running away down the street The victim's mother said the near miss happened as her daughter was walking home from nearby Travis Elementary School. Neighbor Holly Roemisch said she was left terrified after hearing of the attack as she also has children who walk to the school. She said she helped the mom canvas their neighborhood for doorbell videos to give to police, and told ABC13: 'I would never have thought this would happen.' 'For me, the audacity in broad daylight when she's with a group of people, that's just ridiculous,' she continued. 'I really want this guy to be caught, if he will do this in broad daylight, what will he do behind closed doors? What could he potentially be doing to other children or to his own children.' Cops say they have launched an urgent investigation to find the man. He was described as being in his late 20s or early 30s with a mustache, wearing a camo jacket, white shirt, jeans and work boots. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Houston Police Department Neighbor Holly Roemisch said she was left terrified after hearing of the attack as she also has children who walk to the school, and said she 'really wants this guy to be caught' Roemisch said nobody in the neighborhood recognized the man, and believes he was not a local of their small community. 'Where did he come from?' she questioned. 'He was on foot, so he must have entered the neighborhood and exited it in some manner.' A beloved grandma in Louisiana was shot in cold blood in front of her eight-year-old grandson after she tried to stop a teenager from allegedly stealing her daughter's car. La'Tasha Thomas, 48, was running errands with her grandson on January 19 when she spotted someone driving the stolen car with several people inside. She called 911 and continued following the car, when the 14-year-old got out of the vehicle and allegedly shot her through the glass. 'My nephew had my mother's blood all over him,' Thomas' daughter Kahadijah Woods told UWK. 'He told me, those were her last words before she closed her eyes in front of him. "He shot me!" He took his grandmother's life in front of him. My son is only eight years old,' Thomas's daughter, Beyonce, said. Thomas and her grandson, O'mari, had gone to the store after they had reported Woods' car had been stolen. 'In the process of waiting for the police, we just kept hearing sirens. My sister kept calling [Thomas], and she wouldn't pick up. I called her and texted her a few times. It's not normal for her to not respond to either one of us,' Woods told the outlet. Beyonce rushed out to find them, she said: 'For some strange reason, she took my son with her that day. I kept calling, but she wouldn't answer. My nerves were shot.' La'Tasha Thomas, 48, was running errands with her grandson on January 19 when she spotted someone driving her daughter's stolen car before she was fatally shot by a 14-year-old Thomas had been with her eight-year-old grandson, O'mari (pictured left). His aunt Kahadijah Woods said: 'My nephew had my mother's blood all over him' 'He told me, those were her last words before she closed her eyes in front of him. "He shot me!" He took his grandmother's life in front of him. My son is only eight years old,' Thomas's daughter, Beyonce (pictured right), said She flagged down a stranger to take a lift, not knowing where to go until she saw police and ambulances on Plank Road. 'I heard my baby screaming, "Mom, Mom! They killed Momo. They killed Momo," I just lost it,' she said. The boy said that he saw four males in the car with covered faces, Beyonce told the outlet: 'He said one was chubby, one was skinny, but he couldn't identify anyone because they all had on ski masks.' The family believes that the car thieves had killed Thomas in cold blood to get away with their heist. 'They saw the car, and by them knowing what kind of car they had just stolen, they took her life,' Beyonce said. 'For a tragedy like this to happen, and for him to have no type of heart, just to kill her in front of my son.' Woods said that Thomas had been 'everything' to Beyonce: 'I have a family - kids and my fiance. My sister was a single mom, and our mom was all she had.' The teen went home and told his mother what happened, she took him to the Baton Rouge Police Department where he turned himself in, according to the BRPD. Pictured: The stretch of Baton Rouge where Thomas was mercilessly gunned down allegedly by a 14-year-old 'Why did this happen? Why did I have to lose my mom the day before my birthday? She didn't deserve this. My son didn't deserve to witness this,' Beyonce cried The teen went home and told his mother what happened, she took him to the Baton Rouge Police Department where he turned himself in. He was charged with second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon Detectives said that the stolen vehicle was later recovered, but it had been set on fire. The teen, who is not being named due to his age, was charged with second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon. 'I'm grateful she turned him in, but why did it have to come to this? Why did my mom have to lose her life?' Beyonce said. 'Why did this happen? Why did I have to lose my mom the day before my birthday? She didn't deserve this. My son didn't deserve to witness this,' she cried. The family set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses, which has raised nearly $2,000 toward its $5,000 goal. 'This tragedy has left us not only mourning the loss of a beautiful soul but also grappling with anger, confusion and deep sadness. Tasha was a very down-to-earth person who loved spending her time cooking and being creative, making arts and crafts,' the fundraiser said. 'As a family, we want to give Tasha the proper homegoing she deserves, but the unexpected expenses for the funeral arrangements have been overwhelming.' 'To see her life taken in such a violent way is something we cannot come to terms with... Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us care for her as we prepare to say our final goodbye.' 'I have to live the rest of my life with this pain. She was my mother, my son's Momo, and she was taken from us too soon,' Beyonce said. Podcaster Joe Rogan claimed that climate change is not the reason why of Los Angeles has been suffering from devastating wildfires. The LA fires, which began on January 7, have killed at least 28 people while destroying over 10,000 homes and leaving thousands homeless. While firefighters have contained nearly all flames across the city, many have blamed climate change for the spread. However, Rogan argued during the latest episode of 'The Joe Rogan Experience' that LA's longtime windy and dry conditions are the cause of the disaster - not climate change. He spoke about a fire that ran rampant through LA County's Topanga Canyon back in 1961 and said that the city's conditions create a 'fire season' every year. 'So here's the thing, this climate change narrative. This is a really goofy thing that people on the left are talking about, LA has had essentially the same weather pattern since the 1800s, since they started noticing them. 'There was a huge fire that razed through the Hollywood Hills, pre climate change [in] 1961. LA has always been dry as f***. It's a desert,' Rogan ranted during a conversation with Warren Smith, host of the Secret Scholar Society podcast. 'That's why the movie industry is there, because you could film outside, and you don't ever have to worry about it raining on you. That's literally why they came there, because it's the perfect climate. Podcaster Joe Rogan claimed that climate change is not the reason why of Los Angeles has been suffering from devastating wildfires The LA fires, which began on January 7, have killed at least 28 people while destroying over 10,000 homes and leaving thousands homeless 'It is the climate of Los Angeles. It's a f****** desert. They put a city in the f****** desert because they wanted to film movies there. 'And it's also windy in the winter, because you get the Santa Ana winds, which is what just occurred. They've always happened. Every year, we get the Santa Ana [winds]. 'There's fire season for a f****** reason. Los Angeles has fire season. 'Where I used to live, it was fire season, and every time the winter would come and everything was dry and all the vegetation was brown and the wind was whipping around, everybody would get nervous.' Scientists do not agree and say that climate change is largely to blame for the destruction. The World Weather Attribution - a network of researchers from the US, UK and a number of other European countries - warned the hot, dry and windy conditions that drove the fires were about 35 percent more likely due to global warming. Dr. Clair Barnes, a World Weather Attribution researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, said: 'Climate change increased the risk of the devastating LA wildfires. 'Drought conditions are more frequently pushing into winter, increasing the chance a fire will break out during strong Santa Ana winds that can turn small ignitions into deadly infernos. While firefighters have contained nearly all flames across the city, many have blamed climate change for the spread Rogan argued during the latest episode of 'The Joe Rogan Experience' that LA's longtime windy and dry conditions are the cause of the disaster - not climate change The World Weather Attribution warned the hot, dry and windy conditions that drove the fires were about 35 percent more likely due to global warming The LA fires were fanned by strong Santa Ana winds and fed by drought conditions dating back to May 2024 that left grasses and brush dry and highly flammable 'Without a faster transition away from planet-heating fossil fuels, California will continue to get hotter, drier, and more flammable.' Experts added that the fire-risk conditions could become another 35 percent more likely if global temperatures rise 2.6C above pre-industrial levels. Worryingly, the world is currently on track for this by 2100. The LA fires were fanned by strong Santa Ana winds and fed by drought conditions dating back to May 2024 that left grasses and brush dry and highly flammable. Meanwhile, wet winters in the previous two years had created more vegetation growth that added more fuel to the fire. The researchers examined the 'fire weather index' which uses the temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind speed in the preceding weeks and days to characterize the conditions that make fires more likely. They said that while coastal southern California is an environment 'highly prone to catastrophic wildfires,' the extreme fire weather index condition that drove the LA fires is getting more likely due to climate change. California vineyards in Napa Valley are worried that President Donald Trump's increased deportations of illegal migrants will devastate their workforce. Just before Trump took office, a US Border Patrol raid in Kern County, over 300 miles away from Napa, targeted farm workers in and around the town of Bakersfield. After news spread that 78 people were taken into custody, the citrus industry in that area of California reported that 75 percent of their workforce haven't been showing up, according to CalMatters. Napa Valley wine producers who also heavily rely on immigrant labor now fear they'll face a similar fate if Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) raids begin in northern California, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. 'Everybody is just trying to survive right now,' said Pete Richmond, the co-owner of vineyard management company Silverado Farming. 'While [Trumps plan] is certainly a big concern, were just trying to make sure we keep people employed.' Richmond told the Napa Valley County Board of Supervisors at a recent meeting that action needs to be taken to protect the immigrant community. He added that he expects the wine industry to join the growing effort from nonprofits in the area to shield migrants from deportation. From the years 2005 to 2009, a whopping 73 percent of agricultural workers in Napa County were immigrants, according to a 2012 study by the Migration Policy Institute. California vineyards in Napa Valley are sharing their worries that their workers will be caught up in President Donald Trump's ramped-up deportation efforts (Pictured: Workers hand-pick cabernet sauvignon wine grapes at the Stags' Leap Winery September 27, 2004, in Napa, California) Immigrant families in Napa County are reportedly worried too, telling nonprofit groups they're afraid to send their kids to school or go to work (Pictured: Officers with multiple federal agencies prepare to carry out a raid to arrest suspected illegal migrants in New York City on Tuesday) In all likelihood, this number has ticked up slightly, given that California's immigrant population increased by 5 percent (about 500,000 people) from 2010 to 2023, found the Public Policy Institute of California. So far, Napa County has taken the advice of Richmond and advocate groups, adding an immigrant resources page to its website. There is a 'Know Your Rights' toolkit, a rapid response hotline and legal assistance information. The county also issued two public statements, reminding migrants that local police don't have the power to arrest them for immigration violations. One of the statements also stressed that the county will 'serve anyone and everyone in need without regard to immigration status.' Puertas Abiertas is a local mission dedicated to advocating for Latino immigrants in Napa. The group, which now operates out of its own community center, said it served roughly 3,000 people last year. 'People are very, very terrified,' Genesis Monnet, marketing chair and board member of Puerta Abiertas, told the Chronicle. 'It feels like we're preparing for a war.' Blanca Huijon, the executive director of the organization, said she believes Trump is better at working the levers of the federal government than he was in his first term. 'Hes coming with a plan and hes more vocal about how hes going to attack our communities,' Huijon said. 'Were really creating a safety net.' Blanca Huijon of Puertas Abiertas (left) is among those leading the effort to protect illegal migrants and the immigrant community as a whole from ICE raids. Pete Richmond, who runs vineyard management company Silverado Farming said he expects the wine industry to being helping groups like Puertas Abiertas in the coming months Massive numbers of migrant vineyard workers being deported could exacerbate the economic struggles the wine industry has been facing for years but it could also mean cheaper wine for American consumers (Pictured: A worker empties cabernet sauvignon wine grapes into a bin) Puertas Abiertas has reported that many immigrants have stopped using healthcare services or insurance. Some told the group that they are considering pulling their kids out of school. Next, workers could stop showing up to harvest wine grapes out of fear of being nailed by ICE agents. 'Were getting a lot of phone calls, people are asking, "What if I get deported? Who is going to take care of my kids? How safe are we to go to the store? How safe is it to go to mass? What about work?" Its impacting their everyday life,' Huijon said. Luis Davila, a senior manager for vineyard management company Enterprise Vineyards, told the Chronicle that only nonprofits like Puertas Abiertas have been speaking out about what mass deportation means for the community. 'In my point of view, the [wine industry] associations should be doing a little bit of outreach,' he said. 'The workers are the ones who are on the frontlines, so it would be nice to be acknowledged, to say, "Were going to try to protect you."' If a substantial number of vineyard workers are in fact deported, it could jumpstart an existent trend in the wine industry: sinking bottle prices. This has been caused by a decline in demand, particularly among younger adults, many more of whom have been abstaining from alcohol altogether in recent years. This has led to a massive oversupply of wine for businesses in California and Washington state, according to a 2025 State of the US Wine Industry report by Silicon Valley Bank. 'Talk of deportations of farm workers by the incoming administration isnt helping,' claimed the Santa Clara-based bank, which added that wine prices are likely to come down even further throughout the year. San Diego's DEA division confirmed its involvement in immigration raids in a Sunday social media post (Pictured: Two DEA agents bring a man into custody) Migrants are seen in Tijuana being processed by US Border Patrol San Diego sector agents on January 20, the day Trump was inaugurated In the first week of Trump's second term, the Department of Homeland Security said it successfully deported some 7,300 people of various nationalities. Federal law enforcement agencies have been conducting sweeps in America's biggest cities, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. ICE arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024. Agents arrested 969 undocumented migrants across the nation on Monday, with the White House once again highlighting the 'worst' offenders to be removed from city streets as part of the 'Make America Safe Again' initiative. Border czar Tom Homan recently said he was not satisfied with the pace of migrant deportations - despite ICE's 'unprecedented' number of arrests - and claimed the US needs to 'open the aperture up' and carry out 'more deportations'. A migrant allegedly raped an 11-year-old girl in the stairwell of a state-run shelter in Massachusetts - only to be moved to another shelter that same day rather than being sent to jail. The alleged incident occurred on Dec. 9 in Peabody, outside Boston, when a fifth-grade girl reported being assaulted by the man in a stairwell of a Holiday Inn being used as a shelter, the Boston Globe reported. Police responded immediately and referred the case to the office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker for further investigation. But instead of arresting the 32-year-old suspect, authorities relocated him that night to an emergency family shelter at a Motel 6 in nearby Danvers. The suspect, a Honduran migrant who has a pregnant wife and two daughters, 2 and 4, was later moved to an apartment-like unit in the shelter system with his family. He has yet to be charged, and it took the district attorney more than six weeks to speak to the alleged victim. Authorities attributed the delay to a lack of experts trained to speak with child victims. A fifth-grade girl in Peabody, Massachusetts reported being assaulted by a man on Dec. 9 in a stairwell of a Holiday Inn being used as a state shelter Police responded immediately and referred the case to the office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker for further investigation. It took the DA more than six weeks to speak to the alleged victim The incident raises further concerns about the state's oversight of its struggling shelter system, which has been under intense strain due to an influx of thousands of new migrants. Previously, the Globe reported more than 1,000 serious incidents at state shelters over a 20-month period. While the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities confirmed the shelter provider adhered to protocol by notifying authorities and reporting the incident, they did not address why an individual accused of sexual assault was transferred to another state-run shelter housing children, according to the Globe. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey's administration also remained silent on their policy regarding shelter residents accused of crimes, specifically whether and when they are removed - immediately following an allegation or only after formal charges are filed. The 11-year-old and her family have been relocated to a subsidized apartment, and her mother confirmed the girl was formally interviewed by authorities last week. Peabody Police Chief Thomas Griffin confirmed that the police referred the case to both the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and the Essex County District Attorney's office. The chief said the Essex County District Attorney's office wanted to schedule an interview with a child forensic specialist. Griffin explained that while specialized interviews are preferable for children in these situations, the limited number of trained interviewers often leads to delays. The 11-year-old told police the suspect 'pulled her into the stairwell and grabbed her breasts, and put his hand down her pants,' 'touch[ing] her private parts,' the Globe reported. The girl was 'shaken up, in tears and crying,' a police officer said. The mother of the alleged victim said that her daughter had been in the hallway playing with other kids at the time. 'She started to cry and told me, "I feel dirty, I want to take a shower,"' the mother told the Globe. instead of arresting the 32-year-old suspect, authorities relocated him that night to an emergency family shelter at a Motel 6 in nearby Danvers Massachusetts Democrat Governor Maura Healey has downplayed more than 300 reports of horrific crimes within the state's rapidly growing migrant shelters - including rape, trafficking, drug abuse, neglect and domestic violence The suspect, who told the Globe he entered the US illegally with his family about a year ago, denied the allegations and told police he had only 'brushed arms' with the girl. 'That did not happen,' he said. 'I respect other girls as if they were my daughters.' He suggested the allegations were 'slander' intended to 'obtain benefits.' The girl's mother said she remains scared, especially at the thought of the suspect being near other children in the shelter system. 'He's close to more kids, and no one knows,' she said. Governor Healey has proposed increased security measures, including background checks and requiring proof of lawful immigration status for shelter residents. However, these proposals do not address the issue of individuals accused of serious crimes remaining in the shelter system. The mother of the 11-year-old, along with some domestic violence advocates, are calling for a clear state directives to protect shelter residents from those accused of crimes. This comes as the shelter system's cost is projected to exceed $1 billion this fiscal year. Healey has downplayed more than 300 reports of serious crimes within the state's rapidly expanding migrant shelter system. An influx of migrants have made their way to the blue state in recent years, many of whom are enrolled in the state's Emergency Assistance migrant-family shelter program The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities recorded 316 'serious incident' reports at hotels, congregate sites, scattered sites and co-shelters within the program since 2022 Since 2022, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities has recorded 316 'serious incident' reports at hotels, congregate sites, scattered sites, and co-shelters within the program. Following revelations of these incidents, Healey defended the program, telling the Boston Herald that the 'vast majority' of participants follow the rules, children are attending school, and 'many of them' are working. 'Those who've come through immigration, most of them have received work authorizations and are also working,' Healey said. 'And so relative to that number, the instances have been very few.' She emphasized that more than 50,000 people have passed through the program's shelters - designed for homeless pregnant women and families with children - over the past three years. 'But I take every, every - and I want my team to take, I want shelter providers to take- every incident seriously,' she said. Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies called the reports deeply troubling. 'This is very disturbing. This is a huge number of incidents,' she told the Boston Herald, which obtained details of the reports. The records exposed years of severe incidents within the shelter system, including neglect, drug abuse, trafficking, rape, suicide, and domestic violence. Footage captured the heartwarming moment an adorable blind boy who lost everything in the devastating California wildfires was gifted a drum kit by a famous musician. A world-famous drummer for Bruno Mars, Eric Hernandez, stepped in to help Grayson Roberts, a 10-year-old boy who lost his cherished drum kit in the devastating Eaton Fire earlier this month. Grayson and his family were forced to flee their Altadena home on January 7 as the devastating blaze engulfed their neighborhood. The family - including Grayson, his two brothers, and mother Terica Roberts - made it to safety, but their home was completely destroyed. While they escaped with their lives, they lost everything else - including Grayson's beloved drums. 'When I walked out the door, the fire was just right there,' Grayson's older brother Gavin told KTLA. 'You could see it from the mountains, and it was just blowing towards our house.' But after hearing the tragic story, Eric Hernandez - Bruno Mars' drummer and brother - stepped in to make things right for the young musician. A world-famous drummer for Bruno Mars , Eric Hernandez (pictured), stepped in to help Grayson Roberts, a 10-year-old boy who lost his cherished drum kit in the devastating fire earlier this month In a heartwarming moment captured by KTLA's cameras, Hernandez surprised Grayson with a brand new drum kit In a heartwarming moment captured by KTLA's cameras, Hernandez surprised Grayson with a brand new drum kit. 'Hi, Grayson. My name is Eric Hernandez. Like you, I'm a musician just like you,' he told Grayson. 'I saw John's story about you last Friday night, and it touched me. The first picture of you was you behind a drum set. 'It touched me so much and to see all the adversity you've been through and to see you losing your home, it made me feel like I had to get you. So, I brought you a drum set.' Hernandez autographed Grayson's bass drum, writing, 'To Grayson, so you can keep the beat alive!' 'Honestly, I'm blessed and lucky to have met you,' Hernandez told Grayson. 'I look forward to you keeping the beat, man.' Grayson, who was born with a rare eye condition that left him blind, has never let obstacles stand in his way. In addition to his skills on the drum set, he has helped raise money for other children with disabilities. Hernandez autographed Grayson's bass drum, writing, 'To Grayson, so you can keep the beat alive' The family - including Grayson, his two brothers and mother Terica Roberts - made it to safety, but their home was completely destroyed He made headlines last year when he partnered with one of the world's largest mobility companies to deliver more than 150 support canes to blind and visually impaired people in Ghana. He's also helped raise thousands of dollars for others with disabilities. The Eaton Fire wreaked devastation earlier this month at the same time another blaze swept through the ritzy celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades and up the coast of Malibu. In total, the various LA fires destroyed some 40,000 acres of prime real estate and at least 28 people perished. Suella Braverman has given her support to the Heritage Foundation over its legal bid to make Prince Harry's visa records public. The former UK Home Secretary weighed in behind the American think-tank as it prepares for the first court hearing for the lawsuit since Donald Trump's inauguration. Heritage has raised questions about how he was able to gain entry to the US in 2020 with his wife Meghan having admitted in his 2023 book Spare to taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. It has also alleged that Harry either lied on his papers about his drug use or has been given special treatment by the Joe Biden administration in order to emigrate to the country. Ms Braverman backed the lawsuit in a social media video alongside Nile Gardiner, director of Heritage's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. 'I think there's a very strong case for President Trump to intervene and to direct the release and disclosure of these documents,' she said. 'The American people should have the right to know what's happened here. Prince Harry is a citizen who has come to the United States. 'We need to know whether he broke the rules to get into the United States. If he did the American people have a right to know and those who allowed that to happen should be held to account,' she continued. 'Or did Prince Harry receive special treatment upon his application to get into the United States. And if that happened again that's unacceptable and the American people have the right to know.' Suella Braverman backed the lawsuit in a social media video alongside Nile Gardiner, director of Heritage's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom Heritage has raised questions about how he was able to gain entry to the US in 2020 Ms Braverman was in office when Prince Harry was suing her department to reinstate his police security, although she only came into the post part was through the process. As Home Secretary, she was in charge of the UK visa system and had the power to ban foreigners from obtaining visas, but generally only for serious reasons concerning national security. Lawyers for Heritage and the Department for Homeland Security have now been ordered by Judge Carl J Nichols to meet at a federal court in Washington DC next Wednesday, February 5. Heritage lost a previous case in September when it brought a lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security after a Freedom of Information request for Harry's documents to be released was rejected. In his first ruling Judge Nichols said they should remain private. The case was brought because visa applicants must by law declare whether they have taken drugs. Failure to do so can lead to deportation, and Heritage wanted the US Government to release the records to see what Harry said about drug usage. Trump previously suggested Harry may be deported from the US under his leadership if the Duke is found to have falsified information on his visa form - even though his wife is American and his children are dual citizens. The US President criticised the duke in February last year and accused him of betraying the late Queen Elizabeth II. Speaking today on Capitol Hill @heritage former UK Home Secretary @SuellaBraverman backed The Heritage Foundations call for Prince Harrys immigration records to be released to the American people. pic.twitter.com/nQNlN5BnjQ Nile Gardiner (@NileGardiner) January 28, 2025 Trump previously suggested Harry may be deported from the US under his leadership if the Duke is found to have falsified information on his visa form He told the Sunday Express: 'I wouldn't protect him... That's unforgiveable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.' Trump was urged this week by Heritage to release Harry's immigration files. Now that the Duke of Sussex no longer has support from the Biden administration, lawyers and fellows at the Heritage Foundation are hoping the newly elected president will override the court's decision to keep the files secret. 'I'll be urging the president to release Prince Harry's immigration records and the president does have that legal authority to do that,' Nile Gardiner, director of Heritage's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom told the New York Post. 'Donald Trump is ushering in a new era of strict border control enforcement, and you know, Prince Harry should be held fully to account as he has admitted to extensive illegal drug use', he added. 'My firm expectation is that action will be taken'. Speaking to British politician and broadcaster Nigel Farage on GB News last year, Trump suggested that the royal would not get 'special privileges if he was found to have lied about his drug use. During the interview, Farage asked Trump if Harry should enjoy 'special privileges' should it come to light he did not tell the truth. In his controversial memoir, Spare, the duke said cocaine 'didn't do anything for me', adding: 'Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me' 'We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action,' Trump responded. 'Appropriate action? Which might meannot staying in America?' Farage asked. 'Oh I don't know. You'll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago,' Trump replied. In his controversial memoir, the duke said cocaine 'didn't do anything for me', adding: 'Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me.' He also said that while using ayahuasca, a psychedelic drug, he realised that his late mother Diana wanted him to be 'happy'. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit their royal roles in 2020 and have been residing in the US with their two children ever since. If the files are made public and Harry is found to have lied, he faces leaving his life in the Californian town of Montecito behind. Two former police officers are being investigated for historic sex offences in Rotherham following complaints by four child sexual abuse victims, it has been revealed. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said a retired constable in his 60s and a former PC aged in his 50s were first arrested last year for alleged sexual offences during the 1990s and inquiries are ongoing. Offences are said to have taken place when the police officers, who were based in Rotherham, were both on and off duty. Complaints of child sexual abuse against two girls between 1995 and 1999 triggered an investigation against the older officer and he was arrested in October and interviewed on suspicion of misconduct in public office, attempted rape and three counts of indecent assault. He was arrested again this month and interviewed about sexual offences against a third victim between 1997 and 2002 before being released on bail. The officer in his 50s was arrested in December and interviewed on suspicion of sexual assault, misconduct in public office and one count of indecent assault for incidents in 1995 and 1996. South Yorkshire Police's major crime unit is conducting the inquiry under the IOPC's 'direction and control.' IOPC Director Emily Barry said: 'When we completed the Operation Linden investigations in 2022, into how South Yorkshire Police investigated reports of child sexual exploitation and abuse in Rotherham, we acknowledged that there may be further complaints from survivors. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said a retired constable in his 60s and a former PC aged in his 50s were first arrested last year for alleged sexual offences during the 1990s and inquiries are ongoing (Pictured: South Yorkshire Police HQ) Professor Alexis Jay's (pictured) landmark investigation in 2014 found that at least 1,400 children were abused in Rotherham over 16 years while authorities and the police failed to act 'These matters came to our attention after we received a referral of a complaint from South Yorkshire Police in October last year. This was followed by more complaints from a second woman in November and complaints from two further women in December, which were referred to us by SYP as a result of their initial enquiries. 'Clearly these are very serious complaints and we will ensure they are thoroughly and robustly investigated.' Professor Alexis Jay's landmark investigation in 2014 found that at least 1,400 children were abused in Rotherham over 16 years while authorities and the police failed to act. Her report found that between 1997 and 2013 girls as young as 11 had been systematically raped, trafficked and intimidated, mainly by men of Pakistani heritage. Last month Hayley Barnett, the assistant chief constable of South Yorkshire police, said: 'Our first priority in this case, and always, is the victims and survivors. 'Since the publication of the Jay report 10 years ago, we have built a much deeper understanding of child sexual abuse and exploitation and will ensure anyone reporting such crimes is treated with sensitivity, compassion and respect. 'It is never too late to report if you are a victim or survivor of child sexual abuse and exploitation. 'I am acutely aware of how difficult it can be to report such crimes, particularly when the suspects are serving or former police officers, but we are steadfastly committed to securing justice as required, in line with your wishes.' A woman claimed in a note she jotted down on a napkin that she was being raped by a nurse a month before dying at a hospital in Argentina. Evelyn Carrera, 35, made the shocking claims during a family visit while recovering from a gastrointestinal surgery at Mendoza Medical Center in the north-central city of Mendoza. Carrera was under observation in the intensive care unit after doctors perforated her intestine during a December 1 surgery. The mother-of-two experienced complications from the surgery and died on January 22. Carrera's sister-in-law Daniela Galvan told El 7 television that Carrera broke down in tears as soon as she saw her own mother in her hospital room on December 12. As she lay in bed in pain fighting to muster a word, Carrera reached for a napkin and haltingly revealed details of her nightmarish hospital stay. 'The first thing she wrote was an "m" and an "e", and then we allowed her to continue writing,' Galvan explained. 'She then put "saw", and her hand dropped because she was tired.' 'Her mother told her, "Who saw you?" And she was upset, it wasn't because nobody had gone to visit her, but over something else,' Galvan added. Evelyn Carrera alerted family members she had been raped by a nurse during her stay at Mendoza Hospital Center in Mendoza, Argentina. The 35-year-old underwent gastrointestinal surgery on December 1 and had a part of her intestines perforated and had to be place in intensive care Evelyn Carrera was unable to talk to her family as she burst in tears while lying on her hospital bed during a December 12 visit at Mendoza Hospital Center in Mendoza, Argentina, and used a napkin to tell her family that a nurse at the hospital had raped her 'When the mother asked, 'who saw you?' She began to hit the mattress and frowned.' Galvan said she then handed a pen to Carrera, who wrote the word 'rape.' A concerned Galvan asked Carrera who was sexually assaulting her and then followed up by asking her if she was being raped before she nodded yes. Galvan asked Carrera who was the person raping her before she scribbled 'ENE FM E' as she fought to spell out nurse in Spanish. After asking her when the incident took place, Carrera turned the napkin around and wrote out 'on Friday.' The alleged incident would have taken place December 6. Carrera's mother filed a complaint moments after learning of the disturbing allegations. Mendoza prosecutor, Flavio D'Amore, and his staff requested the surveillance camera footage from the hospital as part of their investigation. Authorities in Mendoza, Argentina are carrying out two investigations: one into the allegations that Evelyn Carrera was raped by a nurse and another into whether the medical staff committed malpractice during a gastrointestinal surgery seven weeks before she died Authorities have yet to make any arrests after following the allegations made by the late Evelyn Carrera, who told family members she was raped by a nurse at Mendoza Hospital Center in Mendoza, Argentina, in December They also requested genetic samples from Carrera and staffers who were providing care. A second investigation was also initiated by homicide prosecutor, Carlos Torres, who is looking into whether the medical staff committed malpractice during the surgery. Authorities have yet to report any arrests. An 'undocumented' migrant accused of child sex crimes will avoid President Trump's ongoing raids because he must first face the charges against him in the US. Galo Macasfreire, 38, repeatedly tried to lure an 11-year-old into his car in Long Island by offering her candy, according to police. The Ecuador native was arrested on Monday and charged with felony attempted kidnapping. He is in the country illegally, according to the New York Post. Police said he badgered the girl to get inside his 2007 gray Chevrolet, and touched himself inappropriately, rubbing the candy against himself 'in a suggestive manner.' Then child had reportedly just gotten off her school bus, as reported by News 12 Long Island. Instead of getting in the man's car, she ran home and called 911, police said. Macasfreire was arrested about an hour later, with police finding him on the same street where he allegedly tried to kidnap the girl. He allegedly told police he only offered the girl a ride 'because she looked like she was cold.' Galo Macasfreire, 38, repeatedly tried to lure an 11-year-old into his car in Long Island by offering her candy, according to police The arrest comes as ICE officers have begun storming properties across the country in sanctuary cities like New York as part of Trump's mass deportation scheme His attorney said the felony charge against him is excessive. 'Even when looking at the best of circumstances, your honor, I believe that when you look at the definition of a felony in the second degree, in which he abducts another person or in this case attempts to abduct, I really think that this is really a stretch by the DAs office,' Norley Castaneda said. Castaneda asked a judge to release Macasfreire on $200 bail, citing his clean record and employment. While prosecutors agreed with the bail amount, Judge Evan Tanenbaum set it at $100,000 instead. Macasfreire is expected back in court on January 31. His arrest comes as Trump has dispatched thousands of ICE officers to the border to carry out the 'biggest illegal immigrant grab' in recent history.' Agents are preparing to take '100,000 immigrants' back to Mexico and Central America, a White House intelligence source told DailyMail.com. ICE officers have begun storming properties across the country in sanctuary cities like New York as part of Trump's mass deportation scheme. The Trump administration has reportedly directed ICE to increase the number of daily arrests Sanctuary cities including the Big Apple have become a haven for migrants who flock to them in the knowledge that officials there limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. Many have arrived by bus and plane from the southern border, with New York alone welcoming around 210,000 migrants in less than two years. The president has since said he 'might have to consider' pulling funding to sanctuary cities, which include the likes of Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Trump, who ran on a mass deportation platform, has made immigration his first order of business since assuming office. The policy is popular among both Republicans and Democrats, with figures suggesting Disgruntled villagers have claimed their rural idyll will be destroyed by Labour's plan to turn a swathe of Middle England into Britain's new Silicon Valley. Residents of Tempsford say that Rachel Reeves' backing for a major new scheme linking Oxford and Cambridge will lead to tens of thousands of homes being built around the village in Buckinghamshire, which currently has a population of 600. The Chancellor today green-lit plans for East West Rail joining the two academic hubs in a 'growth corridor' with new stations in Tempsford and Cambourne. Her proposals, designed to boost the economy by 78billion, will also see Government backing thrown behind the creation of new towns and roads as she seeks ways to boost the economy. However, locals believe that it will lead to massive development of their 'quiet and peaceful' village, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book compiled in 1086. A study last year by think tank UKDayOne suggested the village could become a new city with a population of 350,000 people, larger than Nottingham, Newcastle or Plymouth. Tempsford Parish Council chairman David Smith, 50, claimed the new properties would 'decimate' the village. He said: 'We understand that Cambridge and Oxford need new homes but we're too small a village to say no to anything. We've got no voice, no power and those in charge don't care. 'This will decimate everything by making Tempsford as big as Milton Keynes and Cambridge together. Residents in the village of Tempsford, Buckinghamshire, say that plans to build a further 350,000 homes nearby will make it larger than Cambridge or Oxford Chancellor Rachel Reeves today green-lit plans to create the UK's answer to Silicon Valley with plans for major development between Oxford and Cambridge Resident Mark Cleary, 58, said he would consider moving if new houses were built 'You shouldn't be able to take all of this away without consequences. We don't want to be the next Milton Keynes.' Paulette Smith, 64, said all the Governments were the same and objecting against any plans were futile. Ms Smith, who has lived in Tempsford since 1996, said: 'The big boys come in and do it anyway, no matter how much we shout and scream about it. 'It doesn't matter what government it is, they're all the same. 'I just can't envision more than quarter of a million houses in this beautiful little village. 'They'd need a GP, a dentist, schools and we don't even have that now - all we've got is a farm shop.' Other residents expressed concerns about the destruction of fields and wildlife in the area which is home to rabbits, deer and birds. Resident Mark Cleary, 58, said he would consider moving if new houses were built. Locals are unhappy with the plans to build on their 'quiet and peaceful' village, which has a current population of 600 David Smith, 50, is the chairman of the Parish Council in Tempsford and said plans for new properties would 'decimate' the village. Paulette Smith, 64, said all the governments were the same and objecting against any plans was futile He said: 'Labour shouldn't be wasting their time with building houses around here when there's much better things to be focusing on. 'I've got sympathy for the need for new homes but to expand here is crazy. We'd have to move as it just isn't why we decided to live here.' Ms Reeves answer to Silicon Valley will also see the new east-west rail link and upgraded roads link Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes, which are hubs for innovation and R&D, the Chancellor said in a major speech this morning. A new 'Growth Commission for Oxford' will review how to accelerate growth will be launched, and Lord Vallance, the government's former chief scientific advisor will be appointed as 'Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion'. The emphasis on the Oxford-Cambridge region marks a shift away from the Tories' 'levelling up' agenda, in which resources were directed to the 'left behind places' in a bid to emulate the levels of prosperity and opportunity in London and the south east. Instead, Ms Reeves used her speech to say Oxford and Cambridge offer 'huge economic potential for our nation's growth prospects'. It sat alongside backing for a new third runway to expand Heathrow airport. Chris Curtis, the Milton Keynes North MP and co-chairman of Labour Growth Group said: 'This speech marks an inflection point for our country. Other residents expressed concerns about the destruction of fields and wildlife in the area which is home to rabbits, deer and birds The village of Tempsford in Bedfordshire where there are plans to build new homes increasing the population to 350,000 Your browser does not support iframes. 'For far too long those who have sought to block building, stifle innovation and halt progress have had the system on their side in the UK - now that era is firmly at an end and the time for change is here.' Mrs Reeves announced that the Environment Agency has lifted its objections to a new development around Cambridge with 4,500 new homes, as well as office and laboratory space in Cambridge City Centre. East West Rail involves boosting railway links between Oxford and Cambridge with new and upgraded lines. The scheme has three stages, with initial services from Oxford to Bletchley and Milton Keynes scheduled to begin this year. The other two stages are reliant on Government funding and approval. These involve services being extended from Oxford to Bedford, and then from Oxford to Cambridge via Bedford and Bletchley. A new railway station at Tempsford, Bedfordshire, would provide connections between the East Coast Main Line and East West Rail. The Chancellor told an audience at a Siemens factory near Oxford: 'Just 66 miles apart these cities are home to two of the best universities in the world, two of the most intensive innovation clusters in the world and the area is a hub for globally renowned science and technology firms in life sciences, manufacturing, and AI. 'It has the potential to be Europe's Silicon Valley. The home of British innovation. 'To grow, these world-class companies need world-class talent who should be able to get to work quickly and find somewhere to live in the local area. But to get from Oxford to Cambridge by train takes two and a half hours. 'There is no way to commute directly from towns like Bedford and Milton Keynes to Cambridge by rail. And there is a lack of affordable housing across the region. 'Oxford and Cambridge are two of the least affordable cities in the UK. In other words, the demand is there but there are far too many supply side constraints on economic growth in the region.' An embattled Georgia mayor and former Black Lives Matter organizer stormed out of a city council meeting as furious residents questioned him about allegedly using a city credit card for lavish purchases. South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau, known as Mayor Kobi, berated his own constituents for citing his spending in office, which included an $1,800 desk that can be turned into a pool table, and over $9,000 in one month on travel including flight upgrades. This month he was also accused of blowing thousands of taxpayer money for a 20-day luxury vacation to Ghana, with further purchases also reportedly including a $1,300 drone. Kamau shot back at a tense city council meeting on Tuesday: 'I am so distressed and disappointed that the blackest city in one of the blackest states in the United States of America heading into Black History Month, we are tearing each other down.' Councilwoman Helen Willis slammed his attempts to dodge the questioning, responding: 'We're not tearing you down you took your black behind over to Africa for 20 days and didnt tell anybody.' The hostile exchange came after residents confronted Kamau over his alleged mishandling of taxpayer money, as local Patricia Wise was seen telling the council: 'You guys got to do better, you guys really do got to do better.' After facing the onslaught, Kamau walked out of the meeting as the hearing turned to discussing new policies, refusing to give an explanation for his huge expenses, per WSBTV. Embattled South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau stormed out of a city council meeting as furious residents questioned him about allegedly using a city credit card for lavish purchases Kamau, known as Mayor Kobi, berated his own constituents for citing his spending in office, saying he was 'distressed and disappointed' that he was being questioned 'heading into Black History Month' Kamau, a self-described socialist, became the Mayor of South Fulton in January 2022, and claims to be 'America's first #BlackLivesMatter organizer elected to public office' Kamau, a self-described socialist, became the Mayor of South Fulton in January 2022, and claims on his website to be 'America's first #BlackLivesMatter organizer elected to public office.' South Fulton's 92 percent African American population makes it the 'blackest city in America', and Kamau's website states that he 'is on a mission to make America's blackest city black on purpose.' 'Which means a city that is not just unapologetic about its demographics, but moving on purpose to be a laboratory for economic, housing and restorative justice policies aimed at improving the lives of African Americans,' the site states. Kamau attempted to use the demographics of his city to avoid questions about his alleged mismanagement of taxpayer funds, seemingly irate that he was being scrutinized 'heading into Black History Month.' Months of alleged misspending were revealed in January by WSBTV, as he was accused of using city-issued credit cards to spend almost $26,000 between October and December on 'unauthorized travel, food and other expenses.' Bank records cited by the outlet showed purchases including a $1,300 drone, a $1,800 Amazon order, and flight upgrades despite upgrades being against city expenses policy. Kamau has branded the allegations against him a 'smear campaign', but has reportedly failed to answer questions in recent weeks to explain his purchases, allegedly including a total of 112 outstanding receipts in the few months. Kamau, pictured with Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, branded the allegations against him a 'smear campaign', but has reportedly failed to answer questions in recent weeks to explain almost $26,000 in purchases between October and December Much of the scrutiny on Kamau's spending has fallen on a 20-day luxury trip he took to Ghana, which he documented on his social media Residents questioned whether the trip to Ghana was paid for by taxpayers, with the vacation including multiple plane tickets of over $5,000 The mayor flaunted the trip to his Instagram account, including the over-the-top welcome he received at the airport with a cavalcade of luxury cars to pick him up Much of the scrutiny on Kamau's spending has fallen on a 20-day luxury trip he took to Ghana, which included multiple plane tickets totaling over $5,000. The mayor flaunted the trip to his Instagram account, including the over-the-top welcome he received at the airport. It saw traditional dancers welcome him at the airport and a cavalcade of luxury cars to pick him up. He also posted images partying with the locals and enjoying a spacious apartment. Councilwoman Helen Z. Willis told WSB-TV that the city of Fulton has no business with Ghana or Africa. 'Not to my knowledge, that isnt even a priority,' Willis said at the time. City council has been looking into the mayor's trip and his spending, with Willis adding that 'We need more economic development here and we dont need to go to Africa in order for the city to have a multi-business deal.' Interest in fleeing the United States for Canada soared following Donald Trump's re-election in November. Google searches for 'move to Canada' surged 1,270 percent in the 24 hours after U.S. East Coast polls closed on Election Day, the company data showed. The sudden enthusiasm for emigration echoed the interest in moving to the country's neighbor to the north, as seen after Trump's 2016 victory. However, the Americans who previously fled revealed life in Canada is not all it's cracked up to be. Former New Yorker Juan Marcos Percy, 47, moved to Canada in 2016 because he was fearful during Trump's presidential campaign. 'I told my friends, this guy is ruthless,' Percy told The Wall Street Journal. After escaping to Canada, he was shocked by the cost of living and lack of access to some of his favorite products, like low-fat Jif peanut butter. 'Everything is just ridiculously expensive here. You go to the supermarket, you're paying four to five dollars for a head of lettuce, or five to six dollars for a carton of eggs,' he said. Another former New Yorker, Stephen Shainbart, 61, moved for the 'safe and politically stable' climate but told the outlet he has experienced disdain from Canadians when they learn his nationality. Google searches for 'move to Canada' surged 1,270 percent in the 24 hours after U.S. East Coast polls closed on Election Day Juan Marcos Percy (picutred), 47, moved to Canada in 2016 because he was fearful during Trump's presidential campaign Heather Fitz (pictured) moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, after the 2016 election for the country's progressive politics, but was stunned to experience the freezing cold temperatures 'They feel they can insult the U.S. because it's always so big and powerful and in their face,' he said. Arkansas native Heather Fitz moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her then-husband after the 2016 election for the country's progressive politics. She was stunned to experience the freezing cold temperatures and 68-mile-an-hour winds that rocked her apartment building during a nor'easter. 'I was like, did we make the right decision?' Fitz said. 'I was googling "building swaying is this safe."' Ultimately, Fitz returned to the United States at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and now lives in Tampa, Florida, where she said, 'The air doesn't hurt my face anymore.' Trump's first victory promoted former Pennsylvania resident Nathan Sanders, 51, to take an academic job at the University of Toronto. He liked that Canada feels less politically polarized but said it is off-putting how similar yet different the two cultures are. 'It's like aliens have abducted you and created a virtual reality based on your memories,' Sanders said. Trump's first victory promoted former Pennsylvania resident Nathan Sanders (pictured), 51, to take an academic job at the University of Toronto Lucia Lloyd (pictured), 56, made the decision to move to Canada in 2018 after Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court Stephen Shainbart (pictured), 61, moved for the 'safe and political stable' climate, but said he has experienced disdain from Canadians when they learn his nationality 'But the simulation is a little off, and every once in a while, there's a glitch. The money is a different color, and there are pictures of the queen everywhere.' Lucia Lloyd, 56, decided to move to Canada in 2018 after Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court. However, she has noticed more conservative politics are arising in Canada and is fearful of Trump's declaration that the country should become the 51st state. 'That's flowed over the borders,' she said. 'It's very destructive when you can't count on anything being stable or reliable.' A furious construction worker has dared President Donald Trump to arrest and deport him as immigration officials prepare for biggest deportation raid in American history. The apparent migrant worker aired his frustration with Trump's immigration overhaul in a taunting video shared to TikTok this week. 'Daddy Trump, you wanna take us the f*** out of here? Come do this s**t, then,' the laborer, wearing an A&M Contractors branded hardhat, jeered. He snidely questioned who would carry out America's construction projects if Trump deports all the undocumented migrant builders. 'Look who the f*** built your house, look who the f*** built your streets,' he sneered, before telling Trump: 'Come get it, b**ch.' It is unclear where the builder, whose profile indicates he works on projects in the Greater Houston, Texas area, is currently employed. Details surrounding the builder's identity or immigration status were not immediately available. It was unclear where the man is currently employed, although his TikTok profile suggests that he is working on projects in the Greater Houston, Texas area. DailyMail.com has approached Houston-based A&M Contractors for comment. Homeland Security agents, the Houston division of the Drug Enforcement Agency and other federal agents carry out an immigration raid on Sunday Migrants try to enter the United States undetected, through a hole in a section of the US-Mexico border wall, in Sunland Park, New Mexico on January 28, 2025 Trump issued an array of executive orders to crack down on illegal immigration after taking office last week, including actions aimed at deporting record numbers of migrants in the US without legal status. In the first week of Trump's second term, the Department of Homeland Security reported deporting some 7,300 people of various nationalities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024. ICE arrested 969 undocumented migrants across the nation on Monday, but border czar Tom Homan says he is not satisfied with the pace of migrant deportations. Despite the 'unprecedented' number of arrests, Homan claims the US needs to 'open the aperture up' and carry out 'more deportations'. 'It was a great start. The first week was unprecedented,' he told Fox News' Jesse Watters of efforts so far, hailing how under Trump's new policies, illegal border crossings have dropped from '10,000 a day to under 600'. 'It's great, it's good, but we're not finished and we need more deportations,' Homan said, adding: 'A lot more deportations and that's what we're working on.' The border czar's remark comes just days after he vowed that numbers of daily deportations and arrests will 'steadily increase' as they ramp up efforts to curb illegal immigration. In the first week of Trump's second term, the Department of Homeland Security reported deporting some 7,300 people of various nationalities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024 One of two documented immigrants with prior convictions detained by US Immigrations and Customs (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, walks handcuffed as an agent holds his arm, at a Home Depot parking lot in Tucson, Arizona on January 26, 2025 Trump says his immigration overhaul is needed after millions of migrants entered during Democrat Joe Biden's presidency, while critics say Trump could hurt businesses and separate families. He rolled back Biden-era guidance that limited arrests of non-criminals, ordered other federal law enforcement to assist with immigration work, and scrapped a Biden policy that restricted enforcement at schools, churches, hospitals and other sensitive locations. '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,' Trump said in his January 20 inaugural address, calling illegal immigration an 'invasion' and declaring a national emergency. Trump also issued a broad ban on asylum for migrants 'engaged in the invasion across the southern border.' He instructed the Defense Department to make it a priority to seal the border and to support border wall construction, detention space and migrant transportation. He has also empowered the defense secretary to send troops to the border. Marines with the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, deploy concertina wire as they re-enforce the border wall, January 25, 2025 near San Ysidro, California United States Marines unloading concertina wire from an MV-22B Osprey for use at the southern border at Brown Field Municipal Airport in Otay Mesa, California. They were deployed to the border area following executive orders signed by Trump last week Around 1,500 active duty troops were deployed to the nearly 2,000-mile border this week, including 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California. Thousands of ICE officers have already been dispatched to the San Diego border crossing as they prepare to take '100,000 immigrants' back to Mexico and Central America in one of the biggest migrant raids in American history. DailyMail.com can now reveal that they have been joined with what has been described as a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP'. A White House intelligence source said: 'There is a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP in front of Camp Pendleton right now, ready to do the biggest illegal immigrant grab in recent history. 'The West Coast is this week and the East Coast is next week. It is about to get crazy in California. They need to fill 100,000 spots', meaning arrests is the directive. The source continued: 'They are going to be taking 100,000 immigrants back to Mexico, Columbia, El Salvador and Guatemala in this grab.' Deportation flights between the US and Colombia resumed Tuesday after the diplomatic drama over the weekend that provided clues as to how Trump would deal with countries blocking large-scale plans to return migrants who entered illegally. Earlier this week, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum made a point of saying that four flights that had landed at a Mexico City airport in the past few days carrying deportees were all civilian. Guatemala has not publicly objected, and at least three US military flights carrying deportees have landed there in the past week. Migrants descending from a Colombian Air Force plane after being deported from the US in Bogota, Colombia on January 28, 2025 Migrants are escorted across the Hidalgo International border Bridge as they are deported under Title 8, a law that allows for immediate deportation after crossing into the US without authorization, in McAllen, Texas on January 27, 2025 Trump has also ordered the suspension of refugee admissions into the US. All refugee travel to the US was canceled, including that of nearly 1,660 Afghans cleared to resettle in America. He reinstated his 'Remain in Mexico' policy, which requires non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico pending the resolution of their US cases. He instructed the attorney general to seek capital punishment against immigrants without legal status who commit crimes such as murder that are potentially punishable by death. He issued an order to end birthright citizenship to children born in the US if neither their mother or father is an American citizen or legal permanent resident. Trump also kicked off a process to designate criminal cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and to utilize a 1798 law known as the Alien Enemies Act against foreign gang members. President Donald Trump is ordering the deportation of foreign students who took part in pro-Hamas protests on college campuses in the US as he launches a wide-ranging crackdown on anti-Semitism. A new executive order will target resident aliens - including students with visas - who broke laws during demonstrations following the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel. Trump said he would instruct his Justice Department to 'aggressively prosecute terroristic threats, arson, vandalism and violence against American Jews'. He added: 'To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice... we will find you, and we will deport you. 'I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathisers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.' It was the latest in a slew of orders that Trump has signed since becoming President as he looks to fulfill his campaign promises. Many universities, particularly Columbia University in New York City, became the site of pro-Palestinian protests last year during the Israel-Hamas war The students involved made radical demands that their universities sever financial ties to Israel and that the US end its military support for its longtime ally. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Wednesday to combat anti-Semitism Trump's latest order gives leaders of government agencies and departments 60 days to provide the White House with recommendations on how to identify anti-Semitic threats. It comes as the US President invited Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House next week. He will become the first foreign leader to visit in Trump's second term in office. The US is pushing Israel and Hamas to keep its ceasefire in place. Talks about the ceasefire's more difficult second phase, which aims to end the war, begin next Monday. Trump's latest executive order, due to be signed on Wednesday, is his second focusing on anti-Semitism. He signed another executive order last week calling for the removal of foreign visa holders who 'advocate for, aid or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security'. During a rally in New Jersey last May, Trump promised: 'When I am President, we will not allow our colleges to be taken over by violent radicals. And if you come here from another country and try to bring jihadism or anti-Americanism or anti-Semitism to our campuses, we will immediately deport you.' He also tackled the issue in his first term. In 2019, Trump signed an executive order instructing federal officials to expand the interpretation of the Civil Rights Act to include 'discrimination rooted in anti-Semitism'. This added anti-Semitism to the list of prohibited behaviour for programmes which receive federal funding. During the college campus protests, some Republicans wanted to use that order to take away federal funding from universities which defended the demonstrations as free speech. Republicans denounced the protests during the 2024 election campaign as an example of liberal bias at elite universities. Several House committees, led by Republicans, investigated federal funding to colleges and threatened to withhold research grants and other government support. And they issued a report calling for more to be done to address anti-Semitism. Since the ceasefire announcement between Israel and Hamas, college protests have subsided. Pro-Palestinian students occupy a lawn at Columbia University in April Police arrest protesters during demonstrations at The City College Of New York in April 2024 State troopers arrest a man at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas in 2024 The controversy over the protests led to a slew of university presidents - including Harvard's - to resign. At a Congressional hearing last year, many Ivy league presidents struggled to answer whether 'calling for the genocide of Jews' would violate each university's code of conduct. Republican Elise Stefanik, who Trump has nominated to become ambassador to the United Nations, posed the question. She later said it became the highest-viewed Congressional hearing in history. Furious residents have slammed litterbugs for filling the local streets with 'bags of rubbish', and complained that the council hasn't done enough to stop it. Shocking photos on Kintras Street, Iona Street and Columba Street show the extent of the fly-tipping in parts of Ibrox in Glasgow, Scotland. Pictures show plastic buckets, planks of wood, discarded mattresses, old furniture and bin bags of rubbish which are torn and loose on the street. Locals say the amount of rubbish there makes it one of the most fly-tipped parts of Scotland. The fuming residents said it 'looks like a landfill' and blasted the council for not having more frequent bin collections. Some are worried that the overflowing litter will attract rats near their homes. The council said they are investigating the fly-tipping incidents and called it a 'blight' on the communities, promising to sort out the mess on Kintras Street. Lorraine Hargan, 74, has become accustomed to fly-tipping sightings in the 50 years she has lived in the area, but she says lately it is the worst it has ever been. Lorraine Hargan, 74, has become accustomed to fly-tipping sightings in the 50 years she has lived in the area, but she says lately it is the worst it has ever been Furious residents have slammed litterbugs for filling the local streets with 'bags of rubbish', and complained that the council hasn't done enough to stop it Pictured: Fly-tipping in Ibrox, Glasgow A Glasgow City Council worker is seen clearing up fly tipping in Ibrox Some are worried that the overflowing litter will attract rats near their homes. Pictured is a rat spotted near a fly tipping site in Glasgow 'There's rubbish and junk around corners and down streets. I have seen things like washing machines and just bags of rubbish,' she said. 'This is the worst it has been. It is a real mess. It is an eyesore, it's dreadful. 'People come and pick me up, like taxi drivers, and it is the first thing they see. A lot of them comment that it is terrible looking.' 'I have grandkids that come here, and I don't want them near here, especially for health reasons.' Another local fumed at the council: 'How about collect rubbish instead of cutting pickups so people have space in their tiny bins.' Another said: 'I honestly cannot believe people can leave their s**t like this and not give a toss to the residents nearby. 'This is getting out of control. Its completely taking over everywhere you go there's fridges, couches and numerous other things. STOP LITTERING OUR CITY you scumbags.' One said: 'Just shows how lazy and entitled people are. 'Make a mess then moan that the place is disgusting and expect others to clean it up.' Shocking photos on Kintras Street, Iona Street and Columba Street show the extent of the fly-tipping in parts of Ibrox in Glasgow, Scotland Locals slammed litterbugs and the council over flytipping Locals say the amount of rubbish there makes it one of the most fly-tipped parts of Scotland Pictured: A rat runs from fly-tipping in Ibrox, Glasgow Pictured is an overflowing bin in Ibrox, Glasgow, as a dog walker strolls past Pictures show plastic buckets, planks of wood, discarded mattresses, old furniture and bin bags of rubbish which are torn and loose on the street Another said: 'This is disgusting and what the hell is happening way the people living in our city who are doing this! 'Council should put cameras up catch them and give them a fine also make them clean it.' One said: 'It looks like landfill.' One added: 'The grass verges are an absolute disgrace. It's embarrassing! 'What a filthy nation we have become. I would like to see big clean ups and fines issued. Why can other cultures be spotless? Bring on the litter wardens.' Another said: 'It's disgusting all the time. There can't be a more flytipped place in Scotland or the UK.' Lorraine went on to say that she is concerned about how the sites will attract rats - especially with the streets being so close to her home. She said that she previously spotted rats on a nearby street and believes they will soon move in. She added: 'One of my biggest concerns is the attraction of rats. We have seen them further down the street. I am terrified they will come here, but I know they will.' She claimed that she phoned her local housing association before about the fly-tipping who directed her to Glasgow City Council. A Glasgow City Council worker seen trying to clear up some of the rubbish Pictured is one of the many piles of rubbish spotted around the city The fuming residents said it 'looks like a landfill' and blasted the council for not having more frequent bin collections The council said they are investigating the fly-tipping incidents and called it a 'blight' on the communities, promising to sort out the mess But she alleged that the council don't answer the phone when she calls as she has tried to report the issues with the local authority before. Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: We are aware of these fly-tipping incidents on Kintra Street and our environmental health team is investigating. 'Evidence has been gathered that we hope will lead to the identification of the culprits and allow us to take enforcement action. 'Those guilty of fly-tipping can be subject to a 500 fixed penalty notice fine, but we also have been liaising with SEPA on this matter. 'SEPA has access to powers that can ensure those responsible for this kind of environmental crime face stiffer penalties than we can serve and we hope this approach can help deter fly-tipping in future. 'Fly-tipping is a blight on communities and we fully sympathise with residents who are sick of fly-tippers treating public spaces with contempt. 'The incidents at Kintra Street will be dealt with appropriately as soon as possible.' This video is no longer available This video is no longer available This is the horrifying moment a man was stabbed in the neck by a stranger after accidentally bumping into him in a subway station in France. The chilling encounter took place shortly after the attacker disembarked a train at the Guillotiere metro station in Lyon on Sunday. He is seen on CCTV footage exiting the platform and walking towards the stairs, just as another man accidentally stumbles into him. They appear to share a brief exchange before the attacker chases after the stranger and plunges a knife into his neck. He then casually walks away, while the victim places his hand on the wound and looks around in confusion - seemingly unaware he has just been stabbed. The attacker immediately fled the scene after the attack and police are now desperately searching for the suspect, Frontieres media reported. Meanwhile, the victim was treated by emergency services at the scene and taken to hospital, it added. One source told Frontieres it was a 'miracle' the man survived the attack and took just five days off work to recover. A man, who stabbed a stranger in the neck, is seen on CCTV footage exiting the platform just before the attack on Sunday He begins walking towards the stars just as another man accidentally stumbles into him They appear to share a brief exchange before the attacker chases after the stranger and plunges a knife into his neck However, it is unknown how severe his injuries were. The Direction Interdepartementale de la Police Nationale (DIPN) is now investigating the incident. They told Lyon Mag: 'An investigation is open and all services are mobilized to find the perpetrator.' The Guillotiere metro station lies in the centre of Lyon, close to the River Rhona and was put into service in 1991. The brutal attack is the latest episode of violence to hit France with a wave of gang-land murders and rioting rocking the country in recent years. In November the city of Poitiers saw a bloody shoot-out between some 400 gang members. Clashes broke out in front of a restaurant on November 2 after shots were 'fired from a passing car, injuring a number of people', before police could deploy tear gas and storm in to try to restore order. France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned in November that the country was at 'tipping point' on drug-related violence. Protesters clash with police, following the death of Nahel, a 17-year-old teenager killed by a French police officer during a traffic stop on June 30, 2023 The torched wrecks of cars destroyed by rioters littered the streets of Paris following disturbances on June 30 A vehicle burns during clashes between protesters and police in June 2023 The right-wing politician also said that France could come to resemble Mexico, deeply scarred by cartel violence, if action is not taken. A 15-year-old boy shot in the head during the clashes died from his wounds. Four other minors, aged between 15 and 16, were also injured by gunshots fired in front of a restaurant during the incident. Retailleau called for the battle against drug violence to become a 'nationwide effort' since becoming interior minister in Prime Minister Michel Barnier's shaky minority government. 'The 'narco thugs' have no limits anymore... These shootouts aren't happening in South America, they're happening in Rennes, in Poitiers... we're at a tipping point,' Retailleau told BFMTV at the time. 'These shootings are not happening in South America, they are happening in Rennes, in Poitiers, in this part of western France once known for its tranquility', he starkly said. It comes as gangland violence long associated with Mediterranean port city Marseille has expanded into other French cities in recent years. Victims can include gang members, some of them minors guarding dealing spots or employed as hitmen, but also innocent bystanders. Police clear the streets following protests sparking by the shooting of a 17-year-old in Paris in 2023 Burnt cars were seen laying on top of their roofs after a night of chaos in 2023 A year prior, rioting and looting spread across France following the 'execution' killing of a teenager in Paris. On the night of June 30, 2023, police were locked in fierce clashes with protesters, making 650 arrests nationwide overnight - as public anger spilled out onto the streets of France's major cities. Protesters torched cars, barricaded roads and hurled projectiles at police. Other rioters scrawled 'Vengeance for Nahel' across buildings and bus shelters as a bank was set ablaze. And in a further escalation of the chaos, violent clashes reportedly spread into the Belgium capital of Brussels The disorder was reportedly arranged over social media in response to the killing of 17-year-old Nahel M. who was shot dead in his car by French police. About a dozen people were detained during scuffles related to the killing of the teenager. England's sewage crisis was laid bare today by a new real-time map revealing which river sections are downstream of discharges from storm overflows. Spills into lakes, rivers and seas by water firms more than doubled from 1.75million hours in 2022 to 3.6million in 2023, according to Environment Agency data. The companies are already under intense scrutiny over the degraded state of rivers, lakes and coasts along with rising bills, executive bonuses and shareholder dividends. Now, University College London environmental lecturer Dr Alex Lipp has worked with web developer Jonny Dawe to create what they have dubbed 'The Sewage Map'. The map shows a 'poo' emoji when discharges are live. A red exclamation mark is for a spill in the last 48 hours and a green tick indicates no spill in the last 48 hours. It currently only shows England because Scotland and Wales are regulated differently, but the developers hope to be able to show their data in future. The map is modelled continuously rather than a river-by-river basis - and 'non' polluted rivers are not shown, to keep the map as simple as possible. Dr Lipp, an earth and environmental scientist and lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences at UCL, said: 'Pollution of waterways globally is major issue impacting on human health as well as freshwater and marine ecosystems. Your browser does not support iframes. The new comprehensive waterways map which reveals the reality of England's sewage crisis A Severn Trent Water pipe that feeds into the River Stour and is currently discharging sewage into the river. The discolouration can be seen from Clancey Way in Halesowen, West Midlands 'We wanted to create something that shows the connectivity of sewage pollution, and the thing we are all interested in is rivers. 'Rivers are something people have a very strong relationship to, and sewage going into rivers invokes a strong emotional impact that is not being understood. 'It is so important as a society to have a strong emotional relationship with our environment. So we used what data we have to highlight which rivers are being impacted.' Untreated sewage overflows are responsible for releasing pollutants such as microplastics, illegal drugs, animal agricultural waste and human waste into the environment. Last May, a team of engineers and scientists warned of a growing public health risk from human faeces in rivers, and called for more frequent testing. The active sewage output near the United Utilities plant in Rochdale discharging into the River Roch near Manchester The map shows rivers in England, indicating a poo emoji when sewage dischargers are live A Severn Trent Water pipe that feeds into the River Stour and is currently discharging sewage Marine charity Surfers Against Sewage has also stated how sewage can cause huge algae blooms, starving water of oxygen and resulting in the death of river and ocean species. Campaigners are calling for urgent action as the UK now has less than half of its biodiversity remaining - because of human activity. The map began as a collaboration between Dr Lipp, as part of his work as a researcher whilst at Oxford, and Mr Dawe. Due to government legislation, water companies were made to release their sewage discharge data over the last few years - which sparked the pair's interest. The map then launched in 2023, initially as a 'side project', but Alex said it has now taken on 'a life of its own'. Dr Lipp explained: 'Let's be clear, the water companies have not chosen to unveil this data, legislation came into force which meant they had to release it. University College London environmental lecturer Dr Alex Lipp co-created 'The Sewage Map' The sewage output near the United Utilities plant in Rochdale discharging into the River Roch It shows which river sections are downstream of sewage discharges from storm overflows 'The actual data itself is really limited: all the data tells you is if an overflow is spilling or if it isn't. But we don't know what it is spilling. 'That's the nature of the monitors in use, for instance, if you want to know how much of an impact these are having on the river system, we need more data, and we don't currently have that. 'The companies have to release data every year - but it's just the annual return: the total numbers of hours of spill for each monitor. But what we want to know is was there a spill last week and how does this correspond to rainfall? 'It's a big shame as I want to see if I can match up spill records with water quality, but we cannot compare the two if they don't reveal the true data.' A Russian honeytrap 'agent' was a spy ring's 'chief minion' who had connections in the 'highest echelons' of the Bulgarian government, an espionage trial has heard. Katrin Ivanova, 33, and two others are accused of being part of a group of Bulgarians who carried out surveillance on places and people of interest to the Russian state. Her partner Biser Dzhambazov, 43, from Harrow, north London, and Orlin Roussev, 46, from Great Yarmouth, have admitted being part of the three-year plot. Ivanova has claimed she was deceived, controlled and 'betrayed' by Dzhambazov and had thought she was exposing 'corruption' when she followed investigative journalist Christo Grozev around Europe. Cross-examining on Wednesday, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC suggested Ivanova was the 'corruption' and the spy ring's 'chief minion' whose partner had links to power in Bulgaria. The court heard how Ivanova, Dzhambazov and co-accused Vanya Gaberova had helped in the 2021 election when Bulgarian President Rumen Radev was elected. Ivanova told jurors that someone at the Bulgarian Embassy in London had contacted her about helping to sign off votes at a polling station but she never shared with officials her concerns about corruption. Ms Morgan asked: 'So thinking now and knowing you are a dishonest person, do you think you should have been signing off on that document on the number of votes cast in the Bulgarian election? Katrin Ivanova (pictured) was branded the 'chief minion' of the alleged spy ring, a court heard Bulgarian Dzhambazov, 43, has admitted to spying in the UK on behalf of Russia. Ivonova claimed she was deceived by Dzhambazov, who she had an 'open' sexual relationship with Dzhambazov was found in bed with alleged Russian spy Vanya Gaberova (pictured), at a flat in Euston, north London which was raided by police in February 2023 'You are the corruption, aren't you?' The defendant denied it. Ms Morgan said: 'You are a very educated, intelligent woman, Ms Ivanova, and this is your home country you care about so much. What was the name of the Bulgarian president in 2021?' Ivanova repeatedly said she did not know the president's name. Ms Morgan suggested Ivanova would not answer because she knew 'full well about Mr Dzhambazov's connections to the highest echelons to the Bulgarian government'. 'I'm going to suggest when you are going through this election process it is inconceivable he did not mention to you the connections he had in the Bulgarian government. 'You put all this time into the elections. You were working there, Mr Dzhambazov and Ms Gaberova were working there,' the prosecutor said. Ms Morgan said Dzhambazov 'could not wait to manipulate' his connection to power and was 'gleeful' when he discussed the result with Roussev. Ivanova said: 'I don't remember if he was happy.' The court heard how Ivanova, Dzhambazov and co-accused Vanya Gaberova had helped in the 2021 election when Bulgarian President Rumen Radev was elected The Haydee Hotel guest house in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, allegedly used by Orlin Roussev to plot the actions of the spy ring The spy ring is alleged to have been masterminded by Orlin Roussev (pictured) from his guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Ms Morgan read out a text exchange in which Roussev asked Dzhambazov about the 'new authority' and if they were going to 'meet the upper echelon'. Dzhambazov replied that it was 'very good', that he had a 'very strong relationship' with Mr Radev, and two other senior Bulgarian politicians, saying it was 'iron clad'. Ms Morgan said: 'Mr Dzhambazov believed he had the president of Bulgaria on side, didn't he? 'If you have connections and power in Bulgaria you can do many illegal things and you had connections with power, didn't you Ms Ivanova?' Ivanova replied: 'I did not have any connection with Bulgarian echelon, the president of Bulgaria.' Casting doubt on her testimony, Ms Morgan said: 'It's good acting. This country you love so much you want to expose corruption, you cannot even remember the head of state. It's all lies.' Ms Morgan went on to ask Ivanova about a meeting she had with two Russians in Montenegro which the prosecution claim were the spies' paymasters. In February 2022, Dzhambazov had told Ivanova of a need to show they were 'professionals' and 'deserve money'. Ivanova replied: 'If need be, I will stand on my head.' The three involved in the love-triangle are among five Bulgarian nationals charged with spying for Russia at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London. Court artist sketches from left to right: Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova, Orlin Roussev, Ivan Stoyanov and Bizer Dzhambazov The group are alleged to have been spying on Ukrainians training on the US-made Patriot missile defence system (pictured) in Germany Ms Morgan told the defendant: 'You would do anything to impress the Russians to show them you deserve your money because you knew full well they were the ones who were paying you. 'That's why you were prepared to 'stand on your head', if that's what it took.' Ivanova denied knowing who the Russian man and woman were, or that they were the source of the money. Earlier in her evidence, she claimed she thought they were victims of a fraud by Russian dissident Kirill Kachur, who was believed to be in Montenegro. The group was allegedly offered 700,000 to get Mr Kachur for the Russians, even if he was killed in the process. Ivanova, Gaberova, 30, from Euston, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, of Acton, deny conspiracy to spy between August 30 2020 and February 8 2023. Ivanova has also pleaded not guilty to a second charge of possession of false identity documents. The Old Bailey trial continues. The White House on Wednesday defended President Donald Trump's proposed buyout for federal workers, dismissing accusations that it was somehow a 'purge' of the federal workforce. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reminded reporters gathered in the White House driveway Wednesday morning that only six percent of federal workers in Washington, DC work full time in the office. 'This is a suggestion to federal workers that they have to return to work. If they don't then they have the option to resign and this administration is very generously offering to pay them for eight months,' Leavitt said. 'This government has been wasting millions of dollars on empty office space that is beautiful, I mean look at the beautiful buildings in this city. They're gorgeous, they've been here for decades.' Employees have to resign by February 6 to take advantage of the buyout proposal. The newly created Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, reminded federal workers that if they took the buyout, they would receive full benefits and pay for eight months. 'Can take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits, the department wrote on social media, sharing guidance from the Office of Management and Budget. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt walks over to speak with reporters at the White House, Answering the most common question about the Deferred Resignation offer. Can take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits. https://t.co/Dsgt81oPPhhttps://t.co/LReG2GQCmz pic.twitter.com/0eRPUHP8hI Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) January 29, 2025 White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt walks into the White House after speaking with reporters. The offer applies to all federal government employees except for workers in immigration enforcement, national security or military personnel. The federal employee union American Federation of Government Employees criticized Trump's offer in a statement. 'Purging the federal government of dedicated career civil servants will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government,' said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. She criticized Trump's buyout plan as one more way he was trying to bully federal workers out of a job. 'it is clear that the Trump administrations goal is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to,' she concluded. The U.S. Department of Education building The US Department of Energy headquarters The Trump administration started sending emails to thousands of federal workers Tuesday evening offering them a chance to voluntarily vacate their government posts while remaining on the payroll for months. An email landed in federal workers' inboxes offering them a package and the ability to voluntarily separate from the federal government before the new Department of Government Efficiency starts identifying areas that could afford to be cut. 'At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency, but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions,' reads the email, titled 'Fork in the Road.' To take the deal, employees were told to type the word 'resign' into the subject line of their response. The 'majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,' according to the email. A spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management said the employees who accept the terms were being offered the chance to go on administrative leave through Sept. 30 at full pay. Italy's biggest influencer Chiara Ferragni could face up to five years in jail if she is found guilty of fraud over allegedly misleading her followers with the sale of limited edition Christmas cakes and Easter eggs. The 37-year-old was fined more than one million euros (930,000) by Italy's anti-trust authority in December 2023 for claiming that the sales would raise money to help children with bone cancer. She also agreed to pay at least 1.2 million euros to a children's charity to settle the case, but is now facing a criminal trial in which a definitive conviction could result in a sentence of between one and five years. The model has called the accusations of fraud 'deeply unfair', adding that she believed 'sincerely that it was not necessary to hold a trial to prove that I never cheated anyone'. She added that she is 'ready to fight with even greater determination to prove my absolute innocence.' The Milan public prosecutor issued Ferragni's lawyers with a summons for September 23, with the influencer's legal team saying in a statement that their client has 'committed no crime'. Ferragni's ex-manager Fabio Damato, along with the boss of major Italian cake maker Balocco, which was behind the cake, and a representative for confectionary company Dolci Preziosi, have also been summoned on charges of aggravated fraud. The case has attracted significant negative publicity for Ferragni, one of the world's most famous fashion influencers with nearly 30 million followers on Instagram. The scandal became known as 'pandoro-gate' after the star used her platform to promote the pink Christmas edition of a pandoro - a traditional festive cake which is a fruitless alternative to the more famous panettone. A social media post shows Ferragni, 36, holding the special edition cake she created in a pink box as she kneels in front of a Christmas tree Her followers were told that the cash raised would go to Turin's Regina Margherita Hospital for children, and money raised was said to be earmarked for a new scanner to help detect types of bone cancer. However, after a year-long investigation, Italy's competition watchdog AGCM announced the fine of 1.075 million euros. It found that consumers had been duped into thinking that by buying a Ferragni-branded pandoro they were contributing to the charity and hospital. The AGCM also fined cake maker Balocco 420,000 euros. The conspirators had justified the high nine euros (7.70) price by saying the more cakes they sold, the more the children's clinic would receive, AGCM found. But in, fact, the inquiry heard, Ferragni and Balocco had agreed that just 50,000 euros (43,000) would go to the hospital regardless of how well the cake sold. The regulator added that Ferragni made no personal payments to the hospital, while her companies received 1 million euros from Balocco for the branding initiative and related promotional activities. In a video published on her page in 2023, Ferragni admitted to a 'communications error' in an apology to her fans. Sounding contrite and almost tearful, the model said she would donate one million euros to Turin's Regina Margherita Hospital - the paediatric hospital at the centre of the controversy - to give 'concreteness' to her apology. The case has attracted significant negative publicity for Ferragni, one of the world's most famous fashion influencers with nearly 30 million followers on Instagram Ferragni's followers were told that the cash raised would go to Turin's Regina Margherita Hospital for children, and money raised was said to be earmarked for a new scanner to help detect types of bone cancer Ferragni admitted to a 'communications error' in an apology to her fans in an apology video posted to her Instagram page She also said that she would challenge the fine, claiming that she had not given sufficient oversight to the communication surrounding the sales of the Balocco-brand pandoro with her logo, and that she would no longer tie in charity with commercial activities. 'I realise I have made a communications error... my error, in good faith, was to link, via communications, a commercial activity with a charity one,' Ferragni said in an Instagram video. Ferragni told local media at the time: 'I'm sorry that, after all my and my family's commitment in recent years on the charitable activity front, we persist in seeing the negative in an operation in which everything was done in good faith.' She added: 'The one with Balocco was a commercial operation like many I do every day. In this particular one, I wanted to underline the charitable donation made by Balocco at the Regina Margherita Hospital. 'For me, it was a fundamental point of the agreement. She continued: 'Knowing that the machine that allows us to explore new therapeutical treatments for children suffering from osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma is now there in the hospital is what matters most.' Consumers believed that they would have been helping to purchase a new machine for the therapeutic treatment of children suffering from Osteosarcoma and Ewing's Sarcoma The 37-year-old said she would donate a million euros to the Regina Margherita, the Turin-based paediatric hospital at the centre of the controversy Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer while Ewing's sarcoma describes forms of cancer that can occur in the bone as well as in soft tissue. Its press release upon launching the cake in 2022 said: 'The historic Piedmontese brand Balocco, recognised and appreciated throughout the world for the excellence of its Christmas offer, presents an exclusive novelty: the Chiara Ferragni pandoro'. The release said sales of the cake would: 'be used to finance a research path promoted by the Regina Margherita Hospital in Turin, through the purchase of a new machine that will allow us to explore new avenues for the therapeutic treatment of children suffering from osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.' Ferragni's lawyers said in a statement on the fraud case: 'We remain firmly convinced that this matter has no criminal relevance and that every controversial profile has already been addressed and resolved before the Competition and Market Authority. 'The discussion with the prosecutors did not have the desired outcome and the Public Prosecutor's Office preferred to defer any decision to the trial judge despite the evident absence of conduct constituting a criminal offence and the lack of the conditions for proceeding. 'Our defendant's innocence will certainly be ascertained in court, which we will face calmly,' they concluded, according to Italian outlet Corriere della Sera. Rachel Reeves has U-turned and agreed to publish her private tax return after initially trying to keep her personal finances a secret. The Chancellor this morning said she had no plan to release her private financial information, as the deadline for filing self-assessments approaches. But she was forced to later change her position hours later after Sir Keir Starmer's press secretary told reporters that the PM would continue to release his, having done so in 2023 and 2024 when opposition leader. A Treasury spokesperson indicated that Ms Reeves will publish details on her taxes. The Chancellor had earlier been asked after a speech in Oxfordshire whether she would publish the document as the self-assessment tax return deadline nears. She thanked journalists for the reminder about the date and insisted ministers would 'use that money wisely to invest in infrastructure and grow our economy'. She added: 'Chancellors and prime ministers haven't published their tax returns in the past, and I don't have any plans to do so.' However, both Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt published their tax returns while in government. However Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has 'no plans' to publish her tax return. The Chancellor said he had no plan to release her private financial information, as the deadline for filing self-assessments approaches. Sir Keir twice released his tax returns as leader of the opposition, and his press secretary today said he would do so again now he is PM. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch would not commit to releasing hers either, with a spokesman saying she would wait to see what the Chancellor did. Last February Sir Keir revealed he paid almost 100,000 in tax in the previous year - with more than half of the Labour leader's tax bill coming from the sale of a donkey field he partly-owned. In a summary of his tax affairs released by Labour, Sir Keir was shown to have paid 44,308 in income tax in 2022/23. This came from his earnings as an MP, the Leader of the Opposition, royalties, and interest on bank savings. Sir Keir also paid 52,688 in capital gains tax, following the sale of a field in December 2022 partly owned by himself and partly owned by his father's estate. It was previously reported that the Labour leader had sold a plot of land he had bought in the 1990s for his parents, who used it to care for neglected donkeys. Reports at the time put the sale at 400,000. According to the latest tax summary, Sir Keir gained 275,739 from the land sale. Asked if the PM would continue to publish his tax return, his press secretary replied: 'Yes. He published his tax return in opposition and will do so as Prime Minister.' At the same time last year, Ms Badenoch's predecessor as Tory leader, Rishi Sunak, revealed he paid more than half a million pounds in tax in a year. In a summary of his tax affairs released by Labour, Sir Keir was shown to have paid 44,308 in income tax and 52,688 in Capital Gains Tax in 2022/23 The then prime minister filed his personal income details showing he paid some 508,308 in the 2022-2023 financial year. This was up from 432,493 he paid the previous year - an increase of just over 75,000 and almost double the 227,350 he paid in 2019-20, before the pandemic. Ms Reeves' predecessor in No 11 Jeremy Hunt paid a total of 117,418 in UK tax in 2022/2023, a summary of his return showed. His total income before tax was 416,605, including 27,370 in rental income. Kemi Badenoch's spokesman suggested that the Conservative leader is waiting to see what the Chancellor does with her tax returns. Asked if Ms Badenoch would publish her tax return, a spokesman for the Tory leader said: 'She is in opposition and she will wait to see what Rachel Reeves does.' When it was pointed out that Keir Starmer and his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn both published theirs when opposition leader he added: 'She is in opposition, let's see.' Pushed further on the point, the spokesman later added: 'The point is we are in opposition, you can ask me this question when we form a government in four years.' A son allegedly stabbed his architect father to death after turning up at his parents' 3.5m home, a court has heard. Rory Talbot, 30, was charged with murder after Mark Talbot, 75, was found dead at his riverside townhouse on Deodar Road, Putney, in the early hours of 24 January. Bearded Rory spoke to confirm his name and date of birth when he appeared at the Old Bailey. Mr Talbot was found covered in blood and was pronounced dead by emergency services at 4.30am. Rory Talbot, of Mossbury Road, Wandsworth, was remanded in custody until a plea and trial preparation hearing on 25 April. A provisional two-week trial date was set for 27 October. Rory Talbot (pictured) appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court this morning to face a single charge of murder Mark Talbot, 75, (pictured) was allegedly killed by his 30-year-old son, Rory Talbot Mark Talbot's family said: 'We are grateful for the support provided by police, our neighbours and others. We ask that our privacy is respected while we come to terms with the tragic loss of a highly respected member of the community.' Mr Talbot ran architectural firm Stoutheart Ltd for more than 30 years. In 1987 he purchased the Racton Monument, an 80ft Grade II-listed folly in Chichester, West Sussex, which overlooks the Isle of Wight and the English Channel. The tower was designed by architect Theodosius Keene for Lord Halifax, and was built in the 1760s to host banquets on the ground floor and provide views of the Solent from the tower. The crumbling folly is said to be haunted, with locals reporting seeing flying bricks and faces appearing in its windows. Police were called to an address in SW15 following reports of a stabbing on Friday Forensic investigators at the scene in Putney, London, following a fatal stabbing Mr Talbot once applied for planning permission to turn the Georgian Gothic edifice into a dwelling but this was refused in 2020 by the South Downs National Park Authority. The monument had become plagued with flytippers and illegal raves, as well as 'undesirable and sometimes illegal gatherings', Mr Talbot had said in his application. Donald Trump's 'war' against illegal migrants has scored a stunning symbolic victory by sweeping through a notorious apartment complex that had been overrun by a violent Venezuelan gang. After federal agents stormed the complex in Aurora, Denver, the Drug Enforcement Administration said they'd arrested a suspected member of the feared Tren de Aragua. Footage posted by the DEA shows a handcuffed man being escorted out of The Edge at Lowry apartments in Aurora. 'DEA/local LEO partners continue hitting streets day/night pursuing drug criminals,' the DEA said. 'A suspected member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) was taken into custody in the Denver area overnight. Due to the ongoing investigation, more info may be released later today.' The takeover of the apartment complex shocked Americans after security cameras filmed six men armed with guns in the complex brazenly trying to access units in August, 2024. The takeover became a defining election moment as public anger mounted over America's porous borders when ABC host Martha Raddatz told JD Vance that 'only a hand full' of apartment blocks had been seized by the gang. 'Martha, do you hear yourself? Only 'a handful of apartment complexes' in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris' open border?', Vance responded. ICE officials said on Tuesday that they arrested one of the alleged gangsters seen in the footage in New York City. Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 26, is wanted in Colorado on felony warrants and was arrested in the Bronx, according to officials. The DEA in Colorado said they arrested a suspected member of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang overnight at The Edge at Lowry apartments in Aurora The apartment complex made national news after security cameras filmed six men armed with long guns in the complex and trying to get into units in August, 2024 Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem attended Tuesday's dawn raid and confirmed an an individual with kidnapping, assault and burglary charges was taken into custody. She shared footage of the swoop on X and vowed to clamp down on 'dirtbags.' 'Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets,' Noem wrote. 'We are doing this right - doing exactly what President Trump promised the American people - making our streets safe.' Alleged Tren de Aragua ringleader Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco is among those who were arrested after ICE officers conducted their first raid in New York City The DEA has been conducting operations in the Denver area as they target undocumented criminals with criminal records. Drug Enforcement Administration officials found 49 people inside a makeshift nightclub in Adams County on Sunday morning - 41 of which were undocumented migrants. Federal officials said some of those detained were associated with the violent Tren de Aragua which has been terrorizing the neighborhood. The early morning raid was conducted alongside officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). 'Drugs, weapons, and cash were seized in Adams County,' officials said on X. At least 41 illegal immigrants have been arrested during a raid on a Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang party in Colorado The early morning raid was conducted alongside officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) 'Nearly 50 illegal aliens were taken into custody.' The party was 'invite only', officials said. Known as TdA to law enforcement, the gang originated in a Venezuelan prison. Members of the South American mafia have since crept into the US via the southern border, hidden among the one million Venezuelan migrants fleeing a socialist dictatorship who have entered the country under the Biden administration. It emerged in December that Tren de Aragua, which has been dubbed the 'epitome of evil' and 'MS-13 on steroids', is already operating in 18 states. This includes some of the most remote corners of the America in Colorado, North Dakota, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming. The bloodthirsty criminals also maintain strongholds in major cities across Texas as well as New York and Chicago. They can often be identified by telltale tattoos, including a train ('tren' is Spanish for train), a crown, a clock and an AK-47. 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. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary today launched an astonishing attack on Rachel Reeves as he blasted her 'clueless' efforts to boost growth. The Irish businessman delivered a withering verdict on the Chancellor's bid to kickstart the UK's flagging economy, which she set out in a major speech earlier. He branded her 'Rachel Rubbish', claimed her Treasury team were 'out of touch with 'f***ing reality', and lambasted her 'insane' increase to taxes on flying. His outburst came after Ms Reeves put Government support for a third runway at Heathrow at the heart of her growth plans. But Mr O'Leary dismissed the planned expansion of Europe's busiest airport as a 'dead cat' and said it would not happen before the 2040s at the earliest. He instead demanded the Chancellor scrap Air Passenger Duty (APD) as 'the thing that will deliver growth'. 'The UK continues to lose out on enormous growth opportunities because you have a Chancellor who hasn't a clue about how to deliver growth,' Mr O'Leary fumed. He added that Ms Reeves had 'five years' to prepare for being Chancellor and 'managed to screw it up in her first Budget'. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary launched an astonishing attack on Rachel Reeves as he blasted her 'clueless' efforts to boost growth The Irish businessman delivered a withering verdict on the Chancellor's bid to kickstart the UK's flagging economy, which she set out in a major speech earlier Mr O'Leary dismissed the planned expansion of Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, as a 'dead cat' and said it would not happen before the 2040s at the earliest In October, in the first Labour Budget in 14 years, Ms Reeves announced 40billion in tax rises. This included increases in APD from the 2026/27 financial year meaning, for those travelling in economy on a short-haul flight, a rise in APD from 13 to 15. Speaking at a press conference, Mr O'Leary revealed he had written to Ms Reeves in December to urge her to abolish APD if she 'really wants to deliver growth'. He said he received a reply this week 'from some dopey junior minister' who, he added, claimed the 2 increase in APD represented '1 per cent of an avergae air fare'. 'I don't what f***ing airline this dopey git actually flies on that has an economy air fare of 200,' Mr O'Leary continued. 'But the 2 is not 1 per cent of an average air fare. But it probably shows you just how out of touch HM Treasury are with f***ing reality. 'The average fare on Ryanair last year in the UK was 44.' Mr O'Leary described APD at 15 as 'insane' as it represents 'a rate of tax of 33 per cent on Ryanair's average ticket price'. 'Nothing is designed to damage growth faster than increasing taxes on air travel,' he added. Ms Reeves earlier announced she is supporting a third runway being built at Heathrow, saying the Government is 'inviting' the airport to bring forward proposals. But the Ryanair boss said: 'The third runway at Heathrow is a dead cat. 'If it ever arrives, it will be about 2040, 2045 or 2050, in fact long after I've departed from Ryanair. 'It will not deliver any growth. The thing that will deliver growth is abolishing APD.' He added: 'Here's the prize we've offered to Rachel Reeves. We deliver about 60 million passengers a year to the UK. 'Within five years, we could grow that by 50 per cent to 90 million passengers, and all she has to do is abolish APD.' This would cost the Government 4billion which would be 'paid back two-fold within 12 months' because of growth in passengers, Mr O'Leary said. A Treasury spokesperson said: 'The third runway at Heathrow is expected to boost the economy by billions of pounds every year by 2050, create over 100,000 jobs across the UK, and lead to cheaper fares and fewer delays. 'This Government is focused on long-term growth, not sticking plaster politics.' A teenage healthcare worker in Georgia who prompted outrage after posting a video of her provocatively dancing on top of a disabled man's head has been arrested. Lucrecia Kormassa Koiyan, 19, was taken into custody at her home in Loganville, outside of Atlanta, on Tuesday after the video went viral. She was charged with a felony for the exploitation of a disabled person and was booked into the Walton County Jail, according to the Loganville Police Department. 'When I watched [the video], disgusted is the only word I know,' Police Chief Dick Lowry told WSB-TV. 'He is disabled and then making the video and posting it to social media for your own benefit is the exploitation of that person.' A second video, which is believed to be a parody, circulated of her doing a similar dance over another man's head as he sat in a bathtub. Police said she might also face charges for that incident as well. 'Were looking at both of them, but it is still an ongoing investigation,' Lowry said. Koiyan was working at an in-home adult daycare program when the incidents occurred, police said. Lucrecia Kormassa Koiyan, 19, was taken into custody at her Loganville, Georgia home on Tuesday. She was charged with a felony for the exploitation of a disabled person and was booked into the Walton County Jail Koiyan went viral after posting a video of her dancing provocatively on top of a disabled man's head The victims were uninjured and are in the care of their families and other caretakers, according to WSB-TV. In the first video, Koiyan was seen rubbing her buttocks on the patient's head while standing on the handles of his wheelchair. The man in the video remains silent throughout with his head cast down. Koiyan sparked further fury after posting a video responding to the backlash, in which she tried to blame the 'angle' of the camera. 'It's not what it looks like, trust and believe, angles play a part,' she said. 'A lot of people want to comment about sexual assault, rape, all type of dumb s**t. 'Trust and believe, he is verbal and I got proof,' she added before stitching a clip she claimed was of the same man speaking. 'He looks very aware and comfortable to me so y'all need to stop jumping to conclusions. I do see how it looks but trust me it's not that,' she laughed. The video has since been deleted from her account. A second video circulated of her doing a similar dance over another man's head as he sat in a bathtub. Police said she might also face charges for that incident as well The initial footage sparked fury online, with viewers left incredulous by her inappropriate antics. 'You need locking up and your registration taking off you for life,' one person wrote. 'I'm in utter shock,' another added. 'Girl you not even supposed to post your patients let alone dance on they [sic] head, assault them and exploit them for views,' a third person fumed. An Oklahoma mechanic accused of fleecing one of his clients of $115,000 in bogus car repairs has made an astonishing attempt to blame the ordeal on his wife. James Voyles, 51, took on the project of restoring a 1967 Ford F100 for Tim Hayes - who brought the classic vehicle into his shop, Iconic Motors & Classic Corner Iconic Cars in Oklahoma City, in February 2023. Hayes purchased the teal pickup truck for his then 14-year-old son with hopes it would be repaired by the time he turned 16 on February 15th of this year. Two years later and just weeks until his son's birthday, the car is still not restored. In early January Hayes decided it was time to pick up the truck even though it's not drivable. Despite being in contact with Voyles during the entire process, the mechanic - whose name and number is listed on the shop door - revealed that his wife, Charito Rodriguez-Voyles is actually the owner of the shop. 'Her last name is Rodriguez-Voyles. She has her maiden name and then she has her married name because of her Colombian passport,' Voyles told News 4, adding that the outlet should direct all questions to her. The mechanic went on to emphasize that his wife is a 'Colombian woman owner,' adding 'So, I mean, think about the spin on that.' On his Facebook page, Voyles is listed as the owner of the shop, while his wife is listed as a worker. It is unclear if she is involved in the conflict. James Voyles, 51, the owner of Iconic Motors/ Classic Corner Iconic Cars in Oklahoma City is accused of trying blame his wife after collecting more than $115,000 for restorations to a 1967 Ford F100 Tim Hayes brought the classic vehicle to the shop in February 2023 with hopes of it being ready for his son's 16th birthday on February 15 of this year Two years later and just weeks until his son's birthday, the car is still not restored. In early January Hayes (pictured) decided it was time to pick up the truck even though it's not drivable Hayes brought the car to the shop two years ago and told Voyles that he just wanted them to 'clean the motor up, clean the transmission up, make it look nice, nice, remodeled truck.' He was told that the repairs would be finished by July of that year, but now, years later, the car is still not fixed. Frustrated with how long it's taken, Hayes decided to bite the bullet and pick up the truck earlier this month even though repairs were not completed. 'They ripped it down to nothing on it and everything and just sat on it and then kept saying, "Oh we're waiting on parts and we're waiting on this and that",' Hayes recalled. When he went to the shop, Hayes was told he needed to fork over an additional $12,000 and sign a non-disclosure agreement before allowing him to tow it away. In the two years the shop had custody of the car, Hayes said that he was sent multiple invoices for the work that Voyles claimed was being done to the car. 'Every two or three months he hits you again [with an invoice],' Hayes said, adding that Voyles would tell him "Hey, I need it. Here's another invoice." At one point, Voyles told Hayes about Title 42 - a law that allows auto shops to possess a client's car as its own if the customer has failed to pay for the work within a certain period of time. Hayes said that he cooperated and paid the auto shop more than $115,000 so the truck he promised his son would not be repossessed. While Hayes tried to get to the bottom of his car dilemma, Voyles clarified that his wife, Charito Rodriguez-Voyles (pictured), who emigrated from Colombia, is actually the owner of the shop Hayes told the outlet that he just wanted the shop (pictured) to 'clean the motor up, clean the transmission up, make it look nice, nice, remodeled truck' An employee at Iconic Motors/Classic Corner Iconic Cars told DailyMail.com that Hayes decided to pick up the car 'not allowing us to finish it.' Hayes said that his son has been left devastated after hearing that he won't be getting his truck in time for his birthday. 'Hes disappointed, you know. He knows he aint getting the truck,' the father said. In response to Hayes accusing the shop of taking too long, Voyles said that Hayes has no right to seek a refund for the money he gave the shop because the payments meant that he agreed to the restoration. The mechanic also noted that Hayes never had a formal contract with the shop that clarified the cost and time for the repairs. Hayes said he now regrets his decision. 'I guess bad on my part. I probably should have got it documented on paper, but we didn't,' he said. Voyles told him that repairs would be finished by July of that year, but when he picked up his car a couple weeks ago it was not in the same condition he left it in In the two years it took for the shop to make the necessary repairs, Hayes said that he was sent multiple invoices for the work that Voyles claimed was being done to the car Voyles said the reason for all the setbacks on the classic car were mainly due to staff illnesses and part shortages. He added that the hefty prices Hayes was charged are standard for a restoration job like this. When asked how he feels about Hayes calling him and his shop out for the setbacks, Voyles again brought up his wife. 'So for him to try and blow this and turn this around, I mean, I just think it's unfair for a majority or a minority Colombian female lady in the industry,' Voyles said. Voyles told the outlet that his wife is 'very anxious to speak with you as a Colombian female business owner.' He went on to threaten to 'sue the living heck' out of News 4, adding that Hayes' 'invoices and the business he did was with class corner iconic cars, my wife, who is very anxious to speak with you as a Colombian female business owner as Ive also given you her number,' he wrote. Despite saying that his wife wanted to chat, the outlet struggled to get in contact with Voyle after that. The mechanic repeatedly emphasized that his wife is a 'Colombian woman owner.' (Pictured: Voyles and Charito Rodriguez-Voyles) On January 28, an office manager sent over a statement in reference to the car fiasco. 'At Classic Corner Iconic Cars, we are committed to providing exceptional work product and customer service by actively listening to our customers needs, resolving issues efficiently, and building lasting relationships,' the shop said. The office manager said when Hayes brought the pickup truck in, it had to be rebuilt 'from the ground up.' 'This type of restoration does take much more time to complete. With this and any restoration project, there is no guaranteed timeline. 'Mr. Hayes was fully aware of this before allowing us to work on the vehicle. It would be irresponsible for us to promise a completion date for such a project,' they added. The business said that because of 'unknown factors' that arose during the restoration process, the car's completion was delayed. On his Facebook page, Voyles is listed as the owner of the shop, while his wife is listed as a worker. (Pictured: Voyles and his wife) 'Parts that are needed for older vehicles are often not readily available. Some have to be custom-made, others come from specialty vendors, and in many cases such as this one, needed parts were on backorder which is out of our control,' the shop continued, adding that during that time, Hayes 'decided to make some changes during the restoration process.' The shop also said that Hayes 'did not pay his invoices in time which caused further delays.' 'We have always been in communication with Mr. Hayes to keep him updated on the progress and get his approval (that included costs) before moving to the next phase of work. We pride ourselves on offering restoration labor services well below most other shops,' they added. The shop said that because of the 'many variables that came up during the restoration process,' they could not 'guarantee a completion date.' DailyMail.com contacted both Voyles and his wife for comment. A stepmom in Brazil has been charged with murder after a three-year-old girl drowned in a washing machine. Isabelly Oliveira Assumpcao was left by her stepmother, Suzana Dazar dos Santos, on a plastic bench in front of the washing machine, which was full of water and toys, according to a CNN Brasil report. The little girl reportedly fell into the machine and drowned on May 7, 2022, which the Public Prosecutor's Office of Parana have now 'classified as intentional homicide,' according to UOL. According to the PM, Suzana had found the little girl and called for help, at which time neighbors called teams from Samu and the city's firefighters. The little girl was unable to be revived. Her father, Alex dos Santos Assumpcao, said: 'Nothing will repair the loss, having lost her, but justice will calm our hearts a little... Due to the evidence that we have, that has come and that is yet to come, we believe that they are absolutely right.' 'These recent times have not been easy for us, because it is an irreplaceable loss, I can say that I do not want anyone to go through what we went through, but I want justice to be served.' Prosecutors claimed that jealousy was the motivation behind the crime, stating that Suzana believed her stepdaughter's relationship with her father harmed their relationship due to the father's proximity to his ex-wife, Isabelly's mother. Isabelly Oliveira Assumpcao, 3, was left on a plastic bench in front of a washing machine filled with water and toys before she fell in and drowned Her stepmother, Suzana Dazar dos Santos, has been charged as the Public Prosecutor's Office 'classified the crime as an intentional homicide' Prosecutors claimed that jealousy was the motivation behind the crime, stating that Suzana believed her stepdaughter's relationship with her father harmed their relationship due to the father's proximity to his ex-wife, Isabelly's mother The 17th Prosecutor's Office of Cascavel claimed that Suzana 'was fully aware of the risk cause by her conduct and assumed the risk of causing the victim to fall inside the washing machine and drown.' Attorney Paulo Hara Junior claimed Santos had a 'good relationship' with Isabelly, according to a G1 report. Junior added that there was 'no evidence that she intended to take her life.' A lawyer for Isabelly's mother, however, claims that the scenario was set up for her death. 'She prepared a whole situation for the crime to happen,' the translated G1 report stated. 'The machine, the stool, she was in her socks, the toys were put in the water. Due to the family's history, she was not one to play,' defense lawyer Alexander Beilner said. 'Several indications lead to believe that everything was prepared, so that it resulted in death.' 'The fact that she spent more than thirty minutes alone in a laundry room in these serious circumstances. All these indications that appear in the records, which was deliberated by the stepmother,' Beilner added. Her father, Alex dos Santos Assumpcao, said: 'Nothing will repair the loss, having lost her, but justice will calm our hearts a little... Due to the evidence that we have, that has come and that is yet to come, we believe that they are absolutely right' Attorney Paulo Hara Junior claimed that Santos (pictured) had a 'good relationship' with Isabelly and added that there was 'no evidence that she intended to take her life' Isabelly's father added: 'We are very happy with the MP's statement. We have always believed in justice. We always knew that we could trust justice. 'And the facts are there, and there is more to come. We have never accused anyone. We just want justice for our daughter.' The Public Prosecutor's Office is requesting Santos be brought before a jury trial under the qualifiers of vile motive, half cruel, victim under 14 years of age and domestic and family violence. The Prosecutor's Office also pointed out Suzana already had a criminal record for assaulting her own daughter when she was four years old. A painting bought for less than $50 at a Minnesota yard sale is actually an undiscovered $15 million Van Gogh masterpiece, experts believe. The piece features a fisherman smoking his pipe while mending his net on an deserted beach. It was purchased by an unsuspecting antiques dealer who spotted it in a bin filled with paintings in 2019. He was immediately struck by the similarities in brush strokes between those in the painting and the famous Dutch master's. The unidentified buyer sold the work to LMI Group International, which has spent $300,000 and utilized around 30 experts in their quest to prove the painting's veracity. LMI sent their lawyer Lawrence Shindel to verify the piece Maxwell Anderson, the former Met curator, the Wall Street Journal reports. The experts were encouraged by what they found - including what appeared to be a possibly telltale reddish hair embedded in the paint. Van Gogh was famed for his russet locks. 'Was I all in? No,' Anderson explained, 'but I was super intrigued.' A painting bought for less than $50 at a Minnesota yard sale is actually a $15 million Van Gogh masterpiece , experts believe Experts believe it was painted by Van Gogh while he was a patient at a psychiatric hospital in the south of France Another clue was the signature 'Elimar' which was inscribed in the bottom of the painting. While not Van Gogh's own name, the moniker was used in another verified Van Gogh painting and experts from digital agency Odd Common noted the similarity between the script in both signatures. It is widely accepted among scholars that the Dutch artist frequently did not sign his own name, so the lack of signature is not an issue. Anderson and Shindel began to posit that the piece could form part of a body of work painted by Van Gogh while he was convalescing at a psychiatric hospital in the south of France. The collection of 150 paintings took inspiration from other artist's works and were described as 'translations' by Van Gogh in letters to his brother Theo. Anderson and Shindel noted that a similar artwork by Danish painter Michael Anchers 1870s-1880s 'Portrait of Niels Gaihede' also features a fisherman in a similar pose. They believe Van Gogh may have copied the works of other artists in his own style during this era, which may explain why the color palette on the unearthed work is duller than his usual hues. Anderson and Shindel had a way to go before convincing Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum, which says it receives around 40 potentially credible submissions every year. The experts enlisted the help of Jennifer Mass, president of Scientific Analysis of Fine Art who studied the pigment and composition of the canvas to try and date the piece. They noted that this signature appears on another verified Van Gogh painting Around 30 experts and $300,000 has been spent by the painting's new owners to try and prove its provenance She determined that the canvas' thread count tallied with those produced in Van Gogh's day. However, one of the colors used could not be dated to the Van Gogh's lifetime until Mass sought help from Ben Appleton, a patent lawyer with Wilson Gunn. Appleton sifted through reams of handwritten French patents until he managed to locate one from 1883 which corresponded to the color and which challenged the assumption that the paint was not made until the 1900s. The patent was filed by the Colored Materials and Chemical Products of Saint-Denis, a suburb in Paris. Van Gogh's paints were provided by his Parisian brother. The discovery has also helped experts more accurately date other artworks which use the same paint. The findings of the study will be unveiled at a private event for Van Gogh experts later this month. The only way to obtain verification is to get a scholar at the Van Gogh museum to sign off on it. Van Gogh was born in the Dutch city of Zundert in 1853 and shot himself dead in 1890 aged just 37. The artist struggled with mental health issues throughout his life and famously severed his left ear with a razor following an argument with famed French painter Paul Gaugin. He had only begun to experience success in the final year of his life, with his tragic suicide subsequently turbocharging interest in his works. They include the seminal Sunflowers paintings and The Starry Night. The experts sought help from a historian who analyzed the thread count of the canvas and the kind of paint use to date it to Van Gogh's lifetime The discovery of the suspected new Van Gogh is not the first time a high end artwork has been picked up from humble circumstances. A Washington DC woman managed to find a 2,000-year-old Mayan vase at a thrift store. While Texan woman Laura Young picked up a priceless Roman bust for just $35 at her local Goodwill. A Detroit priest overseeing a tour of religious relics was arrested for putting a girl's hair in his mouth and pretending to floss with it in front of her fellow students, authorities said. Father Carlos Martins, 50, who is known for his exorcism work and for hosting The Exorcist Files podcast, was charged with misdemeanor battery for the November 21, 2024 incident at a church in Joliet, Illinois. At the time, a teenage girl was in line to view a relic of St. Jude the Apostle, part of a traveling exhibit led by Martins. Police said that Martins approached the girl, commented on her hair, and then grabbed it before making a 'flossing' motion with it in his mouth. The girl also told police that Martins later sat behind her and made a growling noise. Following an investigation, the Will County State's Attorney's Office approved the battery charge against Martins. He was arrested on Monday. Martins' lawyer, Marcella Burke, called the charge, which carries a $100 fine, 'egregious and unfounded.' 'The evidence will show that Father Carlos did not "floss" with a student's hair or "growl" among other completely false and repulsive accusations,' Burke said in a statement to Stella Maris Media. Father Carlos Martins, 50, who is known for his exorcism work and for hosting The Exorcist Files podcast, was charged with misdemeanor battery for the November 21, 2024 incident at a church in Joliet, Illinois The alleged incident occurred while the girl was in line to view a relic of St. Jude the Apostle, part of a traveling exhibit led by Martins The lawyer described the accusations as 'a takedown of a good priest and an attempted shakedown of the Church,' expressing confidence in his exoneration. Burke previously stated that Martins' interaction with the girl was brief and took place in a classroom setting with numerous witnesses, according to a Nov. 25 letter from Martins' attorney obtained by OSV. The exchange occurred during a presentation as he joked with approximately 200 students gathered to venerate the relic. 'As he always does, Father Martins began his interaction with the attendees in "chit-chat" dialogue. He is bald and apt to joke about it as a conversation starter,' Burke said in the letter . 'During his conversation with the older students, he made a comment to a student about her long hair, remarking, "You and I have almost the same hairstyle," a comment met with giggles. 'He then remarked that he also once had long hair like hers, and he joked he would "floss my teeth with it." Again, his comment was meant for a teenage audience and was met with laughter. 'He then asked the student, "Have you ever flossed with your hair?" Laughing, she shook her head, no. He then said, "Well, you have the perfect length for it," as he lifted up a lock from her shoulders to show her its length. She giggled along with the others.' When the girl shared the story with her family at home, her father 'became upset by what he heard and called the police,' Burke noted in her November statement. Police said that Martins approached the girl, commented on her hair, and then grabbed it before making a 'flossing' motion with it in his mouth Originally from Ontario, Canada, and a former atheist who converted to Catholicism, Father Martins co-hosts The Exorcist Files podcast with Ryan Bethea, featuring firsthand accounts from his experiences as an exorcist The event at the parish was subsequently canceled, and Bishop Ronald Hicks canceled further relic tour stops in the area. Martins' order, the Companions of the Cross, initially suspended him pending an investigation but later stated that he is entitled to due process. 'The Companions of the Cross look upon allegations of misconduct as an urgent matter that requires serious attention,' its statement reads. 'We pray for all those who are affected by this painful situation.' Father Martins served as 'the church-appointed custodian of the relic,' overseeing the 'Apostle of the Impossible' tour, which displayed what are believed to be bone fragments from St. Jude's arm in a reliquary at churches and schools across the country. The tour began in September 2023, but its official website now lists all remaining stops through December 2024 as 'canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.' Originally from Ontario, Canada, and a former atheist who converted to Catholicism, Father Martins co-hosts The Exorcist Files podcast with Ryan Bethea, featuring firsthand accounts from his experiences as an exorcist. A former senior policy advisor to the US government who flew to the UK to have sex with a girl who he believed to be nine-years-old has been jailed for 11-and-a-half years. International investment banker Rahamim Shy, 47, travelled to Bedfordshire from New York in February 2024 to have sex with the girl following more than a month of planning. This followed correspondence with an individual describing herself as 'Debbie', the girl's grandmother. However, unbeknown to Shy, the girl did not exist and 'Debbie' was in fact an undercover officer with Bedfordshire Police. Shy, a US citizen, who lives in New Jersey, worked for the White House under president Barack Obama and secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Using an online forum and later messaging apps, Shy described in acute detail the disturbing acts he wanted to do to the girl and that he was fully prepared to travel to England to do so. He described the girl's age of nine as a 'tad late' to start sexual activity, and that it was an 'honour' to be considered 'her first'. Shy travelled to England on February 23 2024 through Gatwick Airport before driving to Bedford where he met the undercover officer and was promptly arrested. Before his trial, the defence argued that Shy was in the USA at the time of the messaging, therefore was jurisdictionally exempt from prosecution. Rahamim 'Rami' Shy (pictured) has been jailed for 11-and-a-half years after he flew to the UK to rape a girl who he believed to be a nine-year-old child Using an online forum and later messaging apps, Shy described in acute detail the disturbing acts he wanted to do to the girl On arrest, officers located cuddly toys and condoms, pictured, within Shy's luggage A look at the cuddly toys found within Shy's luggage. The prosecution argued that the items demonstrated a clear intent to win the child over before abusing her However, prosecutors with CPS Thames and Chiltern successfully argued that English courts have jurisdiction to try offences committed abroad that are intended to result in criminal offences in England. That defence was subsequently abandoned. During his trial, the prosecution used extensive digital and physical evidence to prove Shy's intent to commit sexual offences against the girl. His depraved messages were laid bare, as were recorded voice messages and calls. He also attempted to erase messages on a specific messaging app shortly after arriving in the UK. On arrest, officers located cuddly toys and condoms within Shy's luggage. The prosecution argued the items demonstrated a clear intent to win the child over before abusing her. Crucially, the prosecution succeeded in putting forward bad character evidence to the jury which revealed messages on Shy's phone in which he discussed with others his sexual interest in children. Indecent images of children were also found on his phone. Following a trial at Luton Crown Court, Shy was found guilty of arranging the commission of a child sex offence - namely rape and possessing indecent photographs of a child. Following a trial at Luton Crown Court (pictured), Shy was found guilty of arranging the commission of a child sex offence Former US President Barack Obama in 2014. Shy worked for the White House under president Barack Obama He was sentenced on the same day to a total of 11 years and six months' imprisonment. Lorraine Telford, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Rahamim Shy is a predator who was fully prepared to commit unspeakable acts against a child for his own sexual gratification. 'It was clear from his explicit conversations and items he brought to England that he had only one intention, to commit rape against what he knew was a vulnerable child. 'The fact the child in this case did not exist makes no difference, and it is a credit to the police operation and subsequent prosecution that Shy will no longer pose an immediate threat. 'All children have the right to feel safe and protected and I hope this conviction sends a clear message that the CPS, working closely alongside law enforcement, will relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who seek to sexually exploit children.' A Canadian ex-lawmaker hoping to replace Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister has vowed to deport every illegal immigrant in the country if she is elected. Ruby Dhalla, who describes herself as 'Canada's female Donald Trump', has thrown her hat into the ring to become the leader of Trudeau's Liberal Party at leadership elections in March. In her pitch to voters this week, Dhalla said the estimated half a million illegal immigrants in Canada was 'unacceptable', and pledged to 'clamp down on human traffickers.' 'As the daughter of immigrant parents, I know firsthand that immigrants have helped build our great country, but we must clamp down on human trafficking and those that are here illegally,' she said. 'As your prime minister, I promise you I will deport every illegal immigrant in Canada. Canada's comeback starts now.' Dhalla is one of six candidates vying to become leader of Canada's Liberal Party in March, with the winner becoming Prime Minister and taking the party into the general election in October. Polling from Global News this month found Trudeau's former deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland is leading the race at 29 percent support, with former Bank of Canada and Bank of England Governor Mark Carney second at 17 percent. Dhalla was not included in the poll taken at the start of the month, however separate polling from Abacus found Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre would comfortably win an election held today with 43 percent support to the Liberals' 22 percent. Ruby Dhalla, an ex-Canadian MP and self-described 'Canada's female Donald Trump', has vowed to deport every illegal immigrant in the country if she is elected the nation's next Prime Minister Dhalla, pictured with Justin Trudeau in 2011, is one of six candidates vying to become leader of Canada's Liberal Party in March, with the winner becoming Prime Minister and taking the party into the general election in October Dhalla threw her name into the race later than some other candidates, with Carney - a former close Trudeau advisor - launching his campaign days after Trudeau's shock resignation. Dhalla served in Canada's Parliament from 2004 to 2011 as an MP for Brampton -Springdale, but was voted out of office 14 years ago. To run in the leadership election, candidates must raise $350,000, with five others also joining the race alongside Dhalla. She has made immigration a central plank of her campaign, focusing on the large influx of illegal immigrants Canada has seen under Trudeau. The issue peaked in 2023 when 143,870 people illegally entered the country, with the Canada Border Services Agency admitting last year that it had lost track of many others who had overstayed visas or requested asylum, per True North News. Dhalla has taken to social media to gain traction, and in another video posted to X she said she hoped her candidacy opens the race to new voters. 'I think my candidacy is going to engage an entire new demographic of people to our party and into the Canadian political system. So, lets keep going,' she said. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation in January and will step down when his replacement is elected in March Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre will face off with Trudeau's replacement in October, and polls show he is expected to comfortably come out on top Trudeau's shock resignation in January came in the aftermath of Donald Trump's election in the US, as he quickly threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian trade. Trump taunted his rival to the north by suggesting that Canada could become America's 51st state, with the falling out leading to Freeland's resignation and ultimately Trudeau's ousting. Poilievre, 45, was quickly touted as Canada's next leader, and within days polling aggregator Polymarket found that he had a 92 percent chance of becoming the country's next Prime Minister. In Canada's political system, the prime minister is not elected directly, but chosen by the members of the majority party in parliament currently the left-leaning Liberals. But as the Liberal party struggles in the polls, that could change in October's parliamentary elections. If the Conservatives obtain parliamentary majority, they will place their leader Poilievre as prime minister. Poilievre has previously said Canada needs an immediate election and requires a prime minister who can face Trump from a position of strength. Locals are furious with Wyoming legislators after they refused to outright ban people from purposely running over wildlife with snowmobiles and other vehicles. State politicians are attempting to respond to global outrage over photos that emerged last year of a Wyoming man torturing a wolf after he hit it with his snowmobile. In February 2024, Cody Roberts paraded the injured wolf around a bar in Daniel, a small town near Bridger-Teton National Forest. A smiling Roberts even posed for a picture alongside the miserable animal, seen with duct tape wrapped around its snout, before he took it out behind the bar and killed it. Further outrage ensued when it came to light that Roberts was only fined $250 for the offense, which was deemed the illegal possession of a live, warm-blooded animal. An online petition demanding Roberts face harsher punishment has more than 26,000 signatures. A separate petition calling for the strengthening of Wyoming's wildlife abuse laws has more than 25,000 signatures. Wyoming Wildlife Federation spokeswoman Jess Johnson said what Roberts did 'came up over and over and over and over again' during a conference on wolves she recently attended in Arizona nearly a year after the incident. 'So we need to do something,' Johnson told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday. In February 2024, Cody Roberts captured an injured wolf after hitting it with his snowmobile. He then paraded the animal around a local bar before killing it This week, certain members of the state House of Representatives unanimously voted to advance House Bill 275 to the floor. In its current form, the measure bans the deliberate prolonging of an animal's suffering but does not explicitly prohibit people from running animals down with vehicles - a practice commonly known as 'whacking' or 'mashing.' 'Why can we not put something in a bill that stops the use of motorized, over-the-ground vehicles and over-the-snow vehicles to be used as a weapon to kill any wildlife, including predators?' Republican Representative Mike Schmid said on Tuesday to the House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Committee. Sylvia Bagdonas of Laramie, a city near the Colorado border, also testified in front of the committee. Bagdonas, too, thinks running down predators with snowmobiles is by definition cruel, which is why it should be banned. An earlier form of the bill written by the committee made it a felony to allow a predatory animal to suffer, even on the first offense. The committee was reportedly talked out of this by Wyoming Game and Fish Department Chief of Wildlife Dan Smith. Smith said it would be better to give game wardens, law enforcement officers who protect wildlife, the power to treat each offense on a case-by-case basis. And there are those that believe an out-and-out moratorium on using vehicles to pursue predators would go too far. Executives representing ranchers say snowmobiles are a crucial tool of predator control so animals like wolves don't prey on their livestock (Pictured: Tourists ride snowmobiles on a trail in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming) A gray male wolf is seen stalking prey in Yellowstone National Park Among them is Jim Magagna, the executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association. He explained that ranchers rely on vehicles to clear predators, especially coyotes, out of their land before they move their livestock in. And while Magagna condemned what happened to the wolf in Daniel, he pointed out that wolves themselves can be quite cruel to cattle and sheep on farms. 'They torment, they molest them, they leave them half dead and half alive,' Magagna said. Alison Crane, executive director of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association, shared similar sentiments, saying that a ban could unintentionally put a chilling effect on ranchers' predator control. Committee member Liz Storer, a Democrat, proposed an amendment to the bill that would have mandated predators be killed in a 'humane' manner, regardless of how they are killed. Other committee members said even that was too vague, with Republican Representative Robert Wharff saying it would be difficult to enforce and could lead to charges against people who didn't intend to make animals suffer. Representative Karlee Provenza, a Democrat, said she got calls from hundreds of her constituents regarding the wolf incident in Daniel last year. She said she understood why some believe the bill doesn't go far enough, even saying she herself was 'torn' on how to proceed. But she ultimately voted 'aye' to send the measure to the House floor, reasoning that it is better to do something than nothing at all. Will YOU have to sell your home for Heathrow? Will YOU have to sell your home for Heathrow? Email tips@dailymail.co.uk Residents of an historic village that faces demolition to make way for a third runway at Heathrow Airport have accused the Government of 'betrayal' - and fumed that they will be left hundreds of thousands of pounds out of pocket if plans go ahead. Harmondsworth, Middlesex lies directly on the path of the new runway backed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and almost two-thirds of it is set to 'disappear' if locals are forced to sell their cherished homes to the Government under Compulsory Purchase Orders. They say they will be forced to sell properties in Harmondsworth where they are quite happy living, having spent huge sums of money maintaining and renovating their homes - and say they are unlikely to receive the going market rate for them under the government scheme. CPOs were used to buy up properties for the controversial HS2 scheme where homeowners said their lives were turned upside down and ruined by the project. Entire roads made up of semi-detached houses or cottages in Harmondsworth, where the average property price is now close to 500,000, will be bought up and demolished while the local primary school and recreation ground will also have to make way for the mammoth Heathrow expansion project. Residents living in Cambridge Close revealed that all the houses along it face demolition and that their lives have been left in turmoil. Harjit Chola, 39 who lives in a three-bedroom bungalow with her husband and three children, aged one, six and nine told MailOnline: The uncertainty has made our lives hell because talk of a new runway has been going on for some time. Its meant that weve not been able to move because nobody wants to buy from us. 'I don't understand why the Government has done this. One minute they're talking about a green agenda and now they want to increase pollution by having more flights. At the end of the day, we just need to know soon if this runway is going to definitely happen so we can move on with our lives. But financially, it could ruin us.' Picture shows: Residents (left to right)Andrew Melville, Hylton Garriock, Julian Mosse and Justine Bayley at a protest in Harmondsworth against the third runway for Heathrow Airport Heartbroken Harjit Cholia is one of the homeowners who will have her property torn down so the new third runway can be built Picture shows Harmondsworth Village near Heathrow which will have large parts of the community demolished to make way for the airport's new third runway Ms Chola revealed that she purchased her home in 2014 for 365,000 when plans for a third runway did not directly impact Harmondsworth. Following renovation work, she estimates that it is now worth around 500,000. But she added: 'I don't think we'll get even close to this figure if we are forced to sell because this is a blighted property. And even if we do, it won't be enough to buy a comparable house in another area. We've already had a look and they're between 700,000 to 800,000.' Her neighbour Julian Mosses, 76 purchased his three-bedroom semi-detached home for 33,000 in 1981. He said: 'It's now worth more than 600,000 but at my age, I don't want to be moving. And even if I did, it's going to cost me a lot more to buy a house of this size. 'This is a wonderful community, I love it here, but a third runway will totally destroy it.' Ironically, Mr Mosses worked for 35 years as an air traffic controller at nearby Heathrow Airport. He said: 'I'm not anti-aviation, I spent my whole working life in this sector. But what is the point of ruining people's lives and destroying a village like this just so more planes can fly? This is not what the Government promised us.' Harmondsworth has a population of just under 1,500 people and is made up of two pubs, two shops, all of which are listed and are centred around a picturesque green. Parts of the local church date back to 1067 while the village is also mentioned in the Domesday book. Pictured is Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, January 29, looking from Myrtle Avenue Hylton Garriock is pictured at a protest in Harmondsworth against the third runway. Julian Mosses, 76 purchased his three-bedroom semi-detached home for 33,000 in 1981 Locals have been up in arms, with some having formed a community action group to battle the Heathrow expansion plan Myrtle Avenue is at the centre of low flying aircraft activity at Heathrow Airport. A new third runway would see the number of jets flying above the street increase Andrew Melville, another local resident fumed: 'When Starmer and Reeves were in opposition they were opposed to a third runway. Now they've suddenly changed their tune and betrayed us. None of its historic centre will be demolished for a third runway which will effectively reduce by more than half the village from its present size. Locals gathered close to the medieval St Mary's Church to discuss the Chancellor's announcement and the impact it will have on their tranquil lives. Signs posted on surrounding lampposts and walls declare: 'Stop Heathrow Expansion.' Justine Bayley, 74, whose home will not be demolished if the runway goes ahead said: 'What good will that be when virtually all the village is destroyed? I will look out of my beautiful home and see planes taking off and landing. 'That's great if you're a plane spotter but not if you want to live a peaceful retirement like me. When I bought my home, there was no plan for a third runway here.' Andrew Melville, another local resident fumed: 'When Starmer and Reeves were in opposition they were opposed to a third runway. Now they've suddenly changed their tune and betrayed us. 'One of Keir Starmer's ten pledges before the election was for climate justice. Well, how does having more flights and pollution while destroying homes and lives in the process amount to climate justice? It's ridiculous. Once again, the politicians have let us down and I'm sick to death of all of them.' The neighbouring village of Longford faces entirely being demolished if work begins on a third runway. Hylton Garriock, who has lived there for more than 30 years said: 'We won't allow it to happen. We'll shut down Heathrow if we have to and stop any work from taking place. 'It's disgusting that so many lives could be destroyed just because the Government thinks that it's good for the economy.' According to plans, part of the perimeter of a new third runway is expected to run behind The Crown, Harmondsworth's popular local pub known for its charming country character. Stephen Benbow, 70, said as he sipped a lunchtime pint that he had been frequenting the pub since he was 17 and that a third runway could 'kill' the village. He added: 'It might be good for the economy and business, but it will destroy the soul of the village. It's a pity really but I'm glad that the pub won't be demolished although it could get a bit noisy as there will be aircraft taking off and landing just a few metres behind it.' Stephen Benbow (left),70, and friend Taz, (right), 66, are in support of the third runway But Julian Mosses will have his house demolished to make way for the third runway Harjit Cholia who will also have her house knocked down to make way for the new airport extension Picture shows: The white wall on the right is the point beyond which all properties will be demolished in Harmondsworth village near Heathrow Others living around Heathrow also expressed concerns over the impact a third runway could have. Residents of Myrtle Avenue, which is one of the closest streets to the airport's busy southern runway and lies about three miles from Harmondsworth said that they were preparing for more noise and inconvenience. Planes regularly fly low over the houses as they jet off and come in to land and dozens of plane spotters gather on the noisy road to watch them. Ironically, when Ms Reeves made her announcement Heathrow's southern runway was not being used and Myrtle Avenue was unusually quiet. Krishna Gopanaboina, 24 a student who has lived there for seven months said: 'I don't think a third runway is a good idea because it just means the airport will be a lot busier and noisier. Ironically, when Ms Reeves made her announcement Heathrow's southern runway was not being used and the village (pictured) was fairly quiet Krishna Gopanaboina, 24 a student who has lived there for seven months said: 'I don't think a third runway is a good idea because it just means the airport will be a lot busier and noisier 'It's awful living here. Sometimes the windows shake, and you can't even hear the TV because the planes come in so low. I didn't realise it would be this bad when I moved here. A third runway might be good for Heathrow's business but it's not good for the people or the environment.' Jas Singh, another resident added: 'I will be complaining because we don't need a third runway and the Government should scrap the idea. It's bad enough as it is around here and having more planes and plane spotters will just make things worse.' But Adesh Farmahan, a local resident and Labour councillor insisted: 'Heathrow gets very busy, and a third runway will help spread the load. It will also be good for the economy. 'The noise will not be too bad because the authorities do a lot to prevent it by triple glazing our windows and insulating our homes.' A rare 'super pod' of more than 1,500 dolphins was seen leaping and gliding in incredible drone footage captured of the coast of central California. A small team had gone out searching for Gray whales in Carmel Bay on Friday when they spotted the mesmerizing miles-long cluster of Risso's dolphins. The group watched from a 20-foot inflatable boat as the marine creatures jumped out of the bay, peeking around as they leaped in the air. Some were even swimming at the front of the vessel and using the waves to propel them forward, a technique known as bow riding. The large mix of adult and juvenile dolphins was likely the result of several pods coming together and swimming south, a marine biologist has said. Although this is not the first time they've seen this large of a group, it's not a common occurrence. Risso's dolphins typically travel in groups of only 10 to 30 animals, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A rare 'super pod' of more than 1,500 dolphins was seen leaping and gliding in incredible drone footage captured in Carmel Bay, coastal California on Friday The large mix of adult and juvenile dolphins was likely the result of several pods coming together and swimming south Captain Evan Brodsky, with the Monterey Bay Whale Watch, captured the incredibly footage as he took a whale watching group out on the Carmel Bay. 'They were on the horizon I feel like as far as I could see,' Brodsky recalled. Colleen Talty, a marine biologist on the trip to track the annual migration of Gray whales headed to breeding lagoons off Mexico's Baja California coast, called it 'pretty amazing' to see more than 1,500 dolphins cavorting all around their boat. 'They were just having a great time. So they were breaching everywhere...tail slapping, coming right over to the boat. They looked like they were having a big party,' she said. The team didn't initially grasp the sheer size of the super pod that appeared Friday morning, thinking there were only several hundred dolphins. 'Once we put the drone up, I was just blown away...I kept saying, 'Look at my screen. Look at my screen. Look how many there are',' said Brodsky. 'It just blows my mind every time. It never gets old.' Talty described one particularly memorable moment Friday in which she stood at the front of the boat and looked down to see several dolphins turning on their sides and staring straight back at her. Some were even swimming at the front of the vessel and using the waves to propel them forward, a technique known as bow riding A Risso's dolphin, with it's a stocky body and bulbous head, can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds and reach up to 13 feet long. The Monterey coastline is a particularly ideal location to spot the dolphins because they prefer extremely deep water As the dolphins continued to interact with the boat, the team drove straight ahead, making sure to stay out of their way. 'You don't want to make any abrasive maneuvers and potentially injure an animal. That's of course the last thing you ever want to do,' Brodsky said. 'So we just cruise along with them. It was an incredible experience.' A Risso's dolphin, with it's a stocky body and bulbous head, can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds and reach up to 13 feet long. The Monterey coastline is a particularly ideal location to spot the dolphins because they prefer extremely deep water. The area's underwater submarine canyon means they may swim much closer to shore than elsewhere along the California coast, said Talty. France has been devastated by flooding as the latest storm to hit the country left roads submerged and villages underwater. Parts of western France were placed on a red weather alert on Monday as storm Herminia brought flood levels not seen in decades. Residents in several towns and cities used boats to escape their flooded homes as rivers and waterways broke their banks after the country was battered by heavy rain. Around 400 residents were evacuated in Rennes, one of the worst affected areas, with the city's mayor saying it was the worst flooding it has experienced in 40 years. Locals living near the city's Saint-Martin canal were taken to safety, while gyms were also turned into temporary shelters for those whose homes were affected. Normandy and Brittany were already waterlogged after the passage of last weeks Storm Eowyn - which left two people dead from fallen trees and more than one million people without electricity in the UK and Ireland. Eight other French departments were on orange weather alert for flooding, flash floods or, in the case of the French Alps, avalanches. Weather service Meteo France warned that the situation could get worse as storm Ivo is expected to bring further heavy rain later this week. Police officers and rescue workers evacuate residents as severe flooding hits western France Cars parked in a street following exceptional flooding of the Ille river in Rennes, western France on January 2 Police officers in an inflatable boat look for residents to evacuate in Guipry Messac, western France 'Unfortunately we haven't seen the worst of the flooding,' the mayor of Rennes, Nathalie Appere, said late Sunday. 'Water levels will not begin to subside slowly until Wednesday.' The rising water lifted houseboats on the canal to the same level as cars parked in the street. Brittany's western-most area Finistere was on orange flash flood alert Monday, a level that was to be widened to the entire west coast on Tuesday, Meteo France said. Frances weather service issued further flood and wind warnings for Tuesday for all regions on the western coast, from Brittany down to the Spanish border. Meanwhile, a 73-year-old British sailor has been lost at sea after his yacht was found wrecked off the southwest French coast, French maritime authorities said. The distress beacon of the yacht was detected around 80 km (50 miles) west of Lacanau on Saturday afternoon, and a helicopter dispatched to the scene found the sailboat, the Prefet Maritime de l'Atlantique said in a statement late on Sunday. The helicopter winched its two divers on board, who discovered an empty life raft. A cargo vessel and the Spanish hospital ship Esperanza del Mar were also mobilised to search for the man. Rescuers scour the area at the port in Redon after heavy floods on January 29 Firefighters on their boat monitor the Nantes-Brest canal after heavy floods in Redon A car submerged in flood waters after the Ille river burst its banks in Rennes, western France on January 27 A rescue worker carries a child as severe flooding hits western France A restaurant owner saves her belongings as severe flooding hits western France A man uses a wheelbarrow in a flooded street to ferry his belongings to safety Police officers and rescue workers evacuate residents as severe flooding hits western France A submerged car is seen in a flooded street in Redon, western France, on January 29 After several hours of searching and due to a lack of any new information, the search was suspended in the early hours of Sunday. Herminia has unleashed downpours especially in the Ille-et-Vilaine department, with administrative centre Rennes experiencing its worst flooding in 40 years. Herminia, which brought on the heavy weather over western France, follows Storm Eowyn which hit Ireland and the United Kingdom before the weekend. Its impact on France's northwestern regions was exacerbated by the fact that the ground was already drenched from previous persistent rainfall. Authorities have warned of difficult road conditions across the region, and disruption of rail services. Scientists have shown that climate change caused by humans burning fossil fuels is making storms more severe, super-charged by warmer oceans. France is already bracing for storm Ivo which is expected to bring 'very strong damaging winds' to parts the country as well as Portugal and Spain. The storm, which was named in Portugal, will also see torrential downpours pushing into the parts of South West England before spreading east along to Kent. Water flows underneath a bridge in Rodon after France was hit by devastating floods A man walks along suspended planks of wood to escape the flood waters Firefighters walk on a flooded street around the port of Redon, on the Nantes-Brest canal, western France The overflowing Vilaine river is pictured in Redon, western France, on January 29 Security forces and rescue workers look for residents to evacuate as severe flooding hits western France Parks are seen in a flooded street following the overflow of the Vilaine river in Redon A rescue worker walks to a woman in a flooded street as severe flooding hits western France Anne and Annie Dahiez pose in their two-storey house, where they decided to stay despite heavy floods, along the Nantes-Brest canal in Redon The strongest gusts are expected in Cornwall and could reach 57mph at St Just this evening. Devon could hit 48mph at Salcombe, and Dorset 34mph at Weymouth. Further along the coast, Eastbourne in East Sussex and Dover in Kent could both have 30mph. London will be spared from the worst of the gusts, with 22mph expected. The heaviest rain throughout today will be in southern England, although there will also be frequent showers in northern Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's half-brother Kyle Kemper appeared at Wednesday's confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kemper has long publicly supported Kennedy and his MAHA - Make America Healthy Again - movement. The half-brother of the liberal Canadian prime minister had worked for Kennedy's presidential campaign and then switched his allegiance to now President Donald Trump once Kennedy backed the Republican in August. In turn, Trump selected Kennedy to be his Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kemper was amont the guests who attended the Make America Healthy Again Inaugural Ball to mark President Donald Trump's swearing-in last week in Washington. Kemper was sporting the green MAHA hat Wednesday during Kennedy's contentious Senate confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. 'The remedy known as Kennedy has officially entered the senate chamber!' Kemper exclaimed on X when RFK Jr. walked in. Other notables in the audience included Kennedy's actress wife Cheryl Hines, of Curb Your Enthusiasm fame and former Fox News host Megyn Kelly. Kyle Kemper, the half brother of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, wears a 'Make America Healthy Again hat, as he attends a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kemper had worked for Kennedy's presidential campaign The half-brother of outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Kyle Kemper was on hand for Robert F. Kennedy Jr's (pictured) hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee as he tries to become President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary Trudeau's half-brother has been critical of the liberal Canadian prime minister's rule. In a recent interview with the Tucker Carlson Show, Kemper agreed that his half-brother did permanent damage to Canada. Kemper had also predicted that his half-brother wouldn't remain as Canada's next prime minister. The Canadian prime minister announced his resignation earlier this month after being in power for nearly 10 years. The two brothers share a mother - not Trudeau's famous former prime minister father. In March 2023 Kennedy had launched a Democratic presidential bid in an effort to oust Democratic President Joe Biden. That October he announced he was officially leaving the Democratic Party - and said he would continue running for president as an independent. Polling had shown that Kennedy would not have been successfully able to primary Biden. After Trump was nearly assassinated at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 13, Kennedy and Trump started conversing about joining forces - with Kennedy hoping for a role in a Trump 2.0 administration. Trump made good on that promise - surprising some members of his party due to Kennedy's pro-choice stances. During Wednesday's hearing there were a lot of questions about Kennedy pushing conspiracy theories about vaccines. That has been one of the main ideologies of the MAHA movement - along with getting certain chemicals out of the American food supply. The Justice Department has moved to drop the government's prosecution of two Donald Trump aides charged in the same classified documents case that once ensnared the president. The move, spelled out in a court filing that was unopposed by the defendants, comes days after Trump fired more than a dozen prosecutors at DOJ who were involved in former special counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of Trump last year. Smith moved to drop both the January 6 case against Trump in Washington, D.C. and the classified documents case following Trump's election win. He cited DOJ guidance on prosecuting a sitting president. An Appeals court accepted his request to drop the classified documents case against Trump. Nevertheless, the DOJ's case against two Trump aides charged along with Trump continued even as longtime valet Walt Nauta followed Trump back to the White House. Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon had dismissed the case against Trump, agreeing with defense lawyers that Smith's appointment was unconstitutional. DOJ stopped appealing that decision following the election, but kept up the prosecution of the aides.DO 'The United States of America moves to voluntarily dismiss its appeal with prejudice. The government has conferred with counsel for Appellees Waltine Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, who do not object to the voluntary dismissal,' prosecutors wrote. The nine-page document, signed by U.S. attorney Hayden P. O'Byrne, did not give a reason for dropping the case. A superseding indictment in July charged Trump, Nauta, and De Oliveira with conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding and concealing documents, and making false statements. Trump was charged with keeping national security documents from the White House at his Mar-a-Lago club. The Justice Department issued a court filing seeking to drop the case against longtime Trump aide Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira. Both were Trump codefendants in the classified documents case Nauta is his longtime valet who was Trump's Navy 'body man' in the White House. De Oliveira was hired as the club's property manager in 2022. The indictment listed a string of times when Nauta and others allegedly moved classified material stored in boxes around the club. In one instance, in 2021, Nauta found boxes with their contents spilling onto the floor of a storage room, according to the indictment. 'I opened the door and found this ...' he wrote an employee with an image attached. 'Oh no oh no,' the employee wrote back. DOJ dropped its appeal in the case after Donald Trump won the election Carlos De Oliveira, center, an employee of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, leaves a court appearance with attorney John Irving, left, at the James Lawrence King Federal Justice Building, Monday, July 31, 2023, in Miami But the indictment says Nauta made 'false and misleading' statements to investigators when asked about the boxes. Days before Trump took office, lawyers for Nauta and De Oliveira argued that Smith's final report on the classified documents case and the decisions behind it should not be made public, fearing it could prejudice the case against their clients. After courts put that report on hold, DOJ released a single volume of Smith's report charging Trump conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstructing an official proceeding. Trump has long called all the cases against him a 'witch hunt,' and during his first days in office has been busy trying to purge officials he accuses of being involved in the 'weaponization' of government. A Chinese PhD student accused of drugging and raping ten women told one victim who was begging him to stop that 'the sound insulation here is very good', a court has heard. Zhenhao Zou, 27, was studying at University College London when he was accused of carrying out 11 rapes on unconscious women stupefied with a cocktail of drugs including MDMA, GHB, ketamine and xanax. He is accused of filming himself attacking nine of his ten victims with it claimed he kept them as 'souvenirs'. Zou is accused of carrying out the rapes between September 2019 and May 2023, while he was studying in London. In the one of clips, the court was told Zou can be heard telling one victim 'don't push me it's pointless' as she begs him to stop. 'The more you push me I really can't consider how you feel,' he said. 'It's not the first time we have done it, this is the second time. The sound insulation here is very good.' Inner London Crown Court heard today that while the engineering student presented as a 'smart and charming person' to the outside world, in reality he was 'a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist'. The majority of his victims have never been identified after police brought many of the rape charges based on the defendant's own recordings of the attacks captured on his mobile phone and a series of secret cameras, it was said. Zou is charged with 11 rapes of 10 women, three counts of voyeurism, 12 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and eight of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply. Phd student Zhenhao Zou, 27, was studying for a master's degree at University College London when he is accused of carrying out 11 rapes on unconscious woman Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Zou appearing at Inner London Crown Court In a second video featuring the same woman, Zou told her: 'Don't push okay? Why is making love so hard.' He told her: 'I really hope the two of us can work in a relaxed manner. If you push me, I really, I won't consider what you think.' In December 2023 Zou visited a page on eBay selling hidden cameras, the court heard. A PDF document was found on his laptop in Mandarin, the title of which translated to 'Club Drugs and Their Acute Toxic Effects', the court heard. When interviewed by police in January 2024 Zou gave a prepared statement saying he was 'in the habit' of taking images of his sexual activity but only ever did so with the consent of his partners. He denied that he had ever had sex with anyone without their consent. Zou said that the bottles of GBL found in the flat, which metabolises in the body as GHB, were for moisturising his face and body but he hadn't yet used them. But Catherine Farrelly KC, prosecuting, told the jury they would hear from an expert who would say that GBL would have the opposite effect of a moisturiser and irritate the skin. The defendant first came to the UK in September 2017 to study at Queen's University in Belfast before going on to do a master's degree at University College London from 2019 to 2021, followed by a PhD at the same university from 2021. 'To the outside world, he undoubtedly presents as a smart and charming young man,' prosecutor Catherine Farrelly, KC, said. 'He is also a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist. 'The prosecution case at this trial is that he would meet women, he would stupefy them, either with drink or drugs, and, once they were significantly under the influence of those drink or drugs, he would rape them. 'Often, he would record himself doing so and you will be shown several recordings during this trial which the prosecution say are the defendant's souvenirs of many rapes that he had committed; items that he kept for his own private sexual gratification, so that he could watch, at his leisure, his rapes of these women, who he had rendered unconscious and totally vulnerable to his will.' The defendant, wearing gold rim spectacles and a blue suit, showed no reaction as the case was opened yesterday. Police launched an investigation when a Chinese woman claimed that she had been raped after being plied with vodka and wine at a friend's party in May 2023. The victim recalled screaming and crying as she attempted to flee but Zou dragged her back by her clothes into his bedroom, it was said. Inner London Crown Court (pictured), located near Elephant and Castle in south London She told police that she 'felt hopeless' after being imprisoned as she started to lose consciousness. 'I was really tired, I can't fight back, I have no strength', she told police. Zou 'raped me when I was unconscious', she added. Police later recovered a video of the attack in which the victim can be heard pleading with Zou, saying she felt unwell and wanted to go home, but he urged her to finish a large glass of vodka he had given her, the court heard. When she begged for him to let her go, Zou allegedly responded 'Calm down, don't move. Lie down.' In one clip, an unconscious woman appears to wake up and tries to stop the attack crying: 'I don't want, I beg youI hate you. I will never have anything to do with you again.' Zou allegedly responded: 'Really don't push me, it's pointless. 'It's not the first time we have done it. This is the second time. The sound insulation here is very good.' The prosecutor said: 'She tells the defendant to let go of her. She asks the defendant not to restrain her and tells him that he is controlling her. 'At one point in the recording, she can be heard screaming repeatedly and she appears to try and get up from the bed on several occasions and the defendant pushes her back down each time.' The victim later posted on social media about the attack which led to another victim coming forward, the jury heard. When he was arrested police found videos relating to nine of the victims as well as a series of intimate photographs taken while the women were unconscious, the court heard. Zou was arrested again later in January 2024 when more videos were found. He was arrested again in March 2024 after the allegations made by the first woman to go to the police. He told police all sexual contact between them had been consensual. Ms Farrelly said: 'He said that immediately afterwards, she had asked him for money and was angry when he didn't pay her. 'He said she had mentioned that before sex, but he had hoped that she would change her mind. 'He said that she had sent him a photograph of a luxury handbag that she wanted him to buy her. 'He denied that he had kept her at his flat against her will.' He was arrested again later in March due to the allegation of the woman he allegedly raped after a meal in Chinatown. He again said all sex had been consensual. Zou, who was living in Elephant and Castle in south-east London, denies all 35 charges against him. The case continues. A 14-year-old girl told friends 'I'm going to do something stupid' before stabbing two teachers and a pupil at a Welsh school, a court has heard. Fiona Elias, Liz Hopkin and a student were injured in the attack at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman - also known as Amman Valley School - in April last year. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously admitted the attacks but has denied attempted murder. On Wednesday, Swansea Crown Court was shown police interviews with pupils who were at the school in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire on the day of the incident. One told officers she had overheard the girl saying she was going to do something stupid which would involve Mrs Elias. 'I wasn't part of the conversation, I was just listening,' she said. 'She goes 'I'm going to do something stupid that could get me expelled'. 'She mentioned something to do with Mrs Elias. She just said she was going to do something stupid. Fiona Elias (pictured), Liz Hopkin and a student were injured in the attack at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman - also known as Amman Valley School - in April last year Liz Hopkin (pictured) was stabbed in the neck, back and legs as part of the attack in April last year The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously admitted the attacks but has denied attempted murder 'I just thought she was going to slap Mrs Elias.' Several pupils also told the police they had been shown the knife in the lower school hall during break and the defendant had said she was thinking of stabbing someone. 'I didn't think she was going to do anything,' one girl said. 'She said she was going to 'stab someone' or 'stab Mrs Elias'. 'She always says stuff we don't believe so we just went on to other conversations.' A boy said he had heard her say 'I'm going to get put away for a long time', or 'you guys won't see me for a while.' He said: 'I kept looking over at my friends, like: 'Is this another joke or something?' '(A boy) sitting beside her said: 'What are you going to do, then?' 'She just pulled a knife out of a pocket and she went: 'I'm going to do something which includes a knife'.' After Mrs Elias came into the hall, the boy said, 'her tone, her mannerisms completely changed'. Ambulances outside Ysgol Dyffryn Aman school in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire in South Wales following the incident On the way to his next lesson, he heard that the girl had attacked Mrs Elias outside the lower school hall building. The jury also heard about an incident on the school bus about a month before the attack, involving the defendant and the injured girl. He said he had seen the girl slap the defendant multiple times, who did not respond. The trial continues. President Donald Trump rescinded his order freezing trillions of dollars in federal grants as he revealed millions in waste had been uncovered in a crackdown on woke government projects. Trump officials had argued funding should be put on hold while they ensured all government spending is in line with executive orders the president signed last week abolishing the Biden administration's DEI agenda. But the order, issued on Tuesday, led to confusion including Medicaid portals being temporarily shut down, and aid groups warned lives were in danger as critical funding for vaccines and other health issues was frozen. Trump said: 'I'm restating right now, to correct any confusion that the media has purposely and somehow, for whatever reason, created - Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have not been affected by any action we're taking in any way, shape or form. 'We are merely looking at parts of the big bureaucracy where there has been tremendous waste and fraud and abuse.' He added: 'In that process, we identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas - $50 million, and you know what's happened to them? They've used them as a method of making bombs. How about that?' President Donald Trump rescinded his order freezing federal funds Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., sued over the original order and a district judge put a halt on it late Tuesday night. On Wednesday, Matthew Vaeth, acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, sent a new order to government officials stating that the first one had been 'rescinded.' However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said federal grants were still under review. Leavitt said: 'In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage. 'The Executive Orders issued by the President on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments.' She added: 'This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the Presidents orders on controlling federal spending. In the coming weeks and months, more executive action will continue to end the egregious waste of federal funding.' The first order had told federal agencies to 'temporarily pause all activities related to obligations or disbursement of all federal financial assistance.' It paused federal grants, loans and other financial assistance which could have totaled trillions of dollars in funding. On Tuesday, Leavitt had attempted to clear up questions about how the funding freeze would work, and who was affected. 'This is not a blanket pause on federal assistance and grant programs from the Trump administration,' she said. Trump officials argued critical funding pipelines like Medicare, Social Security and veterans' care would not be affected. They also said it was a temporary measure as funding streams were reviewed. But after several states reported the Medicaid portal was down, the OMB on Tuesday afternoon stated that 'mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps) will continue without pause.' The original order wanted officials to review more than 2,000 programs and required federal agencies to document whether each program has any funding related to undocumented immigrants, climate policy, diversity programs or abortion. The agencies were required to provide their responses to the OMB in less than two weeks. Democrats blasted the spending freeze on Capitol Hill on Tuesday before a judge temporarily halted it Democrats and even some Republicans criticized the move. Republicans said the White House needed to better explain what was affected. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut two top Democrats in Congress wrote to the White House, outlining their 'extreme alarm' with the idea of a broad pause in grants. 'The scope of what you are ordering is breathtaking, unprecedented, and will have devastating consequences across the country,' the lawmakers wrote. 'We write today to urge you in the strongest possible terms to uphold the law and the Constitution and ensure all federal resources are delivered in accordance with the law.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democratic congresswoman, added: 'This is Trumps first major loss. When we fight, we win.' Harvey Weinstein has shown off a horrifying new look in court in a crumpled suit as he begged a judge to listen to his bloodcurdling plea. The disgraced movie mogul asked the court to push his trial date forward due to his deteriorating health, while wearing ill-fitting black tie. Weinstein wore a badly-creased suit with a metal American flag pin on the lapel for his court appearance, which appeared too large for his shrunken form. His white shirt also appeared unironed, adding to the haggard look. Weinstein said 'I don't know how much longer I can hold on' as he suffers with cancer, heart issues and harsh conditions at New York City's Rikers Island jail. The 72-year-old objected after Judge Curtis Farber said the retrial would start April 15, imploring him to swap with another, unrelated trial the judge has in March. 'Everyday I'm at Rikers Island, it's a mystery to me how I'm still walking,' Weinstein said at a hearing in state court in Manhattan. 'I'm holding on because I want justice for myself and I want this to be over with.' Harvey Weinstein has shown off a horrifying new look in court as he begged a judge to listen to his bloodcurdling plea. He wore a heavily crumpled suit in the Manhattan courtroom Weinstein said 'I don't know how much longer I can hold on' as he suffers with cancer, heart issues and harsh conditions at New York City 's Rikers Island jail (pictured) Weinstein is being treated for numerous health conditions, including chronic myeloid leukemia, heart issues and diabetes. He complained to Farber that jail officers gave him the wrong pills Wednesday morning and failed to pick him up for court in a timely fashion. 'So many people suffering on Rikers Island,' he said. Weinstein arrived in court in a wheelchair more than a half-hour after the hearing's scheduled start time. At times as he addressed Farber, he sounded more like the imperious studio boss he once was. 'I'm asking and begging you, your honor, to move your trial,' Weinstein said, suggesting that even a week's head start would be helpful. Weinstein said that at times he finds himself gasping for air and predicted that he would soon be in a hospital again for treatment. He quizzed the judge about his trial calendar, including jury selection in another matter that is set to begin Monday. Farber said he arrived at the April 15 date after consulting with prosecutors and Weinstein's lawyers but would look into possibly starting the trial a few days earlier, if time allows. 'I'm in a serious emergency situation. I am begging the court to move your date,' Weinstein said, telling the judge he wanted to 'get out of this hellhole as quickly as possible.' Weinstein's entreaty, a rarity for a criminal defendant, came after Farber issued a key ruling defining the scope of his retrial. The judge upheld a charge based on an allegation from a woman who wasn't in the original case. Weinstein had wanted the extra charge thrown out, arguing through his lawyers that the Manhattan district attorney's office only brought it to bolster their case with a third accuser after New York's highest court overturned his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges involving two women. Scheduling the retrial was complicated by an increasingly crowded court calendar. The disgraced movie mogul asked the court to push his trial date forward due to his deteriorating health , while wearing a heavily crumpled suit (shown above) Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, is representing conservative strategist Steve Bannon in a border wall fraud trial set to start March 4 before a different Manhattan judge. Meanwhile, Farber has a murder trial in March. Before Bannon's trial date was set last week, Aidala had suggested that Weinstein's trial go first in 'the interest of humanity,' citing the ex-studio boss' declining health. 'They know that Mr. Weinstein is dying of cancer and is an innocent man right now in the state of New York,' Aidala argued in court last week. He pleaded to prosecutors: 'Can I try this dying man's case first?' Weinstein is being retried on charges that he forcibly performed oral sex on a movie and TV production assistant in 2006 and raped an aspiring actor in 2013. The additional charge, filed last September, alleges he forced oral sex on a different woman at a Manhattan hotel in 2006. The Manhattan district attorney's office said in court papers that the woman, who has not been identified publicly, came forward to prosecutors just days before the start of Weinstein's first trial but was not part of that case. Prosecutors said they did not pursue the women's allegations after Weinstein was convicted and sentenced to 23 years in prison, but they revisited them and secured a new indictment after the state's Court of Appeals threw out his conviction last April. Farber ruled in October to combine the new indictment and existing charges into one trial. A rep, upon filing the complaint last week, also pointed to the convicted rapist's previous health problems, which have included bouts with COVID-19 and double pneumonia. He is now suffering from a rare form of bone cancer, as he is set to stand trial on new charges sometime next year Weinstein had already been in the midst of suing New York City following his cancer diagnosis last month, for refusing his requests to be released so that he may undergo outside treatment Weinstein's lawyers contend that prosecutors prejudiced him by waiting nearly five years to bring the additional charge, suggesting they had elected not to include the allegation in his first trial so they could use it later if his conviction were reversed. Prosecutors called that thinking 'absurd,' countering that Weinstein's lawyers would have also been outraged if he had been charged based on the third woman's allegation either during his first trial or immediately after his conviction. Weinstein 'would likely have characterized that timing as a vindictive and gratuitous pile-on,' prosecutors wrote in a court filing last month. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office said the previously uncharged allegation 'required a sensitive investigation' and serious contemplation before seeking an indictment, in part because there are no eyewitnesses to the alleged assault and no scientific or other physical evidence. Weinstein co-founded the film and television production companies Miramax and The Weinstein Company and was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, having produced films such as 'Pulp Fiction' and 'The Crying Game.' In 2017, he became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement, which erupted when women began going public with accounts of his behavior. He has long maintained that any sexual activity was consensual. In vacating Weinstein's conviction, the Court of Appeals ruled that the trial judge, James M. Burke, unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations from other women that were not part of the case. Burke is no longer on the bench. Weinstein was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape. His 16-year prison sentence in that case still stands, but his lawyers appealed in June, arguing he did not get a fair trial. Weinstein has remained in custody in New York's Rikers Island jail complex, with occasional trips to a hospital for medical treatment, while awaiting the retrial. Two young boys drowned after they fell into a frozen lake and became trapped under the ice when it broke below their feet. Keagan Grubbs, 8, and his 9-year-old friend were found under the ice in Lake De Lago, in the isolated Lake Chaparral Community of Mount City, Kansas. The boys were due to arrive at a nearby house together but never showed up, and were reported missing about 8pm on Monday. Linn County Sheriff's deputies investigated and found evidence they were at the lake and used a drone to search the surface for them. Kegan and his friend were spotted trapped below the ice, along with two holes in frozen surface where they are believed to have fallen through. The Overland Park Fire Drive Team removed the bodies from the lake and both boys were confirmed dead at the scene. 'I'm going to miss you Keagan Wesley Lewis! We basically raised each other! It's gonna be hard without you here baby boy! I love you too the moon and back,' his relative KayLee Weaver wrote online. Keagan Grubbs, 8, (pictured) and his 9-year-old friend drowned after they fell into a frozen lake and became trapped under the ice when it broke below their feet Police spotted two holes in frozen surface of Lake De Lago in the isolated Lake Chaparral Community of Mount City, Kansas, where they are believed to have fallen through A friend of his mother Angel Weaver started a fundraiser to pay for his funeral, and family friends are also taking direct donations for both boys. 'Keagan was full of life and of love. He was so adventurous,' she wrote, adding that Weaver had two other children to care for. Linn County Sheriff Jame Akes said parents needed to impress upon their children that it was unsafe to walk on frozen lakes. 'As the ice shifts, it melts, it refreezes, it shifts, it melts, it refreezes and sometimes there's a void underneath there,' he said. 'The water is way below the ice, and it causes it to collapse.' Police said the boys would already have been cold before they fell in the icy water, and hypothermia would have set in quickly. The Linn County Medical Examiner and Coroner will confirm the cause of death. An ultra-influential liberal podcaster says the only Democrat he'll vote for in 2028 is one who's willing to harshly-criticize Joe Biden and his family. Pod Save America host Jon Favreau, who worked as a speechwriter in the Obama administration, said he 'couldn't agree more' with an analysis by journalist Matthew Yglesias that blamed the Biden's for Donald Trump's win in November. Bloomberg columnist Yglesias slammed 82-year-old Biden for failing to step aside when scrutiny of his mental acuity first began to derail the election. 'Lots of great people served in the Biden administration and did good work,' Yglesias wrote in an article he titled, 'Throw Biden under the bus.' 'But Biden and his family landed us in this mess with selfish decisions and deceptive behavior and Im mad about it. I want to vote for someone in 2028 wholl say that.' In an op-ed that further explains his thoughts, Yglesias described how Biden became a 'lame-duck president' who performed poorly in interviews and the debate. 'Biden defined his entire post-2016 political comeback in terms of averting the Trumpian threat to American political institutions. And he failed, catastrophically!' Yglesias wrote. The journalist also slammed Biden for criticizing Trump for attacking democracy while 'failing to uphold certain standards of normalcy and integrity' - as he did when he pre-emptively pardoned members of his own family. Pod Save America's Jon Favreau will only vote for a Democrat in 2028 who will admit that Joe Biden and his family 'landed us in this mess' Favreau said he 'couldn't agree more' with an analysis by journalist Matthew Yglesias that blamed the Biden's for Donald Trump 's win in November Favreau and his co-hosts Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor and Jon Lovett. at Pod Save America became some of Trump's biggest critics during his first administration. Before the election, he told CNN the best thing President Biden could do to help Kamala Harris win the election is to focus on his final months in office. Favreau, who worked as the White House director of speechwriting for four years, told the program: 'If I was Joe Biden, his legacy is obviously at stake in this election. 'I would look at the numbers, I would look at the race and say I'm going to focus on being president. Bloomberg columnist Yglesias slammed 82-year-old Biden and his circle of aides for failing to step aside 'Thats probably the best thing he can do not just for the Harris campaign, but himself and his legacy too.' After Harris lost, Harris campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon, senior political advisor David Plouffe, and campaign advisors Quentin Fulks and Stephanie Cutter appeared on Pod Save America to pore over their resounding electoral defeat. But the quartet of campaign veterans spent the better part of 90 minutes blaming everyone but themselves - or their failed candidate - for losing to Trump. And the Harris aides even suggested the hurricanes that devastated portions of the U.S. during the campaign and what they labeled a 'sexist' media were responsible for the crushing defeat - and not their operation. 'This political environment sucked, okay? We were dealing with ferocious headwinds,' whined Plouffe, who ran Obama's 2008 campaign and then served as a White House advisor. Plouffe, who rage-quit X after Democrats criticized him online about the failed campaign, also insisted that Biden was so unpopular when he dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris that it was a difficult task to improve her ratings. Favreau worked as a speechwriter in the Obama administration. They are seen in 2011 US Vice President Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris waves at supporters at the end of her concession speech at Howard University in Washington, DC, on November 6, 2024 Jon Favreau, seen here, was asked on CNN 's 'The Lead with Jake Tapper' if the gaffe-prone president was too much of a risk to go out on the campaign trail He noted that Harris began the race with approval ratings only in the 33-35 percent range and although they improved her numbers by 15 points, they did not have enough time to sell her to voters. And Plouffe oddly complained about how difficult it was for Democrats to win support from independents in battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania - despite that being the job at hand, and one the team assured Democrats across the country they were capable of doing. Meanwhile, campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon repeatedly complained about the lack of time they had to make Harris a winner in the 107-day campaign that began in July when Biden finally dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris. She defended their approach of highlighting how Harris was 'different' than both Biden and Trump and a candidate for the 'future' instead of trying to differentiate herself from Biden, whose approval rating were epically low. Campaign advisor Stephanie Cutter confirmed that Harris was 'unwilling' to separate herself from Biden. She had a huge deficit in favorability, because either people didnt know about her or what they did know about her was because of negative media, she said. But the campaign veterans didn't say what efforts they made to try and get Harris to separate herself from the president, effectively saddling her with blame for the two biggest voter issues - the rising prices of everyday goods and the burden of mass illegal immigration. Actor Noel Clarke has failed in his bid to throw out the Guardian's defence in his 10million libel case. Clarke, 49, who starred in the Kidulthood film trilogy, is suing the newspaper over a series of articles published in 2021 and 2022 that accused him of sexual misconduct, groping and bullying women. The allegations led to the British Academy of Film and Television Art stripping the Doctor Who actor of his Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award and suspending his membership. At the High Court on Wednesday his lawyers accused the Guardian of 'fabricating evidence' and alleged journalists at the newspaper deleted messages between themselves on the app Signal when they were aware legal action could be launched. They said this meant the newspaper's defence of public interest against the libel claim was not valid, accusing it of 'perverting the course of justice'. The Guardian vehemently denied any wrongdoing during the hearing and insisted there was 'not a scintilla of evidence' that any evidence had been fabricated. In one message, sent shortly before the first story about Clarke was published, Paul Lewis, the head of investigations at the newspaper wrote: 'Can we clear all our Signal messages please? Delete this entire thread. I'll create a new thread which will likely be disclosable in court.' In another, Mr Lewis wrote: 'Please delete all Signal threads, including this one, and individual one on one discussions we have had or you have had with each other.' Actor Noel Clarke failed in his bid to throw out the Guardian's defence in his 10m libel case Clarke, 49, who starred in the Kidulthood film trilogy, is suing the newspaper over a series of articles published in 2021 and 2022 that accused him of sexual misconduct, groping and bullying women The court heard this message was sent 43 minutes after a meeting between a group of Guardian executives, including Mr Lewis and Katharine Viner, the newspaper's editor-in-chief. Arthur Lo, representing Clarke, told the court: 'These messages speak for themselves. It must have been at the forefront of the Guardian's investigative team that litigation was likely. 'The intention is the fabrication of a thread [of Signal messages] which would be favourable in court.' Philip Williams, representing Mr Clarke, in written submissions told the court: 'The claimant submits there is overwhelming evidence not just of an attempt to pervert... but actual perversion of the course of justice.' He continued: 'Because of the deliberate and permanent deletion of personal correspondence between the three journalists that undertook the purported investigations, as well as fabrication, it is the claimant's contention that it is impossible for the defendant to legitimately put forward a positive case that it reasonably believed publishing the defamatory articles were in the public interest.' Clarke's legal team later said they were not claiming that Lewis 'created a false document' but were alleging that the deletion of messages was an attempt to 'swindle' the court and Clarke. Mr Lewis later discovered the two threads of messages that he had asked to be deleted and disclosed them to Clarke's team, the court heard. The Guardian's legal team on Wednesday accused Mr Clarke of a 'smear' against its journalists and said Mr Lewis's instruction to delete messages was in keeping with the newspaper's policy on 'data minimisation'. The Guardian's legal team on Wednesday accused Mr Clarke of a 'smear' against its journalists Gavin Millar KC said: 'There is nothing by the way of worthwhile evidence to support these very serious allegations of deletion of evidence and fabrication. 'They appear to have been made to launder damaging allegations against Guardian journalists which could not be made outside of court.' Justice Steyn rejected Clarke's application but said she would give her full reasons later in the year. She separately refused an application by Clarke's lawyers to cross-examine Mr Lewis yesterday (weds). A Guardian spokesperson said: 'Today, the judge rejected Noel Clarke's application to strike-out our defence. 'Our reporting on Noel Clarke in 2021 was based on the accounts of 20 brave women. After we published our first article, more women came forward. 'At trial, 32 witnesses are set to testify against Mr Clarke under oath. We look forward to a judge hearing the evidence.' A six-week libel trial is expected to start in March. Rihanna made a shock appearance in court Wednesday to support her boyfriend A$AP Rocky as he faces up to 24 years in prison. The pop megastar reportedly snuck into a downtown Los Angeles courtroom early in the morning through a concealed entrance. Her rapper partner, real name Rakim Mayers, who is facing decades behind bars for weapons offenses, arrived with his family and entourage earlier in the day without Rihanna. A source told the US Sun: 'Rihanna arrived around 9:49 a.m. in a blacked-out SUV and met with two security guards who tried to throw everyone off and went down a side passageway out of the court. 'They jumped in her car in the underground parking lot, and she snuck into the court in a secret elevator and never walked the main corridor.' Rihanna, wearing an all-black ensemble with a turtleneck and trench coat, reportedly sat beside Mayers' mother and sister in the front row of the courtroom, with several security guards sat around them. Mayers faces prison time for allegedly shooting his former friend A$AP Relli in 2021, and is charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon. He has pleaded not guilty. Rihanna made a shock appearance in court Wednesday to support her boyfriend A$AP Rocky as he faces up to 24 years in prison (seen together on Tuesday night in Los Angeles) A$AP Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers, faces prison time for allegedly shooting his former friend A$AP Relli (pictured) in 2021, and is charged with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon. A$AP Relli, real name Terell Ephron, seen testifying at Wednesday's hearing Rihanna, who shares two children with Mayers, has stuck beside the rapper since his first arrest on gun charges in April 2022, when the pair were returning to Los Angeles Airport from a Barbados vacation. Prosecutors allege that on November 6, 2021, Mayers pointed a gun at his former friend during a confrontation, shooting at him and leaving him with minor injuries. A$AP Relli, real name Terell Ephron, testified against Mayers at an earlier hearing, claiming that the rapper held a gun to his stomach and said 'I'll kill you right now' before firing at least four shots. It is alleged that one of the shots hit Ephron's hand, but he only reported the shooting the following day when a warrant was issued for Mayers' arrest. Two 9mm shell casings were recovered by Ephron after he returned to the scene of the alleged shooting, however police say the weapon Mayers allegedly fired has never been found. On Tuesday, Mayers 'respectfully declined' a plea deal that would have seen him serve just six months in jail alongside a seven-year suspended sentence and three years of probation. On Tuesday, A$AP Rocky (pictured at Wednesday's hearing) 'respectfully declined' a plea deal that would have seen him serve just six months in jail alongside a seven-year suspended sentence and three years of probation Rihanna (seen Tuesday night), who shares two children with Mayers, has stuck beside the rapper since his first arrest on gun charges in April 2022 Ephron was a former friend and collaborator of Mayers, after the pair became friends as teenagers while attending high school in New York together. They were members of the A$AP collective, a group of students who made music and created art together. The A$AP (Always Strive And Prosper) Mob was formed in 2005, but Rocky only joined in 2007. Ephron said their friendship continued as Mayers' fame grew, but began to falter when he started backing out of business ventures. At pre-trial hearings in November, Mayers' attorneys attempted to spare him a court trial as they argued that surveillance video of the rapper holding a gun should not be permissible as evidence. Prosecutors claim the video showed Mayers firing the weapon, which the rapper's attorneys denied. Detective Frank Flores of the Los Angeles Police Department testified at an earlier hearing that footage showed a gun in the rapper's hand, but when pressed by the defense he conceded a weapon was never recovered. However, Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar said 'the totality of the video and testimony' shows there is sufficient evidence for the defendant to go to trial. Police have issued an Amber Alert for two little girls after their mother was found dead in central California. Kings County Sheriff's Office said officers were called to a home in Hanford, in the San Joaquin Valley, around 4pm on Tuesday. They attended the property on the 11500 block of Fourth Place, where they found a woman dead with a gunshot wound. The victim has been identified by relatives as Madline Rose Cuevas, 22. Detectives have identified the children's father, Jonathan Alexis Maldonado-Cruz, 23, of Hanford, as the primary suspect. They believe he left the scene of the crime at around 1am on Tuesday with the two children, Arya Maldonado, three, and Alana Maldonado, two. Police said Maldonado-Cruz fled in a gray 2020 Hyundai Elantra with the California License #8LZD084. They believe he made have escaped to Mexico. Detectives issued an Amber Alert urging anyone with information about his whereabouts, or the children, to contact police. Police have issued an Amber Alert for two little girls after their mother was found dead in central California.(Pictured: Alana Maldonado, two) Detectives issued an Amber Alert urging anyone with information about the children to contact police. (Pictured: Arya Maldonado, three) The victim has been identified by relatives as Madline Rose Cuevas, 22 (pictured above) Detectives have identified the children's father, Jonathan Alexis Maldonado-Cruz, 23, of Hanford, as the primary suspect Police described Arya as brunette with brown eyes, weighing around 25 pounds. Maldonado-Cruz is around 5 feet, 9 inches tall weighing 215 pounds and has black hair and black eyes. The sheriff's office said it is unknown what clothing they were last seen wearing. Maldonado-Cruz's weapon has not been recovered, so police have warned he may be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to contact Tyler Haener at (559) 670-9320 or (559) 852-2818 or Kings County Sheriffs Dispatch at (559) 852-2720. Information can also be provided anonymously by contacting (559) 852-4554. A group of church leaders from the Bishop of Liverpool's own diocese have called for him to 'step aside' and say his position is 'currently untenable' after he was accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Right Reverend John Perumbalath, a married father-of-one, yesterday denied any wrongdoing although said he had 'taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others'. He was voluntarily interviewed under caution by police last year but the investigation was closed due to insufficient evidence. No charges have to date been brought. One of the alleged victims is a female Church of England bishop who claims she was sexually harassed. The Church of England investigated the complaints but concluded there was 'no ongoing safeguarding concerns'. The legal timeframe to investigate the second complaint had expired. Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley today said she was 'shocked and appalled' at the allegations against Bishop Perumbalath. Now a group of local clergy of the Diocese of Liverpool have written to the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell calling for allegations made by a female bishop to be 'fully investigated'. They have told Bishop Perumbalath that his position is 'currently untenable' and say he should 'step aside' while an investigation takes place. Bishop of Liverpool John Perumbalath, a married father-of-one, has denied any wrongdoing after he was accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment Now a group of local church leaders say his position is 'untenable' and he should 'step aside' while a 'proper' investigation is carried out 'Having listened to clergy, congregations and staff at the diocesan offices and the cathedral it is with deep regret that the senior leadership of the Diocese of Liverpool feel that the position of the Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath is currently untenable,' they wrote. 'We believe that the allegations made by the female bishop need to be fully and properly investigated. 'We also believe that while these proper investigations are conducted the Bishop of Liverpool will need to step aside from all ministry in the Diocese of Liverpool.' The letter was signed by Debra Walker, chair of the house of laity, Peter Dawkin, chair of the house of clergy, Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, Pete Spiers, Archdeacon of Knowsley & Sefton, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, Archdeacon of Liverpool, and Simon Fisher, Archdeacon of St Helens and Warrington. One woman claimed Bishop Perumbalath 'kissed me forcefully', groped her, and whispered in her ear 'I love you' before nibbling her neck, according to a Channel 4 News investigation. Bishop Hartley said 'failures at the heart of the institution of the Church of England' are undermining 'credibility and confidence in the church'. She added: 'It also saps the morale of local mission and ministry: in parishes, chaplaincies and schools, our cathedral, and other contexts, and leaves the people and clergy of the church rightly angered and deeply concerned. 'I am with you all in solidarity, dismay and concern at this time. 'I have already spoken out in the strongest of terms about safeguarding failures and do so again. My views have not changed including those regarding the position of the Archbishop of York.' Bishop Perumbalath was voluntarily interviewed under caution by police last year but the investigation was closed due to insufficient evidence. No charges have to date been brought According to Channel 4 News, the alleged sex assaults took place between 2018 and 2023 in the Diocese of Chelmsford, where he was Bishop of Bradwell. Rev'd Dr Charlie Bell, a member of the General Synod which considers and approves legislation affecting the Church of England, told BBC Radio Merseyside that Bishop said he believed Bishop Perumbalath should step aside while an investigation takes place. He said: 'For everybody's benefit, actually, stepping back and allowing due process to take place is the right option, and that is not presuming guilt and it's not presuming innocence.' The revelations have piled pressure on the Archbishop of York to step down after Channel 4 claimed that he was aware of the allegations before Bishop Perumbalath was enthroned in Liverpool in 2023. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, who is already facing calls to quit a separate alleged safeguarding failure, is currently the de facto leader of the Church following Justin Welby's resignation. Pressure was growing last night as a chorus of senior clergy called for him to quit and a petition demanding he step down passed 37,000 signatures. Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, who led the Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) probing abuse in the Church of England, last night called for Archbishop Cottrell to resign over a 'pattern' of safeguarding failures. 'There is a pattern of behaviour here that is unacceptable for someone in his position of leadership,' she told the Mail. 'If he speaks for the Church then for the sake of the Church he needs to step aside.' Meanwhile the only bishop to publicly call for Dr Welby to resign over the Church's worst child abuse scandal said she was 'shocked and appalled' by the allegations. The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, said: 'Yet again failures at the heart of the institution of the Church of England, and specifically by its leadership, undermine credibility and confidence in the church.' Bishop Hartley has previously called for Archbishop Cottrell to resign over a separate alleged safeguarding failure and last night repeated the demand. 'I have already spoken out in the strongest of terms about safeguarding failures and do so again,' she said. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, who is already facing calls to quit a separate alleged safeguarding failure, is currently the de facto leader of the Church following Justin Welby's resignation It comes at a time of unprecedented crisis for the CofE after Dr Welby was last year forced to quit. Archbishop Cottrell has temporarily taken charge until a successor is appointed in the autumn. Bishop Perumbalath is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the Chelmsford diocese on separate occasions between 2019 and 2023. He served alongside Archbishop Cottrell, who was previously the Bishop of Chelmsford, in the diocese when he was the Bishop of Bradwell in Essex. Another Bishop, among 31 serving female Bishops in the Church, has told C4 News that she was allegedly sexually harassed by Bishop Perumbalath. She made a formal complaint but was told this could not be investigated because more than a year had passed since the alleged incident, according to the broadcaster. The letter signed by the Dean of Liverpool as well as the Archdeacons of Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley, and St Helens and Warrington, states they are 'shocked and saddened' by the allegations. It adds: 'We understand that an allegation of misconduct was not fully investigated, and we believe that in the interests of justice this should now happen.' The Bishop of Liverpool declined to make a further comment last night. However he has previously said: 'I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. 'I have complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team. The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the Police who took no further action.' The Archbishop of York was also approached for comment. He has said that the complaint was made after Bishop Perumbalath had 'formally and legally' become Bishop of Liverpool and it was investigated and found 'there were no ongoing safeguarding concerns'. The grieving family of a six-year-old girl murdered by her father have spoken of their torment, torture and heartache. Mark Gordon, 36, killed his daughter Hope at his home before taking his own life on January 20. Emergency crews found their bodies in a house in West Calder, West Lothian after the alarm was raised when she did not attend school earlier that day. Detectives have since said they are treating her death as murder, but, following a post-mortem, her fathers death was not being treated as suspicious. The circumstances are now being investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). The primary schoolgirls family have now told of their utter devastation at the loss, a tragedy which they said would never be understood or justified. Hopes aunt Tess told supporters who pledged money on the fundraising page: The tragedy that fell upon the hearts and souls of Hopes family, especially her mum, will never be understood or justified. Hope Gordon was killed by her father, Mark, at their home in West Lothian Hope was only six when she was murdered by her father The torment, torture and heartache that we feel will never be able to be described. Not today, not tomorrow, and not in the future. Not only do we feel empty, but the world feels empty too. She added: Hope was a remarkable, beautiful little girl with a bright future ahead of her. She was talented with her art skills. She was one of the most intelligent little girls I had ever known. She was amazing with her English and math, and knew more than me at only six-years-old. She was just learning how to speak French and was so proud of herself - as was I and her mum. 'She had a heart full of love, and didnt for one second waste that - she was sure to let you know at every giving moment what you meant to her. Arrangements are now being made for her funeral, with her final journey beginning at around 12.45pm on February 10. Hope is set to be carried by a horsedrawn carriage and her family have asked mourners to line the streets leading to Livingstons Adambrae Cemetery. An online GoFundMe collection to raise money for the service has raised more than 8,500 as hundreds of people rushed to give support to the family. Mark Gordon killed his daughter, Hope, before taking his own life Mark Gordon's home, where both his and his daughter's bodies were discovered The headteacher at Toronto Primary School, where Hope attended, has paid tribute to her as a bright, bubbly and affectionate girl who brought joy to everyone she met. Emergency services attended the property at about 4pm and, after firefighters helped to break into the property, the father and daughter were found dead. For days, a huge police presence remained in the area, with officers making door-to-door inquiries and the property where Hopes father lived sealed off. Following the deaths detectives said they had been known to Police Scotland and social services for a number of years. A spokesman for PIRC yesterday said: We received a referral from Police Scotland on January 23 in relation to the deaths of a 36-year-old male and a six-year-old female in West Calder following police contact on January 20. We have now commenced an investigation and will submit a full report of our findings to the Chief Constable in due course. And a Police Scotland spokesman said: The circumstances in this case have been referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. It would be inappropriate to comment further. For most people, life on the Alaskan panhandle would be considered pretty remote. But not for the Wilson family, who decided to pack up and relocate in search of even more self-sufficient living. The family traded in their life in Ketchikan and traveled 4,000 miles to set up a homestead in northern Maine. Dad Robert Wilson explained how the pandemic caused the family to re-evaluate their lives as food supplies became severely affected. 'That really pushed us to make the decision to try to go back to the old ways of homesteading,' he told Bangor Daily News. The family selected Maine for its affordability and laid-back building laws and purchased a 27 acre lot in Aroostook County. However, the journey to the homestead was an arduous one which involved six months with Robert, his wife Crystal and their two teen children all crammed into a camper while they built their new home. There was also a massive cost associated with working with so much raw land. The Wilson family packed up their life in Alaska to set up a homestead in Maine They chose Aroostook County in Maine thanks to its affordability and laid-back building laws The family paid $155,000 to clear two acres and create a driveway, $7,000 to fix their water supply and have been quoted $12,000 for additional jobs such as installing a septic tank. 'I mean that was a a little bit of a sticker shock, but I mean it's the price you pay to do do life this way, but we're we're adapting and going along with it,' Robert said in a vlog about the experience. He added that the family are holding off on the septic tank and experimenting with compost toilets. Power has also proven tricky to grapple with, with the situation in summer much easier than winter when their solar generator cannot be relied on so much. Crystal meanwhile said she was struggling to adjust to the bugs 'in all seasons' that creep into their home in Maine. 'Alaska we just got used to there not being that many bugs,' she said. 'We got to think we come into the woods and and destroy their habitat.' However, the family say there are many aspects of homesteading which make it all worth while. Robert and Crystal Wilson have documented their experience on their YouTube channel where they share the highs and lows The couple have spent more than $160,000 to construct their dream home and are still not through The couple say the immense privacy, peace and quiet and opportunity to work with the land has been extremely rewarding. Plus, they have saved a lot on certain bills and say that their generators mean that when nearby towns have suffered power cuts they have been unaffected. 'What we enjoy about this process so far is the blank canvas we can do whatever we want anywhere we want to put something we can put it,' Robert added. 'We can have the out buildings, the woodshed, the house anywhere that we want to have it [...] it's completely raw.' The Wilsons are not alone in their endeavors, with a growing number of people choosing homestead life. A January 2023 poll of homesteaders found that over a quarter of respondents had been homesteading for three or fewer years, Business Insider reports. Despite their off-grid existence, the family said they were touched when the local community rallied around them after Robert suffered a heart attack. Other challenges include how to manage their own power supply, especially in winter But the family say the struggle is worth it for the sense of peace and privacy they get on their 27 acre lot 'It's not always as easy or fun as social media makes it seem,' Crystal said. 'It's a crazy amount of work, exhausting and so stressful at times. 'Our family gets through those hard times by supporting each other and reminding each other that it's all going to be worth it in the end.' Tributes have been paid to a talented and stunningly beautiful Scots DJ who has died just five days before her 23rd birthday. Niamh Jobson, a rising star in the music industry, had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer when she was 16. She forged a career as a producer and DJ despite undergoing gruelling treatment, including losing her left leg and being fitted with a prosthetic limb. But in a poignant announcement on what would have been her birthday, her family said she had died earlier this month while in Hong Kong, where she had been born before growing up on the Hebridean island of Eigg. They said: It is with the most insurmountable pain that we take this time and space to inform you all that our hugely gifted, talented, intuitive, wise, fiercely clever, funny, sparkly, stunningly beautiful legend of a girl, Niamh Jobson, died on Friday, 17th January 2025 in Hong Kong, a few short miles from where she was born. The tribute, from her parents Jonathan and Jackie and her younger brother and sister, went on: Please, wherever you are in the world, whatever you are doing, join us in celebrating our much loved Queen today. Rest in Glory our Queenie. We love you with all our might. Another heartfelt message from a friend who met her on Eigg read: Niamh was a shining light; her heart was full of goodness and kindness and love. She shared it so generously with everyone she met. Niamh Jobson, a rising star in the music industry had battled cancer from the age of 16 Ms Jobson, from the Hebridean island of Eigg, was a highly rated DJ In spite of her many challenges and suffering, she pursued her dreams fearlessly and was making amazing tracks in the dance music world as an emerging techno DJ. Her star was rising. We are so heartbroken. She was full of craic, with a razor-sharp wit. She was fiercely intelligent and brilliant. Niamh was a regular host at the Sub Club in Glasgow and also presented slots on Radio Buena Vida, which said she was a truly wonderful and genuine person. She had grown up on Eigg before moving to Glasgow to study at music college. In an article written in 2018, she said Eigg was one of the most cultured and eye-opening places Ive ever been in my life. She wrote: I love telling people about my island, especially people from Glasgow or some other big bright city. The fact that I live in a small stone house on an independent island in the Inner Hebrides makes me feel a hundred times more Scottish than whoever Im speaking to, even if theyre also from Scotland. I love Glasgow but Eigg has a special place in my heart. But in 2019 she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma - a type of bone cancer which most commonly affects teenagers and young people - after going to hospital with severe pain in her leg. Doctors found the disease had spread to her lungs and she underwent surgery and chemotherapy at the Beatson Cancer Centre in Glasgow. After having her leg removed a year ago, she shared pictures of her prosthetic to raise awareness of limb loss and joked that it was her new accessory. President Donald Trump has unveiled plans to house 30,000 illegal migrants at Guantanamo Bay. The U.S. military base in Cuba has historically been used to hold terror suspects since 9/11 and current detainees include the accused mastermind of the attack. Using it for migrants is the latest symbolic move in Trump's unprecedented crackdown on illegal migration that began the moment he entered office last week. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted raids across the country and deportation flights have left the United States daily with the administration putting out images of the effort. Trump said the facility with 30,000 beds will be used to keep the 'worst of the worst' migrants under lock and key, and noted how 'tough' it is to escape. It will include suspects from countries he doesn't trust will detain them when they are deported. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem floated the plan earlier on Wednesday, but Trump has now put the idea into motion. 'Today, Im also signing an Executive Order to instruct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to begin preparing the 30,000 person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people,' Trump said. He made the announcement while signing the Laken Riley Act at the White House on Wednesday. President Donald Trump has annoucned plans to open a facility on Guantanamo Bay to house 30,000 illegal migrants Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had earlier floated the idea of expanding the Guantanamo facility Trump added: 'We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people. Some of them are so bad we don't even trust the countries to hold them because we don't want them coming back. 'So we're going to send them out to Guantanamo Bay. This will double our capacity immediately, and tough. That's a tough - that's a tough place to get out of.' The George W. Bush administration opened the facility in 2002 to detain 'illegal enemy combatants' during the 'War on Terror.' Ultimately, successive administrations have negotiated a series of arrangements to transfer prisoners out of the facility since then, amid public and congressional pressure to close it. The population has now dwindled to just 15 after the most recent series of transfers. Among them is 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who agreed to plead guilty after negotiations with military lawyers, avoiding a potential death sentence, and setting off yet another legal saga. Trump himself ordered his then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to keep Guantanamo open in 2018, reversing an Obama administration order. The U.S. military base in Cuba has historically been used to hold terror suspects since 9/11 and detainees include some of the accused masterminds Trump's comments follow continued law enforcement raids around the country Trump mentioned his election wins in battleground states but said it wouldn't be 'appropriate' to take a question about rescinding a memo on freezing government grant programs Trump's announcement came hours after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem floated the idea in a Fox News interview. Guantanamo has a migrant facility that has been used for decades that is separate from the high-security prison area. It has been used to house Haitians fleeing storms and Cubans who don't make it to the U.S. shore. Trump's move requires authorities to detain migrants who are in the U.S. illegally and are accused of other crimes, including misdemeanors. The Venezuelan migrant who killed Laken Riley had entered the country illegally and been arrested for shoplifting and released. Trump made the announcement after resolving a potential trade war with the government of Colombia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro backed down after initially refusing to accept U.S. flights of deported Colombian nationals. Trump said Colombia 'apologized to us profusely within an hour.' He recounted his threats, saying 'you're going to pay tariffs like nobody has every paid tariffs' and told of how the country backtracked. 'But they actually said that we're going to send the presidential plane to pick up these criminals and to bring them because they didn't want to inconvenience us or have us do a second flight,' he said. 'And that's what they did it and I appreciate it, and I do appreciate the people of Colombia, they are wonderful people, and the representatives really acted well. 'They are going to all take them back and they are going to like it, too. They are going like it,' he said. New White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clashed with an NBC reporter at Tuesday's White House press briefing over the number of 'criminal' aliens being sent home. The network's Peter Alexander asked about Trump's comment that he would 'start with the criminals' before saying 'nearly half' of 1,179 migrants arrested 'have no prior criminal record.' Leavitt shot back that any foreign national who enters the US illegally is 'by definition a criminal' and 'subject to deportation.' The memorandum Trump signed directs the HHS secretary 'to take all appropriate actions to expand' the existing migrant operations center 'to full capacity to provide additional detention space for high-priority criminal aliens unlawfully present in the United States, and to address attendant immigration enforcement needs identified by the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.' It states that it is issued 'in order to halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels, and restore national sovereignty.' When Woolworths folded in 2008 taking its beloved Stornoway store with it, a constant since 1935 it was like a death in the family: town centre footfall has never recovered. When Borders gave up the ghost a year later, appalled Glasgow teens hit social media with their ululations, and even the demise of Debenhams the opening of its flagship Edinburgh store, in 1981, was excitedly covered on Reporting Scotland tugged rather at the heartstrings. Few will keen for WH Smith, poised shortly to offload all its high street stores and with the usual vultures already circling. The company, of course, will never quit its lucrative travel outlets at train stations and airports, where competition is minimal to non-existent and harried travellers have scarce the energy to wince as they pay over the odds for soft drinks and drear sandwiches. WH Smith has been a tatty operation for years now. The magazine selection is these days haphazardly shelved and very poor. Scant bookshelves dominated by the deathless prose of Dan Brown and Peter May, David Walliams and Jeffrey Archer. Around Christmas I popped my head in the door of its Great Western Road branch in Glasgow. The store seemed disorganised, with no logic or theme. There were hardly any customers. I proceeded no further. The once popular WH Smith stores are disappearing from the HIgh Street Scotland's high streets are now awash with vape stores and betting shops Nearly two decades ago, David Cameron, channeling the nanny-statism of New Labour, saw fit to denounce WH Smith for plugging discounted Terrys Chocolate Oranges, and for years there was a Twitter account devoted exclusively to snapshots of the chains tired, frayed and often stained carpets. Its hard now to remember when WH Smith was a colossus that bestrode British retail. Born in 1792, at its heights the company owned Paperchase, Waterstones, a major publisher Hodder Headline, the DIY chain Do It All, and record shops like Virgin and Our Price. WH Smith had a big stake in TV, launched several cable channels and, in April 1995, took Britains very first secure online order over the internet. In a more distant past, the company offered bookbinding and a massive lending library, revolutionised the booktrade with the ISBN number, and was a major newspaper distributor. Its stores in the 1990s were bright and inviting places with staff who seemed genuinely to enjoy their jobs, and it prospered all the more in Scotland after in 1998 acquiring the retail operations of its keenest competitor, John Menzies. But, like so many others, WH Smug was caught in a deadly pincer movement that has already laid many a high street to waste and is seen at its worst less in our great city centres than such provincial towns as Inverness, Dunfermline or Kirkcaldy. On one side, WH Smith was clobbered by high business rates, rocketing rents and the gulping cost these days of downtown parking. On the other, of course, it has increasingly been whipped by the ease and convenience of online shopping, with swift and often next-day delivery. But the central problem has been its declining offer. Stale; dolefully outdated. Past its time. A Caramac bar, as one observer has cracked, in the age of Tonys Chocolonely. In this, though, it has hardly been alone. C&A perished in 2002. More recent years have seen the demise, amongst others, of BHS, Mothercare, Topshop/Topman, Wilko and Debenhams, Virgin Megastore, House of Fraser and most of HMV. We tend, on reading their obituaries, to lament the passing of the latest national treasure, clouded by recollections of these operators in their heyday and an era when a rare outing downtown with your parents do you remember Lewiss magnificent department store on Argyle Street? - was such an occasion they dressed up for it. In fact, all these empires foundered for the same reason: people had stopped shopping in them. When I latterly shopped at Debenhams, on Edinburghs Princes Street, it was all but deserted. The escalator down to the menswear department had not worked in months. Its machinery, in darkest cellars underneath, kept flooding, the lady at the till darkly confided. Even Jenners, that fabled Edinburgh institution, was in manifest decline for years, soon after Scotlands oldest independent department store fell under the House of Fraser yoke in 2005. Its beloved food hall and the fabled toy department went years before when, and at scant notice, Jenners gave up the ghost in December 2020. And you need only ask yourself when you last tripped into WH Smith, with practically everything overpriced, an indifferent meal deal and a lugubrious checkout worker trying to do you for a 3-pack of Cadburys Creme Eggs. But Smiths are but the latest casualty in what is shaping up to be a perfect storm. Quiz Clothing, a noted Scottish success story and founded only in 1993, with sixty standalone stores and many more concessions, is this week collapsing into administration: its shares last week were delisted from the London stock market. 1,500 jobs are in jeopardy. And the broader retail ecology is in mounting crisis as companies everywhere face looming hike in employers national insurance. In the last twelve days alone, Lakeland the family-owned, high-end kitchenware retailer has been put on the market; the corporate overlords of the Poundland discount chain have hired advisers to assess options, and The Original Factory Shop (they have a concession in a major Stornoway supermarket) is on the brink of sale to family office Baaj Capital. Thank you so much, Rachel from Accounts: did it occur to you that upping what is basically a tax on jobs might, you know, result in fewer jobs? WH Smiths heyday was in a very different Britain. An era when retail parks, glitzy shopping centres and huge out-of-town supermarkets did not exist. When WH Smith was a deftly run generalist operation, not far from your home, where you could nip in for books, videos, records, stationery and, of course, your Scottish Daily Mail. Now it sells nothing you cannot buy, cheaper, in a middling Tesco. And beyond all this is a readily overlooked social cost, regardless of jobs and profit margins. We are greatly affected by our built environment. When our town centres are hollowed out, only the bottom-feeders tend to survive the vapestores, the betting-shops, the charity shops, the Turkish barbers and the odd discount operation, its windows filled with plastic tat and the cheapest shoes. A walk down Sauchiehall Street these days, with all its shuttered and abandoned premises Watts; M&S is a dispiriting experience. Princes Street, in Edinburgh, is a horror-flick of Scottish souvenir-tat, American candy stores and discount clothing outlets. Before Christmas 2023 I walked the length of it in vain trying to buy a radio. The glory is departed. At best, the future is one of gentrified urban villages, like Morningside or Finnieston cafes, little galleries, lovingly run independent and specialist retailers. Meanwhile, as a wry 2002 cartoon put it, Man At C&A is now man without a job. This video is no longer available This video is no longer available Police have arrested a couple they describe as being on the 'periphery' of a suspected anti-Semitic terror plot which was exposed by the discovery of a caravan loaded with explosives. For 12 days, the caravan was left beside a property in Dural in northwest Sydney before a resident reported it, with the explosive contents sparking a multi-agency probe into a suspected terror plot. Police said a note found inside the caravan contained addresses of Jewish people and a synagogue and included the words, 'f*** the Jews'. The explosives had the capacity to create an explosion with a 40m blast impact, capable of causing a mass casualty event. The explosive material is believed to be power gel sourced from a mining site, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson said. Arrests have been made 'on the periphery' of the case, Dep Comm Hudson said. It is understood those 'periphery' arrests were that of Tammie Farrugia, charged last week over an alleged anti-Semitic attack at Woollahra in December. And the other arrest was Farrugia's boyfriend, Scott Marshall, who was charged late last year with weapons and drug offences to which he has pleaded not guilty. It is understood the 'periphery' arrests were that of Tammie Farrugia and her boyfriend Scott Marshall (pictured), but they have not been charged in relation to the caravan NSW Deputy Commissioner David Hudson doesn't believe the plot is linked to far-right extremists but couldn't rule it out A caravan filled with explosives and a note with the addresses of Jewish people was found at a property (pictured) in Sydney's north-west The couple had posted on Facebook last month seeking a caravan. On December 6, Farrugia tagged Marshall, in a post that read: 'Looking for a caravan for sale hit me up if U have one cheers'. Their arrests were made in relation to separate incidents, not over the caravan - and as of Thursday morning neither Farrugia nor Marshall have been charged. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing. The caravan's owner is in police custody, having previously been arrested over other alleged offences. 'In relation to the specific offences related to the caravan, we have people charged on the periphery of that investigation. Inquiries are ongoing in relation to their involvement with the caravan or not,' Dep Comm Hudson said. An officer involved in the operation has told The Daily Telegraph, 'some things just don't add up'. 'Leaving notes and addresses are too obvious, likewise leaving it on a public road makes us believe it could well possibly be a set up.' Dep Comm Hudson confirmed police were considering that possibility. 'That is a consideration we are looking into as well. It is not unusual for certain elements of the criminal fraternity to try and seek assistance by disclosing certain weapons or explosives to police seeking assistance.' The couple arrested on the 'periphery' of the attack had posted on Facebook just last month asking to buy a caravan Police are still looking for help from the public in their investigation, particularly from anyone who saw the caravan parked 'in a hazardous position' by the side of Derriwong Road, Dural, between December 7 and January 19. Police are yet to confirm if the plot is linked to Islamic terrorists, far-right extremists or any other group, local or foreign. 'We don't have any particular ideology in relation to what's causing this or any common links between certain ideologies, but nothing's excluded at this stage,' Dep Comm Hudson said. 'We pursue everything until we get to the truth, and we will do that. 'That caravan contained an amount of explosives and some indication that those explosives might be used in some form of anti-Semitic attack. 'We're taking this seriously and all lines of inquiry are being pursued, but I want to stress we do not believe there is an ongoing threat from this discovery.' A counter-terrorism investigation is currently underway concerning a caravan filled with explosives found at a Dural property earlier this month It's understood the resident who reported the van to police was concerned that it posed a safety risk to passing cars due to how close it was to the road. Believing it had been abandoned, the man towed the caravan onto his property before discovering its contents. Police have since seized the caravan. The discovery of the caravan and subsequent investigation was not made public for 10 days. NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was briefed on January 20 and the information was kept 'clandestine' strictly for operational purposes, allowing police to stay a step ahead of suspects. 'Sometimes the police work behind the scenes,' Mr Minns told Sky News. 'Now I don't want the public to believe that anyone was twiddling their thumbs over the last 10 days - the exact opposite is the case. 'But the police judgment in this case, I believe needs to be backed. We need politics for one side and let the police get on with the job.' It was easy for some politicians to demand the information be released immediately, especially with the federal election looming, Mr Minns said. 'I would just urge everybody to let NSW Police conduct these investigations,' he said. 'The stakes couldn't be higher. Politics can wait for another day. 'I want the public to rest assured that, firstly, the caravan is in police custody. 'Secondly, as has been reported in the media, the owner of the van is in police custody as well, and inquiries continue and nothing will stop until NSW Police have arrested those who are responsible for this.' Police found a load of explosives in the van along with a note containing the addresses of Jewish targets and a synagogue. Pictured are police at the semi-rural property Police believe the threat stemming from the dumped van has been contained. 'We will not rest until these matters are resolved,' Dep Comm Hudson said. 'We understand the concerns of the community. We understand the concerns of the Jewish community, and we take all these threats exceptionally seriously.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has 'unequivocally' condemned the act. 'It's clearly designed to harm people, but it's also designed to create fear in the community, and that is a very definition,' the prime minister told ABC Radio Sydney. The incident comes after a spate of anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney, with a childcare centre near a synagogue in the city's east set alight and sprayed with anti-Semitic graffiti on January 21. NSW Premier Chris Minns addressed the media on Wednesday night after a caravan stacked with explosives along with a note of known Jewish targets was found at a semi-rural property Four days before, a house that formerly belonged to Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin was targeted in an arson and graffiti attack. Two men have been charged over a separate attack on a synagogue in Newtown after it was spray-painted with red swastikas and briefly set alight in the early hours of January 11. Federal police have identified that foreign actors recruiting local 'criminals for hire' could be behind some of the attacks targeting Jewish communities. Cars have been set alight, a synagogue burnt down and anti-Semitic slurs painted on buildings and cars in attacks that have escalated in frequency and severity since December. NSW Police is now working in partnership with AFP, the NSW Crime Commission and ASIO in its ongoing investigation The Florida teenager accused of brutally murdering his mother showed zero emotion as the court heard exactly how his mother died. Collin Griffith, 17, allegedly killed his mother Catherine Griffith, 39, who was found knifed in the neck at a home in Auburndale, Florida on September 8, 2024. On Wednesday, Collin's trial kicked off as he was seen dressed in a plaid button down and suit jacket with a blank stare on his face while prosecutor Mark Levine detailed how he 'viscously and savagely' murdered his mom that horrid day. 'It was a Sunday evening, September 8th of last year in Auburndale, Florida. And it was at that time that the defendant viscously and savagely unleashed his full fury and hatred toward his mother upon her,' Levine said in his opening statement to jurors. 'When he stabbed her with such force, that the knife went shooting through her neck, through her neck muscles, through her esophagus, through her trachea, through her thyroid cartilage, and shot out the other side of her neck.' The prosecutor added that after Catherine was stabbed, she 'began to bleed, and bleed profusely through the huge gash in her neck.' While she bled out, her son 'watched' as 'the blood and the life drained from her body,' he added. Levine also referenced a disturbing conversation Collin had with his paternal grandfather leading up to his mother's death, telling the court that 'this was exactly what the defendant meant to do.' Collin Griffith, 17, sat emotionless in court on Wednesday as his trial kicked off. He's been accused of killing his mother, Catherine Griffith, 39, at a home in Auburndale, Florida on September 8, 2024 During court, prosecutor Mark Levine detailed how he 'viscously and savagely' murdered his mom that horrid afternoon. (Pictured: Catherine and Collin) 'More than anything else, I want to slit her throat and feel her bleed out, and feel the life leave her body. That's how much I hate her,' Collin told his grandfather, according to Levine. Collin sat next to his defense team, Amy Thornhill and Howard Dimmig, who, along with Levine, described the problematic family dynamic that plagued the mother and son prior to her death. Just a year before, Catherine had bailed her son out of jail for fatally shooting his father, Charles Griffith, 43, on Valentine's Day in 2023 - an act he claimed was self defense. Levine said that while Catherine tried to 'make up for lost time' with her son - who moved from Oklahoma to her home in Florida - the pair started to clash. Levine insisted that the mother and son's relationship worsened leading up to her final day as Catherine gave her son several 'ultimatums' in exchange for him to complete household chores. At one point, he read a text that Catherine sent to her son between 12pm and 12.29pm the day she died. In the message, Catherine appeared to threaten her son with information she had about the death of his father, telling him that she would pass it along 'all because you didn't help me mount a bookshelf.' 'Collin, the recordings of you admitting to killing [your father] and planning the murder, there are four different instances from my Ring camera, are all going to Bob, Susie, Amanda, and Chris at 3 p.m. today,' Catherine wrote to Collin. While she bled out, her son 'watched' as 'the blood and the life drained from her body,' he added. (Pictured: Collin during his indictment hearing) Just a year before, Catherine had bailed her son out of jail for fatally shooting his father, Charles Griffith, 43, on Valentine's Day in 2023, in an act he claimed was self defense. (Pictured: Charles and Catherine) 'Plus the recovered audio from Chucks iCloud where you told your dad you hated me and I was an evil b**** are being sent too. My dad is sending me his recordings of you telling him how you planned my murder back in February. All because you didnt want to help me mount a bookshelf.' In November 2023, Collin and Catherine got into a verbal altercation that quickly grew physical, as the teen 'attacked' and 'stomped' his mother, Levine said. Collin was arrested and taken to jail, but was released the following day. When Collin's attorney, Thornhill, approached the stand, she told a very different story, alleging that Catherine caused a lot of the issues between her and her son. She said: 'Cathy has threatened or done harm to other people,' including Collin. His lawyer also noted that the late mother often instigated arguments, struggled with a drinking and pill problem and was estranged from her family. Thornhill also mentioned that Catherine owned a gun and told her son to use it on her. In November 2023, Collin and Catherine got into a verbal altercation that quickly grew physical, as the teen 'attacked' and 'stomped' his mother, Levine said Collin previously told police that his mother handed him the weapon and an envelope filled with 'all the important papers you need if I'm gone,' Thornhill said. Catherine then pointed the firearm at her son and stated 'she was either going to shoot him or herself or both,' before handing the gun to Collin, telling him 'just shoot me.' At the time, Collin reported the incident to school administrators, who then contacted police. Catherine went on to deny the allegations, and according to Thornhill, the police believed her and not Collin. His attorney also insisted that Collin repeatedly said that he didn't feel safe around his mom. Following the November 2023 domestic violence incident, Collin said that he would go back to live with his mother but would make sure that he defended himself if he needed to, Thornhill stated. He even said that he would rather be placed in foster care than live with his mother, who he told police he was 'scared' of, she added. During the physical dispute, Thornhill said that Catherine repeatedly hit her son in the face, which led to him going into a 'wrestling move', striking her back. When Collin's attorney, Thornhill, approached the stand, she told a very different story, alleging that Catherine caused a lot of the issues between her and her son After he was taken to jail following the incident, Thornhill said that police 'forced' Collin to ride home with his mother even after Catherine made him so 'marches with weights above his head,' police body cam footage revealed, according to Law & Crime. She went on to reveal that both Collin and Catherine had been 'Baker Acted' - a state law that allows individuals to be involuntarily committed if they are a threat to the public or themselves. Six months after his father's death Collin was back in custody under Florida's Baker Act after threatening to kill himself, and to stab or shoot his mother. 'All is not well at home, clearly,' Thornhill said. Collin initially told police that his mother 'fell' on the weapon, but the teen has since been charged with her murder. Witnesses reported seeing Griffith dragging his mom out of the house by her hair two hours earlier and a medical examiner found she had been stabbed twice in the neck. The late mother's social media posts often appeared to reference her familial turmoil, but in one heartbreaking post she vowed to 'live life to the fullest.' (Pictured: Catherine and Collin) The late mother's social media posts often appeared to reference her familial turmoil, but in one heartbreaking post she vowed to 'live life to the fullest.' 'This last year has been a whirlwind of life events and memories,' she wrote a day after her birthday. 'I am thankful that no matter what I encounter or experience- I have family, friends and a community of people who are here to support me, even on the days when I have not been the best me. 'Thank you to everyone who has helped me see that life is an adventure worth living and fighting for everyday. Life lessons are just those- lessons. 'Ive learned some of the hardest lessons in my 30s but Im vowing that my 39th year will be a year of living life to its fullest.' Another cryptic post made just days before her murder featured lyrics from the Taylor Swift song, 'It's Time to Go.' 'That old familiar body ache, The snaps from the same little breaks in your soul. You know when its time to goSometimes, givin up is the strong thing,' she posted alongside a scenic picture of a boardwalk. Other posts appear to show the mom-and-son as a picture-perfect family, enjoying cruise vacations and trips to Disney and Universal Studios. While in May, she gifted the teen a brand new $26,000 2024 VW Jetta as an early graduation present. 'I love you and am so proud of you!' she gushed under a picture of him posing on the hood. Despite Catherine paying $50,000 to bail her son out of jail after his father's death, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said: 'When I look at him [Collin] I see a psychopath.' Collin claimed that his father had pulled a knife on him before chasing and cornering him at the remote farmstead in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, on Valentine's Day 2023. But prosecutors 'could not disprove Colin's assertion of self-defense' and was released after his mother posted bond. Hundreds of prisoners including violent and dangerous thugs are set to be freed early in a shameful betrayal of victims. The Scottish Government said the mass release would take place next month in a bid to ease pressure on crowded jails. A new law means short-term prisoners will be let out after serving only 40 per cent of their sentences - down from 50 per cent. Up to 390 will be freed in three tranches over six weeks - starting in less than three weeks time - despite warnings over the potentially dire repercussions for public safety. Opposition politicians and victims campaigners launched a furious attack on SNP ministers, warning that victims are simply not being listened to. Last night, Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: The imminent introduction of the SNPs reckless early release scheme is confirmation of their latest shameful betrayal of victims. SNP ministers railroaded these plans through parliament without a second thought about the risks it would pose to public safety. They are displaying a stunning lack of common sense, given the public expect prisoners to serve their sentences in full. Scotland's justice Secretary Angela Constance said there will be a sustained reduction in prisoner numbers The Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Act was passed by Holyrood in November. It will change the release point for those serving prison sentences of less than four years from 50 per cent of their sentence to 40 per cent. Those convicted of domestic abuse or sexual offences will not be released early under the changes. The first prisoners will be freed from February 18, ending on March 20. Ministers said they expect the change to bring about a 5 per cent reduction in the sentenced prison population. The law will make an immediate and longer-term difference to the number of people in jail. An estimated 260-390 short-term prisoners who have served 40 per cent of their sentence will be released by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). The change comes amid warnings from prison bosses of critical challenges as a result of the rising numbers of inmates. First Minister John Swinney said last year that prisons were absolutely bursting at the seams with more than 8,300 people behind bars - above the target operating capacity of 8,007. Some 477 convicts were freed during an early release programme last summer in a bid to ease overcrowding. Fifty-seven of these went on to reoffend and were later put back behind bars. Last night, Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland (VSS), said no improvements have been made to the Victim Notification Scheme - the main mechanism intended to inform victims. She added: The last time prisoners were released early, only 2 per cent of victims were notified. People can check if they are affected by contacting VSS and giving their explicit consent for VSS to access this information on their behalf. VSS is concerned that if the number of victims contacted is not increased this time, it will have a profoundly damaging impact on victim confidence and trust in the justice system - their voices are simply not being listened to. Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: For years, the Government was warned that overcrowding in the prison system was a disaster waiting to happen and failed to act. Early release for some offenders seemed to be the only realistic option. Up to 390 prisoners will be freed in three tranches over six weeks However, Scottish ministers have given themselves the power to release prisoners early, limit scrutiny and prevent prison governors blocking certain criminals from being released. As we warned in the earlier debate in parliament, thats a risky combination for public safety. In November last year, Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS), launched an unprecedented broadside against the SNP Governments bid to tackle prison overcrowding by stepping up the early release of inmates. He said it was another challenge dumped on the doorstep of the already critically overstretched police service which would spark an increase in crime. Mr Hay said: There has been a lot of discussion about the efficacy of prison but for a lot of communities jail provides much-needed respite from repeat offenders. In terms of protecting the public from career criminals, prisons are 100 per cent effective. The Mail revealed last year that the latest round of early releases is set to land taxpayers with a bill of up to 2million. The draft legislation published showed the cost of processing the mass release is estimated at nearly 500,000. Another chunk of public cash is earmarked for a legal services team to notify victims. There will also be pressure on housing as councils try to find accommodation as the prisoners are freed in February. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the new measures will result in a sustained reduction in prisoner numbers. She said: The prison population has significantly grown in recent years and I recognise that the impact is being felt in prisons and across the justice system. While not a complete solution, this Act will bring sustained reduction to prisoner numbers so the prison estate can continue to function effectively. We need the prison system to focus on those who pose the greatest risk to the public and provide a range of support to help reduce reoffending and integration back into the community. That is why this Act is backed by both the Prison Officers Association and the Prison Governors Association. Ms Constance said she absolutely recognises the release of prisoners can cause distress for victims of crime, and that changing the release point for short-term prisoners has the potential to raise questions and cause concern. She added: That is why we will continue to work closely with victim support organisations to ensure that accessible information is available to victims on the change to the release point for short-term prisoners. A Missouri woman is accused of going on a terrifying multi-state murder spree targeting her former lovers. Taylor Santiago, 31, turned herself in to police on Wednesday after allegedly murdering her ex-husband Troy Huffman in Aurora, Missouri, before driving to her estranged lover's home in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and opening fire again. At the second home in Arkansas, police say Santiago shot the father of her child, Nathan Green, who is expected to survive, and murdered his girlfriend Sophia Williams, a mother-of-five. Williams' loved ones told Ozarks First that she had called them on the day of the murders to celebrate being awarded custody of the child Green shared with Santiago. Authorities believe the custody battle may have been what set off the spree, and say Santiago was motivated by looking to take revenge on her ex-lovers. According to a probable cause affidavit, Santiago returned to Aurora, Missouri after driving to Arkansas for the second shooting and turned herself in to police. She is facing charges of first-degree murder, robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon, alongside a charge of endangering the welfare of a child as both shootings were reportedly witnessed by the victim's young children. Taylor Santiago, 31, allegedly murdered her ex-husband in Aurora, Missouri on Wednesday before driving to her estranged lover's home in Eureka Springs, Arkansas and opening fire again Santiago is accused of luring her ex-husband Troy Huffman (pictured) to her home on the promise of seeing their child, before allegedly shooting him dead and stealing his car to drive to the second shooting In the second shooting, Santiago allegedly shot her ex-lover Nathan Green, who survived, and killed his girlfriend Sophia Williams (pictured together) A detective with the Aurora-Marionville Police Department told the News Tribune that Santiago's alleged spree began when she 'decided' to kill her ex-husband and estranged lover while she was getting coffee at a Casey's General Store on the night of the shootings. She allegedly invited Huffman to her home 'under the pretenses' of seeing their 12-year-old child, with the intention of killing him. When Huffman arrived, Santiago allegedly told their child to cover his ears because 'she was going to take care of the bad guys', the affidavit states. The affidavit says Santiago later confessed to Huffman's murder, saying that she shot him several times as he was still standing when she first opened fire. She allegedly then dragged his body out of the entrance to her home, stole his keys and took his car roughly 50 miles to Green's home in Aurora, Arkansas - leaving one of her children alone in the home with Huffman's body. Cops said Santiago then shot Green and his girlfriend Sophia, with Sophia's family saying she was gunned down trying to protect Green's child, while several other children reportedly witnessed the tragedy. When she turned herself in, Santiago reportedly told officers that she had killed three people, after apparently mistakenly believing she had killed Green. He was raced to hospital in critical condition, but is expected to survive. Williams, a mother-of-five, was described as a 'wonderful person' by her family, who said she died trying to protect one of Green's children Williams reportedly told her family the day of the shootings that she and Green won custody of a child he shared with Santiago, with police saying custody battles Santiago was fighting with both exes may have been the motive Police Chief Wes Coatney told KY3 the killings were likely motivated by child custody battles Santiago was fighting with both of her exes. Williams' family said they have been left heartbroken by her death, as her sister Calista Abernathy said she had spoken to her just hours before she was shot dead. 'When we were talking, she had just told me that her and Nathan had been awarded custody for Nathans daughter,' she told Ozarks First. 'She had told me that before, they had got recent documents and everything and when they went to court date with their newfound evidence, thats when the judge granted them the custody that they were wanting.' Abernathy, who set up a GoFundMe to help Williams' five children, described Santiago as a 'monster' and said she hopes prosecutors go for the death penalty if she is convicted. Williams' sister Calista Abernathy described Santiago as a 'monster' and said she hopes prosecutors go for the death penalty if she is convicted 'I think she deserves the death penalty. She took lives. She left children without parents. She doesnt deserve to breathe, to eat. She deserves none of that. She deserves to be where she needs to be,' Abernathy said. 'Im very angry. Im very angry when I hear [Santiagos] name because she took a wonderful person from all of us. Sophia was an amazing mother, has five children, and she loved her children so much. 'My sister loves saving anybody and kids. She was so good. My sister literally died from saving a child.' Abernathy said she is hoping to meet with lawyers next week to push for a 'Sophie's Law', a policy she said would shield addresses in hostile custody cases as she believes court documents allowed Santiago to track her alleged victims down. 'Im definitely looking into making a Sophias Law to where when these custody issues happen, those addresses are off those court papers because if those addresses were not on those court papers, that woman would not have known where my sister was at,' she said. 'That is something Im definitely looking to push forward, so no other family has to go through this type of tragedy again, because this was uncalled for.' The Met Office has revealed snow is on the way for some parts of the UK with temperatures set to plummet to -5C tonight. The forecaster has issued 12-hour yellow ice warnings until 10am on Thursday for parts of Northern Ireland and northern Scotland, while a slight covering of snow is 'possible' in areas mainly above 200m. Forecasters have warned the wintry showers could lead to a risk of icy patches on untreated roads. People have been urged to allow extra time for their journeys and have been warned there may be further serious travel disruption ahead. Overnight saw temperatures plunge to -5C in rural parts of Scotland, with the mercury set to fall to -4C in Cumbria and North Yorkshire. It comes after Storm Eowyn battered the country last week, claiming one life north of the border and leaving more than 130,000 people without power. Meanwhile, southern England has now been hit by 60mph gusts and heavy rain as Storm Ivo struck the coast - the third named storm to impact Britain in just six days. The storm, which was named in Portugal, saw torrential downpours pushing in from the South West this morning before spreading east along to Kent. Tonight temperatures could plunge to -5C in rural parts of Scotland, with the mercury set to fall to -4C in Cumbria and North Yorkshire Snow (shown in grey) is forecast to fall in some areas of Scotland The forecaster issued 12-hour yellow ice warnings at 9.30am for parts of Northern Ireland and northern Scotland Sheep in a snowy field near Princetown in Dartmoor on January 8 2025 A walker in the snow in Slade Valley, Co. Dublin, Ireland -- January 9, 2025 The strongest gusts were expected in Cornwall, reaching 57mph at St Just. with Devon tipped for 48mph at Salcombe and Dorset 34mph at Weymouth. Britain was hit at the start of this week by Storm Herminia, named in Spain. This followed 114mph Storm Eowyn, named by the Met Office, which struck the UK and Ireland last Friday and caused two deaths and widespread travel chaos. On Wednesday morning, 387 SP Energy Networks customers were still off supply, 303 of them in the Dumfries and Galloway region, and engineers were working to reconnect them. The high winds, with gusts of up to 100mph, caused significant damage including to infrastructure on the rail network, which led to many route closures. The line between Girvan in South Ayrshire and Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway was the only route still shut on Wednesday while Network Rail Scotland engineers were working to repair damage. ScotRail said replacement buses were operating between Ayr and Stranraer and advised people to check the train company's app before travelling. The yellow alert which came into force on Wednesday evening warns that icy patches may lead to some travel disruption on Thursday morning, and a risk of injury from slips and falls. It covers the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen, the Western Isles and part of Argyll and Bute. A motorist drives along a flooded country lane in Dunsden, Oxfordshire on January 29 Damage caused by Storm Eowyn last Friday at Culzean Country Park in South Ayrshire, in a picture released today by National Trust for Scotland A photo released today of damage caused by Storm Eowyn at Cragside in Northumberland after Storm Eowyn ripped out more than 10,000 trees from National Trust properties A fallen tree at Holmwood near Glasgow following strong winds brought by Storm Eowyn last Friday, in a photograph released by National Trust for Scotland today The weather warnings in place last Friday during Storm Eowyn included a red 'danger to life' alert between 10am and 5pm, which covered the central belt and Dumfries and Galloway and stretched north on the west coast to Jura in Argyll and Bute. Calum Carmichael, 19, from New Cumnock, East Ayrshire, died after his car was hit by a falling tree in nearby Mauchline at about 6.45am on Friday before the red weather warning came into force. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and died on Saturday, police said. Justice Secretary Angela Constance has praised the 'remarkable progress' made by energy companies to restore electricity supplies to those who lost power during the storm. Speaking on Tuesday at Holyrood about the storm and the recovery operations afterwards, she said: 'This has been and continues to be an extremely complex and protracted incident - every business, home and individual was affected by an amber or red weather warning.' She thanked those who had followed the advice to stay at home, saying by doing so 'people have prevented further loss of life'. But Ms Constance said: 'No amount of warning could prevent significant damage and destruction from a storm of this scale.' Heavy rain and strong winds were forecast throughout today along the south coast of England However, most parts of the UK are expected to be drier and brighter from Thursday. Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Chris Almond said: 'Most areas will be dry with sunny spells on Thursday, although there's the risk of some freezing fog patches at first. 'Cloud, outbreaks of rain and hill snow will spread to the northwest by the end of the day, and Friday will see a cloudy day in the south, with some sunshine further north, before the next band of cloud and rain arrives in the northwest later. 'Overall though, rainfall amounts will be lower than of late.' Sir Sadiq Khan has been blasted for spending more than 2million of taxpayers' money on a 'woke waste' scheme to make London's public art more diverse. The Labour mayor set up his Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, just days after protesters toppled a statue of slave-trader Edward Colston in Bristol. It was meant to 'enrich the public realm' by making statues, murals and memorials more representative of the capital's population. But now it has emerged that the project has so far cost a staggering 2,138,888. The sum, revealed by The Spectator in a Freedom of Information response, includes 1,156,417 on grants for local community projects. The Greater London Authority said the 'Untold Stories' fund has funded 398 new artworks, trails and events in public spaces. Projects include 159 'plaques, QR codes and information boards' including a tribute to anti-slavery campaigner Olaudah Equiano on Tottenham Court Road and five Rainbow Plaques 'marking people, places, culture and significant moments in London's LGBTQIA+ histories'. The cash also contributed towards a 'sound installation to highlight stories from working-class women' on the Olympic Park and 'walk of fame' stars in the pavement to celebrate migrant workers in Cricklewood. Sir Sadiq Khan (pictured) has been blasted for spending more than 2million of taxpayers' money on a ' woke waste' scheme to make London 's public art more diverse Projects include 159 'plaques, QR codes and information boards' including a tribute to anti-slavery campaigner Olaudah Equiano (pictured) on Tottenham Court Road Pictured: Protesters throw the statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest rally Last night, Elliot Keck, head of campaigns at the TaxPayers' Alliance, told The Mail: 'Londoners have had enough of the Mayor racking up the taxpayer-funded credit card with endless amounts of woke waste. 'Sadiq Khan claims to stand up for the capital yet its clear as day that he's more interested in an ideological crusade that sweeps away the city's extraordinary historical legacy. 'Instead of studying statues the Mayor should focus on tackling the knife crime crisis destroying lives across London.' Sir Sadiq is also under fire over the tickets he accepted to see Taylor Swift last summer. The Londoner revealed yesterday that the company who gave him the freebie, LS Events, has won 44.7million of business from City Hall in the past three years. A spokesman insisted Sir Sadiq is 'not involved in the tendering of contracts, which follow full and open processes' and that all gifts are 'declared openly and transparently'. He is being investigated by the GLA's monitoring officer to see if he 'exercised an appropriate level of caution' in deciding to accept six tickets worth about 3,000 for the US superstar's Wembley gig. Plans also include five Rainbow Plaques 'marking people, places, culture and significant moments in London's LGBTQIA+ histories'. Pictured: A similar one in York The Greater London Authority said the 'Untold Stories' fund has funded 398 new artworks, trails and events in public spaces (stock photo of the London skyline) Former Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall said: 'Another day, another massive waste of money from London's Mayor. Taxpayers want the basics sorted. 'More police, safer streets - not more woke statues. Maybe Sir Sadiq wants a statue of himself?' A spokesman for the Mayor said: 'The Commission has supported 70 community-led projects across 24 boroughs, including memorials, artworks and commemorations, as well as provided funding to London's first HIV/AIDS permanent memorial and the Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery. 'This work has helped to increase representation of women, disabled people, Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and LGBTQI+ figures in the capital, as we build a fairer London for everyone.' Former New Jersey senator Bob Menendez has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for taking part in a bribery scheme that netted him gold bars, thousands in cash, a luxury car and more. The plan, which involved the ex-senator's wife Nadine and multiple businessmen, saw the Democrat handing out favors for those who could pay his price. Formerly the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez, 71, in July was found guilty on all 16 felony counts he faced for crimes related to the illegal favors he doled out. He was bribed by New Jersey businessmen and did the bidding of Egypt and Qatar, U.S. federal prosecutors claimed. It is the first time a senator has been found guilty of acting as a 'foreign agent.' Menendez, an influential Democratic senator from New Jersey for nearly two decades before resigning in disgrace in August 2024, reportedly began crying at the hearing. 'Your honor, You have before you a chastened man,' said the tearful Democrat who just months ago was roaming the halls of Congress. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., arrives at federal court in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 Gold bars recovered by the FBI at Menendez's home Fred Daibes, a New Jersey businessmen convicted of paying bribes to former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, arrives to federal court, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in New York 'I have dedicated my entire life to the service of others,' he continued. 'I am far from a perfect man, but I believe in my half century of public service I have done more good than bad.' But Manhattan federal judge Sidney Stein wasn't buying the waterworks, the New York Post reported. 'Somewhere along the way you became, I'm sorry to say, a corrupt politician,' Stein told the former senator. Menendez used his high-profile position to help one man negotiate a contract with Egyptian officials, the federal attorneys argued. And he used his to quash a New Jersey state investigation into another accomplice's state insurance fraud case, they said. During a June 2022 FBI raid of his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home authorities discovered 13 gold bars and close to $500,000 in cash stuffed in coats and shoes and stored in safes and closets. At his trial the Democrat's older sister claimed storing thousands of dollars of valuables haphazardly around the house was a 'Cuban thing.' His defense also attempted to note the 71-year-old hordes money because his family's experience with Communism in Cuba before immigrating to the U.S., though Menendez himself was born in New York after his family had already arrived. Nadine will be charged in a separate trial Cash was found in envelopes inside a jacket with the senator's name on it A Mercedes Menendez and his wife received in the widespread bribery plot In addition to the cash and gold prosecutors also alleged that Nadine Menendez's Mercedes-Benz was also a bribe. Two of the New Jersey businessmen indicted alongside the Menendezes, Wael 'Will' Hana - a halal meat mogul - and Fred Daibes - a real estate developer - also were sentenced on Wednesday. Jose Uribe, a former insurance broker, pleaded guilty in the case earlier this year and since has testified that he bribed the Menendezes. 'I agreed with Nadine Menendez and other people to provide a car for Nadine in order to get the power and influence of Mr. Menendez,' Uribe told the court. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that federal employees who don't show up to work in their offices next month will be fired. He also said some may have to prove they don't work a second job, threatening employees with two gigs with dismissal. 'We have informed the federal workforce,' he said during the signing of the Laken Riley Act at the White House, 'that if they're working for the federal government, they must show up to the office on time and on schedule.' 'If they don't agree by February 6 to show up back to work in their office, they will be terminated,' he added. Trump noted he expects some downsizing of the federal work force as a result of his order. 'We think a very substantial number of people will not show up to work, and therefore our government will get smaller and more efficient,' he said. His latest threat is part of his continuing effort to purge and downsize the federal government. President Donald Trump said federal workers who aren't back in the office by February 6th will be fired from the civil service As a sweetner to his return-to-the-office order, up to two million federal workers will be offered buyouts if they don't want to return to the office. The Trump administration started sending emails to thousands of federal workers Tuesday evening, offering them a chance to voluntarily vacate their government posts while remaining on the payroll for months. The email was linked to Trump's executive order demanding federal employees return to the office. A spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management said the employees who accept the terms were being offered the chance to go on administrative leave through Sept. 30 at full pay. The email said that the last date to accept the offer is Feb. 6, and that employees could do so simply by sending an email from their government account with the word 'resign' in the subject line. It comes as many federal employees eye leaving their jobs amid Trump's takeover in Washington, D.C. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reminded reporters gathered in the White House driveway Wednesday morning that only six percent of federal workers in Washington, DC work full time in the office. 'This is a suggestion to federal workers that they have to return to work. If they don't then they have the option to resign and this administration is very generously offering to pay them for eight months,' Leavitt said. 'This government has been wasting millions of dollars on empty office space that is beautiful, I mean look at the beautiful buildings in this city. They're gorgeous, they've been here for decades.' The newly created Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, reminded federal workers that if they took the buyout, they would receive full benefits and pay for eight months. 'Can take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits, the department wrote on social media, sharing guidance from the Office of Management and Budget. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt walks over to speak with reporters at the White House, Democrats and a powerful union called it an effort to try to dupe employees or pressure them to leave to make way for Trump loyalists. The American Federation of Government Employees union blasted the offer in a statement by president Everett Kelley. 'The number of civil servants hasn't meaningfully changed since 1970, but there are more Americans than ever who rely on government services. Purging the federal government of dedicated career federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government,' said Kelley. 'This offer should not be viewed as voluntary. Between the flurry of anti-worker executive orders and policies, it is clear that the Trump administration's goal is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to.' Additionally, Trump is pushing ahead with his plan to make it easier to fire federal employees, blasting past roadblocks Joe Biden put in his path and giving agencies just 90 days to respond to his order. Trump tried to purge the federal work force in his first term but ran out of time. Now the Office of Personnel Management announced a rebranded effort as part of Trump's war on the government. The OPM memo outlined a new designation for federal employees called: 'Schedule Career/Policy.' It is what Trump called 'Schedule F' when he pushed this plan in his first term. And the heads of federal agencies are given 90 days - until April 20th - to review all the positions in their agency to find those that fit into the 'policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character.' The OPM memo specifically orders employees who 'are not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition' to be reviewed - those are employees who usually have broad protections from being fired or suspended. It could impact hundreds of thousands of federal workers. It is the latest step in Trump's greater plan to purge the federal government of those who disagree with his agenda. Trump wants to have the power to easily fire federal workers, which has brought fears he will fire career employees who have different political ideologies. The OPM memo, however, says Schedule Policy/Career positions 'are not required to personally or politically support the current president or the policies of the current administration.' But they are expected to be loyal to the Trump administration. 'They are required to faithfully implement administration policies to the best of their ability, consistent with their constitutional oath and the vesting of executive authority solely in the president,' the memo states. 'Failure to do so is grounds for dismissal.' Already Trump has targeted federal employees who don't agree with him. On Monday, he has suspended dozens of government officials for trying to circumvent his executive order on freezing all foreign aid. He also fired the inspectors general from more than a dozen federal agencies in a Friday night purge. His executive order terminating all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs has sidelined 395 government bureaucrats. And he's worked on clearing out Justice Department staff who worked with special counsel Jack Smith, who led the prosecutions against him. Trump has long argued there is a 'deep state' at work in the bowels of the federal government, blaming it for his many woes in his first administration. Donald Trump has enacted a series of orders against the government since he came into the White House last week Then-President Joe Biden tried to put protections in place for federal workers In 2020, during the final weeks of his first term, Trump issued an executive order creating a new class of federal workers known as Schedule F. Those staffers would be exempt from the country's traditional merit-based civil service program. And opponents argued it was an attempt to hire and fire people based on their political loyalty. Joe Biden, when he came into office in January 2021, rescinded that order. Then-President Biden then took it one step further last spring, when he issued a new rule that strengthens existing rights for career federal workers by making it clear that civil service protections cannot be taken away from employees unless they give them up voluntarily. In other words, Biden tried to make it nearly impossible for Trump to classify current federal employees under a Schedule F type order. But Acting OPM Director Charles Ezell, in the OPM memo, argues President Trump has the constitutional authority to unilaterally rescind regulations governing federal personnel issues. 'President Trump used his authority under the Constitution and [Title 5 of the U.S. Code] to directly nullify these regulations,' Ezell wrote. 'Section 4 of [the order] provides that, until OPM effectuates their formal rescission '[these regulations] shall be held inoperative and without effect.' This presidential directive immediately superseded OPM regulations issued using delegated presidential authority.' And he sees the new Trump order applying to a lot of federal workers. Ezell wrote that agencies should consider 'rescheduling' positions involved in: Directing the work of an organizational unit Being held accountable for the success of one or more specific programs or projects Substantive participation and discretionary authority in agency grantmaking including 'evaluation of grant applications Those publicly advocating for the policies of the agency or the administration, including before the news media or on social media Currently, federal employees are entitled to notice of a removal, an opportunity to reply, representation by an attorney and a written decision. They can also appeal the removal to the Merit Systems Protection Board or file a grievance under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. And two unions, The American Federation of Government Employees and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, filed lawsuit against the order, saying it improperly attempted to block the Biden administration rule shielding federal workers. Business leaders yesterday warned that Labour policies have put a handbrake on its ambitions to grow the economy - as Tesco became the latest big employer to slash jobs. As Rachel Reeves set out plans to boost growth, Britains biggest supermarket chain said it was cutting 400 roles at its bakeries, stores and head office. One prominent boss said the Chancellor hasnt a clue about growth while another said her new approach represented words rather than actions. For many firms - and their workers - the Chancellors plans are too little too late. The number of high street jobs at risk has hit more than 10,000 amid a meltdown in the retail sector partly fuelled by the Chancellors 25billion employer National Insurance raid. In the past week, fashion chain Quiz - which employs 1,500 - has warned it could collapse while WHSmiths high street business, employing 5,000, is up for sale. Sainsburys is cutting 3,000 jobs and Morrisons 200. And cookware firm Lakeland is up for sale, putting 1,000 jobs at risk. Businesses warned last year that the NI hike would result in price hikes, job losses and store closures but the pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Business leaders have warned that Labour policies have put a handbrake on its ambitions to grow the economy (pictured: Rachel Reeves) Businesses warned last year that the NI hike would result in price hikes, job losses and store closures but the pleas have fallen on deaf ears (pictured: City of London) They are also facing pressure caused by the rise in the national minimum wage and a raft of new workers rights being introduced by the government. Meanwhile the Chancellor faced the fury of Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary who wants the government to scrap air passenger duty rather than waffle on about Heathrow. The UK continues to lose out on enormous growth opportunities because you have a Chancellor who hasnt a clue about how to deliver growth, has had five years to get ready for it, and yet has managed to screw it up in her first budget, Mr OLeary said yesterday. Stephen Phipson, chief executive of manufacturing body Make UK, said the Chancellors rhetoric was upbeat, forceful and positive. But he added: There is a clear contradiction between implementing laudable measures such as planning reform and infrastructure investment while, at the same time, applying a handbrake through measures which will inevitably reduce investment and freeze recruitment. Robert Colvile, director of the Centre for Policy Studies, a think-tank, said: The Chancellors support for growth comes off the back of a Budget that has done a huge amount to damage it. The Chancellor said she wanted to make Britain the best place in the world to be an entrepreneur - yet her own tax decisions have made that impossible. And in terms of damaging regulation, the Governments own impact assessment confirms that its new union-friendly rules on workplace regulation will hit businesses with billions in further costs. In the past week, fashion chain Quiz - which employs 1,500 - has warned it could collapse while WH Smiths high street business, employing 5,000, is up for sale Your browser does not support iframes. Tom Beahon, the British entrepreneur behind the Castore sportswear brand, said businesses in the UK were currently suffering the highest tax burden in history. He told the BBC: I cannot remember a time where Ive been speaking to fellow entrepreneurs, fellow business leaders where theres been as much pessimism as there is at the moment and there has been for the last seven months. While the Chancellors new focus on growth was welcome, he added: It still very much feels like we are at the stage of hearing words rather than actions. And Mr Beahon contrasted the UK governments approach unfavourably with the flurry of policy announcements in the first few days of Donald Trumps new administration in the US. In the UK, weve got a government thats been in place over seven months and have now decided in the last couple of days that maybe we need to start thinking and talking about growth. It does start with clarity of vision and leadership, and it certainly feels as an entrepreneur thats what weve been lacking. The King intervened over the renaming of HMS Agincourt to avoid offending the French, it was claimed last night. Charles reportedly vetoed the name originally approved by Queen Elizabeth II of the Royal Navy submarine which is now called HMS Achilles. His Majesty was reportedly concerned that naming the sub after the 1415 battle would humiliate the French over their historic defeat. The King is said to have made his intervention over the name of the 1.5million vessel last year, The Daily Express reported. A source told the newspaper: The King personally stepped in and made it clear the name had to be changed because he didnt want to upset the French. HMS Agincourt, an Astute-class hunter-killer submarine, was originally announced by then-defence secretary Sir Gavin Williamson in 2018. It would have been the sixth Royal Navy vessel to have been named after one of Englands greatest military victories. Sources suggested that Achilles was considered more appropriate than Agincourt, which was a land battle, and stressed that an Achilles previously fought at Trafalgar, another battle with the French. Charles reportedly vetoed the name originally approved by Queen Elizabeth II of the Royal Navy submarine which is now called HMS Achilles (file image) King Charles (pictured at Sandringham last week) is said to have made his intervention over the name of the 1.5million vessel last year, Former Tory defence secretaries quickly weighed in when the decision was announced with Sir Gavin describing the decision as pathetic. He said: It is so pathetic that the Government is so ashamed of our history that they are literally renaming it. Next they will probably want to rename HMS Queen Elizabeth for fear the Spaniards might be upset about the Armada. Grant Shapps, a fellow former defence secretary, said: Renaming the HMS Agincourt is nothing short of sacrilege. This submarine carries a name that honours a defining moment in British history. Under Labour, woke nonsense is being put ahead of tradition and our Armed Forces proud heritage. Another former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace told Times Radio that the French would not have been offended by the name. He added: Were very close to the French. The French are one of our strongest allies. They dont get put off by names like that. Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace (pictured) told Times Radio that the French would not have been offended by the name The Prime Ministers official spokesman would not comment on why the name had been dropped I mean, that shows a very pathetic grasp of foreign policy and relationships. Despite the decision initially being blamed on woke Navy chiefs, Charles who commanded a minesweeper in his Navy service from 1971 to 1976 is said to have intervened. Buckingham Palace declined to comment. The Royal Navy declined to say why the nuclear-powered submarines original name had been changed. A spokesman said: We are proud of our nations rich military history and the many famous battles fought. The seventh boat in the Astute class is to be called Achilles a name which is particularly appropriate this year as we mark the VE and VJ Day 80th anniversaries. The name was proposed by the Royal Navy Ships Names and Badging committee and confirmed by the Palace. Downing Street aides refused to be drawn on why the name had been dropped. The Prime Ministers official spokesman would not comment on why the name had been dropped, saying: The name was proposed by the Names and Badging Committee and approved by His Majesty the King. I obviously cant get into any more detail on that. The monarch as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces would have the final approval of any name after the Defence Secretary signs it off. Rachel Reeves has insisted that she does want to cut immigration despite planning to give out more visas to foreign workers. The Chancellor was put on the spot yesterday after a shock projection that new arrivals will add another 5million to Britains population over the next decade, taking it to 72.5million. She was asked if she is committed to the Governments goal of reducing net migration, which Downing Street said was staggeringly high, even if it damages her drive for economic growth. Ms Reeves replied that the crucial figure would be reduced but added that she also wants to allow more skilled overseas workers to move here. At the World Economic Forum last week she said the Government would review visa routes for experts in areas such as AI and life sciences. We will reduce net migration, but taking back control means having more of a say of who comes into this country, she told reporters after her major speech in Oxford. Thats why I announced in Davos last week that we are looking at visa routes for some of the most highly skilled and talented people. Because I want them to see what I see in Britain, which is the best place in the world to start and grow a business. Rachel Reeves was put on the spot yesterday after a shock projection that new arrivals will add another 5million to Britains population over the next decade, taking it to 72.5million Ms Reeves was asked if she is committed to the Governments goal of reducing net migration, which Downing Street said was staggeringly high, even if it damages her drive for economic growth So we want to attract that talent, but absolutely weve made that commitment to bring net migration down. Sir Keir Starmer was also challenged yesterday about the new population projection by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), after Downing Street said he would not put an annual cap on immigration. During Prime Ministers Questions he was told by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell: The Prime Minister should know that my constituents in Romford are shocked, angry and dismayed by the suggestion by the ONS that the population of this country will rise to 72.5million by 2032, thats 500,000 people a year, which is unsustainable. Who voted for that? And will the Government do something to ensure that the population of this country is sustainable going forward, because there is no mandate for such a colossal increase in immigration in this country? But the Prime Minister shot back: I think he should talk to his leader, because net migration went through the roof under the last government, nearly one million quadrupled, and who was cheering it on? Who was cheering it on? The Leader of the Opposition. His constituents are right to be concerned about the loss of control by the last government, were taking control, we will bring these numbers down, but the record is absolutely clear, and it sits right there. Tomorrow the Government will set out details of its plan to tackle illegal migration with the publication of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. Under previously announced proposals the newly established Border Security Command will gain counter-terror powers to disrupt gangs organising Channel crossings, including banning suspected people-smugglers from using mobile phones or laptops. Migrants board a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel near Dunkirk, Northern France, in April last year Last night it emerged that border guards who work at Britains busiest airport are considering fresh strike action, risking lengthy queues at passport control for passengers. More than 500 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) trade union based at Heathrow will be balloted for industrial action next month in a long-running dispute over shift patterns. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Mail: Labours approach to growth is as dishonest as Reevess CV and doesnt stack up with the facts. Theyve no evidence this will work, and all it will do is hand Labour the power they want to demand endless visas for anyone and everyone, once again propping open the floodgates for an influx of immigration. Labour has already paused Tory plans to cut immigration by increasing the minimum income for migrants wanting to bring spouses to the UK to 38,700. A Democratic strategist has warned American women they soon won't have blueberries 'for their smoothies' in a bizarre rant about President Donald Trump's ongoing deportation scheme targeting illegal immigrants. Jenna Arnold told CNN that the migrant raids will soon begin impacting the food chain, because so many roles in the industry have been occupied by immigrants. 'I can't wait until American women can't get blueberries for their smoothies,' the activist and Democrat political strategist said. Arnold added that roles like 'picking strawberries' are usually filled by migrants. 'I cannot wait until there is a full crackdown on all small businesses, as if that's going to be the solution to the immigration problem,' she said. 'It is just going to put immigration-related issues further into the darker corners. We're not going to see them. It's just going to become even harder to solve the problem. 'It doesn't make sense to punish individuals and people when there is a broken system.' An estimated 40 per cent of the American agricultural workforce are undocumented, according to Atmos Earth. Jenna Arnold told CNN that the migrant raids will soon begin impacting the food chain, because so many roles in the industry have been occupied by immigrants Trump has dispatched thousands of ICE officers to the border to carry out the 'biggest illegal immigrant grab' in recent history Trump campaigned on a promise to carry out mass deportations and strengthen the US border, and his first act on inauguration day was to declare a national emergency. Since then, Trump has dispatched thousands of ICE officers to the border to carry out the 'biggest illegal immigrant grab' in recent history. Agents are preparing to take '100,000 immigrants' back to Mexico and Central America, a White House intelligence source told DailyMail.com. Around 1,500 active duty troops were deployed to the nearly 2,000-mile border this week, including 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California. They have been joined with what has been described as a 'mile long line of DHS trucks and CBP'. Immigration arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, according to ICE, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Wednesday that 7,300 illegal aliens had been deported. 'In the first week of the Trump Administration, we have fulfilled President Trump's promise to the American people to arrest and deport violent criminals illegally in the country,' the department said. 'In one week, law enforcement officials have removed and returned 7,300 illegal aliens.' Trump campaigned on a promise to carry out mass deportations and strengthen the US border, and his first act on inauguration day was to declare a national emergency Immigration arrests have reached about 1,000-1,200 per day in recent days, according to ICE, far above the daily average of 311 in fiscal year 2024 The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Wednesday that 7,300 illegal aliens had been deported ICE officers are particularly targeting properties across the country in sanctuary cities like New York. Sanctuary cities have become a haven for migrants who flock to them in the knowledge that officials there limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. The president has since said he 'might have to consider' pulling funding to sanctuary cities, which include the likes of Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Scared undocumented migrants have reportedly been hunkering down since Trump took office for the second time last week, failing to turn up for work or church as usual out of fear they'll be targeted. Rachel Reeves opened up a deep split at the heart of Labour last night as she gambled on expanding Heathrow Airport to revive her flagging growth plans. The Chancellor publicly backed controversial plans for a third runway at Britains biggest airport as she vowed to fight the blockers holding back the economy. The PM and Chancellor faced criticism last year after their gloomy warnings on the economy were blamed for shattering business and consumer confidence. Ms Reeves yesterday insisted she was optimistic about Britains economic prospects. But she refused to rule out a fresh round of tax rises and spending cuts in March if the public finances continue to deteriorate. Within minutes of the Chancellor backing Heathrow, Londons Labour mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the proposal, saying it would be impossible to deliver without a hugely damaging impact on our environment'. Sir Sadiq, who backed a previous legal challenge to the plans, said he remained opposed to the project because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets. Last night he insisted he was as pro-growth as anybody in Labour but warned he would use use any tool in the toolkit to stop a third runway happening. Green entrepreneur Dale Vince, whose 5 million donation to Labour makes him one of the partys biggest backers, described the Chancellors announcement as a mistake which would wipe out the governments attempts to hit climate targets. Chancellor Rachel Reeves backed a range of projects designed to kick-start activity in a keynote speech The Chancellor publicly backed controversial plans for a third runway at Britains biggest airport as she vowed to fight the blockers holding back the economy (file image) An artist's impression of how the Heathrow site could look after expansion Sir Sadiq Khan, who backed a previous legal challenge to the plans, said he remained opposed to the project because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets Its the wrong kind of growth, he said. We can have growth but we shouldnt try to get it in these ways that increase our carbon emissions. Energy secretary Ed Miliband, who previously threatened to resign in protest at Heathrow expansion, is said to have backed down rather than lose his Cabinet job. But he snubbed the Chancellors speech yesterday and later failed to turn up for Prime Ministers questions in the Commons. Ryanair boss Michael OLeary yesterday claimed the the new runway could take decades to build and urged her to scrap air passenger duty rather than waffle on about Heathrow expansion, which said would not happen before the 2040s. Mr OLeary said: 'The third runway at Heathrow is a dead cat. 'If it ever arrives, it will be about 2040, 2045 or 2050, in fact long after Ive departed from Ryanair. 'It will not deliver any growth. The thing that will deliver growth is abolishing APD.' Ms Reeves has come under intense pressure in recent weeks over the collapse in economic growth since the election. Protests against airport expansion were taking place outside Rachel Reeves' speech In a major speech yesterday she listed a string of measures designed to revive the economy in the wake of her record tax-raising Budget in October, including tearing up the planning rules so that developers can stop worrying about the bats and the newts. But she rejected calls to reverse her 25 billion National Insurance raid and drop Labours controversial Employment Rights Bill, which firms have warned could cost thousands of jobs and send growth into reverse. In the Commons, Kemi Badenoch branded the legislation the "Unemployment Bill", telling Keir Starmer: This Bill is terrible for business, but it is great employment for lawyers... he needs to stop being a lawyer and start being a leader. This is another measure in the Bill that fails his growth test.. The Tory leader, who backs Heathrow expansion, said many of the projects announced by the Chancellor were welcome but would take years to deliver. She added: When the Conservatives left office, we had the fastest economic growth in the G7, but what are the Government doing for growth now? They are destroying it.' But Sir Keir defended the workers rights legislation, claiming it would be good for working people and good for the economy. Sir Keir defended the workers rights legislation, claiming it would be good for working people and good for the economy' Ms Reeves yesterday revealed she has asked Heathrow Airport to come forward with new plans for a third runway by the summer, reopening one of Labours bitterest internal divides In a wide-ranging speech in Oxfordshire, the Chancellor: Admitted the Budget raid on National Insurance had consequences for business and beyond but insisted the alternative would have worse Said that a pragmatic reset of relations with the EU was vital to growth Insisted there was no trade off between her growth plans and Mr Milibands controversial Net Zero crusade Backed a series of major projects, including the refurbishment of Old Trafford, the reopening of Doncaster Airport, a new crossing over the Thames and the creation of Europes Silicon Valley between Oxford and Cambridge Pledged fundamental reform of the benefits system as ministers admitted the government is on course to break the annual welfare cap by 8.6 billion this year Ms Reeves yesterday revealed she has asked Heathrow Airport to come forward with new plans for a third runway by the summer, reopening one of Labours bitterest internal divides. Seven members of the cabinet, including Sir Keir and Mr Miliband, voted against a third runway when it was last debated by parliament in 2018. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander also opposed the plans when she served as Sir Sadiqs deputy mayor in London. When running for the Labour leadership in 2020, Sir Keir said: I dont think we can go on saying something is good for the economy but bad for the environment. If its bad for the environment then its bad for the economy. But yesterday he said there was more to do on growth, adding: Were supporting a third runway at Heathrow. Ms Reeves said the development of sustainable aviation fuels had changed the equation on airport expansion, which the Government is also considering at Gatwick and Luton. And she said Heathrows status as the UKs only hub airport meant expansion was essential, adding: By backing a third runway at Heathrow we can make Britain the worlds best-connected place to do business. Making the case for radical reforms, she said: Low growth is not our destiny, but growth will not come without a fight, without a government willing to take the right decisions now to change our countrys future for the better. Energy secretary Ed Miliband, who previously threatened to resign in protest at Heathrow expansion, is said to have backed down rather than lose his Cabinet job She added: We are systematically, one by one, removing the barriers that held back our growth performance for too long. Heathrow Airport, which has been trying to build a third runway for more than 20 years, welcomed the Chancellors backing but has warned the project will take at least a decade to deliver. In a statement, chief executive Thomas Woldbye said further policy change would be needed to make the project viable, including airspace modernisation to enable the number of annual flights to increase from 480,000 to 720,000. He said the airport would work with ministers in a bid to get planning permission by the end of this parliament, with construction then taking a further seven years.Labours former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the project would require the demolition of 4,000 homes in his Hayes and Harlington constituency. Mr McDonnell questioned why so many ministers, such as the PM, had undergone a Damascene conversion on a project which he said would deliver little in the way of growth. This is such a huge political, economic and especially environmental mistake that sadly I fear it will inflict an irreparable scale of damage on the government, he said. Environmental groups also condemned the plans. Friends of the Earths head of campaigns, Rosie Downes, warned it was a reckless gamble. A couple have been arrested on what police describe as the 'periphery' of a suspected anti-Semitic terror plot - after a caravan was found loaded with explosives. For 12 days the caravan was left beside a property in Dural in northwest Sydney before a resident reported it. The discovery inside the caravan of explosives that could have created a 40-metre-wide blast sparked a multi-agency probe into a suspected terror plot. Police believe the incident could be linked to other anti-Semitic attacks in recent weeks, and said it had the potential to become a mass casualty event targeting the Jewish community. Follow Daily Mail Australia's live blog here for coverage on the anti-Semitic terror plot. Robert F Kennedy Jr.'s doctor friend has shared why he believes the controversial Republican should be confirmed as America's next Health Secretary. Donald Trump's choice of health tsar was grilled by senators at his confirmation hearing to become health tsar on Wednesday, where he was pressed about his views on vaccines, Medicaid and fast food. As lawmakers decide whether to approve the 71-year-old for the top health role, his cardiologist friend Dr Aseem Malhotra spoke with DailyMail.com's Welcome to MAGAland podcast. RFK Jr's confirmation is uncertain thanks to his controversial views on major health issues, such as spreading the false claim that vaccines can cause autism. But British doctor Malhotra, who himself rose to fame through his controversial views about the Covid-19 vaccinations, has explained why he thinks RFK Jr, who he knows as Bobby, is the right man for the job. 'Every conversation I've had with Bobby and there's been a lot of conversations and I've read a lot of what he's written and what he said, I think a lot of these comments are probably very much taken out of context,' he told Welcome to MAGAland. 'I think they are deliberately designed to smear him, coming up from mainstream media. But what I would say, listen, no one's perfect. 'And if Bobby has said something, which is maybe an exaggerated claim, he'd be the first person to listen to the contrary view and to really evaluate it and then make a more nuanced decision about what he thinks. British cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra (pictured right with RFK Jr) has spoken with DailyMail.com's Welcome to MAGAland podcast amid RFK Jr's confirmation hearings RFK Jr faced an avalanche of questions at during his confirmation hearing to become health secretary on Wednesday 'And that's why we need someone like him, to be heading the HHS.' 'I've worked in health policy in the UK for many years in different, areas,' Malhotra added. 'I've met lots of politicians. I've met lots of healthcare leaders, and got, the essence of them as individuals. 'No one in my view comes close to Bobby Kennedy in terms of someone that genuinely cares about the community and public health, not personal interest.' At the confirmation hearing on Wednesday, RFK Jr revealed one of the major points of disagreements he has with Trump. Despite coming from a Democrat dynasty, he repeatedly told the hearing he would follow Trump's lead on policies such as abortion, saying: 'I serve at the pleasure of the President.' But the cracks in their relationship began to show when RFK Jr was quizzed by Bernie Sanders about climate change and its effects on people's health. Sanders stated that he believes climate change is real and is a health care issue, but 'Donald Trump thinks it is a hoax [that originated in] in China', before turning it to RFK Jr and asking if he stands with the president on the matter. Senator Bernie Sanders questioned RFK Jr if he believed climate change was real, asking if the nominee stands on President Donald Trump's side. The senator said he believes it is a healthcare issue British doctor Malhotra, who rose to fame through his controversial views about the Covid-19 jabs, has explained why he thinks RFK Jr, who he knows as Bobby, is the right man for the job The 'hoax' statement referenced a 2012 tweet by Trump that said: 'The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.' RFK Jr quickly answered, saying: 'President Trump and I, from our first meeting, agreed to disagree on that issue. I believe climate change is existential. My job is to make Americans healthy again.' Trump had criticized RFK Jr's views on climate change as the two went head to head on the campaign trail in April, saying he was 'a big fan of the Green New Scam, and other economy killing disasters.' 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. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, and President Donald Trump have settled a lawsuit filed by the president in 2021 after the company suspended his social media accounts after the January 6th riots on Capitol Hill. Meta has agreed to pay roughly $25 million to settle the lawsuit, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reported that Trump signed the settlement agreement on Wednesday. Of the $25 million settlement, $22 million will go to a fund for Trump's presidential library and the rest will be used to pay legal fees and plaintiffs on the case. Mark Zuckerberg and Trump reportedly spoke about the lawsuit in November as the tech mogul sought to rekindle his relationship with Trump during a trip to Mar-a-Lago for dinner. He later returned to Mar-a-Lago in January to settle the lawsuit with Trump's lawyers. The settlement is one more example of how Zuckerberg is rapidly trying to repair his relationship with Trump after he won the 2024 presidential election. In 2021, Zuckerberg defended the decision to ban Trump from Facebook and Instagram after the January 6th riots, after the president continued protesting the validity of the 2020 election. 'We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great,' Zuckerberg said in a post announcing the ban of Trump at the time. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg makes a keynote speech at the Meta Connect annual event Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta The tech billionaire first flattered Trump after he was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024 on the campaign trail. 'On a personal note, seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most bada** things I've ever seen in my life,' he said at the time. On January 7, Zuckerberg announced he would end its fact-checking program in favor of a community-based verification system. Zuckerberg also conceded in an subsequent interview with podcaster Joe Rogan that he made a mistake by censoring and banning speech on the Meta company platforms. President Donald Trump speaks during an event in the East Room of the White House Meta and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (C) and his wife Priscilla Chan (L) arrive to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump 'I feel like in retrospect I deferred too much to the kind of critique of the media on what we should do,' he said. 'And since then, I think generally trust in media has fallen off a cliff, right?' Trump has defended his meetings and relationships with tech billionaires, making the case that it's part of his effort to make the country better economically. 'I want to get ideas from them,' he told CNBC anchor Jim Cramer during an interview in December. 'Look, we want them to do well. We want everybody, and we want great jobs, fantastic salaries.' The settlement is the latest of many Trump contentious lawsuits against media and social media organizations that have been settled rather than sent to court. ABC News also agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit by paying $15 million toward Trump's presidential library after anchor George Stephanopoulos said that Trump had been found civilly liable for rape. Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley's Australia Day speech, in which she likened the First Fleet's arrival to Elon Musk's mission to colonise Mars, has been slammed for overlooking a significant difference. Ms Ley addressed the St Matthew's Australia Day mass in Albury on Sunday and told the congregation that British settlers did not seek to 'destroy or pillage' what they found on the continent but set about the daring task of founding a new society. 'In what could be compared to Elon Musk's Space X's efforts to build a new colony on Mars, men in boats arrived on the edge of the known world to embark on that new experiment,' Ms Ley said. 'And just like astronauts arriving on Mars those first settlers would be confronted with a different and strange world, full of danger, adventure and potential.' Australia Day, observed each year on January 26, marks the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Harbour in 1788. Unlike future astronauts arriving on Mars, the British fleet was not arriving at an unoccupied frontier, but at a continent that was already populated - something Ms Ley omitted from her description. For many Aboriginal people, Australia Day is therefore regarded as 'Invasion Day' or the 'Day of Mourning', with protests being held in every major city each year. Sussan Ley's (pictured) Australia Day speech, in which she compared the First Fleet's arrival to Elon Musk 's mission to colonise Mars , has been slammed for something it completely failed to mention 'In what could be compared to Elon Musk's (pictured) Space X's efforts to build a new colony on Mars, men in boats arrived on the edge of the known world to embark on that new experiment,' Ms Ley said Ms Ley's comments raised more than a few eyebrows in many quarters, with Anthony Albanese branding it 'very strange'. 'There arent people that we know of in Mars,' the Prime Minister said. When asked about the issue by the ABC, Treasurer Jim Chalmers laughed, claiming he 'can't focus on mad stuff that Sussan Ley says'. A prominent commentator pointed out that not once in Ms Ley's 1,114-word speech did she mention the words 'Indigenous', 'Aboriginal' or 'First Nations'. John Paul Janke, co-host of NITVs flagship program The Point, said that it 'seems that our nation's story the story of "us" during that Sunday Australian Day morning mass doesnt warrant including First Nations history or people'. 'Leys "national story" about our national day fails to mention that this continents history or story stretched thousands of generations before 1788 or the 1770 arrival of Captain Cook...', Mr Janke wrote. Mr Janke pointed out that the first people to be called 'Australians' were actually Aboriginals. 'It was the English navigator Matthew Flinders who used the term in March 1802 and again in November 1802 to describe the Aboriginal people he saw,' he wrote. Australia Day, observed each year on January 26, marks the landing of the First Fleet in 1788 when the first governor of the British colony of New South Wales , Arthur Phillip, hoisted the Union Jack at Sydney Cove (pictured: celebrations at Wavebreak Island on the Gold Coast) But, for many Indigenous people and younger Australians, it is regarded as 'Invasion Day' or the 'Day of Mourning', with protests being held in every major city each year (pictured: marchers during an Invasion Day rally in Sydney) 'Ley knows her language matters. Her silence also matters,' he wrote. On Monday, a spokesperson for Ms Ley defended her speech. 'It is not surprising to see Anthony Albanese lacks the imagination to understand the significance of Australias founding story,' the spokesperson told The Guardian. 'This is the problem when you have a prime minister who was an activist at university instead of a student he may see Australias founding as an invasion story, but I do not.' Ms Ley has led a petition to force her local Albury Council on the NSW/Victoria border to restore citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. This publication previously revealed that a staggering 154 councils did not hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day this year. Responding to Daily Mail Australia's audit of the country's 500-odd councils, Ms Ley promised that the Coalition would reinstate the old rule for councils if elected. 'It is time to end the division on Australia Day and it is time for councils to get back in their lane,' she said. 'An elected Coalition government will reinstate the requirement for councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, this will be done in the first 100 days. 'It will be a sign of pride and nationalism in our country a move for Australia and Australians to be united, not divided; to stand up for what we believe in.' The Coalition has vowed to begin building nuclear power plants on 'day one' if they are elected. Peter Dutton has long promised to build seven nuclear reactors across Australia at an estimated cost of over $300 billion if he can oust Labor from power. The Opposition Leader has claimed the power plants will work alongside renewables to stop blackouts and reduce electricity bills. But critics have warned the cost of converting to nuclear will blow out to more than double at $600 billion, ultimately slugging Aussie households with higher bills. But Nationals leader David Littleproud has doubled down on the Coalition's commitment to begin building power plants immediately if elected. 'We'll start building the first nuclear power plant, the very first day after a coalition government's elected,' Mr Littleproud told Sky News. 'We'll get on with the job. The time for talks are over. 'We have to get on with this so that we can have AI, we can have fast rail, we can have smelters in this country, and one where regional Australia has a future, not littered with transmission lines and solar panels and wind turbines.' Nationals leader David Littleproud (pictured) has doubled down on the Coalition's commitment to begin building power plants immediately if elected Mr Littleproud, who would be Deputy Prime Minister if the Coalition win this year's federal election, which must be held by May 17, said that their position was that 'we should not put all our energy eggs in one basket'. 'We're all for renewables, but we want to balance and get that balance right,' he said. 'We should transition some of those coal-fired power stations across to nuclear power plants, but we'll need a lot of gas in the short term.' The Nationals leader said it was 'insanity' to rely solely on renewables because transmission lines, solar panels and wind turbines would impact food security. 'We've got sovereignty of all our resources, we should use all of our resources, not just some,' he added. Mr Littleproud has previously sought to reassure voters about the safety of the proposed nuclear power plants. 'This is safe technology ... we're not talking about 1950s technology from Russia nor letting the Russians run it,' he told reporters last year. 'We're not putting them where a tsunami is going to take place.' Critics have warned the cost of converting to nuclear will blow out to more than double at $600 billion, ultimately slugging Aussie households with higher bills (pictured: an artist's impression of a small modular reactor) The latter was a reference to the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011 where an earthquake and tsunami damaged a nuclear power plant, with the fall out resulting in 51 deaths. Mr Littleproud claimed that nuclear energy would provide over 30 per cent of the power to the grid. However, the Smart Energy Council claims it will only amount to 3.7 per cent of Australia's energy mix by 2050. Both sides of politics support a goal of net zero by 2050. However, Labor's plan is for renewable energy to comprise 82 per cent of Australia's energy generation by 2030, rising to 98 per cent by 2040 based on solar and wind. Whereas, the Coalition sees nuclear making up 38 per cent of Australia's electricity generation by that time, with solar and wind energy making up 49 per cent of the mix and gas, pumped hydro and storage the rest. The Coalition's plan was modelled by Frontier Economics, which costed Labor's energy transition at $594billion, versus $331billion for the Coalition's nuclear plan - marking a difference of $263billion. WHEN Carole Middleton walked into Westminster Abbey alongside Lady Gabriella Windsor last month for her daughter Kates Together at Christmas carol service, fashion pundits immediately recognised her white Max Mara coat. The Princess of Wales had worn the 580 coat nine years earlier, when she visited the headquarters of Ben Ainslie Racing Portsmouth Old Town, in December, 2015. But it was not the first time that Carole - who celebrates her 70th birthday on January 31 - has swapped clothes with her daughters Kate and Pippa. In fact, the trio are cut from the same cloth as the late Queen Elizabeth II, who regularly recycled her wardrobe and shared outfits with her sister Princess Margaret. Although the Queen was one of the richest women in the world, she grew up during World War II and came from the Silent Generation, which was notoriously thrifty. She used to pass on her hand-me-downs to senior staff, some of whom sold them through dress agencies - they were caught out when a TV mini-series bought some for an actress who was playing the Queen. Later, the two sisters, who were both petite - though at 5ft 1in Margaret was 2in shorter - were often snapped in the same clothes. While the Queen tended to co-ordinate her outfits, Margaret was more flamboyant. The Queen wore an emerald green Hardy Amies coat and matching hat to visit RAF Finningley, in Yorkshire, during her 1977 Jubilee tour, then Princess Margaret teamed the same coat with a white hat to commemorate VE day in May, 1995. The Princess of Wales had worn the 580 Max Mara coat nine years earlier, when she visited the headquarters of Ben Ainslie Racing Portsmouth Old Town, in December, 2015 The late Queen was famous for being frugal and you would often see Princess Margaret wearing her sister's clothes, especially for royal events Princess Margaret wore the same coat for Trooping The Colour nearly two decades later Again, Elizabeth co-ordinated her orange Hardy Amies coat and hat when she visited the Houses on Parliament on May 4, 1977, while Margaret chose an ostentatious white creation for Trooping the Colour in June, 1995. Although Carole was born after the war, she is from the Baby Boomer Generation, she has taught her daughters to be conscious of the cost of living. She, Kate and Pippa regularly swap clothes - she even loaned her wedding dress to her future daughter-in-law Alizee Thevenet when she married son James Middleton in 2021. While talking about dresses with Carole and sharing ideas during lockdown for inspiration, I tried on her wedding dress and fell in love with it, the French financial analyst said afterwards. It fitted me perfectly and was exactly what I wanted. It always troubled me that wedding dresses are only worn once, so it was amazing to give such a beautiful dress a second lease of life. It was on March 19, 2012, after being appointed patron of East Anglias Childrens Hospices, that the Middleton family proclivity to sharing clothes emerged. When she formally opened The Treehouse, a hospice in Ipswich, and made her first public speech, Kate wore a 139 blue Reiss Trina dress, which Carole had worn to Ascot, on June 19, 2010. Alizee Thevenet wore Carole's beautiful wedding dress for her wedding to James Middleton, keeping the sharing policy Catherine has since recycled the 139 Reiss Trina dress in an online video, which she posted on the Kensington Royal Instagram in 2020 Chelsea Flower Show was the third time we saw this dress when Princess Kate met some visiting school children in 2023 The former Duchess of Cambridge looked stunning in a blue Jenny Packham gown and the Robinson Pelham pagoda earrings were perfect for the whole ice blue look Kate and Pippa Middleton are extremely close, so sharing the same dress is perfectly natural for them She has since recycled the dress, shown in an online video she posted on the Kensington Royal Instagram page, on November 26, 2020, in which she made a landmark Early Years Speech. Two years later, the mother and daughter wore the same 450 shocking-pink dress by celebrity favourite Me+Em. Kate first wore it to meet cancer leukaemia sufferer Mila Sneddon, who captured her heart during lockdown. The couple met at Hollywood House, in May, 2021, and both agreed to wear pink dresses. Since then, Carole wore the dress to Royal Ascot in June, 2022, while Kate chose it for her appearance at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 22, 2023. However, its not just dresses that Carole shares with her daughter: both she and Kate have been snapped in a pair of Robinson Pelham pagoda earrings worth a staggering 14,300. Carole wore the white gold earrings, which are set with blue topaz and diamonds to the evening reception after William and Kates wedding in April, 2011. Then Kate wore them to meet James Bond stars Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci at the premiere of Spectre in October 2015. Even Pippa has got in on the act: both she and Kate have been spotted in a white Issa dress, Kate watching Andy Murray at Wimbledon in, 2008, and Pippa, three years later, while shopping in London in September 2011. Having the Princess of Wales wearing a piece of her fabulous vintage jewellery would have been a honour on any day of the week for Susan Caplan. But the fact that she chose to wear a piece from a Jewish-owned brand to an event on Monday marking Holocaust Memorial Day, when the world was commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Berkenau, left her in tears. Susan, who set up her eponymous brand in 2008 and is one of the worlds leading curators of vintage jewellery, told the Mail that it had been a monumental occasion. It was so significant for her to wear my brand on such an important day. My heart was warmed, she said, speaking from her London headquarters. I am Jewish and it was just so meaningful for us from that point of view. My emotions yesterday were so high. While her husband had long been due to attend the event at Londons Guildhall, organised by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the princess appearance was only announced at the last minute. It is understood that she was keen to pay her respects and to be reunited with Holocaust Survivors Steven Frank and Yvonne Bernstein, whom she previously photographed as part of a project to mark 75 years since the end of the Nazi genocide. Deeply emotional images of her hugging them went round the world, with Steven later describing her as a such a darling. The Princess of Wales wearing Susan Caplan's 275 vintage pearl necklace as she lights a candle during a ceremony commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day Catherine was also seen wearing the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings which the Royals increasingly wear to the more solemn occasions Susan Caplan set up her eponymous brand in 2008 and is one of the worlds leading curators of vintage jewellery Princess Diana attended the wedding of Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones to Daniel Chatto wearing a similar four-string pearl choker which became one of her favourites Many also focused on the princess impeccably elegant and low-key black outfit, which was artfully completed with an eye-catching five-string pearl necklace. While some instantly assumed it was a priceless piece from the Royal Collection, a fair guess given how popular pearls are amongst royal women, it was actually sourced from the Susan Caplan website. Pearls have been a firm royal favourite over the ages, from Queen Elizabeth I, whose portraits frequently show her in the gems, to more modern day royals such as Queen Mary, wife of King George V, who would drape herself from head to toe in them. The late Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother and Princess Diana were also huge fans and their favourite pieces have now been handed down to a new generation. However Catherines necklace was, notably, not some priceless heirloom. Instead it was a vintage faux pearl necklace, which although unbranded, was, Susan says, produced in the 1980s with materials of impeccable quality compared to those used today. It was listed for 275 and is a rhodium-plated five row pearl strand necklace featuring luminous faux pearls in graduating sizes with a Swarovski crystal clasp. Susan has worked in the industry for 45 years, starting out at car boot and table top sales before being stocked in major leading department stores. Imelda Staunton who played the late Queen wearing a three-string pearl necklace in Netflix's award winning show, The Crown Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother often wore a three-strand pearl necklace (pictured in 1986) A five-strand pearl necklace was given as a birthday present to Princess Margaret by her grandmother Queen Mary on the occasion of her 18th birthday in 1948 Queen Elizabeth II always loved pearls. She owned many different pearl necklaces that ranged from one single strand, up to six strands She founded her own brand almost 20 years ago, focusing on pieces from the 1950s right up to the 1990s, capitalising on the booming fashion trend for pre-loved. Her pieces, which she sources from around the world, have graced the likes of everyone from Kate Moss to Adele and Beyonce, and also featured in the latter episodes of The Crown on the characters of Princess Diana, The Queen and The Queen Mother. Susan, who says she adores the Royal Family and praises the King in particular for his life-long championing of inter-faith dialogue, praises the way Catherine mixes priceless royal antique and charming vintage pieces with modern day, inexpensive high street finds. She does it so effortlessly and carries them all so well, she says. Susan had been babysitting her grandchildren and didnt realise that Catherine was wearing the necklace until she turned on the television on Monday evening to catch up on the Kings appearance at the Auschwitz commemorations in Poland. I turned the TV on and on came Princess Catherinewith the necklace. I just had all these beautiful emotions that she had worn that piece, on this day. It was so incredibly touching, she said. I really dont think I can over-emphasise the significance of her wearing that necklace on such a poignant day. Its just so monumental, not just for me but for the whole of the Jewish community and other minorities that lost their lives during that time. Queen Mary, the wife of King George V, would frequently drape herself from head to toe in pearls Catherine's necklace was listed for 275 and is a rhodium-plated five row pearl strand necklace featuring luminous faux pearls in graduating sizes with a Swarovski crystal clasp Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret attend a charity concert at St James's Palace wearing beautiful pearl necklaces Although she is admirably discreet about her royal links, the necklace was sourced by Catherine stylists. I did expect her to wear it at some point but seeing it at that particular event meant so much, she says, still clearly touched. I felt so emotional that day listening to the headlines, seeing the coverage in the papers when stopped get some petrolthis year, of all years, the Holocaust commemorations have felt more poignant than ever before. The way Catherine was with all the survivors, hugging them with such tenderness and warmth and empathy, was just beautiful. Of the necklace, which is currently out of stock but is expected to return to the website soon, Susan said the interest has been overwhelming. It was a 1980s faux pearl graduated necklace, unbranded and never worn. We have sold many over the years, they are always very popular. But overnight demand has spiked, she said. Customers have been in touch asking for them, or anything with pearls in them as a result. This particular necklace is out of stock at the moment but we are expecting more in. Similar vintage faux pearl necklaces can cost anything from 55 up to 300 depending on the era, quality and condition. We have always sold pearls, says Susan. I always laugh when the fashionistas say pearls are back on trend because they always have been, with us! People have been so positive and we have received so many wonderful comments. The Princess outfit was a perfect example of pared down dressing to suit the occasion and set off her necklace beautifully. I really do feel so proud. Reform leader Nigel Farage sarcastically dismissed Harry and Meghan as 'wonderboy and wondergirl' for quitting royal duties and moving America while at a Buckingham Palace reception today. He was invited to the royal residence along with more than 300 new MPs and peers for a 'welcome' reception. He did not speak to the King or Queen because he has met them multiple times before and said he wanted to let other MPs make the most of the occasion. He joked: 'Also if I see him I know some of the exchanges will be interesting because we have disagreed in the past over a few things.' Laughing, he went on to explain that he was the only person not to give the King a standing ovation after he gave a speech at the European Parliament. 'We've had a laugh about it ever since. It's not nasty,' he said. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh spoke to Mr Farage separately, however, and when Edward introduced himself, he said: 'I had a very very good chat with your wife.' 'Oh right,' the King's brother responded before the politician told him: 'You are working jolly hard.' Nigel Farage and Richard Tice speaking to the Duchess of Edinburgh during a reception hosted by King Charles King Charles III and Queen Camilla pictured with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer The Duchess of Edinburgh speaking to Tessa Munt during a reception hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla Speaking afterwards, the Reform politician - who attended a similar reception when he was first elected as an MEP in 1999 - heaped praise on the Edinburghs for doing so many royal engagements. 'They are charming, they do a lot of heavy lifting because there's one or two gaps out there. It's been a difficult few years,' he said. 'Wonderboy and wondergirl disappear off to America, the Queen dies, the King's not been well, Andrew's not in the public eye, Princess Anne is 74, so they are doing a lot of the heavy lifting and I think doing it very well,' he said in typically unabashed style. Chatting to her owner, Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling who is registered blind, the King said 'these wonderful dogs' as he scratched Jennie on the head and asked: 'She knows her way round the house does she?' The MP for Torbay replied 'she knows the best place to go for sausages,' prompting the King to point and laugh. He then asked: 'Is the food there not too bad?' 'For her it's her favourite,' Mr Darling said. The Duchess of Edinburgh, who has been the patron of Guide Dogs since 2021, also made a beeline for the dog and told her: 'I'm your patron.' King Charles shakes hands with Kemi Badenoch during a reception for members of Parliament newly elected in the 2024 election Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Richard Tice speak with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Sir Keir Starmer shakes hands with King Charles at the reception on Wednesday Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Richard Tice speak with Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh The July 2024 election saw a record number of new MPs enter Westminster, with 335 newcomers - beating the previous record of 327 in the 1945 election. A further 15 people returned to Parliament after a period of absence, bringing the total number of newly elected to 350. Their Majesties also welcomed peers who have been appointed to the House of Lords following their coronation in May 2023. The hundreds of guests were hosted in the lavish State Ballroom and were also joined the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The King and Queen were greeted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch, before they started to chat to the MPs enjoying the free-flowing champagne. Several politicians were impressed by His Majesty's knowledge of their constituencies, with the MPs for Barrow-in-Furness and Derby South chatting with him about the new 9bn submarine deal. Deirdre Costigan, MP for Ealing Southall, said she was impressed that the King knew her constituency was sometimes known as Little India and had a big Sikh community. 'He talked about his love of curries,' she said and told her he likes them 'not too strong'. Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, added: 'He is impeccably polite and knows a lot about every constituency. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Richard Tice speak to the Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Nigel Farage and Reform UK Deputy leader Richard Tice speaking to the Duke of Edinburgh during a reception hosted by King Charles King Charles with Lib Dem MP Steve Darling and his guide dog Jennie Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Reform UK Deputy leader Richard Tice speak to Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh 'He's got an incredible encyclopedic knowledge of every area of the UK.' Asked if they spoke about Rochdale, he said: 'Yes, I mentioned that it was the home of the Co-op [supermarket] and I said I hope he shopped at the Co-op and he burst out laughing. 'I took that as a yes.' While the King slowly made his way around the room for over an hour, Camilla stayed in one corner while MPs and peers queued to speak to her. She enjoyed an animated chat with former PM Theresa May, who was made Baroness May of Maidenhead by Rishi Sunak in July last year and has worked with her on the issue of domestic violence. Scores of MPs crowded around the King, and he appeared amused when one MP from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, known for its medieval chess set, handed him a queen from a set. Charles took the chess piece and placed it in his pocket. Melanie Ward, who until her election as Labour MP was CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians, praised the King for mentioning the Middle East. A realtor in Oregon has shared a property trend that he says is quickly replacing what most home buyers have come to expect when shopping for real estate. Alec Cornejo, a licensed realtor with Keller William Realty Portland Central, shared a TikTok video of a quaint bungalow earlier this month, re-introducing his followers to the idea of a closed-concept home. In the clip, which has received four million views, Cornejo walked users through the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home, 'where you don't have to stare at the kitchen sink from the couch.' Once considered the standard, closed concept homes went our of style in recent years, as open-concept properties began appealing to buyers, making them feel like they live in a larger space. According to the realtor, the closed concept kitchen is more appealing to many who prefer to hide out from the pile of dirty dishes in their sinks and 'live your best mess-free life' in the living room without a care in the world. Cornejo told Newsweek that not only does the $749,900 home defy the norm with its layout style, but it just hit a major milestone. 'This home just celebrated its 100th birthday, and it's the perfect example of a classic Portland bungalow: a charming, bright colored door, cozy interiors, and surprisingly spacious,' he told the outlet. Rather than converting open concept homes into a closed concept - a costly undertaking - buyers may prefer to simply buy a home that already has that vintage layout. Many home buyers are starting to ditch the trend of open-concept floor plans in their home for closed-concept layouts (Pictured: File photo) Alec Cornejo (pictured), a licensed realtor with Keller William Realty Portland Central, shared a TikTok video of a quaint bungalow earlier this month. In it, he showed his followers the advantages of a closed-concept home that allows you to 'live your best mess-free life' 'Bungalows with this "closed-concept" layout are particularly attractive right now because they offer a level of coziness and separation that many buyers are starting to crave again.' Cornejo noted that open concept floor plans definitely have benefits, but a closed-concept home is 'timeless.' 'While open-concept layouts have their advantages, there's something timeless about a home that feels intentionally designed for individual spaces,' he explained. 'These bungalows strike a perfect balancethey're spacious enough for families and entertaining, but the separation of rooms creates a sense of intimacy.' In the video, Cornejo walked viewers through the home, highlighting every space it has to offer. Upon entering the door, potential buyers are greeted with two mirrored French doors that open up to a spacious living room area. The room, filled with an abundance of natural light, is separated by an arched wall that leads into the dining room area. In that room, buyers are welcomed by a nice separate area to enjoy their meals and entertain away from the kitchen. Then through the doorway, a modern kitchen is revealed, fitted with granite counter tops, a dishwasher, hardwood floors and a gas stove. Open-concept properties have long been appealing to buyers, making them feel like they live in a larger space. (Pictured: File photo) Now, if owners want to join in on the trend they would have to shell out a lot of money to build walls (Pictured: File photo) Even in the kitchen there is a small arched wall that encloses a cozy little breakfast nook. There is also separation between the kitchen and what appears to be a small pantry area, visible through a window in the wall. Cornejo went on to share a glimpse of the bathrooms, bedrooms, office, and upstairs view of the home - all of which are sectioned off into their own space. The average price of a home in Portland is $524,964, according to Zillow. Currently, 85 percent of buyers prefer an open-concept floor plan in their home, specifically between the dining room and kitchen, according to the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Massachusetts. Despite the high rate of people favoring open layouts, closed-concepts are still on the rise and catching some buyers' attention. 'Whether it's hosting a dinner or just curling up in a cozy living room, these homes feel warm and welcoming in a way that really resonates with people,' Cornejo said. Currently, 85 percent of buyers prefer an open-concept floor plan in their home, specifically between the dining room and kitchen. (Pictured: File photo) Although Cornejo shared great points as to why closed-concept homes are flying off the shelves, some users couldn't stand behind the trend. (Pictured: File photo) Although Cornejo shared great points as to why closed-concept homes are flying off the shelves, some users couldn't stand behind the resurrection of the classic layout. One user commented: 'To each their own but I've grown up in a closed house and a open concept house. The closed one felt suffocating and very depressing.' 'I understand those entrance doors would be open most of the time. But boy when you entered the house it felt like running into a cage. Hated it,' another said. 'Thanks but I'd rather suffer with open concept thanks,' a user wrote. Others strongly agreed with Cornejo on the floor plan style, as one said: 'Literally obsessed. The character. The potential. The separation.' Another commented: 'Also closed concept > open I dont want to live in a warehouse.' 'This is the most perfect house Ive ever seen, too bad Im poor,' someone joked. Scientists have discovered evidence that California is 'peeling apart' beneath Earth's surface. They found dense rocks under the Sierra Nevada mountain range are detaching and sinking deeper into the mantle. While the process, known as foundering, sparks terror that California's landscape could be separating, researchers from the University of Boulder said their discovery sheds light on how our planet's continental crust formed. Scientists have long speculated that foundering was behind the geological changes about four billion years ago, but the discovery in California proved it to be true. They used imagery techniques to map the lower crust and uppermost mantle of the Sierra Nevada,allowing them to see changes in how seismic waves as they moved beneath the surface. The new study not only determined that areas of the Sierra Nevada separated several million years ago, but found it is currently taking place in the central part of the mountain range and has yet to occur in the northern part. 'We have therefore captured snapshots of a fundamental continent-building process,' the researchers wrote in their report. Using nearly four decades of seismic data collected from stations around the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which spans California's eastern border, geologists uncovered an ongoing separation between the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle Geologists Vera Schulte-Pelkum and Debora Klib used 'receiver function analysis' to image the lower crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Sierra Nevada. This imaging technique uses seismic waves that change as they cross structures beneath the surface. Researchers can then analyze the changes to gain a clear picture of what lies deep underground. Schulte-Pelkum and Klib also looked at earthquake data from the Advanced National Seismic System Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, or ComCat. This analysis revealed a band of seismic activity in the central Sierra Nevada made up of small earthquakes ranging from magnitude 1.9 to 3.2 that occurred at unusually low depths of roughly 25 miles or greater. The presence of such deep earthquakes in this region can also be explained by the presence of a slab of colder continental lithosphere that cracks rather than stretching and flowing like the molten material usually found at such depths, according to the researchers. However, they found no evidence of this layer in the northern Sierra, which suggests this region has not experienced foundering yet. The researchers published their findings in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Based on these observations, Schulte-Pelkum and Klib concluded that foundering has been taking place beneath the Sierra Nevada mountains for at least three million years, and it may be progressing northward. Scientists have long thought foundering might explain how the Earth's relatively light continental crust forms from the denser basaltic rocks of the upper mantle. But evidence to support this theory has been difficult to find But perhaps more importantly, their investigation of this region provides evidence of a process of differentiation, or the separation of different materials within the Earth's lithosphere based on their density. This may help confirm confirm geologists' long-held suspicions that foundering allows the planet to generate its lighter continental crust from the denser mix of minerals beneath. The Earth's continental crust the land we live on is made up of solid rock that contains relatively high proportions of minerals, including silicates, aluminum and potassium. By comparison, the planet's oceanic crust which lies at the bottom of ocean basins is denser because it is mostly made of basalt, a volcanic rock composed of magnesium and iron. Both of these very different crusts formed from the same source: Earth's mantle. But how did the continental crust end up so dissimilar to its parent material, while oceanic crust retained the mantle's high density and basalt content? One explanation could be differentiation through the process of foundering. In other words, the heavier elements in the upper mantle (like those that make up basalt) separate themselves out of the mix as they melt, allowing them to form distinct sheets. Because these sheets are so dense, the lower layer might then 'peel' away and slowly sink deeper into the molten part of the mantle. The removal of these denser materials is what allows the lighter continental crust to form and rise above the denser oceanic crust, resulting in the land we live on. This explanation has been little more than a theory for years, but now, Schulte-Pelkum and Klib have uncovered evidence to suggest it is a real process that takes place all over the world. A former CIA spy has revealed the agency hires individuals with a certain level of anxiety, saying it is actually viewed as a 'superpower.' Andrew Bustamante, who spent seven years working covertly as a CIA officer, said the organization actively seeks people with the disorder because they are naturally more attentive, suspicious and have a stronger recollection. 'Anxiety is a superpower in the world of espionage,' he said. 'It keeps you alive, it keeps you sharp.' However, Bustamante noted that anxiety can be very damaging if a person does not know how to train it. 'Anybody who has anxiety knows the spiral that comes out of anxiety,' he said. 'What the CIA does is they teach us how to recover, recuperate and maintain our energy reserves, our mental health.' Bustamante explained that his wife, who is also a CIA agent, suffers from anxiety, but has learned how to 'stay sane' by having a routine. That routine consists of the same foods in the morning that she could get anywhere in the world, such as eggs and hot tea. 'It's a very predictable, calming anti- anxiety routine,' Bustamante said. 'People don't realize that 90 percent of your anxiety that you will feel during the day is actually determined in the first two hours of your day.' Andrew Bustamante, who spent seven years working covertly as a CIA officer, said the organization actively seeks people with the disorder because they are naturally more attentive, suspicious and have a stronger recollection Bustamante was recruited by the CIA after he left the US Air Force and applied for the Peace Corps. While in the Air Force, he specialized in nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) operations, earning medals in Afghanistan and Iraq. Bustamante believes that the techniques that shape international events can also serve everyday people in their daily lives. Speaking on his podcast Everyday Spy, Bustamante shared how the CIA helps its agents use their anxiety for good. 'So if you start your day and there's a lot of changes, threats or confusions, you've determined with almost 90 percent certainty that you will have lots of anxiety through the day,' he said. 'But if you can start the first two hours of your day in a low anxiety state then you can present and and protect your energy reserves for the rest of the day.' Bustamante explained that most people set themselves up to fail first thing in the morning, reaching for caffeine, checking their phone and catching up on the news. 'All these things cause them anxiety, and all they're doing is they're ruining the rest of their day,' he said. Bustamante explained that his wife, who is also a CIA agent, suffers from anxiety, but has learned how to 'stay sane' by having a routine He urged people to set an alarm not on their phone and another on the device for when they can pick it up. 'When instead, if you just set in an alarm on your phone for when you can 'So then you wake up you can't even touch your phone so you can't go looking for things,' he said. Another former CIA agent shared other insights into the agency's hiring practises, revealing it looks for people with sociopathic tendencies. A 'sociopath' is someone who lacks empathy, disregards the feelings of others and may manipulate or harm people without remorse, often for their own personal gain. John Kiriakou, who had a 14-year career as a CIA officer, said: 'Sociopaths are impossible to control. 'They slip through the cracks because they have no conscience and they pass the polygraph very easily because they don't feel guilty. Someone who has some of these qualities tend to rise to the highest levels of the CIA. 'People who have sociopathic tendencies do have a conscience but are still perfectly happy to work in moral legal and ethical gray areas,' said Kiriakou. Kiriakou admitted that he falls into the category of having sociopathic tendencies, explaining how he was 'happy to break into people's houses and plant bugs.' The former officer used the idea that he was part of the good guys and that his country needed him as a way to feed his sociopathic tendencies. Kiriakou provided a question he was asked during the CIA hiring interview. 'They said, 'You know that Mr X has something in his house that you need, whether its a file or whatever. You need it. And you work on him to recruit him so that eventually he turns that file over to you.' 'But hes not recruitable. And in the end, when you ask him for the file, he tells you, no. What do you do?' 'I said, I break into the house and take the file.' Seemed like a perfectly logical answer to me.' The former CIA officer explained that because he believed he was part of the good guys, Mr X was surely a bad guy, such as a Russian scientist. Aquarium staff in Louisiana have been left baffled by a miraculous 'virgin birth' in their shark exhibit. 'Yoko' the young swell shark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) was born in an all-female tank at Shreveport Aquarium. Amazingly, the two female sharks in the tank one of which is Yoko's mum had not been in contact with a male in more than three years, staff said. And with the gestation period of swell sharks at somewhere between nine and 12 months, this means conception must have occurred some other way. 'This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species,' said Greg Barrick, curator of live animals at Shreveport Aquarium. 'It really proves that life finds a way.' 'Yoko' is thought to be the result of parthenogenesis a rare type of asexual reproduction where offspring develop from unfertilised eggs. The process is extremely rare in nature, although it is found in some other species, most notably mayflies, turkeys, pythons and boa constrictors. Aquarium staff are baffled by a miraculous 'virgin birth' in their shark exhibit. 'Yoko' the young swell shark was born to a mum in an all-female tank at Shreveport Aquarium, Louisiana It is not entirely clear what triggers certain species to undergo this process, or what connects the species that have this capability. The egg was first identified by aquarium staff about eight months ago, although it may have remained undetected for one to two months prior to this. It hatched on January 3 and Yoko is now 'thriving', Shreveport Aquarium said in a statement on its website. Instead of parthenogenesis, there's also the possibility Yoko's mum experienced delayed fertilization, where fertilization occurs long after mating. In the wild, some animals postpone the development of their embryos to await better conditions for having offspring. But it's unclear why delayed fertilization would have occurred for Yoko's mum in captivity. To learn more, staff will soon perform genetic testing on Yoko once it is big enough for a blood test, likely after a few months. 'We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization,' added Barrick. Baby Yoko (pictured) is 'currently thriving', Shreveport Aquarium said in a statement on its website Shreveport Aquarium said: 'The new swell shark, affectionately nicknamed Yoko after the Chumash word for shark 'onyoko, is thriving under the care of our dedicated aquarists' How does a 'virgin birth' work? 'Virgin birth' is a natural process called facultative parthenogenesis, meaning a female is able to produce young without any involvement from a male. It's extremely rare in nature, although it is found in some other species, most notably mayflies, turkeys, pythons, and boa constrictors. Animals in the wild generally do not reproduce in this way, however, some research suggests that endangered animals might do so more frequently as finding a mate becomes harder. Advertisement The new swell shark is called Yoko, not after the famous Japanese conceptual artist but after the Native American Chumash word for shark 'onyoko'. Unfortunately, young sharks born through such rare reproductive events often face 'significant challenges' and die younger. According to the aquarium, Yoko's time could 'be brief' but if so she will 'still leave an unforgettable legacy'. '[She is] contributing invaluable insights to the study of shark reproduction and conservation efforts,' it said. Virgin births like this are rare in nature and in captivity, but similar cases do exist. Last year, a boa constrictor at a school in Portsmouth gave birth to 14 babies despite not having the opportunity to mate. Prior to this, a stingray called Charlotte in North Carolina was said to be pregnant due to parthenogenesis, having not shared a tank with a male. Charlotte the stingray died last summer due to a rare reproductive disease although doubts over her pregnancy were later revealed. Certain animals are capable of reproducing through 'parthenogenesis' in which the egg is fertilised with cells from the mother rather than by a male When threatened, the swell (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) shark swallows seawater, which causes its belly to swell and deters predators (file photo) The swell shark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) is a shark species native to the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific. Their range stretches from Monterey Bay in California to southern Mexico and also along the coast of Chilie. It is known for its unique ability to swell their bodies to twice the normal size using seawater in order to deter predators. People don't catch swell sharks for food, but the sharks are caught accidentally as bycatch in commercial lobster and crab traps, gillnets and trawl nets. 'Because sharks take five to 20 years to mature and have few young, accidental catches like these threaten shark populations around the world,' says Monterey Bay Aquarium. The devastating Los Angeles wildfires started on January 7 and spread quickly, killing at least 28 people and destroying more than 10,000 homes, racking up billions in costs and leaving thousands of people homeless. Now, scientists have revealed that climate change was largely to blame for the destruction. The World Weather Attribution - a network of researchers from the US, UK and a number of other European countries - warned the hot, dry and windy conditions that drove the fires were about 35 per cent more likely due to global warming. Dr Clair Barnes, a World Weather Attribution researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, said: 'Climate change increased the risk of the devastating LA wildfires. 'Drought conditions are more frequently pushing into winter, increasing the chance a fire will break out during strong Santa Ana winds that can turn small ignitions into deadly infernos. 'Without a faster transition away from planet-heating fossil fuels, California will continue to get hotter, drier, and more flammable.' The experts added that the fire-risk conditions could become another 35 per cent more likely if global temperatures rise 2.6C above pre-industrial levels. Worryingly, the world is currently on track for this by 2100. The devastating Los Angeles wildfires started on January 7 and spread quickly, killing at least 28 people and destroying more than 10,000 homes. Now, scientists have revealed that climate change was largely to blame for the destruction The wildfires have racked up billions in costs and left thousands of people homeless. Pictured: the devastation from the Palisades Fire The LA fires were fanned by strong 'Santa Ana' winds and fed by drought conditions since May 2024 which left grasses and brush dry and highly flammable. Meanwhile, wet winters in the previous two years had created more vegetation growth that added more fuel to the fire. The researchers examined the 'fire weather index' which uses the temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind speed in the preceding weeks and days to characterise the conditions that make fires more likely. They said while coastal southern California is an environment 'highly prone to catastrophic wildfires', the extreme fire weather index condition that drove the LA fires is getting more likely due to climate change. The hot dry conditions behind the wildfires are expected to occur every 17 years in today's climate, which has warmed 1.3C since pre-industrial times, making them 35 per cent more likely to occur than in a world without global warming, and they are about six per cent more intense, the researchers said. The low rainfall between October and December, a period when rain usually brings an end to the region's wildfire season, is now about 2.4 times more likely than in pre-industrial times, an analysis of historical weather data found. Hot, dry conditions are being seen for an extra 23 days each year on average, increasingly overlapping with the Santa Ana winds that spread the wildfires, they said. The researchers combined weather data with climate models for their analysis, but while the models indicated a climate change influence on hot, dry, windy conditions, they did not show a significant impact on rainfall or the ending of the fire season. The hot dry conditions behind the wildfires are expected to occur every 17 years in today's climate, which has warmed 1.3C since pre-industrial times, making them 35 per cent more likely to occur than in a world without global warming, and they are about six per cent more intense, the researchers said But the scientists said they were confident climate was driving the changes, based on existing studies and real-world weather data analysis, which show an increased likelihood of LA fires. The analysis also warned the elderly, people with disabilities, those on lower incomes without their own cars, and people who received late warnings were disproportionately affected by the wildfires. It said the fires exposed critical weaknesses in the city's water infrastructure, and highlighted the need for investment in better water systems and stronger measures to adapt to climate change and prepare for more frequent fires in the future. Roop Singh, head of urban and attribution at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, said: 'Climate change set the stage, helping turn the hills around LA tinder-dry. 'However, hurricane-force Santa Ana winds, the rapid spread of fires into urban zones, and a strained water system all made the blazes extremely difficult to contain. 'These fires have highlighted just how vulnerable California is to winter wildfires, underscoring the need for better preparation for a more dangerous future.' Dr Friederike Otto, co-lead of World Weather Attribution and senior lecturer in climate science at Imperial College London, warned America is experiencing the 'devastating consequences of fossil fuel warming', from wildfires in the west to violent hurricanes in the east. 'In 2025, the choices facing world leaders remain the same to drill and continue to burn oil, gas and coal and experience ever more dangerous weather, or transition to renewable energy for a safer and fairer world,' she said. Scientists have outlined the reasons why they believe the world is one second closer to annihilation. The Doomsday Clock has been unveiled for the first time this year and showed we're nearer to a world-ending catastrophe than ever before. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which decides where the hands are set, moved the timer to 89 seconds to midnight, one second closer than last year - the closest it has ever been in its 78-year history. They said this reflected the troubling global outlook, with the threat of nuclear war, increasing impacts of climate change and fears over the military applications of AI each contributing to their decision. Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine has increasingly raised fears of nuclear war, while rapid advancements in artificial intelligence have opened the possibility that it could be used to make biological weapons. Climate change is another existential threat that scientists say the world has failed to tackle, with the devastating LA wildfires this month providing a stark example of how catastrophic the effects of global warming can be. 'We set the clock closer to midnight because we do not see sufficient positive progress on the global challenges we face,' said Daniel Holz, board member and physicist at the University of Chicago. 'Setting the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight is a warning to all world leaders,' he added. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine launched Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II, raising fears it could lead to nuclear war. Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers of 43rd Brigade are seen working on a Soviet era Pion self propelled howitzer Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence have opened the possibility it could be used to make biological weapons among other military applications. Pictured: Portuguese Army specialists practice radiation detection and decontamination procedures Climate change is another existential threat that scientists say the world has failed to tackle Pictured: Fire crews battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles in January The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists created the Doomsday Clock in 1947 during the Cold War tensions that followed World War II to warn the public about how close humankind was to destroying the world. Since 2023, it has been set at 90 seconds to midnight, but this year scientists predicted it would move forward to reflect the troubling global outlook. 'The factors shaping this year's decision nuclear risk, climate change, the potential misuse of advances in biological science and a variety of other emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence were not new in 2024,' Holz said. 'But we have seen insufficient progress in addressing the key challenges, and in many cases this is leading to increasingly negative and worrisome effects.' Holz continued: 'The war in Ukraine continues to loom as a large source of nuclear risk. That conflict could escalate to include nuclear weapons at any moment due to a rash decision or through accident and miscalculation.' Russian President Vladimir Putin in November lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a broader range of conventional attacks, a move the Kremlin described as a signal to the West. Russia's updated doctrine set a framework for conditions under which Putin could order a strike from the world's biggest nuclear arsenal. The Middle East has been another source of instability with the Israel-Gaza war and broader regional hostilities involving countries including Iran. An Israeli attack on al-Hudari family house reduces the building into rubble in Gaza City, Gaza on January 05, 2025 Harrowing fires in California this month were related to climate change, according to scientists. Pictured, a home is engulfed in flames, Los Angeles, January 8, 2025 2024 was the hottest year on record, beating the record set by 2023. The average global temperature in 2024 reached 15.1C (59.2F), 0.72C (1.3F) warmer than the 1991-2000 average President Donald Trump speaking in the White House's Roosevelt Room flanked by Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp; Larry Ellison, Executive Charmain Oracle and Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI on January 21, 2025, to announce $500B AI investment. Most recent changes to the Doomsday Clock 2025 : 89 seconds to midnight : 89 seconds to midnight 2023 : 90 seconds to midnight : 90 seconds to midnight 2020 : 100 seconds to midnight : 100 seconds to midnight 2018 : 2 minutes to midnight : 2 minutes to midnight 2017 : 2.5 minutes to midnight : 2.5 minutes to midnight 2015 : 3 minutes to midnight Advertisement 'We are watching closely and hope that the ceasefire in Gaza will hold,' Holz said. Meanwhile, nuclear-armed China has stepped up military pressure near Taiwan, and nuclear-armed North Korea continues with tests of various ballistic missiles. Climate change poses another existential threat. Last year was the hottest in recorded history, according to scientists at the UN World Meteorological Organization. The last 10 years were the 10 hottest on record, it said. 'While there has been impressive growth in wind and solar energy, the world is still falling short of what is necessary to prevent the worse aspects of climate change,' Holz said. Last year also saw staggering advancements in artificial intelligence, prompting increasing concern among some experts about its military applications and its risks to global security. Governments have addressed the matter in fits and starts. In the US, then-President Biden in October signed an executive order intended to reduce the risks that AI poses to national security, the economy and public health or safety. His successor Donald Trump revoked it last week, and also announced a private-sector $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure. 'Advances in AI are beginning to show up on the battlefield in tentative but worrisome ways, and of particular concern is the future possibility of AI applications to nuclear weapons,' Holz said. 'In addition, AI is increasingly disrupting the world's information ecosystem. AI-fueled disinformation and misinformation will only add to this dysfunction.' The Doomsday Clock was set at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest the Clock has ever been to midnight in its 78-year history. The symbolic clock edges closer to midnight to reflect human-made global catastrophes Scientists unveiled the 2025 update for the 'Doomsday Clock' on Tuesday, revealing that it has moved one second closer to midnight. Pictured with the clock, former President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos (left) and Robert Socolow (right), professor emeritus at Princeton University and member of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board The 2025 Clock time signals that the world is on a course of unprecedented risk, and that continuing on the current path is a form of madness What is the Doomsday Clock? The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic timepiece showing how close the world is to a human-made global catastrophe, as deemed by experts. Every year, the clock is updated based on how close we are to the total annihilation of humanity ('midnight'). If the clock goes forward and gets closer to midnight (compared with where it was set the previous year), it suggests humanity has got closer to self destruction. But if it moves back, further away from midnight, it suggests humanity has reduced the risks of global catastrophe in the past 12 months. On some years, such as 2024, the hands of the clock haven't moved at all which suggests the global situation has not changed. The clock is set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that publishes an academic journal. Although symbolic and not an actual clock, the organization does unveil a physical 'quarter clock' model at an event when revealing if and how the hands have moved. After the unveiling, the model can be found located at the Bulletin offices in the Keller Center, home to the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Every January, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists reveals its annual update to the Doomsday Clock even if the hands are not moved. Moving the Doomsday Clock one second closer on Tuesday signified humanity's failures to make progress from the global threats of 2024. Scientists noted that a looming pandemic was part of their decision In 2024, the hands did not move to reflect an unchanging global situation When was the Doomsday Clock created? The Doomsday Clock goes back to June 1947, when US artist Martyl Langsdorf was hired to design a new cover for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists journal. With a striking image on the cover, the organization hoped to 'frighten men into rationality', according to Eugene Rabinowitch, the first editor of the journal. It came amid a backdrop of public fear surrounding atomic warfare and weaponry, just two years after the Second World War ended. Langsdorf initially considered drawing the symbol for uranium before sketching a clock to convey a sense of urgency. She set it at seven minutes to midnight because 'it looked good to my eye', Langsdorf later said. On the cover of later issues in subsequent years, the hands of the clock were adjusted based on how close we are to catastrophe. After the Soviet Union successfully tested its first atomic bomb in 1949, Rabinowitch reset the clock from seven minutes to midnight to three minutes to midnight. Since then, it has continued to move forwards and backwards. In 2009, the Bulletin ceased its print edition, but the clock is still updated once a year on its website and is now a much-anticipated highlight of the scientific calendar. The Doomsday Clock goes back to June 1947, when US artist Martyl Langsdorf was hired to design a new cover for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists journal Dr Leonard Rieser, Chairman of the Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, moves the hand of the Doomsday Clock back to 17 minutes before midnight at offices near the University of Chicago on November 26, 1991 Who decides what time to set the Doomsday Clock at? Shortly after it was first created, Bulletin Editor Eugene Rabinowitch decided whether or not the hands should be moved. Rabinowitch was a scientist, fluent in Russian, and a leader in the conversations about nuclear disarmament, meaning he was in frequent discussions with scientists and experts all over the world. After considering the discussions, he would decide whether the clock should be moved forward or backward, at least in the first few decades of the clock's existence. When he died in 1973, the Bulletin's Science and Security Board took over, made up of experts on nuclear technology and climate science, and has included 13 Nobel Laureates over the years. The panel meets twice a year to discuss ongoing world events, such as the war in Ukraine, and whether a clock change is necessary. When were the hands furthest away from midnight? In 1991, following the end of the Cold War, the Bulletin set the clock hands to 17 minutes to midnight. The end of the war saw the US and the Soviet Union sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. This meant the countries would cut down their nuclear weapons arsenal, reducing the threat of nuclear war. Unfortunately, the hands have not been as far away from midnight since then and they do not look like moving back to this position any time soon. The existence of Scotland's legendary Loch Ness Monster has been hotly-debated for nearly a century. Affectionately referred to as Nessie, the large marine creature is said to inhabit the freshwater loch south of Inverness. Now the mystery may have been finally been solved - by none other than Prince William. The Prince of Wales today visited Earthshot Prize finalist, Nature Metrics, at their Surrey HQ, where he was shown the Nature Intelligence Platform. This tool is able to identify individual species from small samples of soil, sediment, water, or air. During a demonstration of the technology, the Prince of Wales asked one of the researchers the million dollar question: 'Does this mean you could find the Loch Ness Monster?' Unfortunately, the researcher poured cold water on any hopes that the monster is real. 'It might just be a very big eel,' she said. The Prince of Wales today visited Earthshot Prize finalist, Nature Metrics, at their Surrey HQ. The company's Nature Intelligence Platform is able to identify individual species from small samples of soil, sediment, water, or air The existence of Scotland's legendary Loch Ness Monster has been hotly-debated for nearly a century. Now the mystery may have been finally been solved - by none other than Prince William During his visit, the Prince of Wales was shown Nature Metrics' eDNA Surveying Tool. 'All living things leave traces of their DNA in the environment (eDNA),' the company explains on its website. 'We use this to identify individual species from small samples of soil, sediment, water and air.' The demonstration sparked Prince William to ask the 'question that everyone is going to want to know' - does this mean we could find the Loch Ness Monster? In response, the researcher said: 'Do you know what, people have tried. 'People came from New Zealand to try that. They took about 500 eDNA samples in Loch Ness. 'They said they found eels, and it might just be a very big eel, but that felt like it was clutching at straws a bit! 'All they needed to find was one bit of unidentified reptile DNA and they could have had a story.' Affectionately referred to as Nessie, the large marine creature is said to inhabit the freshwater loch south of Inverness The Loch Ness monster isn't the only mythical creature that Nature Metrics has been asked to help find. 'We've been asked to try and find the Yeti and Bigfoot - all sorts,' the researcher added. The revelation comes shortly after naturalist Adrian Shine said people spotting 'long-necked' creatures on Loch Ness were actually misidentifying waterbirds in calm conditions. While mysterious humps or loops in the water were really just boat wakes, he said, which are the 'largest cause of monster sightings'. He added that the Nessie of popular imagination was simply the classic sea serpent depicted on old maps in a new inland setting. Mr Shine, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and founder of the Loch Ness Project, says he is a 'sympathetic sceptic' when it comes to the monster. But he offered few comforts to those who believe Nessie is real. He said: 'Boat wakes are probably the number one cause of monsters sightings, and waterbirds are the long-necked ones.' 'Of course there are long-necked creatures on Loch Ness we call them swans. 'And in calm conditions you can lose your ability to judge distance, and if you can't judge distance, you can't judge size.' The US may have won the space race back in 1969 by being the first nation to put a man on the moon. But now, more than 50 years later, Britain has finally won a space race of its own. British astronaut Tim Peake has teamed up with Vodafone to make the first ever direct-to-cell satellite video call - pipping Elon Musk's Starlink to the post. The achievement comes just days after Musk began the first tests of his own direct-to-cell system, leaving the billionaire playing catch-up. Direct-to-cell satellite technology allows anyone to connect to broadband services by connecting directly to a satellite in orbit - whether they have a mobile signal or not. According to Vodafone, this means the days of being stranded without signal are 'definitely' at an end. Speaking to MailOnline, Tim Peake, who was the first British astronaut to live on the International Space Station (ISS), said: 'Having been in space, you really appreciate the value of being able to contact your friends and family when you're in a remote area. 'When I was on the ISS, once a week I would have a call back to my family, and having the video call made a big difference.' Tim Peake, the first British astronaut to live on the International Space Station, has beaten Elon Musk in the next leg of the space race as he joined Vodafone to make the world's first space video call British astronaut Tim Peake (right) joined Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle (left) to make the world's first video call directly via satellite Typically, when you make a video call your device sends a signal to a tower on the ground which transfers the data through the ground-based network to the recipient. Some technologies, like satellite phones or Starlink, allow users to bypass that terrestrial network and connect directly to a communications satellite. Since those satellites are so far above the Earth, they can provide coverage to areas where it isn't possible to build cellular towers. The major drawback is that these require bulky and often expensive equipment to send and receive signals from space. Now, in a world first, Vodafone has managed to make a video call via a satellite using a normal, unmodified smartphone. Vodafone engineer Rowan Chesmer managed to call Vodafone CEO, Margherita Della Valle, from a remote mountainous location in mid-Wales which has never been connected to a broadband network. This was made possible by a series of extremely large communications satellites in orbit. Each of the BlueBird satellites in Vodafone's network features a huge 64-metre-squared (693 square feet) communications array sensitive enough to connect directly to a mobile phone on Earth. This comes just days after Elon Musk began testing his own direct-to-cell satellited communications network with Starlink Musk had said that beta testing of a system allowing mobile phones to communicate directly with satellites was due to begin on January 27. But Musk has been beaten to the punch and missed out on becoming the first to conduct a video call via satellite Ms Della Valle told MailOnline: 'It uses normal devices and normal services. 'It is also the full mobile experience, with the full potential of delivering data services.' The satellite then beams those signals back to Earth via Vodafone's new space-land gateway in the UK. The first of its kind in Europe, Ms Della Valle says the space-land gateway acts like an 'Earth station', integrating the satellite and terrestrial networks. A single gateway provides enough coverage to give satellite broadband connection to everyone living in the UK, enabling them to access 4G and 5G no matter where they are. So, when Mr Chesmer made his call, the data was sent up to one of the orbiting satellites, bounced back to the space-land gateway, and then sent through the terrestrial network to Ms Della Valle's device. Ms Della Valle says: 'We are extremely proud because we've had many firsts. 'Almost exactly 40 years ago Vodafone made the first mobile phone call, and it's great to see us again at the cutting edge of this technology. Vodafone managed to make a video call from a remote region of Wales which has never had a broadband connection. Using an unmodified smartphone, the signal is sent to a satellite in orbit before being transmitted back to the network This is made possible by a series of massive satellites operated by the company AST which Vodafone uses for its network. Each of the BlueBird satellites (illustrated) in Vodafone's network features a huge 64-metre-squared (693 square feet) communications array These satellites are so sensitive they are able to connect directly to an individual mobile phone anywhere on Earth to bring broadband connection to even the most remote areas 'We have big plans for the UK with our 5G investment and this is going to be a perfect complement to those areas.' While this is only a first test, Ms Della Valle says that the first commercial services will be available in Europe by the end of this year, with more coverage to roll out in 2026. Vodafone is not the only company pursuing satellite communications. Most notably, Elon Musk's Starlink has begun testing its own direct-to-cell satellite connections which would allow unmodified mobile phones to connect to the Starlink network. However, Ms Della Valle appears unfazed by the prospect of taking on the biggest name in space technology. 'We're not competing with anyone, we're covering satellites to bring the best service to our customers,' she says. Regardless, this first video call now puts Vodafone a significant step ahead of Musk. So far, Starlink has only managed to send a text via its satellite network which requires much less bandwidth than a video call or the ubiquitous 5G connection boasted by Vodafone. The signal from the satellite is then transmitted to a space-land gateway in the UK (pictured). A single gateway is enough to provide coverage for the entire country Vodafone's biggest competition is Elon Musk's Starlink which has already placed over 6,900 satellites (illustrated) in orbit. However, Tim Peake believes Starlink's lead will decrease as spaceflight becomes cheaper In a post on X in December last year, Musk admitted: 'Bandwidth per beam is only ~10Mb'. In comparison, the Bluebird satellites used by Vodafone have a peak transmission speed of 120 Mbps. Starlink does have a significant advantage in its partnership with SpaceX, Elon Musk's rocket and spacecraft company. By launching aboard SpaceX rockets, Starlink has already managed to put 6,912 communications satellites, including about 330 which are direct-to-cell capable. That gives Starlink the potential to provide much more coverage than the five satellites used by Vodafone could offer. However, Mr Peake believes that Musk's advantage might not last much longer. He says: 'We have SpaceX dominating the launch market but they're about to have some serious competition. 'What thats doing is bringing down the cost of access to space, which means we can do more in space.' 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. If your skin needs a pick-me-up, there's a little-known item that can help transform your complexion, leaving you with a more radiant glow. Dope Skin Co's Retinol & Peptide Night Repair Cream has been flying off the shelves, with 3,000 units selling out in just 24 hours after its first release. Now the popular night cream is back - perfect for adding to your skincare routine. To celebrate the return of the sell-out product, shoppers can save 20 per cent when using the discount code NightRepair at checkout. The beauty buy, normally $59.95, will now be $47.96. The night cream is a deeply nourishing moisturiser powered by retinol and peptides, helping to support your skin's natural repair cycle overnight. It smooths, hydrates and firms the skin, while potentially reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven texture, leaving you with a rejuvenated complexion by the next day. Customers are happy after using Dope Skin Co's Retinol & Peptide Night Repair Cream The night face cream has been flying off the shelves, with 3,000 units selling out in just 24 hours after its first release The formula contains retinol to smooth skin texture and minimise the appearance of fine lines, while soy rice peptides claims to boost collagen production and enhance firmness. Vitamin C brightens and improves skin tone while hyaluronic acid provides long-lasting hydration for plumper skin. Niacinamide and vitamin B3 refine pores and balance oil production, and vitamin B5 locks in moisture and promotes skin repair. A clinical study* showed 93 per cent of participants experienced improved hydration and skin tone, while 90 per cent reported smoother, firmer skin. Key ingredients such as aloe vera and hemp seed oil helps soothe and calm skin, reducing irritation and redness, while shea butter and olive squalane deliver long-lasting hydration without clogging pores. The formula contains retinol to smooth skin texture and minimise fine lines, while soy rice peptides claims to boost collagen production and enhance firmness After the successful launch of its best-selling Retinol Eye Cream, the brand was inundated with requests from customers for a night cream. 'We've received countless requests for something as effective as the eye cream - but to be used on the entire face as part of a nighttime routine,' Vanessa Ware, the New Product Development Manager at Dope Skin Co, told Daily Mail Australia. 'The Retinol & Peptide Night Repair Cream is our answer - combining the powerful anti-ageing benefits of retinol with skin-repairing peptides to smooth, hydrate, and restore the skin overnight. 'This product reflects our commitment to listening to our customers and delivering effective, science-backed solutions.' Happy customers are raving about the results - eight weeks of using Dope Skin Co's Retinol & Peptides Night Repair Cream every night before bedtime The family-owned business said the products are made 'fresh' in a Sydney facility. 'To ensure the actives remain fresh and potent, we produce most of our products in smaller batches of 2,000 to 3,000 units. This commitment guarantees that our formulas deliver real, visible results,' Vanessa said. 'Our initial batch of 3,000 units sold out within just 24 hours of launch, and we've since pre-sold an additional 2,000 plus units. 'It's clear that our community was eagerly awaiting a product like this, and we're thrilled to see it quickly becoming a nighttime skincare essential for so many.' Shoppers have been sharing their rave reviews online after getting their hands on the night cream. 'I am obsessed with the Retinol & Peptides Night Repair Cream,' one fan raved. 'My skin has never felt this smooth and hydrated. After just a week, I noticed a visible improvement in my fine lines, and my complexion looks more even and radiant.' Another happy customer agreed, saying: 'This is truly next level! My skin feels firmer, and the fine lines around my eyes are fading. The glow I see in the morning is unreal.' To buy the Retinol & Peptides Night Repair Cream, click here. * Study conducted on 25 people over eight weeks Advertisement The top trending destinations for 2025 have been revealed by American Express Travel. The list is based on global American Express Card Member travel bookings, as well as 'expertise from Amex Travels global network of travel consultants'. And it includes destinations in Idaho and Utah, as well as a city on Australias Gold Coast. Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel, says: We want our Card Members to experience all that travel has to offer. Through our global travel expertise, guides like our annual Trending Destinations list and our lodging programs like The Hotel Collection, we help our Card Members plan all types of trips and inspire them to explore new places. We reveal Amexs top trending destinations here, listed in alphabetical order which one would you most like to visit? BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA: American Express Travel praises the Australian coastal city for its 'excellent museums as well as vibrant dining and nightlife' BRITTANY, FRANCE: The French region is on the list due to its 'distinctive culture, coastal scenery and miles of seaside walking paths like the GR34 trail', says American Express Travel FRANSCHHOEK, SOUTH AFRICA: 'The mountain-ringed gem in the Cape Winelands region,' says American Express Travel, 'is an ideal add-on to a safari vacation with nearly 50 wineries, farm-to-table restaurants and hiking' KOH SAMUI, THAILAND: The 88-square-mile island 'offers a dreamy combo of lush jungle, white sand beaches, and turquoise waters, perfect for active travelers or those looking to relax', says American Express Travel MACAU, CHINA: The Historic Centre of Macau has Unesco World Heritage status, and American Express Travel praises the city's 'local Cantonese-Portuguese fusion cuisine'. But travel experts at the credit card company say the reason to visit are the 'supersized casinos', dubbing it the 'Las Vegas of the East' MOAB, UTAH: The 'gateway to Utah's Mighty Five national parks, Moab is a perfect starting point to explore the American Southwest', says American Express Travel. The travel experts recommend the area's 'world-class rafting, mountain biking, and canyon hiking' NIKKO, JAPAN: 'This tucked-away mountain retreat in mostly rural Tochigi prefecture blends elements of Kyoto and Mt. Fuji, with photogenic waterfalls and abundant hiking trails', says American Express Travel PAROS, GREECE: 'Laid-back Paros has become the Greek island of choice for many', according to American Express Travel, thanks to its 'vibrant cultural scene and rocky coastline studded with beaches, secluded coves, and sea caves' SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: Experts at American Express Travel praise the 'multi-ethnic city', saying it's 'one of the great cultural destinations of South America and home to rich architectural heritage and some of the continents best museums, street art, and homegrown fashion' One traveler has sparked a heated online debate after being branded 'rude' for simply collecting her luggage from an airport carousel. A passenger took to Reddit to share her shocking encounter, asking other users whether she was in the wrong after a fellow traveler called her out for bad etiquette. The confused passenger revealed how a young college student confronted her for collecting her four bags as they arrived in the carousel, rather than 'walking down there to pick them up.' 'My four large bags quickly came off the carousel,' the traveler explained in the Reddit post. 'As I approached the carousel I grabbed my first one, then my second one, third, and fourth came down the chute quite quickly.' But what should have been a routine baggage collection turned into an unexpected confrontation. 'When I went to grab the fourth bag this young college girl said that I was being rude picking up my bags. She said why can't you walk down there to pick them up. We were all standing at the same spot for five mins before my luggage came off.' The incident has sparked a flurry of responses from fellow travelers, with many rushing to defend the woman's actions. One traveler has sparked a heated online debate after being branded 'rude' for simply collecting her luggage from an airport carousel 'She's insane,' one outrage user commented. 'Grab your bags when you see them.' Another suggested the complainant was simply projecting her travel stress onto others. 'People get cranky at airports. She was just looking for something to complain about,' they wrote. A third user laid down what many considered the universal rule of baggage claim. 'It's every person for themselves. If someone is accessing their bag, and yours has not arrived, step back and let the person get their stuff.' The consensus among travelers seemed clear - the complaining student was actually the one breaking baggage claim etiquette by crowding the area after someone else's bags had arrived. 'She is absolutely the rude one continuing to crowd the area after someone's bag has arrived,' one experienced traveler explained. 'I try to stand a bit further away where I can still see the bags coming, but then somebody just plops down in front of me. No biggie so long as they shift when someone sees their luggage and goes to grab it!' 'The only etiquette is that you don't crowd the carousel if you don't see your luggage. Only step up if you see your luggage or you want to quickly check if it's your bag. Then clear the area once you've got your bags.' The incident is the latest in a string of heated airport disputes making headlines in recent months. A passenger took to Reddit to share her shocking encounter - asking other users whether she was in the wrong after a fellow traveler called her out for bad etiquette The consensus among travelers seemed clear - the complaining student was actually the one breaking baggage claim etiquette by crowding the area after someone else's bags had arrived Last month, a Delta passenger revealed how he was reprimanded after asking a fellow flyer to be quiet. The frequent flyer took to Reddit to detail the shocking situation that saw him begging a woman to turn down the volume of her 'loud' phone call. In a thread titled 'Delta', he explained that while sitting at the Salt Lake City Sky Club Lounge, Utah, he asked the woman to use earbuds because she was disturbing others in the suite. He said the woman was on speaker phone with what sounded like a young child. After hearing enough of the phone call, the man stood up and begged the woman to finish the exchange through her headphones. However, his request was met with shock as the woman gave him a slew of snarky looks. She was stunned that anyone would ask her to quiet down and then branded the man 'incredibly rude.' The exasperated man asked people on the web to give him advice as he questioned if he was out of line, although many agreed he was in the right. US-based travel experts Rich Henderson and Andrew Kothlow often pose questions to cabin crew members on their blog, titled Two Guys on a Plane, where they also regularly give recommendations Last year, dozens of flight attendants revealed the rudest things they have ever experienced at the hands of plane passengers. US-based travel experts Rich Henderson and Andrew Kothlow often pose questions to cabin crew members on their blog, titled Two Guys on a Plane, where they also regularly give recommendations. The duo offered workers the chance to share their industry anecdotes by asking flight attendants: 'What's the rudest thing a passenger has ever said/done to you!?' The pair were then quickly inundated with disturbing stories from in-flight staff who detailed incidents ranging from passengers throwing sandwiches at them to pulling on their ponytail to get attention. Charlotte Crosby has insisted that she won't return to Geordie Shore - and there will 'never be an olive branch' with co-star Marnie Simpson after their dramatic fall out. Back in August 2023 it was revealed that the 34 year old had quit the MTV/Paramount+ show for good. Then five months later viewers watched the drama unfold on the 24th season of Geordie Shore. During an exclusive chat with MailOnline about her new show Geordie Stories: Charlotte's New Baby, the reality star explained why she will never go back to the programme. When asked if she would ever return to Geordie Shore, Charlotte replied: 'No'. Charlotte told us: 'It's not my cup of tea no more. Not about that life. Charlotte Crosby will NOT be returning to Geordie Shore and won't be reconciling with former co-star Marnie Simpson after huge fall out Charlotte and Marnie fell out over a high chair while they were filming in Cyprus for the MTV/Paramount+ show The former pals pictured together back in 2016 while filming for the show 'Like, I don't want to go into a place where there's drama, or there's people slagging you off, I'm so like not in that phase of my life anymore. 'I'm a grown up who would like to distance myself from people and energies that actually bring us down. 'I'm not about to put myself in situations where I feel anything but amazing. 'Or inspired... and that situation is very uninspiring.' When asked if she could ever reconcile with mum-of-two Marnie, Charlotte said: 'There'll never be an olive branch, sadly after the last time around. 'I feel like exactly what I just said. It's an energy that obviously really didn't like us. 'Because there was a lot said, like what I saw when I watched the show. Geordie Stories: Charlotte's New Baby will follow Charlotte and her fiance Jake Anker's journey into parenthood again Charlotte last appeared on Geordie Shore for its 24th season 'So it's just like, you know, you're not going to make the effort with people who quite blatantly, don't like you.' It comes just weeks after some of her former co-stars teased her epic return, with Kyle Christie, 32, telling us: 'I feel like Charlotte would come back, but be in her way of dipping her toe in - testing the water. 'And if its okay youll get more.' Charlotte shot to fame on MTV's Geordie Shore back in 2011 and was an original cast member until 2016. The reality star, who is due to give birth to her second daughter any time now, returned to the programme in 2022 to film The Reunion. The Reunion Series aired in 2022 and a number of the cast, past and present, appeared on the series. This was then followed by season 24 and the current season. Season 25 is currently playing out on our screens and the cast have shared how gutted they are that Charlotte isn't there. Charlotte shot to fame on Geordie Shore back in 2011 However the star has been extremely busy in recent months, preparing for the arrival of her new baby and her various business ventures. This will all be documented on her new show Geordie Stories: Charlotte's New Baby. Charlotte is due to give birth any time now and the mum-to-be has confessed that the work life balance is something that will 'overwhelm' her. The telly favourite has her own brand Pepper Girls Club and her very own content studio, which she has started hosting events at too. Speaking about her upcoming arrival, Charlotte told us: 'The thing that the only thing that overwhelmed us when I had Alba was the work and the balance, because I am so busy and like I had Alba. 'And then I've never had a baby before, and I was like, "Oh, my God!" 'Everyone wants us, or wants or is asking us a question, or needs something from us. 'But I've also got this tiny little human that needs us every single second. 'And I'm the type of person who, if I haven't replied to a message straight away, like it plays on us, I'm like, "Oh, s**t f**k!" I've still not got back on that message so like it was really overwhelming. The work/life family balance. The mum has confessed that she's unsure if she'll have another baby after her most recent pregnancy 'But I managed to get around it and accept the fact that you know not everyone can be answered straight away, like it's it's just gonna be a bit different. 'But the only thing I worry about is that overwhelming feeling of like, "Oh, I've got a lot on". 'And now I've got two children, because now I've got even more stuff on, because I just decide to implement so many more businesses in my life. 'So that is a worry. That's the only thing that I think will overwhelm us is trying to still do, cause I can't take maternity leave. 'It's just not a thing that I can do, so honestly when I have that baby right, I will be in that hospital bed working on my phone because it'll be a paid payday weekend, and it's one of the biggest weekends for my clothing brand. 'So I will be on my phone working whilst in the hospital. 'So like it's just crazy. It's just that's something I've got to adjust to.' Charlotte and fiance Jake Ankers, who started dating in 2022, announced that they were expecting their second child in September last year. Charlotte welcomed daughter Alba into the world in 2022 They welcomed Alba into the world in 2022. The Aussie Shore star has confessed that she'll be quite happy with a family of four. Charlotte told us: 'I always wanted three, but after this pregnancy I just don't think I could. 'I really don't enjoy being pregnant, I'm not the type of person who is like "Oh I felt amazing. It was great! I love being pregnant!" 'I hate every second of it. I am the worst person at being pregnant, I feel so ungrateful saying that but I just have to say it. 'I usually operate at 110% and when I am pregnant I am right down there at 40 and I don't like that.' Geordie Stories: Charlotte's New Baby will air on Paramount+ on March 4. Married At First Sight viewers have reacted with fury toward groom Tim Gromie for rejecting his bride Katie Johnstone over her appearance, noting he was hardly an impressive sight himself. Katie, a 37-year-old boss of a company helping the less fortunate, immediately won the affections of viewers as a romantically insecure woman who had been routinely rejected in the past, but hoped to end her decade-long single status. On Tuesday's episode of MAFS, the bride married PE teacher Tim, who described himself as being too nice and unfussy when it came to looks, only to reject her for not being his 'usual type'. In a shocking behind-the-scenes moment, the primary school teacher, 38, pulled a producer aside during their wedding reception to vent his frustrations. 'Totally not what I wanted. Not good,' Tim said. 'I normally go for short, petite, blonde or brunette. Katie's nothing like what I usually go for. There's just no attraction. I can tell straight away.' It was love at first sight between Married At First Sight viewers and new season bride Katie Johnstone, 37, (pictured) a social enterprise CEO who has been single for 10 years On Tuesday night's episode, Katie was married to Tim Gromie, 38, who was none too pleased with her appearance Hell hath no fury like MAFS viewers when the fan favourite is scorned - and the outraged comments piled up. Beloved season 12 bride Lucinda Light led the charge, showing her support for Katie on a clip shared to the official MAFS Australia Instagram account. 'The whole of Australia is right behind you gorgeous woman,' Lucinda wrote on Tuesday. 'I'm so sorry this was your experience. Tim is one very disappointing person.' Another woman asked: 'Tim, genuine question, do you have a mirror in your house?' 'He needs to take a good hard look in the mirror,' penned a third. 'He's no oil painting. She's stunning, and could more than likely do better than him.' 'What a fabulous example for the primary-school-age children he teaches,' another viewer fumed. 'Judging a book based on its cover immediately.' Earlier in the episode, Katie had confessed that she'd been body shamed by an ex in the past and it had rattled her confidence. 'I have a very distinct memory of being in the pool in a bikini with family and friends, and my ex was there looking down on me and asking me like, "Can I lose some weight?"' she explained. 'Totally not what I wanted. Not good,' Tim told a producer at the wedding reception while his microphone was still on MAFS alum Lucinda Light is backing Katie Johnstone led the charge 'I really felt like so destroyed and so ashamed. I was not getting out of that pool.' She added: 'For the first time, I feel like I'm stepping forward as somebody who deserves love and is ready for it. 'I've been single for 10 years and I don't know how to get into a relationship. So, yeah, why not just marry him straight off the bat? I'm hoping for a success story.' Katie immediately spoke about how she found 'chunky' Tim 'hot.' But Tim made it clear within moments of seeing Katie at the altar that she was not what he was hoping for. Despite Katie's warm smile and an effort to break the ice with a hug, Tim recoiled, leaving her visibly awkward and confused. He told a producer that he has 'no one type', but he thought he would be matched with a 'shorter woman.' 'I dont know how to say; Im not like I wanted a skinny - its not that. I definitely dont always judge a book by its cover. So no, I dont just run because of what the person looks like, but Tim's bride Katie Johnstone was left in tears as her husband's judgement of her appearance 'triggered' old insecurities 'Im just feeling a bit deflated. Not sure why we got matched.' Viewers were quick to point out Tim's hypocrisy in expecting a 'petite' woman despite being overweight himself. 'Teletubbie expecting a supermodel,' another viewer wrote, with someone else chiming in, 'Meanwhile, that suit jacket is fighting for its life holding his button.' 'Dear God Tim, you are a chubby THREE at best,' another viewer fumed. 'Take advantage of this beautiful woman in front of you. Christ.' Another said: 'Once again, MAFS has set up the nice girl who just wants someone who won't judge her instantly based on looks and they have set her up with the self-proclaimed "nice guy" - who has completely judged her on looks because she isn't a skinny, short, blonde.' Viewers were quick to point out Tim's hypocrisy in expecting a 'petite' woman, without being a gym buff himself Katie told her new groom that she found it 'concerning' he didn't want to cuddle up to her for their wedding photos. She asked Tim about his first impressions of her, and he proceeded to tell he 'didn't think too much' and 'has such an open mind.' 'Im really triggered,' Katie later told her bride squad, after he pulled away from a kiss on the cheek. Tim later revealed to Katie off-camera that he didn't feel a 'spark' between them and suggested they not go on the honeymoon and end the experiment immediately. Katie replied: 'I think sparks" is just a cop-out for saying Im not attracted to you.' 'To be rejected thats my worst nightmare,' the heartbroken bride said in a piece-to-camera. 'I dont know what Ive done wrong, why this keeps happening. I feel humiliated. 'Im written off so early. How am I meant to build anything with somebody when you know theyre not into you.' Katie was spotted arriving at her hotel after the first dinner party alone on Tuesday. In photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia, Katie was shielded by producers as she made a solo entry to her accommodation. Her new husband was nowhere to be seen as she made her way inside the Sydney hotel flanked by the show's crew. Sara Haines stood up for Selena Gomez after the actress faced backlash for breaking down into tears over Donald Trump's deportation policy in a since-deleted video. Gomez, 32, whose own aunt entered the U.S. from Mexico hidden in the back of a truck, was slammed for the upload, and ended up deleting the video before remarking, 'Apparently it's not ok to show empathy for people.' Haines, however, was sympathetic towards Gomez on the latest episode of The View. The chat show shared a compilation of various broadcasters on Fox News responding to Selena's video, where they called it a 'performative fit of hysteria' and advised her to 'check your compassionate privilege.' Haines, 47, began by citing Gomez's own personal connection to the issue, and reminded viewers the actress' statements did not mean she condoned violent criminals remaining in the country. 'Selena Gomez can feel compassion for people being deported,' Haines said. 'She has a very personal connection to that. Her grandmother came in the back of a truck across the border and her father was then born in the country, she's born in the country, she belongs here, that is natural to then say, "Hey, God, it's heartbreaking to watch this." It can be heartbreaking and she can still not be ok with violent criminals. Sara Haines stood up for Selena Gomez after the actress faced backlash for posting a tearful video about the deportation of Mexican people Selena, whose own aunt crossed the U.S.-Mexico border hidden in the back of a truck, shared video on Monday reacting to President Donald Trump's threat of mass deportations of all undocumented immigrants, which has ignited fears of family separations 'And they keep saying in there, "We're taking the violent criminals." Well the point I made here at the table is they're not transparent about who they're bringing. They're not knocking on doors, they're rounding up people. 'They're not saying, if they broke down every person deported and said, "We've got 16 murderers, 15 rapists, 13 repeat offenders," everyone in this country, including Selena Gomez, would say "Bravo!" But that's not what's happening, they're not being open about it. So never condemn someone for showing empathy for another person.' In the compilation of various media figures responding to Selena, one of the contributors noted that Gomez neglected to bring up Laken Riley, a nursing student who was murdered by an undocumented immigrant. Haines said of this: 'She doesn't have to address Laken Riley, which is another awful tragic story that happened here in this country. It's not saying she agrees with that to say she understands the plight of all of these people. So it's just a disgusting place we're when we can't even recognize that.' In Gomez's original video, she stated: 'All my people are getting attacked, the children. I dont understand. Im so sorry, I wish I could do something but I cant. I dont know what to do. Ill try everything, I promise.' She wrote in bold font 'I'm sorry' along with the Mexican flag emoji. On Sunday, a 'nationwide immigration crackdown resulted in the arrest of 956 people, the most since Trump returned to power,' according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Per BBC, a 'number of federal agencies with newly expanded detention powers were involved in the raids in a number of cities including Chicago, Newark and Miami.' The Only Murders in the Building star previously produced a 2019 Netflix documentary, titled Living Undocumented, chronicling the lives of undocumented families in the United States. At the time, the former Disney Channel star, who was born in Texas, opened up about her family's own immigration story, which began in the 1970s when her aunt crossed the border from Mexico to America hidden in the back of a truck. Haines began by citing Gomez's own personal connection to the issue, adding her emotion did not mean the actress condoned violent criminals remaining in the country 'Selena Gomez can feel compassion for people being deported,' Haines said. 'She has a very personal connection to that,' she said In Gomez's original video, she stated: 'All my people are getting attacked, the children. I dont understand. Im so sorry, I wish I could do something but I cant. I dont know what to do. Ill try everything, I promise.' Her paternal grandparents, Ricardo and Mary followed their daughter and, once in the US, they welcomed Selena's father, who is also called Ricardo. Her mother, Mandy Teefey, is also a US citizen. In a personal essay for Time magazine, Selena shared: 'Undocumented immigration is an issue I think about every day, and I never forget how blessed I am to have been born in this country thanks to my family and the grace of circumstance.' She added: 'But when I read the news headlines or see debates about immigration rage on social media, I feel afraid for those in similar situations. I feel afraid for my country.' Gomez's own aunt entered the U.S. from Mexico hidden in the back of a truck The Golden Globe nominee noted as a Mexican American woman that she feels 'a responsibility to use' her platform 'to be a voice for people who are too afraid to speak.' 'When I signed on to executive-produce a show about undocumented immigrants, I couldn't help but anticipate the criticisms I might face. But the truth is, the worst criticism I can imagine is still nothing compared to what undocumented immigrants face every day,' she explained. The Rare Beauty reminded her followers that 'fear shouldn't stop us from getting involved and educating ourselves on an issue that affects millions of people in our country.' Selena has been vocal about concerns over how immigrants are obtained in the United States and previously called out 'kids in cages' that were 'sleeping on concrete floors with aluminum blankets.' You are here: Arts Folk artists perform a lion dance in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Jan. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Folk artists performed lion and dragon dances in Cambodia on Tuesday to celebrate the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, which will fall on Wednesday. The dancers from eight different troupes jointly staged at the Royal Palace in the capital Phnom Penh and were greeted by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Royal Palace Minister Kuy Sophal. Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional New Year, was inscribed on UNESCO's representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity on Dec. 4, 2024. Diep Sophal, a history professor at the University of Cambodia, said the festival is broadly celebrated in the Southeast Asian country, particularly among Cambodians living in urban areas. "Days prior to the New Year, Cambodian people of Chinese descent always clean and decorate their houses with red color paper-cuts, flowers, red lanterns and Chinese couplets," he told Xinhua. The professor said lion dance is usually invited by traditional Chinese families to perform as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Spring Festival and to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. "Cambodian people celebrate, make offerings, or hold other Chinese rituals during the Chinese New Year because they believe that these will increase their luck," Sophal said. "I am happy to see that the peoples of the two nations have joined hands to build a culture of peace, a culture of good coexistence," he added. Folk artists perform a dragon dance near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Jan. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Paradise (Disney+) Rating: Disney executives have designed the template for their perfect U.S. President . . . and it's not reassuring. James Marsden, in Paradise, plays the world's most powerful man as a vain boozehound with the brains of George W. Bush, the morals of Bill Clinton, the sex drive of JFK and the attention span of Donald Trump. His proudest trophy is a photo of him with Bono. His idea of putting people at ease, as they walk into the Oval Office, is to order them to take off their shoes and then chuckle, 'I'm just f***ing with you.' Foreign policy isn't his strongest suit, as he tells his new head of security, Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown): 'I couldn't really tell you where Syria is on the map, but leaders of other countries seem to trust me.' Most ominous of all, he's so convinced that his presidency will end in 'an extinction level event', he's making plans for a perfect world in its aftermath . . . and the rest of humanity isn't invited. Half an hour into Paradise and I was beginning to think how lucky we Brits are to have Keir Starmer. No surprise that, by the end of the first episode, President Cal Bradford is dead on his bedroom floor in a puddle of blood and whisky. Before he died, he inscribed a clue on a cigarette he's so thick, it apparently didn't occur to him to write on the fag packet instead. The big problem of Paradise is not convincing us that America's figurehead is such a ghastly human being. Most of us can stretch our credulity that far. James Marsden (right) in Paradise plays the world's most powerful man as a vain boozehound with the brains of George W. Bush, the morals of Bill Clinton , the sex drive of JFK and the attention span of Donald Trump But it's difficult to believe that Agent Collins would be so eager to take a bullet for the man, which he does on the White House lawn, or that he'd stick by him for years, despite all the insults and betrayals. It's obvious there's no friendship between the pair. On the night of the President's death, Bradford tries drunkenly to apologise for some unspecified treachery, and Collins retorts, 'I'll forgive you when I can sleep again and I'll sleep when you're dead.' Why we're supposed to admire the bodyguard's loyalty, or care who the killer is, I'm not sure. And although the show is from Dan Fogelman, who created the subtle and complex This Is Us, some dialogue in Paradise is bad enough to set your teeth on edge. 'Wildcat is down,' barks Collins when he finds the body. 'It's a Code Red. Call it in.' More interesting is the revelation that all this happens inside some kind of artificial world, where the sun is a massive lamp under a plastic sky and even the ducks on the town pond are electric. Sterling K. Brown plays Xavier Collins, the president's new head of security in Paradise Although the show is from Dan Fogelman, who created the subtle and complex This Is Us, some dialogue in Paradise is bad enough to set your teeth on edge That idea has been done before, for instance in The Truman Show with Jim Carrey or Stephen King's serial Under The Dome. But a Disney version of the perfect American universe, as a sort of neighbourhood theme park, is bound to be intriguing. I just worry about their choice of President. Lorraine Kelly has branded Wynne Evans a 'nutter' for his sick sex jibes after he was axed from the Strictly tour. Last week Wynne, 53 - who took part in last year's series of the BBC dance show - was caught on film by The Mail on Sunday making a sexual comment about one of the show's female hosts. Wynne has since broken his silence and has agreed with the Beeb to step away from the tour and any other work commitments to 'take some time out'. And Lorraine, 65, shared her opinion on everything that has happened on Wednesday's episode of Good Morning Britain. Lorraine told hosts Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid: 'He has to think about what he has done, I dont get it, I dont understand it. 'I dont know why you would think that was acceptable? Lorraine Kelly has labelled Wynne Evans a 'nutter' for his sexual comments while on Good Morning Britain The 53-year-old was caught on camera making a sexual comment about one of his co-stars 'What kind of nutter does that when you are being filmed? 'Its bad enough to think it, but then to actually say it!' In The Mail on Sunday's video, the Go Compare star was recorded suggesting a three-way sex session with Janette Manrara during a photo call for the Strictly tour. The BBC radio presenter mentioned the word 'spit roast'. Wynne broke his silence about the situation on Tuesday evening on Instagram. He said: 'Ive agreed with the BBC that Ill take some time out from my radio show and the Strictly Live tour, as well as my other public commitments, to prioritise my wellbeing. 'I am deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused, and plan to take this time for self-reflection. 'Apologies to those I wont get to see at the remaining performances and Im grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.' Wynne performing with his partner Katya Jones on the BBC show last year It was also revealed that Wynne has reportedly split from his girlfriend Liz Brookes, 50, after she was left feeling 'humiliated' by his latest scandal. A source told The Sun: 'Although she loyally stood by him in public, Liz was humiliated by what happened when he was on Strictly. 'She always knew he was a bit old school, and actually liked the fact he seemed rough round the edges. 'She just assumed it was all part of his charm. 'It was very difficult for Liz, but she continued to back him throughout the rest of the contest, often being seen in the audience enthusiastically applauding him right up to him being knocked out in Blackpool week in November. 'It's not clear exactly when they split, but friends say that when his latest lewd gaffe was revealed at the Strictly Live Tour launch she was relieved they were no longer together.' This isn't the first scandal that Wynne was involved in during his stint on the BBC series. The star was accused of 'groping' his dance partner Katya Jones, 35, live on air - which they later told fans was a joke. Wynne was the eighth celebrity in the competition to be eliminated. Despite that, he was announced as part of the Strictly tour line-up - hosted by Janette. The famous faces who are taking part in the tour include Jamie Borthwick, Montell Douglas, Tasha Ghouri, JB Gill, Sarah Hadland and Shayne Ward. The tour started in Birmingham on January 17 and will wrap up on February 9. Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 from 6am and is available to stream on ITVX. Rebecca Judd has revealed her very unconventional home decoration move that breaks with tradition. The AFL WAG, 42, shared a photo to Instagram on Wednesday of her eye-catching plastic festive trees still erected in her Melbourne mansion, a month after Christmas Day. The pink and yellow trees take up significant space in the Judd's Brighton mansion. Bec revealed in the caption she didn't know how to dispose of them properly - so would be keeping them in her living room until Christmas 2025. 'These are big and I don't have the brain space right now to figure out what to do with them,' Bec began. 'So I think I will just leave them up all year. Thoughts?' Rebecca Judd has revealed her very unconventional home decoration move that breaks with tradition It is believed to be bad luck to leave Christmas decorations up past January 6, which is seen as the 'cut off' date for the end of the festive season. Like most parents, Bec appears to be exhausted from the school holidays. The day before she threatened to upend the habit of wealthy Australians sending their children to private schools as she seeks ways to instill more discipline into her children. She took to her Instagram on Tuesday to call out her two youngest children for causing havoc in the family's $7.3million mansion in the Melbourne seaside suburb of Brighton, and floated the idea of sending them to military school. The model and influencer shares four children - Oscar, 12, Billie, 10, and twins Tom and Darcy, eight - with retired footy great Chris Judd, and just last week raged about her twins regularly trashing the home. 'The last day of this bullsh*t,' Bec captioned a photo of Tom and Darcy's shared bedroom in a state of squalor. The mum-of-four rang in her 42nd birthday with a lavish party on Saturday night, followed by a long lunch at Montalto Winery on Monday. After a weekend of festivities, Bec returned to mum duties on Tuesday and was not at all pleased with the state of her boys' bedroom. Her photo showed the beds unmade, one with sheets ripped off, all the drawers in their double dressers left hanging open in a state of disarray, and shoes, toys and backpacks strewn over the floor. The AFL WAG, 42, shared a photo to Instagram on Wednesday of her eye-catching plastic festive trees still erected in her Melbourne mansion a month after Christmas Day Bec revealed in the caption that she didn't know how to dispose of them properly - so would be keeping them there until Christmas 2025 'Back to school you go boys,' she wrote in her caption. 'Considering boarding school for the twins at this point. 'I've also Googled military school and there's one in Queensland, but they're too young.' She ended her caption with a disgusted emoji, followed by a series of laugh-crying emojis. Military schools are academic institutions that include military cadet education and typically have rigorous educational programs and high levels of discipline. It cames just a week after Bec said she was 'sick' of her twins behaving like toddlers. 'I popped my head in to see what we're dealing with today,' Bec began in a recent video, which shows dirty and clean clothes, books, and toys strewn all over the bedroom. The Judds purchased their sprawling Spanish colonial-style mansion in Brighton in 2018, and completed a complete overhaul of the property soon after. The model and TV presenter often documents the realities of her mum life on social media. She recently faced backlash when she laughed at a stern email from one of her son's teachers about a prank emergency call made during school time. And she infamously sent her twin boys to kindergarten orientation with their nanny, while she and her husband hosted a 'Juddchella' themed housewarming party at their mansion in 2019. Julia Fox fans were recently befuddled after seeing her on a billboard for New Jersey real estate outside a vape shop in Manhattan. The native advertisement, which turns out to be in support of the new film Presence, features the 34-year-old star's recognizable headshot, which on one side overlaps an image of a blue and white house. On the the other side a message in capital black letters reads: 'Find your forever home.' The poster, situated outside of 202 Mott Street, includes an active phone number complete with a New Jersey area code 908-955-CECE and accompanying website. Directed by renowned filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, Presence is centered around a family who 'becomes convinced they are not alone after moving into their new home in the suburbs,' according to an IMDb log line. Fox plays Cece, the family's realtor, who helped them purchase the haunted residence. Julia Fox fans were recently befuddled after seeing her on a billboard for New Jersey real estate outside a vape shop in Manhattan; pictured January 21 The native advertisement, which turns out to be in support of the new film Presence, features the 34-year-old star's recognizable headshot, which on one side overlaps an image of a blue and white house The phone number directs to a voicemail, where, according to a THR report, more than 1,500 people have left messages. The outlet noted that the majority of calls were from people going along with the gag, acting as potential buyers. One person dropped in to say, 'Hi Cece, Im waiting to hear back. I was getting my colonic earlier and I noticed that you had left me a message about that beautiful little borough home in Jersey.' Another fan quipped, 'I dont live in New Jersey, but you might make me move there 'cause what is this mothering youre doing?' There was also a diehard Fox stan who dialed in just to say: 'You know how some people are like, what would Jesus do? Like WWJD? I say, what would Julia do? WWJD.' Yet another roughly '10 percent' of calls were from actual realtors, including a real estate professional from Los Angeles who left contact information. 'The market is always good for agents, no matter what time of year,' the person advised. The niche horror film stars This Is Us alum Chris Sullivan with a script by David Koepp (Secret Window and You Should Have Left). The poster, situated outside of 202 Mott Street, includes an active phone number complete with a New Jersey area code - 908-955-CECE - and accompanying website. 'Love it. I thought it was an actual business who used a stock photo of her or something lol,' one person wrote on production company Neon's Instagram page Another social media user praised the movie's 'genius marketing' Another fan was successfully duped, writing online, 'I should have known' It premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, and was released in theaters nationwide on Friday, January 24. In its opening weekend it raked in $3.3 million from 1,750 cinemas, per THR. And the movie cost less than $3 million to make. Presence comes from the independent production company Neon, who shared photos of the billboard on social media earlier this month. The caption read, 'Find your forever home. Contact Cece today: cecesrealty.com,' prompting fans to express shock in the comments. 'Love it. I thought it was an actual business who used a stock photo of her or something lol,' one person wrote. Another social media user praised the movie's 'genius marketing.' Love Island star Anna McEvoy has hit back at a follower who shamed her for indulging in a common pregnancy craving - McDonald's. The 32-year-old, who is heavily pregnant, filmed herself buying the takeaway and parking in her car to enjoy the salty treat. 'What is everyone craving?' she captioned the post, noting that she's 22 weeks pregnant in her hashtags. Anna ordered one hash brown. Taking to her TikTok again on Wednesday, the reality star-turned-podcaster named and shamed the woman who sent her the following comment: 'I would never put McDonald's in my body, let alone while I'm pregnant. 'I'm 30 weeks and have had no cravings because I've been in calorie surplus the whole time.' Love Island star Anna McEvoy has hit back at a follower who shamed her for indulging in a common pregnancy craving - McDonald's The 32-year-old, who is heavily pregnant, filmed herself buying the takeaway and parking in her car to enjoy one singular hash brown - and was swiftly told off by someone online In several video responses, Anna fumed about the way the comment had made her feel. 'I'm going to say calmly, I don't appreciate being shamed for eating one hash brown,' she began. 'Because it's one of my pregnancy cravings and unfortunately I am extremely sick and taking Ondansetron to even survive the day.' Ondansetron is a strong anti-nausea medication commonly used to prevent sickness and vomiting caused by morning sickness, chemotherapy and migraines. 'If I don't take it, I will spew all day long,' she said. 'So I'm sorry, it sounds like you're having a really nice pregnancy where you can eat whole foods. 'We just don't all have that experience. I hope you understand without shaming other people.' In her caption, Anna wrote, 'Reminder that mum shaming is out in 2025. 'Sometimes just eating is a win when you're pregnant and severely nauseous!' Other mums were quick to defend Anna in the comments, proving that junk food cravings are a relatively common experience in a pregnancy's first or second trimester Anna McEvoy (pictured) was absolutely glowing as she attended the Piper-Heidsieck champagne bar at the Australian Open last week Anna is currently 22 weeks, or about five months pregnant, with her first child. That is past the halfway point of the second trimester. The Love Island Season two winner and her husband Michael Staples got married in a glamorous wedding ceremony at Corfu in Greece in May 2024. Other mums were quick to defend Anna in the comments on her videos, proving that junk food cravings are a relatively common experience early in a pregnancy. 'I literally had a sausage muffin every day because my cravings were ridiculous!' someone wrote. 'My first daughter is made out of cheeseburgers. Perfectly healthy,' one wrote. 'I literally had a whopper with cheese for breakfast today and I'm 18 weeks hehe,' added another. 'I ate Maccas snack wraps every second day in my pregnancy, so don't stress yourself out with what people say,' said a third mum. Anna McEvoy and her husband Michael Staples pictured enjoying a day out at the waterpark on Wednesday Many of the mums who commented said if they struggled severely with nausea in the first and second trimesters, a simple item from McDonald's or Hungry Jacks was often all they could stomach. 'I reckon I ate a hash brown every day in my first two trimesters, it was literally one of the only things I could keep down,' one mum admitted. 'Hash browns were the only thing I could eat in my first pregnancy,' another agreed. 'Pregnancy is so challenging for some, you just get through it the best you can.' 'I lived off Maccas soft serves in my first trimester. I have a perfectly healthy nine-month-old now,' yet another young mum said. 'Mickey D's was one of the only things I could handle in my first trimester. And coke to drink helped my nausea significantly. Whatever works,' someone else commented with a shrug emoji. Others took a more humorous approach to the sensitive topic of policing how other people manage their pregnancies: 'My baby is basically sponsored by Maccas at this point.' Anna - who co-hosts the Where's Your Head At? podcast with Tammy Hembrow's husband Matt Zukowski - thanked her newfound community of mums for having her back. However, the influencer also filmed herself eating a salad a couple of days later and admitted the judgmental comment had impacted her. Kylie Jenner ensured all eyes were on her as she stepped out for lunch at Bar des Pres sushi restaurant in Paris on Tuesday. The makeup mogul, 27, looked incredible for the outing as she slipped into a figure-hugging black mini dress that highlighted her toned pins. The skintight garment featured long sleeves and a leopard print pattern along the torso. The reality TV star added height to her frame with a pair of black heels and styled her brunette locks into loose curves. Kylie accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup as she enjoyed her time in the city of love. It comes amid Kylie's boyfriend Timothee Chalamet's Oscar nomination for his role as Bob Dylan in the biopic A Complete Unknown. Kylie Jenner ensured all eyes were on her as she stepped out for lunch at Bar des Pres sushi restaurant in Paris on Tuesday The makeup mogul, 27, looked incredible for the outing as she slipped into a figure-hugging black mini dress that highlighted her toned pins Kylie 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 Kylie's boyfriend Timothee Chalamet's Oscar nomination; the couple pictured at the Golden Globes on January 5 Timothee 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. Anthony Mackie was forced to clarify comments he made about his upcoming Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World after they stoked outrage from some fans on social media. The 46-year-old Avengers: Endgame star, whose character Sam Wilson has taken over the iconic Captain America mantle in the latest film, ignited online outrage after speaking about what the character signified to him during a press conference in Rome on Monday. 'To me Captain America represents a lot of different things and I dont think the term "America: should be one of those representations' he said. 'Its about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.' The actors comments quickly became fodder for outraged posts on social media, particularly from conservative posters and right-wing pundits. Mackie who may find himself dueling for the Captain America name with former Marvel star Chris Evans in the future took to his Instagram stories on Tuesday afternoon to try to clarify his statement. 'Let me be clear about this, I'm a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP is the honor of a lifetime,' he wrote in a simple text post. Anthony Mackie, 46, was forced to clarify comments he made about his upcoming Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World after they stoked outrage from some fans on social media; seen Monday in Rome 'To me Captain America represents a lot of different things and I dont think the term "America: should be one of those representations' he said. 'Its about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable' 'I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to,' Mackie concluded. Mackie's original comments seemed to infuriate several users on X (formerly Twitter), though plenty of fans of Captain America comics pointed out that his comments were in line with things the superhero himself has said. 'That makes me not want to watch it now,' another user said of the new film, while one person said Mackie's comments were 'wild.' One commenter joked that Mackie's comments were 'sure to sit well with your American audience.' Several fans claimed that it was self-evident that Mackie was incorrect, because 'America' was part of his character's name. '"Where does it say Captain America represents America?" In the name, "Captain America,"' wrote on user, who included a gif of right-wing pundit Ben Shapiro. 'Too bad captain america doesn't seem pro america,' bemoaned another fan. Others suggested Mackie was incorrect because Captain America's costume and shield reference the American flag. 'I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to,' Mackie clarified on Tuesday Mackie's original comments seemed to infuriate several users on X (formerly Twitter), though plenty of fans of Captain America comics pointed out that his comments were in line with things the superhero himself has said; still from Captain America: Brave New World One user said they weren't interested in watching the film anymore after Mackie's comments Several fans claimed that it was self-evident that Mackie was incorrect, because 'America' was part of his character's name Others suggested Mackie was incorrect because Captain America's costume and shield reference the American flag 'And this is why the movie will do poorly,' predicted one upset poster. One user went so far as to call for Marvel to bring back the previous Captain America. 'Bring back Steve [Rogers],' this guys a moron and never watched the first movie,' they wrote. 'Captain America is a veteran. What a stupid take.' But other fans, many of whom cited examples from Captain America comics, not just the more recent Marvel films, agreed with Mackie and suggested a skepticism of blind patriotism was a hallmark of modern incarnations of the character. 'This is quite literally regarded as one of Roger's best speeches of all time,' wrote one fan who included a cell from a Captain America in which the hero spoke about the importance of standing up for his values, even if they conflicted with the sentiment of the American public and government. 'If you disagree with Mackie, you quite literally do not understand the character of Captain America. He'll fight America just as quick as he's to fight in the name of it.' Another fan pointed out that earlier Captain America films showed the character then played by Chris Evans showing skepticism toward the American government that was ultimately shown to be warranted. 'Captain America 2 and 3 were about Captain America directly going against the US government because they made poor choices based on incomplete information,' they wrote. 'He's not a propaganda-spewing mouthpiece and is in fact the direct opposite. So yeah Anthony Mackie is right.' But other fans, many of whom cited examples from Captain America comics, not just the more recent Marvel films, agreed with Mackie and suggested a skepticism of blind patriotism was a hallmark of modern incarnations of the character Other fans pointed out that earlier Captain America films showed the character then played by Chris Evans showing skepticism toward the American government that was ultimately shown to be warranted In Captain America: Brave New World, Mackie's title character finds himself thrust into an international conspiracy after a meeting with the newly elected President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel movie debut Another person pointed out how absurd it was that 'people [are] made at this when 2/3 of the Captain America trilogy involve him fighting AGAINST the American government...' Mackie was clearly a fan of the character, and he said playing Captain America was like an 'aspect of a dream coming true' at the press conference on Monday. In Captain America: Brave New World, Mackie's title character finds himself thrust into an international conspiracy after a meeting with the newly elected President Thaddeus Ross, who is played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel movie debut. Plot details about the standalone film have been scarce, but trailers for the movie indicate that Captain America will have a showdown with Ross when the president transforms into the monumental Red Hulk and proceeds to demolish the White House. Paige DeSorbo revealed that she will freeze her eggs just weeks after her breakup with Craig Conover. The 32-year-old Summer House star opened up about becoming a mother in the future and next steps on Tuesday's episode of her Giggly Squad podcast, featuring pal Hannah Berner. In the 53 minute sit-down, the multihyphenate explained that while freezing her eggs is a 'huge' decision, she 'always knew' she was certain about the procedure. 'I have wanted to do it I would probably say like last year probably in the spring I was like, "OK, in 2025 Im freezing my eggs,"' she confessed to listeners. The Southern Charm star shared that she felt January was the best time to follow through with egg retrieval because of the break in her ongoing tour schedule. 'I had like a list of things I wanted to get done in the month of January,' she said. 'So that was like one of my goals and I made my first appointment.' Paige DeSorbo revealed that she will freeze her eggs just weeks after her breakup with Craig Conover; seen March 2024 Despite being committed to the procedure and having started the 'difficult' process, Paige said she is unsure of when exactly she wants to book the retrieval. 'The only thing is I have to pick two weeks that Im gonna be home because I have to do the shots at the same time every night and I think they have to be in the refrigerator,' she explained. Now, the Winter House star is looking to have her eggs frozen around 'the beginning of March' as to not interfere with her and Hannah's Giggly Squad tour. '[Ill] do the shots and the retrieval,' Paige said candidly. And the reality star made it clear that she wanted the reassurance and 'safety' of having a backup plan for the future, if she so chooses to become a mother one day. 'When I first decided to freeze my eggs it wasnt like, "Oh my god [its for] my career," like I genuinely thought at 32 I would have a kid,' she admitted. 'But always in the back of my head I was like, "What if I get to 39 or 40 and Im like wait I want one more." So that was always my thought process on freezing my eggs.' And though she initially decided to freeze her eggs to have more pathways to becoming a parent, the Bravo diva said the road will look 'different' now that her boyfriend of three years, Craig, is out of the picture. In the 53 minute sit-down, the multihyphenate explained that while freezing her eggs is a 'huge' decision, she 'always knew' she was certain about the procedure; seen October 2024 Now, the Winter House star is looking to have her eggs frozen around 'the beginning of March'; seen February 2024 The Bravo diva said the road will look 'different' now that her boyfriend of three years, Craig, is out of the picture; seen November 2023 'So now its different,' she acknowledged. 'I need it as like security I think but it is making me relax a little bit though knowing that Im doing it.' Paige revealed on her podcast in late December that she and Craig, 35, 'decided to no longer be together.' The exes first met in the Hamptons while filming the Bravo reality series Summer House in 2019, and started dating by the summer of 2021. And in 2023, the vixen defended her decision to put off marriage and having children with the actor, despite his desire to take the next step in their relationship. 'If the roles were reversed and Craig, as a 30-year-old man, said he wanted to focus on his career and wait to get married, everyone would praise him and tell him he has a good head on his shoulders,' she told The Post at the time. 'But when it comes to me saying it, people assume things: "Oh, you dont love your boyfriend." This could not be further from the truth,' she added. At the time of their split, she claimed their break up was amicable but didn't explain why they went their separate ways. Earlier this month, Craig revealed that he had frozen his sperm months before their unexpected breakup, which Paige called the 'craziest thing in the world' at the time. While talking to pals Austen Kroll and Shep Rose, Craig expressed, 'I would be remiss to not say that becoming a dad is like, probably like, a, whatever it's called when it has to happen in my future,' per People. Paige revealed on her podcast in late December that she and Craig, 35, 'decided to no longer be together'; seen June 2022 The episode then cut to a flashback as he shared his plans to freeze his sperm to Paige, who responded with, 'What the f**k? That's like the craziest thing in the world.' Conover then explained in a confessional, 'The version of life that I saw myself living isn't what I'm living, which is like this stable home that I grew up in.' Just days ago, Craig insisted he would have proposed to Paige before their breakup, but noted 'she changes her mind a lot.' Paige has since been moving on as she was recently seen hanging out with mystery man at the Philadelphia Eagles versus Green Bay Packers game. Amber Rose opened up about how she was 'canceled' for being a supporter of Donald Trump last year. The 41-year-old model admitted she lost fans for when Trump was running for reelection but is not too worried as she still on the cover of Maxim. For her February 2025 cover story, she addressed the criticism and also revealed she is considering her own future in politics. 'During the election, I was "canceled",' she recalled. 'Now? All the naysayers are quiet. They see he's already changing our country for the better.' The reality TV star who responded to the major backlash she received in October 2024 after she accused Beyonce of copying her speech at a Kamala Harris rally criticized people with left-leaning political views and stressed the importance of having more 'open conversations.' 'Unfortunately, the "woke" left cancels people for having a different ideology,' she said. Amber Rose opened up about how she was 'canceled' for being a supporter of Donald Trump last year. The 41-year-old model admitted she lost fans for when Trump was running for reelection but is not too worried as she still on the cover of Maxim 'Fortunately for me, I don't give a f*** and will always stand 10 toes down until the wheels fall off, regardless of what my beliefs may be.' Rose also reflected on her past preference for liberal-leaning policies and explained why she changed her political stance in recent years. 'I used to be on the left and thought I was doing the right thing,' she said. 'That's why it's so important to have open conversations.' She also said she believes that there is 'no objective truth' and 'only feelings' from left-leaning individuals. 'As a society, we all need to get back to reality and have these difficult conversations to bring us all back to a better place.' During her conversation with the outlet, the model also spoke about her latest venture and mused over her potential, future career in politics. 'I'm excited to announce my new show. It'll be my opinion on politics and other current events,' she teased without revealing further details about her new project. When asked if she wanted to pivot into politics, she answered: 'Maybe. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm definitely in love with it.' For her February 2025 cover story, she addressed the criticism and also revealed she is considering her own future in politics; pictured July 2024 in Milwaukee She spoke about becoming an avid fan and outspoken supporter of Trump. For her February 2025 cover story, she addressed the criticism for changing her stance and also revealed she is now considering her own future in politics; pictured January 27 in Washington, D.C. Rose reflected on her past preference for liberal-leaning policies and explained why she changed her political stance in recent years. She also said she believes that there is 'no objective truth' and 'only feelings' from left-leaning individuals; pictured July 2024 in Milwaukee This comes after Rose made a speech at last year's Republican National Convention. On the first day of the convention in Milwaukee in July 2024, she gave a speech that praised Donald Trump and his policies; pictured April 2023 in Palm Springs This comes after Rose made a speech at last year's Republican National Convention. On the first day of the convention in Milwaukee in July 2024, she gave a speech that praised Donald Trump and his policies. She also spoke about how she changed her political views after previously opposing him in 2016. In support of the now-president, she told millions of Americans: 'Donald Trump and his supporters don't care if you're Black, white, gay or straight. It's all love. These are my people. This is where I belong.' Even though she faced criticism as one of Trump's staunch supporters in the frequently left-leaning Hollywood, she said she has no regrets about standing up for her own beliefs. Newlywed Stephanie Rice has revealed her dream honeymoon in Paris with new husband Mark Lassey has taken a horrific turn. Instead of enjoying their last days in the famed city, the couple spent time holed up in their hotel room, trying to recover after both of them fell ill. The 36-year-old swimming champ told followers in her Instagram stories that they had spent their last day in Paris under the weather. 'Mark and I were so sick the past few days, so we've been trapped in our hotel room trying to recover,' she said in the post. Stephanie Rice, who has a home base in Dubai, tied the knot with her partner Mark Lassey, 46, earlier this month in Perth, following a whirlwind ten-month romance Elsewhere in the lengthy message, the Olympian admitted to users that her honeymoon illness has shifted her focus to fitness. Newlywed Stephanie Rice has posted that her dream honeymoon in Paris with her husband, Mark Lassey, has taken a horrific turn. (Both pictured) Instead of enjoying their last days in the famed city, the couple spent time holed up in their hotel room, trying to recover after both of them fell ill 'I haven't been this sick in over a year, and it was a nice invitation to deprioritise my health after a really busy past six months. 'So when we land back in Dubai, I'm [hoping] to change things up a bit.' 'It's our final day in Paris and I'm honestly really glad to be going elsewhere now and changing the environment.' Stephanie used a stunning picture of the Paris cityscape in her post and included a caption:'We saw this amazing sky clear last night for the first time, and it was stunning.' It comes after the Olympic gold medallist, who has been living in Dubai for the past year, confirmed her engagement to her pastor fiance Mark Lassey in September. She met Perth-based Mark not long after relocating to Dubai and he popped the question at The Atlantis Royal hotel in the city after seven months of dating. Stephanie, who went public with Mark in July, took to Instagram to share the exciting news as she kept her followers updated on her big life changes. The athlete shared a mirror selfie from an elevator as she smiled alongside her packed suitcases as she headed off on her trip back to her native Australia. The 36-year-old swimming champ told followers in her stories that they had spent their last day in Paris under the weather. (Pictured) Stephanie Rice, who has a home base in Dubai , tied the knot with her partner Mark Lassey, 46, earlier this month in Perth , following a whirlwind ten-month romance. Pictured: The happy couple on their wedding day She donned a comfortable white jumper paired with loose-fitting white pants, looking relaxed but excited for her new journey. She shared in a caption: 'Packed up my stuff in Dubai, put it all in storage, packed 2 suitcases and headed for Australia to finish my Master's degree and get married so wild to think about!!' Stephanie, who recently became a Christian, expressed her gratitude for the recent changes in her life, saying God has made a significant impact on her path this year. 'God has done a complete 180 on my life this year and I'm the happiest I've ever been,' she added. She also shared her excitement for her future with her partner Mark as she ended her message by gushing: 'He is so good.' She exchanged vows with the Aussie pastor, 46, during a vineyard ceremony in his native Perth. For the ceremony, Steph looked gorgeous ina strapless satin gown which featured a long train that billowed out behind her. She let her dress do all the talking as she simply accessorised with a dainty necklace and droplet earrings, while she wore her brunette tresses loose over her shoulders. Mark cut a dapper figure in a tuxedo, made up of a white shirt, black trousers and a suave cream suit jacket. The couple shared a video documenting the moment they were declared a married couple. In the footage, they beamed with joy as they stood holding hands at the outdoor altar which sat underneath a natural green vine pergola. They were then showered with confetti as they walked down the aisle together as newlyweds before they shared a romantic kiss. The couple then celebrated their union with their closest family and friends during an outdoor reception at sunset on the grounds of the vineyard. Later in the evening, the pair kissed while sparklers lit up the sky behind them. Steph and Mark plan to start off their married in Dubai. Three-time Olympic gold medallist Stephanie joined the Kingdom City church when she relocated to Dubai at the end of 2023. 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. Their wedding comes after a whirlwind ten months of dating after they were first introduced by a mutual friend at the start of 2024. Nikki Garcia has shed light on co-parenting with her ex Artem Chigvintsev and her life post-split in her first interview since ending their marriage. The WWE alum, 41, filed for divorce from Artem, 42, in September 2024, shortly after an alleged altercation between them led to his arrest for domestic violence. They share four-year-old son Matteo together. Now, in her first interview since the divorce, Garcia opened up to Us Weekly about how she's been faring since the ordeal made headlines. She revealed how she and Chigvintsev have been raising their child together, and how she's been explaining the situation to their son. 'I've used words like divorce, [but] its only been when hes asked. Everythings kind of been about us just having our own homes,' she said. 'You get to go see Mommy and you get to go see Daddy. On Christmas, we made sure we were both there when we baked Santas cookies. Matteo went to bed and we both were there when he woke up. Because hes our focus, we want to keep those moments.' The former couple now share custody of their son, and Garcia admitted she finds time away from Matteo challenging. Nikki Garcia has shed light on co-parenting with her ex Artem Chigvintsev and her life post-split in her first interview since ending their marriage; pictured 2019 'Whats crazy about coparenting is you get a schedule. Its wild that one day its like, OK, here are the days you get your son, and thats just what you do. 'For me, that part is incredibly tough. I had never been in our home without him. So getting through those days is extremely difficult because I just love being around my son so much.' Fortunately, Matteo has been handling the changes well. 'Matteos OK and not affected. So that makes it easy. Hes happy to go to both homes,' she said. After two years of marriage, Garcia and Chigvintsev's divorce was finalized last year. Now officially single, Garcia says she can see herself 'falling in love again' - but she doesn't imagine it happening 'anytime soon.' And while she's open to love, she doesn't see herself legally wedding a future partner. 'I dont ever want to sign paperwork again. If I find the right person, I dont mind [a commitment ceremony], but I dont want to be legally [bound],' she said. Garcia's marriage to Chigvintsev officially ended after two years last year; pictured 2019 Nikki said her sister Brie Garcia thought she and Artem should have split long ago; the sisters pictured 2023 Garcia also does not want anymore children: 'I definitely do not want more kids. I am fine.' For several months after arrest, Garcia waited several months before returning to the podcast she co-hosts with sister Brie Garcia. The decision to 'disconnect' from the public eye was a necessary one for Nikki as she coped with the immediate aftermath of the dispute. 'Everything was very shocking, all of it. And I think that was a main reason why I knew I had to disconnect. I was in shock. You couldnt have ever told me that this wouldve been the ending of my 2024 or my marriage [I] wouldnt have believed you. It takes a long time to process something. I needed that disconnection to process everything that happened,' she said. Fortunately, 2025 has been 'amazing' for Garcia, who said she's been getting to know herself as a woman in her 40s; pictured earlier this month Her family also had differing views on the relationship. When asked if the split surprised her friends or family, she said: 'Bries been very vocal. She said that she felt like this relationship should end long before it did. She always felt we were just two different people trying to make it work. But my mom was a huge supporter of [me and Artem]. She was actually flying in [the] day [of the incident] to spend the whole weekend with us,' she said. Fortunately, 2025 has been 'amazing' for Garcia, who said she's been getting to know herself as a woman in her 40s. 'I feel like I have this whole new era to look at, and I get to choose how I want to be and [where to] take it,' she admitted. Garcia doesn't see herself falling love with someone new anytime soon; pictured with Artem in 2023 While Garcia still has moments of heartache, she is overall optimistic about the future. 'I still get moments of heartache for sure, when an event comes up, or you drive by something or a song comes on. I know in time that will get better. But overall, I feel a lot of joy in my heart and feel so grateful. I have so much gratitude [for] my family, my health,' she said. Chigvintsev was arrested and booked on a felony domestic violence on August 29 in Yountville, California following an alleged incident with Garcia, but prosecutors in Napa County ultimately decided against filing criminal charges in the case. Chigvintsev's lawyer has since claimed the DWTS alum was not the 'primary aggressor' in the dispute with Garcia and released photos of the injuries the dancer's then-spouse allegedly inflicted on him. The altercation occurred just three days after the former couple celebrated their two year wedding anniversary. Garcia later filed for divorce and unsuccessfully requested sole custody of their son Matteo, with the pair granted temporary restraining orders against each other. The restraining orders were ultimately dismissed and their divorce has since been finalized. In a statement, Garcia's rep told E! the duo had 'decided to drop the domestic violence restraining orders against each other in an effort to move on with their lives and effectively co-parent their son.' Previously, Garcia admitted she had been depicting their relationship to be the perfect marriage on social media despite that not being so, and that they had been plagued with issues 'for a long time' prior to the dispute that sparked their split. 'The past few months, I disconnected from social media, from the world, and I just knew that I needed to disconnect because first things first, Im a mom and my sons protection and privacy is the most important,' she said on the podcast she hosts with twin sister, The Nikki & Brie Show, back in December. 'I was going to do whatever it took for that most importantly, and then just needing space for healing, for facing trauma head-on.' 'It's been tough. It's been really tough. Ive been heartbroken. Sad,' she said. Keith Gallasch, a much-loved Australian theatre identity, has died at the age of 80. A writer and playwright, he was well-known Down Under for his passionate commitment to the arts, especially theatre. Taking to their official social media, Create NSW announced that the Adelaide-born creator passed away on January 22. It is understood that Gallasch had been hospitalised in Sydney with an undisclosed illness in the weeks before he died. Born in 1945, Gallasch began his career as a teacher and went on to be honoured with an Order of Australia (OA) for his contribution to the arts in 2022. In 1976 he became a founding member of Troupe, an innovative performance group based in Adelaide and later forged a strong relationship with the State Theatre of Adelaide. Much loved Australian theatre identity Keith Gallasch (L) has died at age 80. A writer and playwright, he was well-known Down Under for his passionate commitment to the arts, especially theatre Taking to their official social media, Create NSW announced that the Adelaide-born creator passed away on January 22. (Pictured from his Facebook) He was also an important member of the Literature Board of the Australia Council (198385) - which was the forerunner to what is now Creative Australia. With his long-term partner Virginia Baxter, Gallasch founded the Open City theatre company in 1987 which produced new works at the Performance Space in Sydney, as well as for radio. In 1994 the couple founded an arts magazine RealTime which went on to have a major impact in the creative community. Creative Australia, in their official tribute to Gallasch, described the free paper as 'a groundbreaking magazine devoted to documenting and championing innovation in the arts worldwide.' Gallasch, who was devoted to innovation and experimentation in the arts, was RealTime's managing editor. His achievements also included editing the In Repertoire series alongside Virginia Baxter, which helped promote touring Australian performances in music, dance, Indigenous arts, theatre for young people and new media art. 'Keith had a long association with Creative Australia (formerly the Australia Council for the Arts), receiving multiple grants as a playwright and dramaturg and serving as a theatre and music assessor,' CA said in their obituary of Gallasch. Members of the creative community have taken to social member with tributes to Gallasch. Creative Australia in their official tribute to Gallasch described the free paper as 'a groundbreaking magazine devoted to documenting and championing innovation in the arts worldwide.' Pictured: Front cover of an issue if RealTime 'Keith Gallaschs legacy is one of dedication, collaboration, and an enduring love for the arts,' said Alice Nash, Creative Australia Executive Director Arts Investment. She continued: With a passion for innovation, Keith left an indelible mark on countless creative endeavours and the people who shared his journey. We extend our deepest sympathies to Keiths family, friends and colleagues at this sad time.' 'RealTime made the incredible creative works happening in NSW small to medium arts organisations, visible to the rest of Australia and beyond,' Create NSW said in their tribute on Facebook. 'One of the great pillars of Australian performance community, gone,' shared a user on X, in tribute to Gallasch. 'A writer, dramaturg, editor and erstwhile performer' Keith was both a primary witness and documenter and the keeper of our collective culture - a thankless task in many ways,' they continued. 'Im shocked to hear of the passing of Keith Gallasch. He was one of the great unsung heroes of Australian cultural life, so sad,' said another. Paris Hilton and her younger sister Nicky Hilton enjoyed a day of family fun at the Museum of Ice Cream in New York City on Tuesday. The blonde sisters Paris, 43, and Nicky, 41 were joined by their children as they hosted the third annual Young Hearts Friend Fest. Nicky is mom to daughters Lily-Grace, eight, Teddy, seven, and son Chasen, four. She shares them with longtime husband James Rothschild. Paris welcomed son Phoenix, two, and daughter London, one, with husband Carter Reum. Kathy Hilton was also at the charity event, which benefits Gods Love We Deliver. Nicky is mom to daughters Lily-Grace, eight (far right), Teddy, seven (L), and son Chasen, four, (not pictured). Paris is mom to Phoenix, two (seen sitting on her lap), and London, one (pictured second from right) Paris Hilton and her younger sister Nicky Hilton enjoyed a day of family fun at the Museum of Ice Cream in New York City on Tuesday The blonde sisters - Paris, 43, and Nicky, 41 - were joined by their children as they hosted the third annual Young Hearts Friend Fest Paris, Nicky, and Kathy were aligned in their dress code, with each of the stylish women donning pastel-colored outfits. For her part, Paris arrived in a lacy pink frock with a crew neck; she added a fitted cardigan and accessorized with a pink hair bow. And the heiress rounded out the modest ensemble with a pair of sparkly gold pumps with bow accents. Nicky, meanwhile, showed up in figure-hugging pale blue dress with a sweetheart neckline that teased her cleavage. And like her older sibling, she opted for heels as she chose a Cinderella blue satin variety. Both women wore their blonde locks loose, with Paris rocking a part down the middle while Nicky chose a side part. They looked typically beautiful in full faces of soft makeup with touches of pink on their cheeks and pouts. Kathy, who is a mother-of-four, arrived wearing a long, pink, tweed blazer and black trousers. Paris' son wore a baby blue Moschino sweatsuit while Nicky's daughter Lily-Grace wore a Self-Portrait blue dress Paris welcomed Phoenix and London with husband Carter Reum Earlier this month Paris and Nicky promoted the event via their Instagram accounts, sharing a joint post with God's Love We Deliver. The caption read, 'The Hilton sisters are teaming up for a great cause. Nicky and Paris Hilton are hosting the third annual Young Hearts Friend Fest at the @MuseumOfIcecream on January 28.' The note to their nearly 30 million combined followers continued, 'Benefiting @GodsLoveNYC, this special event celebrates volunteerism and encourages children and families to get involved in and give back to their communities.' The sisters invited people to 'enjoy a magical evening swimming in a sprinkle pool, cotton candy art, music, face painting, cupcake decorating, and, of course, lots of ice cream.' Nicky commented on the post, 'CAN NOT WAIT!' The family smiled in a group photo at one of the museum's activations The sisters enjoyed quality time with the little ones in a pink and red sprinkle pit at the museum Hilton looked effortlessly chic in a pink lace frock while holding her son on her hip Paris has been flexing her philanthropist muscle a lot lately. Days ago she returned a dog to its original owners after housing it amid the Los Angeles wildfires. She took to Instagram on Monday to share the moment a small brown chihuahua mix named Zuzu was reunited with a mom and son. Zuzu's original family was displaced following the devastating fires that swept through the city earlier this month. Posting a video, Hilton shared the sentimental moment the family members arrived at her door to retrieve the canine, adding an emotional caption. 'Letting go is never easy, but moments like this remind me why fostering is so important ,' she wrote to her nearly 27 million followers. Also this month, after losing her Malibu home in the blaze, Hilton launched an emergency fund, starting with a $100,000 donation to other victims. Along with her generous contribution, she revealed that she will match 'additional dollars raised up to $100,000 more.' Antonia Kidman ensured all eyes were on her on Wednesday when she hit the beach in Sydney with husband Craig Marran. The younger sister of Nicole Kidman, 54, put her incredible figure on display as she stripped down to a green bikini for a swim in the ocean. She showed off her fresh-faced beauty and swept her brunette locks back into a high ponytail as she cooled off with a dip in the sea amid the balmy weather. Later in the day, the lawyer covered up with a grey-and-white striped shirt and carried a pink towel in one hand as she enjoyed a stroll with her husband. Elsewhere, Craig shielded his face from the bright sunshine with a white wide-brimmed sunhat and donned a navy T-shirt and white shorts. They were joined by one of Antonia's sons, who was seen wearing purple board shorts. Antonia Kidman ensured all eyes were on her on Wednesday when she hit the beach in Sydney. Pictured The younger sister of Nicole Kidman , 54, put her incredible figure on display as she stripped down to a green bikini for a swim in the ocean Later in the day, the lawyer covered up with a grey-and-white striped shirt and carried a pink towel in one hand as she enjoyed a stroll with her husband Craig. Both pictured Antonia shares Sybella, another daughter Lucia, 26, and two sons Hamish, 24, and James, 22, with late businessman Angus Hawley, who died in 2015. She also has two younger sons Nicholas, 11, and Alexander, eight, with her second husband, Craig. Antonia enjoys a close relationship with her sister Nicole, an Oscar-winning Hollywood star who is married to Keith Urban. She spent the Christmas period with entire blended Kidman-Hawyley-Urban family in Sydney. Nicole and her husband Keith Urban flew Down Under with their daughters Sunday Rose, 16, and Faith Margaret, 14, to reunite with the rest of the Kidman clan. It was a bittersweet occasion as it was the first Christmas since Nicole and Antonia's beloved mother Janelle passed away in September. Janelle died at the age of 84 - just hours before Nicole was awarded the Best Actress gong for her role in Babygirl at the Venice Film Festival. She showed off her fresh-faced beauty and swept her brunette locks back into a high ponytail as she cooled off with a dip in the sea amid the balmy weather They were joined by one of Antonia's sons, who was seen wearing purple board shorts Antonia and Craig were every inch the lovebirds as they enjoyed the cooling temperatures across Sydney The Kidman family have all rallied around each other since Janelle's passing and enjoyed some low-key Christmas festivities together in Sydney. Nicole, Keith and their daughters then flew back to the United States - where they live in Nashville - before New Year's Eve. Keith performed at Nashville's Big Bash to ring in 2025 while Nicole surprised fans by joining him on stage during the concert. It was a shake-up from their usual routine as they normally celebrate New Year's Eve in Sydney and watch the Harbour Bridge fireworks from their lavish apartment. Nicole has been incredibly busy as of late, making movies like Babygirl and starring in Paramount + series Lioness with Zoe Saldana, and filming her highly anticipated Kay Scarpetta project. The numerous projects come after Nicole said she planned to give up acting completely after giving birth to her daughter Sunday. The 'Moulin Rouge! star has two adopted children - Isabella and Connor - from her marriage to Tom Cruise and she became a mother again when she welcomed daughter Sunday with her husband Keith in 2008. Karl Stefanovic showed off his shock weight loss at his wife Jasmine's 41st birthday celebrations at Crown in Sydney on Wednesday. The Channel Nine star, 50, appeared noticeably slimmer in a fitted $820 Burberry shirt which accentuated his physique. The father-of-four completed his sharp look with tan trousers and brown dress shoes. Karl's hair was freshly styled and he sported a nice tan from his recent summer holidays in Noosa. The Today show host looked every inch the proud husband as he strolled into the venue alongside his beautiful wife. Meanwhile, Jasmine cut a stylish figure in a designer cream outfit consisting of a cream blazer and matching pants. Karl Stefanovic showed off his shock weight loss at his wife Jasmine's 41st birthday celebrations at Crown in Sydney on Wednesday Karl's new look, right, comes after he revealed the moment he was told he needed to hit the gym by best mate James Packer after he saw a picture of him on the beach. Karl is pictured left in Byron Bay in 2019 The Channel Nine star, 50, appeared noticeably slimmer in a fitted $820 Burberry shirt which accentuated his physique during the outing on Wednesday The blonde beauty accessorised with gold hoop earrings and had her locks styled in soft waves. She completed her look with a black designer Gucci handbag. Karl's new look comes after he revealed the moment he was told he needed to hit the gym by best mate James Packer. Appearing on The Kyle and Jackie O Show in November, he said he was left humbled after a picture of him revealing his 'dad bod' on the beach led the billionaire businessman to text him. 'There's a shot of me on Christmas Day or whatever coming out of the surf and it was bad,' Karl told hosts Jackie 'O' Henderson and Kyle Sandilands. 'James Packer sends me a note that says: "mate, you need to get your a**e to the gym".' Packer himself recently revealed he was still gaining weight despite admitting to being on Ozempic. The Today show host looked every inch the proud husband as he strolled into the venue alongside his beautiful wife Appearing on The Kyle and Jackie O Show in November, the Today Show host said he was left humbled after a picture of him revealing his 'dad bod' on the beach led the billionaire businessman to text him The father-of-four completed his sharp look with tan trousers and brown dress shoes Meanwhile, Jasmine cut a stylish figure in a designer cream outfit consisting of a cream blazer and matching trousers The blonde beauty accessorised with gold hoop earrings and a Gucci bag She accentuated her natural beauty with rouge on her cheeks and smokey eyeshadow If you're getting notes from Packer about that you know it's serious,' Kyle said. The photo in question was snapped in Byron Bay over the summer in 2019 when Karl was enjoying some downtime with Jasmine. Karl even shared the photo to Instagram, joking with followers he was pregnant. 'After a great deal of speculation...the rumours are true,' Karl captioned the cheeky post. Jackie then asked Karl how he dealt with seeing such 'confronting images' and he said that while he was embarrassed, Jasmine had always been very supportive. The pair shared a laugh on their way into the venue Karl's new look comes after he revealed the moment he was told he needed to hit the gym by his best mate James Packer The couple caught a taxi to the venue from their home 'I feel like it's a lot of embarrassment, but then my wife is always so good about it,' Karl said. Back in 2020, Karl pledged to lose 10 kilograms in 10 weeks on the Today show after tipping the scales at over 100kg. 'I started at 105kg, the heaviest I've ever been. It was incredibly embarrassing,' Karl said as he spoke to obesity expert Dr. Nick Fuller, who helped him on his fitness journey. Quentin Tarantino flew from Israel to Utah this week to speak at Sundance Film Festival. The 61-year-old renowned filmmaker joined film critic Elvis Mitchell in a conversation about his career, sharing when he plans to start his next movie. When Mitchell asked the Reservoir Dogs director why he's turned his focus to writing over the last several years, Tarantino pointed to fatherhood. 'Im in no hurry to actually jump into production,' he answered. 'Ive been doing that for 30 years. Next month my son turns five, and I have a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. 'When Im in America, Im writing. When Im in Israel Im an abba, which is Hebrew for father.' Quentin shares son Leo, and his daughter, whose name has not been shared, with 41-year-old wife Daniella Tarantino. Quentin Tarantino flew from Israel to Utah this week to speak at Sundance Film Festival Tarantino revealed when he plans to begin working on his next movie; pictured in October In conversation with Mitchell, he added that 'the idea of jumping on a voyage when theyre too young to understand it is not enticing to me,' per an account from Variety. He elaborated, 'I kind of want to not do whatever movie I end up doing until my son is at least 6. That way hell know whats going on, hell be there, and it will be a memory for the rest of his life.' And he gushed about his daughter, '[She] is already such a genius, shell just get it.' His wife later took to Instagram and shared a snippet of his statement with her 55,000 followers, writing in the caption: 'Family man.' 'I'm really just kind of enjoying being a man of letters right now,' the Oscar-winning writer said elsewhere in the chat. Although he's not currently involved in movie production, Tarantino is keeping busy in another way. He told the Sundance audience, 'If youre wondering what Im doing right now, Im writing a play, and its going to be probably the next thing I end up doing.' 'If its a fiasco I probably wont turn it into a movie. But if its a smash hit? It might be my last movie,' he noted. The 61-year-old renowned filmmaker joined film critic Elvis Mitchell in a conversation about his career When Mitchell asked the Reservoir Dogs director why he's turned his focus to writing over the last several years, Tarantino pointed to fatherhood Quentin shares son Leo, and his daughter, whose name has not been shared, with 41-year-old wife Daniella Tarantino; pictured in 2019 These days, given the theater-to-streamer pipeline of the movie industry, he referred to plays as the 'final frontier.' In an impassioned rant, the longtime creative said, 'Thats a big f***ing deal, pulling [a play] off, and I dont know if I can. So here we go.' He mused, 'Thats a challenge, a genuine challenge, but making movies? Well, what the f**k is a movie now? Something that plays in theaters for a token release for four f***ing weeks? All right, and by the second week you can watch it on television. I didnt get into all this for diminishing returns.' The veteran filmmaker called 2019 notably the year his film Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was released 'the last year of movies.' He went on to say, 'I mean, it was bad enough in 97. It was bad enough in 2019, and that was the last f***ing year of movies. That was a sh*t deal, as far as I was concerned.' Quentin called the current model of film releases a 'show pony exercise,' adding, 'Theater? You cant do that. Its the final frontier.' Superman director James Gunn defended a new promotional clip from the film, after the footage was mocked by fans and sparked a frenzy of internet memes. Gunn, 58, responded to fans after sharing a new 30-second clip to his X account on Monday, which showed the Man of Steel, played by David Corenswet, 31, flying through a frozen tundra. Many commented on the look of Corenswet's eyes, with some noting they appeared disproportionately large and far apart and calling the shot 'goofy.' 'There's something with his face that looks a little off. I know theres plenty of time to refine the CG,' one fan commented. Gunn responded to the comment, assuring fans there was no computer-generated imagery on the actor's face. 'There is absolutely zero CG in his face. Peoples faces can look different when you put a wide angle lens up close. The background plate in Svalbard [Norway] is 100% real as is David.' Superman director James Gunn, 58, defended a new promotional clip from the film, after the footage was mocked by fans and sparked a frenzy of internet memes Gunn responded to fans after sharing a new 30-second clip to his X account on Monday, which showed the Man of Steel, played by David Corenswet, 31, flying through a frozen tundra 'We can tell,' one snarky comment read in response to Gunn's claims. 'I believe him,' another one added. The clip sparked a frenzy of memes, with fans photoshopping different faces onto Superman, including Steve Buscemis Mr. Deeds character, Marty Feldmans Igor from Young Frankenstein, Mr. Bean, Crazy Eyes and other googly-eyed characters. There were also many fans loyal to Henry Cavill's Superman portrayal, with one posting a side-by-side comparison and writing, 'The downgrade is insane.' 'Please fix his eyes. Theres still time to edit,' one fan pleaded. 'Seriously? He looks terribly computer-animated at the end! I really love Cavills Superman, and I was genuinely excited to see the film after the first trailer. But this completely pulls me out of it - I feel so let down right now. @jamesgunn, please tell me this is not the final version of the shot! Superman.' 'Why does Superman have a lazy eye?' another asked with laughing emojis. 'Goofy, cheap and cross eyed.' Fans questioned the look of Superman's eyes, and whether computer-generated imagery was used. Gunn responded: 'There is absolutely zero CG in his face. Peoples faces can look different when you put a wide angle lens up close. The background plate in Svalbard [Norway] is 100% real as is David' The clip sparked a frenzy of memes, with fans photoshopping different faces onto Superman One meme compared the actor to Steve Buscemis Mr. Deeds character Someone else put Mr. Bean's face on Superman There were a number of other googly-eyed characters used in memes A fan photoshopped laser beams firing in different directions Fans shared countless of images and videos poking fun of the flying shot There were also many fans loyal to Henry Cavill's Superman portrayal, with one posting a side-by-side comparison and writing, 'The downgrade is insane' 'Why does Superman have a lazy eye?' another asked with laughing emojis 'This emphasizes my biggest gripe with the films cinematography which is that the wide angle lenses on shots like this make the film look really goofy,' someone else added 'Seriously, what is up with these weird face-on lens distortion flying shots focusing only on the characters face lately? These just look goofy' 'Please fix his eyes. Theres still time to edit,' one fan on Threads pleaded 'Seriously? He looks terribly computer-animated at the end!' 'This emphasizes my biggest gripe with the films cinematography which is that the wide angle lenses on shots like this make the film look really goofy,' another added. 'Seriously, what is up with these weird face-on lens distortion flying shots focusing only on the characters face lately? Black Adam, Adam Warlock, and now Superman. There are so many cooler ways to visualize flying; just look at anything in Man of Steel. These just look goofy.' The first trailer for the hotly-anticipated new Superman film was released in December. But Superman was upstaged by an unexpected four-legged hero - his dog Krypto. In the trailer, the adorable pooch comes to the rescue when his owner is stranded in an icy terrain. After plummeting from the sky, the injured superhero manages a whistle, prompting his dog to hurtle towards him in the snow. 'Krypto, home. Take me home,' Superman says. The tiny dog then bites onto his owner's red cape and effortlessly pulls him through the snow. The canine was a stand-out for numerous viewers, with one saying the dog was the 'only reason' they planned on heading to the theatres. 'Im deada** when I say this but Krypto the Dog is the only reason Im watching the #Superman movie..' one fan tweeted. 'We need a Krypto solo movie,' another said. The first trailer for the hotly-anticipated new Superman film was released in December But Superman was upstaged by an unexpected four-legged hero - his dog Krypto. In the trailer, the adorable pooch comes to the rescue when his owner is stranded in an icy terrain Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) also makes an appearance in the trailer Superman also shares a magical kiss with Lois (Rachel Brosnahan) The new film will hit theaters on July 11, 2025. The action-packed teaser begins with the scene of Superman calling out to his dog before flashes of his life as reporter Clark Kent appear on screen. Kent walks through the newsroom of The Daily Planet, where viewers meet his love interest, fellow journalist Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), before he's shown back at home with Pa Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince). The breadth of his power is put on full display, as he's shown rescuing a young girl from an explosion and battling numerous frightening foes. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) also makes an appearance in the trailer. And DC Universe stars Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) also make cameos. Corenswet joins a long line of actors who have played the Man of Steel on the big screen, dating back to a 1948 film serial starring Kirk Alyn. George Reeves starred in the first Superman feature film in 1951, but Christopher Reeve played the first true big-screen/major studio Man of Steel in 1978's Superman. He went on to reprise the role in Superman II, Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, before parting ways with the franchise. Reeve's life was turned upside down in 1995 when he was paralyzed from the neck down following an equestrian accident. The new film will hit theaters on July 11, 2025 The Remains Of The Day actor slipped into a coma in October 2004 and died less than a day later at just 52 years old. Since then, Brandon Routh has played Superman in 2006's Superman Returns and Henry Cavill took up the mantle in 2013's Man Of Steel, 2016's Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017's Justice League. Unlike most Superman films, the upcoming Superman will eschew the traditional 'origin story' and instead focus on the character in his mid-20s. The film will kick off Gunn and DC Studios co-chairman Peter Safran's new franchise, followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which is set for release on June 26, 2026. Madeline Holtznagel was the picture of impending motherhood on Wednesday as she took in some sun in Sydney. The mum-to-be, 27, is expecting her first child with billionaire boyfriend Justin Hemmes, 52. The model was not afraid to flaunt her burgeoning baby bump after touching down in a seaplane, near Justin's Vaucluse mansion. Madeline was ready for some fun in the water, wearing a form-fitting black playsuit. The dark, one-piece garment finished at Madeline's taut thighs and showed off her growing baby belly. Madeline also wore a pair of almond shaped sunglasses with a tortoise shell-like frame. Madeline Holtznagel was the picture of impending motherhood on Wednesday as she took in some sun in Sydney. Pictured The model was not afraid to flaunt her burgeoning baby bump after touching down in a seaplane, near boyfriend Justin Hemmes' Vaucluse home Tying her flaxen locks back for her coastal flight, Madeline accessorised with a gold heart-shaped pendant around her neck. She also carried a light brown Akubra hat with a darker coloured leather band and a second, darker hat, possibly Justin's. Madeline was seen gingerly stepping out of the seaplane into the crystal clear water, being careful with her precious cargo. A shirtless Justin was keen to make a splash, strolling through the water as he carried a child, possibly one of his daughters - Alexa, nine, and Saachi, eight - on his back. Madeline appeared to be having a great day out, beaming as she disembarked from the seaplane. The couple were joined by a female pal who was seen happily chatting to Madeline as they stood in ankle deep water one the shoreline. it appears the group was preparing a fruit-filled feast with the pal also carrying a large tray of fresh peaches. A source confirmed the exciting news of Madeline's pregnancy to Daily Mail Australia in November and revealed a friend of Justin's recently moved out of his Vaucluse mansion to make room for their growing family. Madeline was ready for some fun in the water, wearing a form-fitting black playsuit The dark, one-piece garment finished at Madeline's taut thighs and showed off her growing baby belly Madeline also wore a pair of almond shaped sunglasses with a tortoise shell like frame Justin, who has a net worth of $1.39billion, already has daughters Alexa and Saachi with his ex-girlfriend Kate Fowler, from whom he separated in 2018. The business mogul then began dating Madeline the following year, when the model was 22 and he was 47. They have been spotted out together in recent weeks looking as loved-up as ever, recently attending Pilates queen Bernadette Fahey's wedding to Jordan Sukkar. Justin and Madeline quietly began seeing each other in 2019, a year after his debut on the Financial Review Rich List with an estimated net worth of $951million - which has since risen to $1.39billion. Though they generally keep their romance under wraps, the couple are often seen disembarking from his sea plane after enjoying luxurious family holidays with his two daughters. The couple have gone from strength-to-strength since going public and even sparked engagement rumours in June 2023. Eagle-eyed fans noticed Madeline was wearing a ring on her wedding finger as they questioned whether Justin had popped the question. A picture showed her sporting the jewellery as she cuddled up to Justin while enjoying a bowl of Udon noodles together at a restaurant in Japan. Tying her flaxen locks back for her coastal flight, Madeline accessorised with a gold heart-shaped pendant around her neck She also carried a light brown Akubra hat with a darker coloured leather band and a second, darker hat, possibly Justin's A shirtless Justin was keen to make a splash, strolling through the water as he carried a child, possibly one of his daughters - Alexa, nine, and Saachi, eight - on his back Madeline was seen gingerly stepping out of the seaplane into the crystal clear water, being careful with her precious cargo But the bling appeared to be an emerald and diamond promise ring, and another photograph showed her wearing a different ring on the same finger as she posed for a selfie. In August, Madeline also made a rare public post about Justin as she took to Instagram to mark his 52nd birthday. She shared a series of romantic selfies of them both and gushed over her partner in the caption. In one picture, Madeline flashed a huge smile as she sat on Justin's lap while he lovingly gazed at her. Justin is considered Australia's hospitality king, with more than 80 venues and billions in assets with names like the Ivy, Queen Chow and Establishment under his purview as CEO of Merivale. He is the only son of Merivale Group founder and nightclub mogul John Hemmes and Justin took over the business after his father's death in 2015. Madeline is the younger sister of fellow Aussie model Simone Holtznagel, who welcomed her first child, a daughter called Gia, in March last year, with her now-ex-boyfriend Jono Castano. Rachael Kirkconnell revealed why Matt James ended their relationship in a bombshell interview on Call Her Daddy. On Tuesday, the Bachelor Nation star made an appearance on the podcast to discuss the reason behind the shocking split between her and her boyfriend of four years. Kirkconnell, who flat out denied cheating rumors, said the breakup came 'out of nowhere' during a fight. She said they had just met up in London and had traveled to Tokyo together earlier this month when the unexpected breakup happened. Kirkconnell recalled how they were arguing over where to go to dinner and he got annoyed with her. After having a tense meal, she said she got emotional when she felt like she was 'disappointing' him with her dinner choice. Rachael Kirkconnell revealed why Matt James ended their relationship in a bombshell interview on Call Her Daddy; pictured May 2022 in New York City 'He was like, "I'm just so confused, like, why you were so upset. Like, what was that?" 'And I explained to him, like, "I felt like I'd let you down." Like, "I felt like that was disappointing. And I hate going to a place that isn't somewhere that you could post about [on Instagram]. I feel like it's a waste." 'And he just was trying to tell me like, "It's not that serious. Like, it's not that big of a deal."' She continued: 'But then he was concerned about me getting so upset. He was like, "That was like, there was no reason for you to get upset like that." 'And he found it concerning that I got that emotional, I guess,' she added. 'He was trying to express to me, like, "If you get emotional about little things like this, what is going to happen in life when something really terrible happens? Like, how are you going to be able to react to things that are actually really scary or disappointing or sad?" ... I felt like I was being punished for crying.' Kirkconnell said that the following day, James broke up with her. 'We were in good moods. And I think it was one of those things where ... little arguments open up a can of worms,' she recalled. On Tuesday, the Bachelor Nation star made an appearance on the podcast to discuss the reason behind the shocking split between her and her boyfriend of four years. Kirkconnell, who flat out denied cheating rumors, said the breakup came 'out of nowhere' during a fight Kirkconnell recalled how they were arguing over where to go to dinner and he got annoyed with her Kirkconnell said that the following day, James broke up with her. She said that they had been talking about engagement rings and wedding dates before their trip turned tense 'So we were on the way to get some food and I was scrolling through my phone, showing him a bunch of videos. I guess I was bothering him. I was annoying him. ... [He] kind of snapped at me to where I got mad at him because I was like, "You know, even if I'm annoying you, like, don't treat me like that." And so then it seemed like we were both kind of mad at each other or annoyed with each other.' She said that they had been talking about engagement rings and wedding dates before their trip turned tense. The reality star said that she believed their argument and breakup was the result of being irritated with each other after having spent three weeks together. When they got back to the hotel, she said James 'let out' all of his feelings and concerns. 'He said that at the end of the day, there were just qualities about me that he worries about having in a wife,' he said. 'At the end of the day, there are things that we aren't compatible with and the whole accountability and saying sorry and all that was really the main thing.' She said: 'It was just one of those things where he, I think, just had this realization that "I should want to propose to you by this time. Like, at this point in our relationship, I should be wanting those things and I should be ready for that. But I'm not still. I still don't feel like we're ready or I don't feel like I'm ready. I don't know if I ever see myself proposing to you. I can't actually see myself married to you.' Emotionally, Kirkconnell recalled what James told her: 'He came to the conclusion that he didn't think it was me and that he said, like, he just didn't want me to end up resenting him by wasting more of my time if it wouldn't happen. And yeah, he just said, you know, "You're beautiful, smart and funny, and you'll find someone. You'll find a guy that will love you for you." The reality star said that she believed their argument and breakup was the result of being irritated with each other after having spent three weeks together; pictured July 2021 in New York City She said: 'It was just one of those things where he, I think, just had this realization that "I should want to propose to you by this time."' Kirkconnell said he told her he 'couldn't see himself married to her' When Kirkconnell was at the airport to go home, she was suddenly caught of guard by his breakup prayer post on Instagram, she recalled. 'I was so freaked out about the breakup itself, I wasn't even analyzing the post like everyone else was, so I guess it was kind of funny just to see what people had to say,' she explained; pictured in The Bachelor still 'But yeah, he just didn't think that it was him. But it was just really, it was just a lot to hear at once because a few days before, you know, I'm hearing the opposite.' When Kirkconnell was at the airport to go home, she was suddenly caught of guard by his breakup prayer post on Instagram, she recalled. 'I was so freaked out about the breakup itself, I wasn't even analyzing the post like everyone else was, so I guess it was kind of funny just to see what people had to say,' she explained. 'People thought it was weird that it was Bachelor photo because we definitely tried to remove ourselves from the show. It was interesting to see the caption only because I feel like there was no I don't know how to explain it. 'I guess it almost seemed like saying it like a prayer was the easier way to say it than to say something real. Not that it wasn't real, but just something authentic to our actual relationship, but it's very him. I guess it didn't surprise me that he said it like that. I guess I was just surprised that he said it at all, that he posted that.' Roseanne Barr's political transformation in recent years has shocked many of her old fans after she went from launching a left-wing presidential campaign to giving her full-throated support to Donald Trump's MAGA movement. But the 72-year-old actress and comedian revealed that her hard-right turn has surprisingly not endeared her to the people she most expected to be in her corner the reelected president's inner circle. In a new interview with Variety, the fired Roseanne star revealed that those close to Trump have given her the cold shoulder over concerns that she's too unpredictable, despite cozying up to other conservative and right-wing celebrities. Even her shocking new pro-Trump rap video released just before the inauguration didn't seem to win her any new fans from the administration or those close to it. 'The Trump administration regards me as a loose cannon, which I am,' Barr admitted. 'Im not a party line person for anyone or anything except myself.' Although she acknowledged that she understood why Trump's closest associates might be afraid to associate with her, she said it still hurt after she had completely reinvented her public image. Roseanne Barr, 72, revealed in an interview with Variety that her right-wing turn in recent years hasn't gotten her any closer to President Donald Trump's inner circle; pictured in May in LA The fired Roseanne star revealed that those close to Trump have given her the cold shoulder over concerns that she's too unpredictable, despite cozying up to other conservative and right-wing celebrities; Trump is seen Monday in Doral, Florida 'The Trump staff or whoever runs it, theyre a little afraid of me,' Barr continued. 'I am a loudmouth comedian, so I understand it. 'But it really hurt my feelings,' she added. 'But what are you gonna do?' Even if those political figures close to the president and convicted felon won't associate with her, Barr is still committed to making new right wingfriendly comedy. She revealed to the trade publication that she has written a new comedy show with Allan Stephan, a writer and producer who previously worked on Arli$$ and collaborated with her on Roseanne. Barr and Stephan are reportedly shopping around the show, which is said to only be about four to six episodes long in its initial season, which Variety compared to UK comedies. The former TV star described the show as 'a cross between The Roseanne Show and The Sopranos.' It focuses on a farmer in small-town Alabama who is 'saving the United States from drug gangs and China.' In order to make ends meet, the farmer will experiment with growing and selling marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. 'The Trump administration regards me as a loose cannon, which I am,' Barr admitted. 'Im not a party line person for anyone or anything except myself' 'The Trump staff or whoever runs it, theyre a little afraid of me. I am a loudmouth comedian, so I understand it. But it really hurt my feelings,' she added. 'But what are you gonna do?'; seen in 2018 in Beverly Hills 'Its silly and out there,' Barr said of the potential series. '[It will contain] very offensive ideas and a lot of swearing. 'I live with my daughter and her husband and their six children on a farm. And they have goats running through their house and stuff,' she explained. 'Its based on my life as a farmer in Hawaii. They save America with guns, the Bible, petty crime and alcoholism. She also compared the show to films made by the Coen brothers best known for directing Fargo, The Big Lebowski and No Country For Old Men though her synopsis bears little resemblance to their films. If Barr is successful, it will be a shocking comeback, as she hasn't starred on a television show since she was fired from the ABC revival of her hit sitcom Roseanne in 2018 after she made racist remarks calling former Michelle Obama aide Valerie Jarrett who is Black the descendant of the 'Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes.' Barr later deleted the tweet and offered an apology to Jarrett, but ABC fired her from the series and went forward with a spinoff in which her character had died called The Conners. Barr claimed to Variety that Disney CEO Bob Iger decided to fire her after calling Jarrett and Obama, but a Disney source told Variety that Iger never spoke with Obama, and they said he only chatted with Jarrett after the decision to ax Barr had been made. Barr said she planned to make her show whether or not it got picked up by a network. 'If Hollywood doesnt buy it, then Im just gonna make it myself,' she said defiantly. 'Does anybody in [Hollywood] like America or the people who watch TV? Because the people who watch TV would really like to see a show where working-class people win against the enemies of America.' Barr hasn't starred on a television show since she was fired from the ABC revival of Roseanne in 2018 after she made racist remarks calling former Michelle Obama aide Valerie Jarrett who is Black the descendant of the 'Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes'; pictured with John Goodman on Roseanne 'I dont give a f*** either way,' she continued. 'Id like to get paid handsomely to bring another s*** f***ing network back from doom as Ive done twice for ABC. But I just dont see how they would keep their nose out of my business. 'Well see. If not, Ill just go somewhere else and put it on my own website,' she added. Barr went on to say that Hollywood had 'made itself irrelevant to the American people,' and she suggested it should make pro-Trump content if it wanted to survive. However, she claimed Hollywood executives were 'ideologues' who might not be willing to change their ways. 'What shocks me is the fact that they prefer to lose money and then explain that to the shareholders who apparently have no problem with that,' she claimed. New mother Jenna Coleman was pictured enjoying a night out on the town last night after welcoming her first child back in October. Letting her hair down, the actress, 38, stunned in an Erdem sheer black dress for an intimate dinner with Barbour as she joined a host of stars on Tuesday. The Wilderness star paired the dress with black satin heels and black tuxedo at the event hosted at the Barbican Centre in London. The glitzy dinner was hosted to celebrate the launch of the British brand's latest Spring Summer 25 collaboration. Also in attendance was model David Gandy, 44, who wore a brown velvet suit. Bridgerton actress Charithra Chandran and actress Saffron Hocking were also in attendance wearing the new Barbour x Erdem collection. New mother Jenna Coleman was pictured enjoying a night out on the town last night after welcoming her first child back in October etting her hair down, the actress, 38, stunned in an Erdem sheer black dress for an intimate dinner with Barbour as she joined a host of stars on Tuesday (pictured with designer Erdem Moralioglu) Hosted at the Barbican Centre to celebrate the launch of their latest Spring Summer 25 collaboration, Jenna paired the dress with black satin heels and black tuxedo (pictured with Gugu Mbatha-Raw) And Jack Guinness and Charlie Rowe were in Barbour tailoring. During the evening, Jenna looked in good spirits after welcoming her first child with boyfriend Jamie Childs late last year. Jenna revealed her pregnancy in June when she debuted her baby bump at a dinner at Chatsworth House. Jenna and Jamie met back in 2020 on the set of the first season of Netflix show, The Sandman, where she played Johanna Constantine and he directed several episodes. The couple were first romantically linked in December 2021, before they were spotted together for the first time the following February. They were photographed on a stroll in Islington smiling and holding hands, just days after they were seen outside her 2.2million home as furniture was moved in. They went on to work together again on Jamie's first film Jackdaw, with Jenna playing a lead character called Bo. But earlier in 2024, Jenna and Jamie sparked speculation that they had taken their relationship to the next level after being seen wearing a ring on her wedding finger in January. Jenna and Jamie Childs met back in 2020 on the set of the first season of Netflix show, The Sandman, where she played Johanna Constantine and he directed several episodes Earlier in 2024, Jenna and Jamie sparked speculation that they had taken their relationship to the next level after being seen wearing a ring on her wedding finger in January Last night she showed off the same gold band at the Barbour dinner. The Jetty star previously dated Tom Hughes, who played her husband Prince Albert in ITV's Victoria, after meeting on the set of BBC drama series Dancing On The Edge in 2013. However they went their separate ways in 2020, with it reported at the time the pair were 'terribly sad' by the end of their relationship, with the actress moving into her own pad and they reportedly attempted to 'salvage a friendship'. Before Tom, Jenna was in a relationship with Game Of Thrones star Richard Madden, dating on and off for four years after getting together in 2012. Currently, the actress is working on the second series of The Sandman, set to be released this year. As well as TV series The War Rooms and upcoming film Control. Bridgerton actress Charithra Chandran was also in attendance of last nights dinner Actress Saffron Hocking also attended, pictured with Erdem, wearing the new Barbour x Erdem collection Mia Regan has moved on from Romeo Beckham almost a year after the pair split, it has been revealed. The model, 22, recently shared snaps from a lavish trip to Sri Lanka where she debuted her new beau Henry O'Sullivan - after Romeo moved on with his girlfriend Kim Turnbull. And it appears her new man has the family's approval, after her dad Des revealed Henry joined the family on a hike in the Brecon Beacons to celebrate Mia's mum's birthday. Taking to Instagram earlier this month, Mia shared an array of snaps from her Sri Lankan holiday, including a selfie of her sat behind her new love as he rode a moped. In another snap, Henry was seen drying himself off after a dip in the sea, while she also shared a picture of him in bed having a nap. Meanwhile Henry debuted Mia on his social media as early as October of last year when he took to his photography Instagram account to share a picture of her in a van as they enjoyed a camping trip in rural Wales together. Mia Regan has moved on from Romeo Beckham almost a year after the pair split, it has been revealed Romeo Beckham and model Mia split up in February of last year after an argument, it was reported (Seen in December 2023) He regularly supports Mia under her Instagram posts, notably gushing over snaps of her in a spread for British Vogue in December as he deemed her 'Insane'. Mia's dad revealed on Tuesday that Henry had joined the family on a hiking trip to the Brecon Beacons, Wales, to celebrate her mum's birthday. Sharing a collection of snaps from the trip, Des Regan wrote: 'Lovely weekend away in the Brecons celebrating @slummymama @phoebs.white_ @woody_welch & Joshie Matthews Birthdays. He added: 'Great tunes, impressive dancing and wonderful company & Lord Horatio Nelson for inducting the newbies @_henryosullivan & @crystaltrevennen. Finished off with a very good Sunday roast at the Hunters Moon Inn Abergavenny. Thank you everyone .' 'Great week x,' Henry commented under Des's post. MailOnline has contacted Mia's representatives for comment. The reveal comes after Romeo shared a snap of his new girlfriend Kim tucked up under the covers in bed as the couple got off to a lazy start on Sunday. Romeo and Kim enjoyed a romantic getaway to Turks and Caicos earlier this month and shared glimpses of the sun-soaked holiday on social media. The model, 22, recently shared snaps from a lavish trip to Sri Lanka where she debuted her new beau Henry O'Sullivan Among the snaps shared by Mia earlier this month, Henry was seen drying himself off after a dip in the sea She also shared a picture of him in bed having a nap during the trip Meanwhile Henry took to his photography Instagram account back in October to share a picture of model Mia in a van as they enjoyed a camping trip in rural Wales together And it appears her new man has the family's approval, after her dad Des revealed Henry joined the family on a hike in the Brecon Beacons to celebrate Mia's mum's birthday 'Great week x,' Henry commented under Des's post In another snap from their Sri Lanka trip, Mia showed Henry climbing up a rock accompanied by a monkey David and Victoria's middle son couldn't help but flaunt his partner in the post, where he quipped: 'How's she real?' alongside two love-struck emojis. Kim looked nothing short of sensational in the picture, as she flaunted her incredible figure in a skimpy black bikini. The couple's holiday came just days after they enjoyed a romantic yacht date in Miami. And they appeared completely smitten over New Years as they kissed in a hot tub - after going Instagram official in November. Mia broke up with her ex Romeo in February of last year after five years together. It is claimed the couple went their separate ways after an argument, with Mia moving out of the home they shared together. Romeo recently moved on with his new girlfriend Kim Turnbull and the pair went Instagram official in November He shared a photo showing his girlfriend Kim tucked up under the covers as the couple got off to a lazy start on Sunday Mia broke up with Romeo in February of last year after five years together (Seen together in July 2023) When Mia met Romeo at 16, she was a netball-loving sixth-former studying history, art and PE, with her sights on university. Her family lived close to the Beckhams' 12 million farmhouse in the Cotswolds and she and Romeo were first pictured together at Victoria's fashion show in 2019. But after making their relationship 'Instagram official', Mia was catapulted into the limelight. Thoughts of university were left behind as she began working with 50 of the world's top brands including Gucci, Prada, Coca-Cola and fashion house Celine. Head-turning New York City icon Marisa Berenson was a top model in the 1960s. The doe-eyed wonder had an incredible figure with toned legs and a slim waistline which made bathing suits and little black dresses look their best. She landed on the cover of Vogue many times. Then the curly haired looker went into acting and hit a high note in the 1970s. She starred in Barry Lyndon with Ryan O'Neal, in SOB with Julie Andrews and William Holden, and in Cabaret with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. Marisa made a rare appearance at the Giorgio Armani show in Paris on Tuesday alongside Demi Moore and Jessica Biel. And the photogenic star still looks incredible today at the age of 77. Head-turning Marisa Berenson was a top model in the 1960s and was out in Paris on Tuesday The doe-eyed wonder had an incredible figure with toned legs and a slim waistline which made bathing suits and little black dresses look their best. Then the curly haired looker went into acting The New York native was born Vittoria Marisa Schiaparelli Berenson in 1947. She was on the covers of Vogue and Time. Her father, Robert Lawrence Berenson, was an American career diplomat and her mother was Maria-Luisa Yvonne 'Gogo' Radha de Wendt Schiaparelli, a socialite. Berenson's maternal grandmother was the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. Her younger sister, Berinthia, became a model, actress, and photographer, and was known as Berry Berenson. She was married to actor Anthony Perkins. Berry Berenson died on September 11, 2001 in New York City. Marisa was discovered by Vogue editor Diana Vreeland in the 1960s. She appeared on the cover of the July 1970 issue of Vogue as well as the cover of Time on in 1975. She was known as 'The Queen of the Scene' for her frequent appearances at nightclubs and other social venues in her youth. French designer Yves Saint Laurent called her 'the girl of the Seventies.' Then she went into acting. Marisa, center, with Liza Minnelli, left, and Joel Grey, right, in the 1970s She appeared in the 1971 film Death in Venice and the Jewish department store heiress Natalia Landauer in the 1972 film Cabaret. Next she was Lady Lyndon in the Stanley Kubrick film Barry Lyndon in 1975. Berenson's other performances included Casanova & Co. (1977), Killer Fish (1979), the Blake Edwards comedy S.O.B. (1981), The Secret Diary of Sigmund Freud (1984), and Clint Eastwood's White Hunter Black Heart (1990). Then there were made-for-TV movies like the Holocaust-themed drama Playing for Time (1980). She guest-starred in an episode of The Muppet Show during its third season in 1978. On September 11, 2001, her younger sister and sole sibling, Berry Perkins, widow of actor Anthony Perkins, was killed in the first flight to hit the World Trade Center. Berenson attends the Giorgio Armani Prive Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 28 in Paris The icon wore all black with bright blue accents as she headed to the show The star at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 27 Marisa was also in an airplane during the terrorist attacks, flying from Paris to New York. She is a big fan of Transcendental Meditation. 'India changed my life, because I was searching for my spiritual path, and I ended up in an ashram in Rishikesh with Maharishi and the Beatles. We'd sit on the floor at night, and George and Ringo would play the guitar, and we'd meditate all day, and have meals together, and become vegetarians, and live in huts. But it was just normal. It wasn't like, 'Oh, here are the Beatles.' The most important thing was my transcendental meditation.' Berenson lives in a villa on the outskirts of Marrakesh. Berenson's first husband was James Randall, from 1976 to 1978. They have one daughter. Her second husband was Aaron Richard Golub from 1982 to 1987. Conan O'Brien reflected on preparing to host the Oscars for the first time amid the Los Angeles fires that have ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena. While some initially feared the ceremony would be delayed, after the Academy postponed announcing the nominations twice, the host, 61, spoke about pushing forward and keeping the tragedy in mind while producing the show. 'L.A. has just been through this traumatic experience,' he said on Good Morning America. 'There's a lot that's happening nationally that people are very tense about and it changes day to day. And so my job right now with my writers is to create possibilities.' The Emmy-winning television host continued: 'That's what we're doing. We're working hard to create possibilities. And then I don't know, I think we're going to have to get very close to the actual air date to figure out.' O'Brien also noted that his longtime assistant lost her Altadena home in the fires, which have killed 29 people and destroyed thousands of homes and buildings. 'There's a misconception sometimes that, oh, some rich people lost their homes... This is something that touched everybody, regardless of your income,' he said. Conan O'Brien reflected on preparing to host the Oscars for the first time amid the Los Angeles fires that have ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena O'Brien, whose home survived the blaze after he was forced to evacuate, also detailed his mindset tackling his upcoming gig during his chat with Chris Connelly. 'We polled America. I spent a lot of my own money polling Americans and saying, "Would you like to see Conan O'Brien sing and dance?" Shocking response,' he said. 'People don't want it, which means they'll probably try and do it. I like to be an irritant.' He went on to say: 'Let's just say there are many possibilities. There are many possibilities. And like I say, we'll see what happens. We'll see what happens as we get closer. And my involvement in the show could expand, it could contract. It'll all depend on where we are then.' The star, who has hosted a number of other awards shows and TV specials, including the Emmy Awards and White House Correspondents' dinner, joked that audiences that 'like close up magic tricks' will 'be very happy with' his Oscars performance. Since wrapping his talk show, Conan, three years ago, Since wrapping his talk show, Conan, three years ago, O'Brien said he's been aiming to sau 'yes' to more things, like hosting the Oscars. 'It's been three years since I stopped doing my late night show and I've been saying yes to things. It's been this time of yes,' he explained. 'So I did an independent film at Sundance. I headlined at the Newport Folk Festival. I'm just saying yes to things that I wouldn't have done before.' O'Brien, then, quipped: 'I'm a black belt in karate now. I'm a licensed neurosurgeon. I mean, there are all these things I'm doing now that I didn't think I would ever do before.' The father-of-two, who is married to Liza Powel O'Brien, teased he planned on going after the celebrities in the audience 'that have personally been cruel' to him over the years. While some initially feared the ceremony would be delayed, after the Academy postponed announcing the nominations twice, the host, 61, spoke about pushing forward and keeping the tragedy in mind while producing the show 'L.A. has just been through this traumatic experience,' he said on Good Morning America . 'There's a lot that's happening nationally that people are very tense about and it changes day to day. And so my job right now with my writers is to create possibilities' He also joked that he would be 'paying people to create moments' and call him 'a genius.' O'Brien is best known for hosting the late-night talk shows Late Night with Conan OBrien, The Tonight Show with Conan OBrien and Conan. Before his TV hosting career, O'Brien was a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. In November, Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group, said in a statement: 'He joins an iconic roster of comedy greats who have served in this role, and we are so lucky to have him center stage for the Oscars.' Conan O'Brien will host the 97th Academy Awards in 2025 O'Brien joins the list of Oscar hosts that includes Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, David Letterman, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris. Jimmy Kimmel previously hosted the Oscars in 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024, but earlier this year said he wouldn't be doing it in 2025. 'I just decided I didn't want to deal with that this year,' he said on the Politickin podcast. 'It was just too much last year. You wind up pushing everything off till after the Oscars, and then you have to do everything you promised to do after the Oscars, after the Oscars. I did two years [2017 and 2018], it went well. 'I did another two years [2023 and 2024], it went well. I figured I'd take a little break.' The 97th Academy Awards will air live on ABC and Hulu on March 2 at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST. Blake Lively's brother-in-law made a shock apology to Justin Baldoni amid their explosive legal feud, after she sued her It Ends with Us costar for sexual harassment. On Tuesday, Bart Johnson, who is married to Lively's sister Robyn Lively, took to X (previously known as Twitter) to express remorse over his since-deleted posts on social media, in which he called Baldoni a 'fraud' and criticized his appearance. 'Anytime I've said anything unkind about someone I've regretted it. Fortunately that's almost never and definitely not when Im at my best,' he stated. 'Regardless if it's true or not, if its my opinion, even if I'm trying to speak truth or stand up for someone, its never good.' Johnson continued: 'Even in times where it might 'feel' justified and doing the right thing, it makes no difference. Theres a better way. Its below the standard I have for myself and I regret it.' The High School Musical star was referring to his post, captured by USA Today, that accuses Baldoni of putting 'on the costume of a hero, man bun and all' and using 'trendy catchphrases & buzz words for his podcasts.' 'None of it's genuine. It's all theater. And everyone fell for it. For years,' Johnson said of Baldoni's reputation of being a feminist and proud ally to women. Blake Lively's brother-in-law, Bart Johnson, made a shock apology to Justin Baldoni amid their explosive legal feud; (L-R) Johnson, Blake, and Robyn Lively In his tweet, Johnson also told fans that he 'sincerely' apologized to anyone that he 'hurt or let down by saying something that sounds mean.' 'Ill do better. If you follow me you know youll be hard pressed to find more than 1 time Ive criticized anyone on social. Its not my jam. . . We all have flaws and Im definitely a work in progress and doing my best to grow and be better,' he promised. After one X user called his tweet 'strange' and asked if he was trying to avoid litigation by not apoogizing directly to Baldoni, Johnson replied: 'Now Im gonna get sued? [laughing emoji] for what? I find those type of podcasts phony. I do. Thats not a crime. But I do feel bad rippin on them. Thats literally all I said.' 'Just like you and all the toxic and hateful comments I get from his fans wishing me and my children harm and calling me all the vile names you can imagine, its not a crime. People are free to do so and Im not mad,' he said. 'That fine. I can take the beatings. You think I deserve it? Okay thats fine too. Movin on. Cant let it get me down. Keep bein me. 2025 gonna be great!! Lets goooooo' Johnson has been a vocal supporter of Blake amid her legal battle and public row with Baldoni, who she claims launched a smear campaign against her. In her complaint and legal filing, she stated that Baldoni hired crisis management expert Melissa Nathan, who previously worked for Johnny Depp amid his long-running legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, over the summer. Last month, Johnson wrote on social media that 'the public got played' by Baldoni and that his 'PR team was stellar.' 'Gross and disgusting but highly effective,' he said of the alleged actions of Baldoni's team. On Tuesday, Bart Johnson, who is married to Lively's sister Robyn Lively, took to X (previously known as Twitter ) to express remorse over his since-deleted posts on social media, in which he called Baldoni (seen last year) a 'fraud' and criticized his appearance 'Anytime Ive said anything unkind about someone Ive regretted it. Fortunately thats almost never and definitely not when Im at my best,' he tweeted. 'Regardless if its true or not, if its my opinion, even if Im trying to speak truth or stand up for someone, its never good' At the time, he pointed out that 'Blake's 'complaints were filed during the filming ... on record ... long before the public conflict.' 'The cast unfollowed him for a reason. Read this article before spiting ignorance. Read the article, their text message exchanges and his PR campaign strategy to bury her by any means necessary,' Johnson wrote. Johnson conceded that while 'no one is with out faults' and 'yes of COURSE mistakes were made,' he felt Blake was in the right in regard to the professional conflict. Johnson described Blake, who's wed to Ryan Reynolds, 48, as 'a stay at home mom raising 4 kids, married to the busiest man in Hollywood and at the same time being a girl boss running multiple companies while writing, producing, running non profits and working 16+ hour days from home so [she] can be with [her] kids.' Johnson in a subsequent comment said Blake was 'attacked by a VERY expensive PR smear campaign because [she] filed a sexual harassment claim for the very film [she] have to go out and promote with just the right tone or [she'd] get cooked' by Baldoni's team. Last month, Johnson wrote on social media that 'the public got played' by Baldoni and that his 'PR team was stellar' (Blake seen in August 2024) Johnson has been married to Blake's sister since 1999 He said he viewed Blake as 'a "girl boss"' who has proven 'every bit as capable and qualified if not more so' than men in her industry, adding, 'Shes my hero as is any woman charging it like this.' In reference to a 2016 Blake interview that has circulated amid her clash with Baldoni, Johnson said, 'I mean, shes been rude in these interviews that magically played on repeat. I saw it. None of us have ever been wrong or mean. 'Never. We should discount decades of good for those few bad moments. Glad the microscope isnt on me every day of my life.' He said of his sister-in-law: 'Looks like shes doing a hell of a job to me and trying to do good things for the right reasons. But yeah lets post from our couch how much we hate her for making mistakes. That makes sense.' Bart first spoke out after his spouse Robyn, 52, posted a message on her Instagram story as she weighed in on the explosive court battle which has stunned Hollywood. Bart first spoke out after his spouse Robyn, 52, posted a message on her Instagram story as she weighed in on the explosive court battle which has stunned Hollywood; seen in 2022 Gossip Girl star Lively claims Baldoni hired a crisis PR team to engage in a 'multi-tiered' plan to 'destroy' her reputation after she and her husband Ryan Reynolds complained of 'repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior' on set. The film was mired in controversy even before the lawsuit after fans noticed tensions between Lively and Baldoni when they were promoting the movie before its release. Lively has accused Baldoni, who also directed the film, of making sexual comments about the cast and crew, showing her explicit videos and images of women and discussing his previous alleged porn addiction. Standing in solidarity with her younger sister, Robyn shared screenshots from a New York Times article that laid bare the astonishing details of the lawsuit. Lively has accused Baldoni, who also directed the film, of making sexual comments about the cast and crew, showing her explicit videos and images of women and discussing his previous alleged porn addiction 'FINALLY justice for my sister @BlakeLively,' she wrote, highlighting specific sentences from the article such as 'Ms Lively had expressed concerns about Mr Baldoni from the beginning'. She also encouraged her followers to click on and read the article and wrote 'Blake Lively' with a heart drawn around the name. Baldoni hit back at the New York Times by suing the publication for defamation before launching the $400million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds earlier this month, in which he accused the Hollywood pair of conspiring to trash his reputation with the allegations. He also accused Lively of hijacking the filming of It Ends With Us, which he directed, and claimed she forced him and his family to wait in a basement holding area at the premiere so she did not have to see him. Baldoni hit back at the New York Times by suing the publication for defamation before launching the $400million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds earlier this month, in which he accused the Hollywood pair of conspiring to trash his reputation with the allegations (seen in July 2024) While many have questioned why Baldoni is going after the specific sum, a source exclusively told DailyMail.com that he deduced the figure from Lively and Reynolds' reported net worth. They said Baldoni has already lost out on thousands since being dropped by his agent, and that if the couple were successful in their lawsuit, he could be left penniless. 'Justin Baldoni chose $400 million because of the simple reason that Blake and Ryan's combined net worth is believed to be around that figure,' the source said. 'If they were successful in their pursuits, Justin would have lost everything he has and everything he has ever worked for. 'He has already lost jobs including the podcast and he was dropped by his agent. Prior to this he was flourishing.' They continued: 'People close to Justin believe Blake and Ryan deserve to be bankrupted for trying to ruin the lives of Justin and others involved in this legal nightmare.' Baldoni also accused Lively of hijacking the filming of It Ends With Us, which he directed, and claimed she forced him and his family to wait in a basement holding area at the premiere so she did not have to see him Lively and Reynolds reportedly have a combined net worth of $380 million, which is largely thanks to his numerous lucrative off-screen ventures. Over the years, he has had a stake in several businesses, including Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, and FuboTV. In 2020, the actor sold his stake in Aviation Gin to Diageo, one of the world's largest producers of spirits and beers, in a deal worth up to $610 million. That same year, he famously purchased Wrexham Football Club along with actor Rob McElhenney for $2.5 million. On top of this, Reynolds' darkly comic portrayal of the flawed superhero Deadpool in the eponymous 2016 and 2018 films made him one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors. Lively has also exercised her entrepreneurial streak in recent years with multiple brands including her gourmet mixer venture Betty Buzz, which sold 2.5 Million bottles within seven months of the launch back in 2021, Betty Booze - premium cocktails - and her new Blake Brown Beauty line. Together, Lively and Reynolds have also showed off their philanthropic side, having previously donated $500,000 to Feeding America and $500,000 to Food Banks Canada during the start of the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. While many have questioned why Baldoni is going after the specific sum, a source exclusively told DailyMail.com that he deduced the figure from Lively and Reynolds' reported net worth (seen The couple faced a torrent of allegations against them when Baldoni fired back with a counter suit earlier this month. The actor accused Reynolds of 'swearing' and 'berating him in an aggressive tirade' at a meeting held at the couple's New York penthouse - where Reynolds was present as his wife's 'representative' to discuss Baldoni's conduct. Lively's attorneys issued a fiery statement to DailyMail.com in response to the lawsuit, branding it 'another chapter in the abuser playbook.' 'This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim,' they said. 'This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.' The statement claimed Baldoni's production company Wayfarer Studios 'opted to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch meritless lawsuits, and threaten litigation to overwhelm the public's ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations.' Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman explained his client's decision to sue. 'This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team's duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media,' he said in a statement. 'This is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.' Lively and Reynolds reportedly have a combined net worth of $380 million, which is largely thanks to his numerous lucrative off-screen ventures; seen on August 06, 2024 On Monday, DailyMail.com published exclusive audio which sheds further light on the feud which arose when Lively made changes to the rooftop scene in the romantic drama film not all of which were met with unqualified praise. Baldoni can be heard offering the actress a groveling apology and noting 'I fell short' over his response to her changes. In the full audio message, which is just over six and a half minutes long, he goes on to say that he is pleased she feels comfortable enough to tell him that and describes himself as 'a very flawed man, as my wife will say.' It came days after video footage appeared to pull Lively's sexual harassment claims into question. The actress accused Baldoni of dragging his lips down her neck and telling her it smells so good while filming a dance scene, with Lively claiming in her civil rights complaint that nobody overheard because the microphones were switched off. But the tapes show how friendly the two stars were, with the pair laughing and joking around, joshing about the size of Baldonis nose and even talking about how they spend their time with their spouses. Bella Hadid showcased her incredible model form in a tiny red string bikini while posing up a storm in the snow in Aspen, Colorado. The 28-year-old cover girl flaunted her toned abs and her pert derriere in a crimson hued two piece, paired with stylish cowboy boots. Bella also carried a red and white scarf that she revealed she designed as a free gift for anyone who purchases her Orebella fragrance from beauty store Ulta or from Orebella.com. Bella, who noted in the caption that the images were taken on January 1st, struck poses in the racy look while in a snowy landscape. Bella vacationed to Aspen with her boyfriend Adan Banuelos for the holidays and New Year - although he was not pictured in her Instagram slideshow. She tagged his family member, Jessica Banuelos Feiner, who is also specializes in showing cutting horses like Adan, making the holiday a family affair. Bella Hadid showcased her incredible model form in a tiny red string bikini while posing up a storm in the snow in Aspen, Colorado The 28-year-old cover girl flaunted her toned abs and her pert derriere in a crimson hued two piece, paired with stylish cowboy boots Bella chose a barely there bright red bikini set, consisting of bottoms with gold hardware details and a cheeky cut. She sported a matching triangle top, paired with brown and white cowboy boots - which appears to be a nod to her cowboy boyfriend Adan. The runway star added a large red scrunchie - with her hair styled into a chic bun. Bella posed up a storm with a colorful scarf that was designed as a free gift with purchase. The brunette beauty captioned the post: 'Camera roll from the first day of the new year. Wrap yourself in nature and love, no matter where you wander this winter. Hydrating scents and silky fabrics for your frost-kissed skin.' 'For a limited time, you'll received your own silk, red scarf with any @orabella large size parfum purchase on our site or @ultabeauty.' 'Literally go online of Orebella.com and put a 100ml in your cart and this will come up as 0$ with purchase...girl math is...mathing! And it's making me so happy. I put these on my purse, around my neck, through my jean loops...obsessed. I hope you love them as much as I do... This is one of my most favorite special pieces we've done.' Bella also carried a red and white scarf that she revealed she designed as a free gift for anyone who purchases her Orebella fragrance from beauty store Ulta or from Orebella.com Bella, who noted in the caption that the images were taken on January 1st, struck poses in the racy look while in a snowy landscape Bella chose a barely there bright red bikini set, consisting of bottoms with gold hardware details and a cheeky cut She sported a matching triangle top, paired with brown and white cowboy boots - which appears to be a nod to her cowboy boyfriend Adan The runway star added a large red scrunchie - with her hair styled into a chic bun Bella posed up a storm with a colorful scarf that was designed as a free gift with purchase Her or her pals' cute pup also appeared in one of the images She tagged his family member, Jessica Banuelos Feiner, who is also specializes in showing cutting horses like Adan, making the holiday a family affair Bella launched her fragrance line Orebella on May 2, 2024, with the scents all alcohol-free, vegan, PETA-certified and dermatologist-tested. Her brand, which has the tagline 'Reveal your alchemy' - launched it on Ulta.com on May 10, 2024. Her brand began with three scents - which are 'skin-nourishing' and all alcohol-free and 'elevated with essential oils.' The fragrances are: Blooming Fire, Window2Soul and Salted Muse. Blooming Fire features monoi, bergamot and patchouli; Window2soul is jasmine, rose and tonka bean. Salted Muse features sea salt, olive tree and cedarwood. She just launched her fourth scent - called Nightcap Parfum - which has ginger, cardamom and vanilla notes. Bella and Adan, 35, were first seen holding hands and kissing in October 2023 while in Fort Worth, Texas. In January 2024, Bella shared snaps of her in a horse competition in late January, with one of the photos of them holding hands. Bella and Adan were first seen holding hands and kissing in October 2023 while in Fort Worth, Texas; On Valentine's Day, Bella called him her Valentine and shared a snap of them gazing sweetly at each other On Valentine's Day 2024, Bella called him her Valentine and shared a snap of them gazing sweetly at each other. Bella has been spending a lot of time in Texas, where he primarily resides, and has been seen supporting him at competitions. In March 2024, it was reported by TMZ that Bella, who primarily lived in New York City, purchased a property in the Forth Worth area to be closer to her boyfriend. Banuelos is a successful horse rider and notably became one of the youngest individuals to be inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame back in 2017. Bella is also an avid equestrian and has competed in events, taking home two rodeo buckles in April 2024 - which her mother Yolanda proudly documented at the time. She notably moved to Fort Worth and purchased a home in a rural neighborhood, TMZ reported earlier in March 2024, but is 'close enough to urban amenities.' She opened up about her life in Texas and her friendships in the state during an interview with Allure back in April 2024. 'We have the best time, and I never feel like I need to do too much.' In early May 2024, Bella launched her fragrance brand called Orebella; seen during her press tour for Orebella on May 3 while rocking a vintage S/S 2003 Roberto Cavalli runway dress with a waist corset and high-low skirt The couple went Instagram official in February 2024 Bella is also an avid equestrian and has competed in events, taking home two rodeo buckles in April - which her mother Yolanda proudly documented at the time 'For the first time now, I'm not putting on a fake face. If I don't feel good, I won't go. If I don't feel good, I take time for myself. And I've never had the opportunity to do that or say that before.' 'Now when anybody sees me in pictures and they say, I look happy, I genuinely am. I am feeling better; my bad days now were my old good days,' Bella continued. Last year, the star notably took a hiatus from modeling due to her battle with Lyme disease. Adan opened up their his girlfriend Bella during an interview on the podcast Along For The Ride, which dropped on August 6. The 35-year-old professional horseman revealed on the podcast that she 'happily' moved in to his 5th wheel trailer. She did do the 5th wheel, happily. It was bada**.' Adan, who is a Mexican-American horseman, emphasized the important of Bella understanding his lifestyle before their relationship progressed further. Though the duo enjoyed trailer living for a while, Bella recently went on to purchase her own home in Texas. Adan explained: 'I'm working on building a home [but] it's gonna take me a little bit' Adan opened up their his girlfriend Bella during an interview on the podcast Along for The Ride , which dropped on August 6; the pair seen May 3 in NYC The 35-year-old professional horseman revealed on the podcast that she 'happily' moved in to his 5th wheel trailer; seen in March 'It was cool because I really wanted that to be a part of our relationship. You know, you start having feelings for somebody and you start thinking things like, "Man, maybe this is the rest of my life here" and knowing that she is that simple of a human being [and] that the material things arent important or the most important thing.' Adan joked that having Bella in the 5th wheel trailer made it feel like a mansion. 'That 5th wheel has always felt small and then you get, you know, somebody that you enjoy spending time with and that 5th wheel went from a 5th wheel to a f*****g mansion.' The athlete gushed about his girlfriend and how down-to-earth her attitude is, revealing that she would wake up at '2:30 am in the morning' to bring everyone breakfast during competitions. 'Being that consistent and that uplifting and positive and warm to everybody she meets and helping with horses and stuff like that it's just freaking amazing,' he stated. Though the duo enjoyed trailer living for a while, Bella recently went on to purchase her own home in Texas. Adan explained: 'I'm working on building a home [but] it's gonna take me a little bit but she bought something that was a good investment for her.' He added that they will determine their primary residence when the time comes. Adan further gushed about the Vogue cover girl, saying, 'Man, I can't tell you how happy I am. I can't tell you how fortunate I am. 'This young lady is one of the kindest, biggest-hearted and sweet person Ive [ever met]. I mean I didnt know God made em like that.' 'You start having feelings for somebody and you start thinking things like, "Man, maybe this is the rest of my life here" and knowing that she is that simple of a human being [and] that the material things arent important or the most important thing,' he said Adan expressed how impressed he was with Bella's down-to-earth attitude, revealing she would wake up at '2:30 in the morning' to bring everyone breakfast during competitions Banuelos further asserted that Hadid's external beauty 'is nowhere near compared to what she's like as a human being' Banuelos further asserted that Hadid's external beauty 'is nowhere near compared to what she's like as a human being.' He said she 'deserves the best' and is his number one 'priority.' The pair's initial encounter occurred at a horse exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas, in fall 2023, where they bonded over their love of horses. 'From there it went in a positive direction and she puts up with me and she loves me and I'm head over heels for her. It's been absolutely awesome.' Renee Zellweger dazzled in a figure-hugging pink satin gown as she joined her Bridget Jones, Mad About The Boy co-star Leo Woodall at the London premiere on Wednesday evening. The actress, 55, looked nothing short of sensational as she graced the red carpet in the bright, strapless ensemble, which boasted a short train. She added inches to her height in a pointy pair of maroon heels and pulled her blonde tresses back into a wavy half-up, half-down style. Renee was glowing as she opted for a minimal palette of makeup to showcase her natural beauty for the star-studded premiere. She chose not to wear a necklace, instead letting the stunning dress speak for itself, but the actress did add a diamante-encrusted chunky statement ring on her index finger. The star of the beloved franchise seemed to be on cloud nine as she posed up a storm on the red carpet, before stopping for selfies with excited fans. Renee Zellweger dazzled in a figure-hugging pink satin gown as she joined her Bridget Jones, Mad About The Boy co-star Leo Woodall at the London premiere on Wednesday evening The actress, 55, looked nothing short of sensational as she graced the red carpet in the bright, strapless ensemble, which boasted a short train She was joined by One Day star Leo, who plays her character's love interest in the most recent instalment of the rom-com saga. The actor, 28, cut a dapper figure in a brown velvet suit, layered over a smart black shirt and matching shoes. He accessorised with a silver chain as he and Renee put on an animated display before heading inside the event. The duo made sure to get into character as they larked around together for pictures, gazing into each other's eyes for one photo, before holding hands in another. Renee was also reunited with her on-screen love rat ex Hugh Grant, who has played the role of Daniel Cleaver throughout the fan-favourite film series. The legendary actor, 64, looked smart in a black blazer and matching trousers, paired with a white shirt. The iconic pairing looked thrilled to be together again as they couldn't contain their giggles on the red carpet. After posing for snaps with his co-star, Hugh put on a loved-up display with his wife Anna Elisabet Eberstein, 41. Anna showcased her incredible figure as she put on a very leggy display in a white frilly mini dress. She added inches to her height in a pointy pair of maroon heels and pulled her blonde tresses back into a wavy half-up, half-down style Renee was glowing as she opted for a minimal palette of makeup to showcase her natural beauty for the star-studded premiere The star of the beloved franchise seemed to be on cloud nine as she posed up a storm on the red carpet, before stopping for selfies with excited fans She was joined by One Day star Leo, who plays her character's love interest in the most recent instalment of the rom-com saga The actor, 28, cut a dapper figure in a brown velvet suit, layered over a smart black shirt and matching shoes He accessorised with a silver chain as he and Renee put on an animated display before heading inside the event Renee was also reunited with her on-screen love rat ex Hugh Grant, who has played the role of Daniel Cleaver throughout the fan-favourite film series The legendary actor, 64, looked smart in a black blazer and matching trousers, paired with a white shirt The iconic pairing looked thrilled to be together again as they couldn't contain their giggles on the red carpet After posing for snaps with his co-star, Hugh put on a loved-up display with his wife Anna Elisabet Eberstein, 41 Also in attendance at the London premiere was Australian actress Isla Fischer, who oozed glamour in a busty red gown The 48-year-old star stunned in the figure-hugging ensemble, which she teamed with gold platform heels and a matching clutch bag Meanwhile, Vanessa Feltz, 62, commanded attention in a sparkling blue evening gown, which boasted a plunging neckline Renee also made sure to pose with author Helen Fielding, who wrote the beloved Bridget Jones franchise The 66-year-old writer looked sensational in a burgundy satin gown featuring a thigh-high slit Renee's co-star Chiwetel Ejiofor, looked suave in a Prada velvet suit paired with a deep blue shirt and tie And Sarah Solemani, who portrays Bridget's best friend Miranda in the rom-com, put on a racy display in a flowing sheer black dress The cast banded together for a group picture at the London screening Also in attendance at the London premiere was Australian actress Isla Fischer, who oozed glamour in a busty red gown. The 48-year-old star, who plays Rebecca in the upcoming movie, stunned in the figure-hugging ensemble, which she teamed with gold platform heels and a matching clutch bag. She wore her auburn locks in loose waves and opted for a glamorous palette of makeup as she joined the slew of A-listers at the event. Meanwhile, Vanessa Feltz, 62, commanded attention in a sparkling blue evening gown, which boasted a plunging neckline. Renee also made sure to pose with author Helen Fielding, who wrote the beloved Bridget Jones franchise. The 66-year-old writer looked sensational in a burgundy satin gown featuring a thigh-high slit. Renee's co-star Chiwetel Ejiofor, looked suave in a Prada velvet suit paired with a deep blue shirt and tie. And Sarah Solemani, who portrays Bridget's best friend Miranda in the rom-com, put on a racy display in a flowing sheer black dress. She layered the see-through gown over a black bodysuit, showcasing her incredible figure. British actress and author Celia Imrie showcased her quirky sense of style in a flamboyant black and white suit Fellow cast member Leila Farzad looked incredible in a pink power suit complete with a statement black and silver belt, cincing in at the waist She was joined by Nico Parker, whose father is screenwriter Ol Parker, with the 19-year-old actress looking chic in a white dress Singer-songwriter Jessie Ware flaunted her unique fashion sense in a black, white and red graphic dress which included a picture of a nude figure And actress Josette Simon was glowing in a flowy white gown as she waved at fans outside the star-studded premiere Jenni Falconer and Tina Hobley looked animated as they donned matching black ensembles on the red carpet And comedian Rosie Jones brought the colour in a vibrant green top and yellow checkered trousers TV personality Ollie Locke looked smart in a chunky turtleneck knitted jumper paired with pastel pink trousers Tanya Burr oozed elegance in a sophisticated black velvet gown with dramatic puffed sleeves He was joined by Sophie Habboo and Jamie Laing, who stopped to pose for snaps on the carpet before heading into the event Sophie looked incredible in a skintight leather trousers and a matching jacket, with Jamie opting for a smart navy look Singer and actress Beverley Knight went for a more unique red carpet outfit as she stepped out in green waterproof jacket with huge ballooned sleeves Celebs Go Dating star Anna Williamson stunned in a black evening gown with diamante detailing British actress and author Celia Imrie, 72, showcased her quirky sense of style in a flamboyant black and white suit. Fellow cast member Leila Farzad looked incredible in a pink power suit complete with a statement black and silver belt, cincing in at the waist. She was joined by Nico Parker, whose father is screenwriter Ol Parker, with the 19-year-old actress looking chic in a white dress. Singer-songwriter Jessie Ware flaunted her unique fashion sense in a black, white and red graphic dress which included a picture of a nude figure. And actress Josette Simon was glowing in a flowy white gown as she waved at fans outside the star-studded premiere. Jenni Falconer and Tina Hobley looked animated as they donned matching black ensembles on the red carpet. And comedian Rosie Jones brought the colour in a vibrant green top and yellow checkered trousers. TV personality Ollie Locke looked smart in a chunky turtleneck knitted jumper paired with pastel pink trousers. Renee's iconic singleton finally married Mark Darcy, played by Colin Firth in the most recent film, 2016's Bridget Jones' Baby The couple had shared an on-and-off romance across all three films, but finally got their happy ending after it was revealed the high-flying lawyer was the father of her baby (pictured with her on-screen kids) The trailer for upcoming fourth film sees Bridget being encouraged to get back on the horse by her friends after self-imposing a four-year sex ban in the years following Mark's death He was joined by Sophie Habboo and Jamie Laing, who stopped to pose for snaps on the carpet before heading into the event. Sophie looked incredible in a skintight leather trousers and a matching jacket, with Jamie opting for a smart navy look. Singer and actress Beverley Knight went for a more unique red carpet outfit as she stepped out in green waterproof jacket with huge ballooned sleeves. Renee's iconic singleton finally married Mark Darcy, played by Colin Firth in the most recent film, 2016's Bridget Jones' Baby. The couple had shared an on-and-off romance across all three films, but finally got their happy ending after it was revealed the high-flying lawyer was the father of her baby. However, in the fourth book by Helen Fielding, Mad About The Boy, Mark tragically dies while working abroad as a human rights lawyer, leaving Bridget a widow and battling motherhood alone. The trailer for the fourth film revealed that the same storyline would play out, with it being confirmed Mark had died before the events of the movie. The trailer for upcoming fourth film sees Bridget being encouraged to get back on the horse by her friends after self-imposing a four-year sex ban in the years following Mark's death. She also quits her job working in television to do the school run, with comical scenes expected as she struggles to keep up with the Yummy Mummies. Renee and Hugh pictured in the first movie from 2001 During a trip to the park, Bridget finds her two children have got themselves stuck in a tree where she is rescued by two dashing dashing men in the form of The White Lotus star's Leo Woodall and Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor. She soon finds herself in the middle of a three-way battle for her affections between boytoy Roxster, played by Leo, PE teacher Mr. Wallaker, played by Chiwetel and a returning Hugh Grant as the infamous Daniel Cleaver. Fans can also rejoice as one particularly sexy scene sees Roxster jump into a pool in front of her to rescue a little dog - in a moment mirroring the iconic Mr Darcy Pride and Prejudice look. As the trailer unravels, Bridget's romance with Roxster heats up and the pair have 'mindblowing sex' after a date. However Bridget is left confused as flirtatious meetings with Mr Wallaker increase and she eventually stumbles into a barn to find him half-naked. The movie was officially confirmed last year, with the script being penned by author Helen, Abi Morgan and Dan Mazer, and Michael Morris as director. Bridget Jones, Mad About The Boy will hit cinema screens on February 14 2025 Former MTV host Matt Pinfield suffered a massive stroke earlier this month, with his family launching a legal battle over his assets. Pinfield, 63, who rose to fame as host of MTV alternative music program 120 Minutes in the 1990s, had a devastating stroke on January 6, with his daughter Jessica filing for temporary conservatorship as Pinfield is 'incompetent to make decisions.' Per legal documents obtained by TMZ, Jessica and sister Maya says they are concerned about the DJ's money and personal property due to his girlfriend having access to his accounts and fears she will withdraw his funds. They have asked for temporary conservators to oversee his bank account and apartment. Hours before his stroke, Pinfield shared a photo of himself at work to Instagram captioned: 'Starting another week with gratitude for a life surrounded by great people, life changing music, and unforgettable experiences that I never take for granted. 'Here to another week-another day-open heart and open mind. Lets rock!' Former MTV host Matt Pinfield suffered a massive stroke earlier this month, with his family launching a legal battle over his assets - pictured 2014 Pinfield, 63, who rose to fame as host of MTV's 120 Minutes in the 1990s, had a devastating stroke on January 6 , with his daughter Jessica filing for temporary conservatorship as Pinfield is 'incompetent to make decisions - pictured hours before the stroke Pinfield suffered a near-fatal collision in 2018 when he was struck by a car while crossing the street near his Hollywood home. Hitting the windshield headfirst and striking the pavement, his head was split open to his skull and he broke his leg in two places. He has also battled heart problems and substance abuse, which led him to go to rehab in early 2017, per The San Francisco Chronicle. He said: 'I was dealing with A-fib (atrial fibrillation, or irregular heart rhythm). Drinking on top of it wasnt a good idea. And it turns out I was overmedicated. Los Angeles radio station KCSN issued a statement amid Pinfield's health crisis It read: 'The SoCal Sounds legendary DJ Matt Pinfield will be taking a temporary leave of absence. 'We are fully supportive of Matt and hope to have his energetic knowledge of rock n roll back on the air soon.' He most recently co-hosted The Power Hour on AXS TV. Pinfield suffered a near-fatal collision in 2018 when he was struck by a car while crossing the street near his Hollywood home - pictured 2012 The Killers wrote 2004 track All These Things I've Done about Pinfield - he is pictured with Flowers and Vanucci in 2019 shortly after surviving the near-fatal crash Per legal documents obtained by TMZ , Jessica and sister Maya says they are concerned about the DJ's money and personal property due to his girlfriend having access to his accounts and fears she will withdraw his funds - pictured 2013 Pinfield (pictured in October 2024 with Pete Yorn) has previously battled heart problems and substance abuse, which led him to go to rehab in early 2017 Pinfield hosted 120 Minutes from 1995 to 1999 on MTV and from 2011 to 2013 on MTV2. He began his career in the 1980s as a radio and club DJ in New Jersey. Along with his 120 Minutes stint work he worked on TRL and VH1. After leaving MTV in 1999 he hosted USA Network show Farmclub.com, before becoming vice president of A&R and artist development for Columbia Records from 2001 to 2006. During his time at Columbia, he worked with the at the time unknown rock band The Killers, who later wrote 2004 hit track All These Things That I've Done about him. At the time Pinfield was working with the US Army as part of a program that mentored wounded or PTSD-stricken musician soldiers returning from Iraq. After watching The Killers rehearse and going to dinner with them, he was given a ride back to his hotel by frontman Brandon Flowers, with the pair stopping at a Las Vegas bar. Pinfield said: 'I started to tell him the story about mentoring soldiers, and I was getting ready to go through a divorce. I was going through a bit of a rough time. So, he went home that night, and their old manager, Braden Merrick, calls me on the phone, and goes, "Hey Matt, Brandon wrote a song about you. He went home last night and wrote this song." It was All These Things That I've Done, and the line I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier is about the mentoring thing.' In 2019 Pinfield shared a sweet post with Flowers and Ronnie Vanucci after attending their LA concert. After leaving MTV in 1999 he hosted USA Network show Farmclub.com, before becoming vice president of A&R and artist development for Columbia Records from 2001 to 2006 - pictured 2013 with Josh Krajcik at the MTV, VH1, CMT & LOGO O Music Awards He wrote: 'Backstage with Ronnie Vanucci and Brandon Flowers from The Killers at the LA Forum. It was a beautiful moment tonight when Brandon dedicated All These Things That Ive Done to me from the stage.; He later worked at New York radio station WRXP 101.9FM. He worked at SiriusXM Radio's Lithium channel in 2016 and the following year published a memoir, All These Things That I've Done: My Insane, Improbable Rock Life. In March 2024, Pinfield became the new afternoon drivetime host for KCSN in LA. Comedian Ken Flores has tragically passed away, at age 28, in the midst of his 33-date Butterfly Effect Tour. 'It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our friend, brother, and son, Kenyi Flores,' the family posted on his Instagram account Wednesday. 'Please respect our privacy at this time as we are all shocked and devastated by this loss.' The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed to TMZ that Ken died on Tuesday from undisclosed causes. Last Sunday, Flores revealed via X that he was making an attempt at being booze-free for his 2025 tour. 'So I started my tour a couple weeks ago and I'm proud to say I've done every single show - five in Portland, one in Albuquerque, and four in Atlanta - without a single drop of alcohol,' the Chicago-based funnyman tweeted. Comedian Ken Flores has tragically passed away, at age 28, in the midst of his 33-date Butterfly Effect Tour (pictured in 2023) 'Nervous for Phoenix next weekend but I think I got it. I'm not sober just wanna chill a bit.' Indeed, Ken was scheduled to perform this Thursday night at Desert Ridge Improv in Phoenix, AZ. Flores had his 969K social media followers to thank for many of his bits going viral on Instagram and TikTok. The former Talkin' My S*** podcaster was also once part of a roast battle with the roastmaster general himself, Jeff Ross. The Hollywood Improv lead the online tributes by posting a slideshow of snaps of Ken performing at the historic venue. 'We were honored to share your talent on our stages,' Hollywood Improv wrote. 'You were greatness, and it was only a matter of time until the whole world saw it. You were also kind and a tremendous friend to all lucky enough to know you. We love you Ken, thank you for all the laughs.' Comedian Carlos Flores Instastoried a recent snap captioned: 'Feels unreal I had just met you compa... nicest and funniest dude ever. RIP young legend.' Comedian Neema Naz wrote: F***, I was hoping this wasn't real. What a tragic and devastating loss to the world. Ken was a gem and was going to be a star one day. RIP.' The family posted on his Instagram account Wednesday: 'It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our friend, brother, and son, Kenyi Flores. Please respect our privacy at this time as we are all shocked and devastated by this loss' The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed to TMZ that Ken died on Tuesday from undisclosed causes (pictured last Sunday) Last Sunday, Flores revealed via X that he was making an attempt at being booze-free for his 2025 tour (pictured August 10) The Chicago-based funnyman tweeted: 'So I started my tour a couple weeks ago and I'm proud to say I've done every single show - five in Portland, one in Albuquerque, and four in Atlanta - without a single drop of alcohol. Nervous for Phoenix next weekend but I think I got it. I'm not sober just wanna chill a bit' The Hollywood Improv lead the online tributes by posting a slideshow of snaps of Ken performing at the historic venue Comedian Carlos Flores Instastoried a recent snap captioned: 'Feels unreal I had just met you compa... nicest and funniest dude ever. RIP young legend' The band Los Desvelados shared a snap captioned: 'Ken, thank you for all the amazing times, the laughter, the jokes. You will be missed!' Comedian Rene Vaca shared a PDA-filled slideshow captioned: 'Life will never be the same. I love you so much king' And the comedy account Foos Gone Wild posted: 'RIP @kenflores300 We lost a super talented and funny foo. Glad to have worked with him ad the FGW Comedy Store show. Our condolences to his family. Socks up to heavens' The band Los Desvelados shared a snap captioned: 'Ken, thank you for all the amazing times, the laughter, the jokes. You will be missed!' Comedian Rene Vaca shared a PDA-filled slideshow captioned: 'Life will never be the same. I love you so much king.' And the comedy account Foos Gone Wild posted: 'RIP @kenflores300 We lost a super talented and funny foo. Glad to have worked with him ad the FGW Comedy Store show. Our condolences to his family. Socks up to heavens.' Love Island All Stars fans blasted Ekin-Su's 'overreaction' as Curtis enjoyed a night in the hideaway with new bombshell Danielle in Wednesday night's episode. In a brand new twist, newcomers Danielle Sellers and Sammy Root chose Elma and Curtis to spend a night with them in private. Much to Ekin-Su's fury, Curtis and Danielle spent a cosy evening getting to know each other. Fans were left in hysterics as they claimed Ekin-Su was 'making a deal out of nothing to get air time'. Others added: 'Ekin making a big deal out of nothing again just to get that little air time she craves #loveisland #LoveIslandAllStars', 'Ekin is doing toooo much', Love Island All Stars fans blasted Ekin-Su's 'overreaction' as Curtis enjoyed a night in the hideaway with new bombshell Danielle in Wednesday night's episode In a brand new twist, newcomers Danielle Sellers (pictured) and Sammy Root chose Elma and Curtis to spend a night with them in private 'Anyone else feel like Ekin Su is being extra with everything she does to get back into the British public's good books after her car crash appearance on #CBBUK?', 'Ekin is SPIRALLING #LoveIsland #AllStars', 'BRO EKIN IS FUMING FOR WHAT?? #LoveIslandAllStars', 'EKIN YOURE KILLING ME', Series 10 contestant Sammy also stars on TOWIE and is looking forward to ruffling feathers with his villa entrance. Sammy bagged the cash prize after winning the series alongside Jess Harding but called off their romance soon after they returned home. Speaking about his fresh chance at love, Sammy explained: 'It did work out for me the first time, but things changed when I left the Villa. Hopefully this time round, Ill leave with a relationship that goes the distance. 'Last time I was very much a boy and was immature at times in terms of not thinking about my actions beforehand.' Much to Ekin-Su's fury, Curtis and Danielle spent a cosy evening getting to know each other Fans were left in hysterics as they claimed Ekin-Su was 'making a deal out of nothing to get air time' Love Island's new bombshells Sammy Root, 23, and Danielle Sellers , 29, are set to make history when they return to the villa on Wednesday night's show In Wednesday's episode, the Islanders will learn that for the first time ever, two Islanders have been chosen to go to the Hideaway Retreat for a sleepover with the bombshells (Luca Bish pictured) The Islanders have no idea which two bombshells are waiting in the Hideaway Retreat and why they've chosen each Islander He continued: 'Now looking back, I feel like Ive changed a lot and Id like to think Ive grown from a boy to a gentleman.' Danielle, who appeared in series three, is looking to find the man of her dreams as she returns. After appearing on the show as a bombshell in Casa Amor last time, Danielle is hoping she finds more luck this time round. She said: 'I was a lot younger going in the first time, I was 21! 'I entered during Casa Amor and lots of the boys were in strong couples! 8 years on, Im older and know what I want, so Im going to just go for it!' Love Island: All Stars continues on ITV2 and ITVX at 9:00pm. The cause of death for All My Children star Esta TerBlanche has been revealed. TerBlanche's cause of death was ruled to be an intracranial hemorrhage, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner announced in a press release. The department added the bleed occurred as a result of 'blunt force traumatic head injury likely due to a ground level fall.' Her death has been determined to be an accident. The release also stated TerBlanche, who passed at age 51, was found unresponsive at her residence on July 19, 2024. She was pronounced dead by paramedics at 11:10AM. An examination was completed by the deputy medical examiner on July 22 and the cause and manner of her death were certified on January 29. Esta TerBlanche's cause of death has been determined to be an intracranial hemorrhage, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner announced in a press release TMZ reports that TerBlanche has since been interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. In a statement confirming her death, her manager Anne Spoliansky told People in July: 'We are deeply saddened by this news. 'As for a personal statement, Id like to say that Esta was such a kind, loving, giving, and caring person.' 'She cared so deeply for all people and animals,' Spoliansky continued. 'She had squirrels she fed and looked after daily, her two cats and recent kittens that she cared for as her own children.' 'Esta was never anything but generous and lovely to me, and Im grateful to have known her for the time that I did, and devastated to learn of her passing.' The South African actress passed away unexpectedly in July in her California home, her goddaughter Barbie Ashley previously told TMZ. At the time of her death, TMZ reported that medical responders believed she had been dead in the North Hollywood property for around one day before she was discovered. The star was found dead in her bathroom by her assistant, insiders previously told the outlet. The South African actress passed away unexpectedly in July in her California home, her goddaughter Barbie Ashley previously told TMZ (Pictured with All My Children co-star Cameron Mathison) TerBlanche's career took off after she won Miss Teen South Africa in 1991. She was best known for her role as Gillian Andrassy in American sitcom All My Children. She got her start playing Bienkie Naude Hartman on the South African drama Egolim, a role she starred in from 1992 to 1995. TerBlanche's character in All My Children - the trouble-making princess - was killed off in 2001 so that she could move back to South Africa. Matheson and TerBlanche pictured in a 1999 scene from All My Children She was married to Andre Kock from 1997 to 2008, when they divorced. TerBlanche announced the split during an interview with Soap Opera Digest. The TV star reportedly took a break from acting, returned to Los Angeles and opened a healing spa. She is survived by her ex-husband Andre Kock, and her goddaughter. The Artificial Intelligence wars have begun. China fired the first shot. On Monday, $1 trillion in stock market value was wiped off the books of American tech companies after Chinese startup DeepSeek created an AI-tool that rivals the best that US firms have to offer and at a fraction of the cost. DeepSeek claims its engineers trained their AI-model with $6 million worth of computer chips, while leading AI-competitor, OpenAI, spent an estimated $3 billion training and developing its models in 2024 alone. What's more, DeepSeek says they accomplished this feat with relatively dated technology. (US sanctions deny the Chinese the world's most advanced chip tech.) That news landed on Wall Street like a ton of bricks. This is the first time that China has beaten the US to a major AI discovery. It was nothing short of 'AI's Sputnik moment,' according to Marc Andreessen, one of the foremost tech investors in the world, a reference to October 4, 1957, the day the Soviet Union beat the US to launch the first satellite into space. More than six decades ago, the American public was shocked that an adversarial nation had leapfrogged the US in the space race. Many were terrified by the thought that the Soviet Union a communist regime with designs on global domination would seize control of the skies above their heads. So, is now a time to panic? No. By Tuesday, US technology markets were already clawing back some of the losses from yesterday's rout, as questions were raised over the veracity of DeepSeek's claims. The Artificial Intelligence wars have begun. China fired the first shot. DeepSeek claims that its engineers trained their AI-model with $6 million worth of computer chips, while leading AI-competitor, OpenAI, spent an estimated $3 billion. It was nothing short of 'AI's Sputnik moment,' according to Marc Andreessen (above), one of the foremost tech investors in the world, a reference to October 4, 1957, the day the Soviet Union beat the US to launch the first satellite into space. I also suspect that DeepSeek somehow managed to evade US sanctions and obtain the most advanced computer chips. If that's the case, then their progress is much more understandable. However, America cannot ignore the threat of Chinese AI dominance. In this day and age, artificial intelligence translates to military supremacy. Whoever commands the best AI will win wars in the future. Right now, China may well come out on top. On Wednesday, the Chinese tech and e-commerce giant Alibaba released its AI-model and claimed it computing power surpassed even DeepSeek. AI can be used to power autonomous weapon systems, command fleets of drones and detect, track, and engage enemy threats in real time. If China is able to create more intelligent, faster and cheaper AI models than the US, they can use that to develop more effective weapons too. DeepSeek also poses an immediate national security risk to America. On Monday it was the top download on Apple's store - shooting past OpenAI's ChatGPT - as thousands of Americans loaded it onto their phones. The American people have to be on their guard. If you download the app, you better ask who's watching and who's listening. From what I can tell, it scrapes your emails and personal data. I would always recommend using American products rather than their Chinese equivalents, but if I ever did use DeepSeek, I'd download it onto the same burner phone that I use for Chinese-owned TikTok. Make no mistake, America is in a technological arms race with China, as it was with the Soviets, decades ago. And it is past time to focus America's incredible economic, creative and industrial strength on winning the AI war. I believe that the US, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, is well positioned to win in this sphere if it continues to invest in AI. Of course, I also have a financial dog in this fight. Beyond my deep loyalty to America, my home country, Canada and The West. I am an investor in a $70 billion project to build AI data centers (which provide the energy and infrastructure to build AI models) in Alberta, Canada. I suspect that DeepSeek somehow managed to evade US sanctions and obtain the most advanced computer chips. (Pictured: Liang Wenfeng, Founder of DeepSeek). I also believe that the US, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, is well positioned to triumph in this sphere if it continues to invest in AI as it is now. Just last week, Trump announced the new 'Stargate Project' under which top American AI companies will pour $500 billion of investment into developing data centers and other AI infrastructure in the US by 2029. President Trump also has the power to fight back against Chinese tech using tariffs. America is also the world's largest buyer of AI technology and if President Trump imposes tariffs on Chinese AI products, he may be able to price them out of the market. As long as America recognizes DeepSeek for the threat that it is, there is no need to panic. Instead, just like with Sputnik, America must seize this challenge to innovate and regain AI supremacy once again. Costco has lost its crown as the country's top warehouse club for customer service - overtaken by Sam's Club. Customers raved about the new high-tech Scan & Go checkouts at Sam's Club, Walmart's version of Costco. They allow customers to scan and pay for groceries with an app on their phone and just walk straight out. One in three shoppers use them, and they are able to skip checkout lines completely. On the back of that, Sam's Club climbed to the top of the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index with a score of 85 out of 100, a four-point rise. Not only did they leapfrog logtime winner Costco - whose score remained at 82 - but Sam's Club also outperformed all other major retailers. 'My hope is that Sam's Club, when you shop, feels like what it's like to shop in the future, this is a glimpse of that,' Sam's Club CEO Chris Nicholas said. Being able to scan items on the way around aisles and then walk out is a major draw to shoppers, according to ACSI. 'We're seeing a clear divide emerge between brands that are meeting the needs and expectations of younger consumers versus those that are falling behind,' ACSI director of research emeritus Forrest Morgeson said. Sam's Club has been rated the best retailer for customer experience, beating Costco Digital features such as those used by Sam's Club are a key factor in the satisfaction of younger shoppers, Morgeson argued. Furthermore, Sam's Club won praise from its members for its accurate and timely fulfilment of online orders, especially at curbside. Costco's score remained flat at 82 while BJ's, which came in third, fell to 78. Costco has made tentative moves into introducing tech to its services, but is yet to rival Sam's Club's digital offerings. The retailer recently introduced ID scanners to prevent those without memberships shopping at its stores. Costco has also introduced inventory searches for local stores online, allowing customers to search their most convenient store to check if the product they want is available. The survey was made up of 42,000 shoppers who detailed their experience of using the popular stores. Costco has hit headlines in recent days for their defiant stance against Trump's anti-DEI policies. Sam's Club is the first retailer to deploy the AI checkout technology at exit and at scale, it said Costco lost its long-held spot at No.1 on the The American Customer Satisfaction Index An ID scanner at a Costco in Issaquah, Washington, to ensure all those shopping are members The company and its shareholders recently voted to stick to their DEI policies. At the company's annual meeting, they voted strongly against a proposal from a conservative activist group that challenged diversity, equity and inclusion policies at Costco. The vote was seen as an early test of investor views about the value of corporate DEI programs, which many companies added or beefed up starting in 2020. A top Costco executive warned that the retailer may be forced to raise its prices this year if Donald Trump brings in his proposed tariff policies. 'When it rains, it rains on everybody,' Gary Millerchip, the chief financial officer of the budget big-box retailer, told investors on an earnings call last month. 'Of course, tariffs raise costs. That's not something that we see as a positive in general,' he said. The exec added that it was unclear what impact Trump's planned tariffs would have on the 'timing and scope of changes' at Costco. The UK could benefit from India's trailblazing progress in artificial intelligence (AI) in improving its own parliamentary procedures, House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said in his address at a diaspora gathering at the historic Guildhall in London. Hoyle was the chief guest on Tuesday evening at the High Commission of India's annual Republic Day celebration, complete with glimpses from Sunday's Kartavya Path parade in New Delhi and highlights of the India-UK partnership over the past year. The speaker referenced the recent UK visit of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who was hosted by his UK counterpart in the Houses of Parliament earlier this month. The visit was an absolute eye-opener, especially when we heard about India leading the way in the use of artificial intelligence. To learn that AI simultaneously translates 22 languages in your Parliament is just incredible; as I told your honourable speaker, we would love to work together to find out how AI can improve our parliamentary procedures, said Hoyle. This revelation only emphasises the trailblazing progress that your country is making. So, it makes perfect sense that our two great parliaments should continue to cooperate and to learn from each other to strengthen our democracies, he said. The member of Parliament for Chorley in Lancashire went on to highlight the historic links between his constituency and India, given Mahatma Gandhi's visit to the textile mills of the region in 1931. That was a bond that will never be broken in Lancashire, I will never forget, when I look at history, about his visit to Lancashire My love of India will always be there because of that special relationship between Lancashire and India, he added. The event, which opened with the national anthems of both countries, also heard from UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting who highlighted the India-UK Health and Life Sciences Partnership signed last week, which will deepen the cooperation on health and science, [as] an equitable partnership between the UK and India. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that India, as a global power, is going to do so much to shape our world and shape the prospects for humanity in this century. And that makes this relationship even more important to make sure that democracy, not tyranny, thrive in the 21st century, said Streeting. The Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, set the tone for the evening by raising a toast in honour of the bilateral ties going from strength to strength. It is natural that as nations with so much in common, our partnership is not only a natural choice, it is an obvious choice. After all, India's growth and development offer not only an economic opportunity for the UK to sustain its national wealth, but also to offer openings for real growth. In return, the UK's financial sector can find sustainable returns for the long term, for investing for the long haul in the rollout of India's infrastructure, roads, ports, airports, railways, housing and industrial corridors, which are being built at pace and at scale, Doraiswami said in his address. A wide range of cross-party parliamentarians, including Home Office minister Seema Malhotra and shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel, were among those in attendance at the gathering. It concluded with an Indian-origin string quartet from the Chineke Foundation orchestra, made up of Ammal Bhatia and Sophia Kannathasan on the violin, Kesari Pundarika on viola and Meera Raja on cello, performing iconic tunes ranging from Bollywood to Mozart. The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday asked AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to substantiate with facts his allegations of poisoning of Yamuna River and mass genocide. The poll body has sought a response, a proof from the AAP national convenor by 8pm on 29 January. The Commission has asked the AAP led Delhi government to provide evidence of Haryana government poisoning Delhi water supply. This comes after both the BJP and Congress had complained to the poll panel against Kejriwal for levelling allegations of poisoning of Yamuna river. A BJP delegation, comprising Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Bhupender Yadav and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh met all three members of the EC, and requested them to ask the AAP leader to retract his charge and apologise for creating panic among people. BJP leaders also urged the Commission to bar him from campaigning for his allegation that Haryana was poisoning the water of Yamuna. Meanwhile, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit raised the issue with Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, demanding action against Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi over the issue. In a letter to Kejriwal, the EC said the matter is being examined by the Commission in the light of provisions of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and relevant provisions of law. Therefore, you are called upon to furnish your response on the complaints especially on the factual and legal matrix along with evidentiary support thereof by 8 pm hours on 29 th January, 2025 so as to enable the Commission to examine the matter and take action as appropriate. However, as regards the allegations of poisoning, it is expected that there must be a factual foundation to the allegations especially when the veracity of the statements made by you is contested, then you must be able to back your statements on a factual basis, the EC said. The Commission noted that such allegations have serious ramifications of creating enmity between the regional groups, and residents of the neighbouring states, threat of a law-and-order situation due to actual or perceived shortage or non-availability of water, during this time of the year. Accusing Kejriwal of making a dangerous statement with implications for Indias federal structure, the Centre urged the Election Commission to bar him from campaigning for his allegation that Haryana was poisoning the water of Yamuna. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini asked the AAP convener to apologise or face defamation suit on his statement. We came to protest and submit our petition to the EC on the very unfair, irresponsible, and the violative of the MCC statement made by the former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. It is a very dangerous statement. This statement was dangerous for everyone except him, who is a self-proclaimed anarchist. The statement that he made has actually brought fear into the minds of people in Delhi. This has very serious implications for the way in which elections are conducted in this country. Is this good for our democracy? We raised these issues before the EC as How could a CM or former CM accuse another CM of an act which somewhere relatable to genocide?... It is an insult to all the people of Haryana who have elected him. We have requested the EC to take action which prevents Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning in Delhi anymore... Sitharaman said after meeting the officials of poll watchdog. Meanwhile, AAP convener said he was not afraid of legal action and asserted he would not let people die in Delhi because of the dirty, poisonous water. Kejriwal claimed in a press conference that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO, in a letter on Monday, confirmed that a poison called ammonia had been mixed with the water supplied from the neighbouring state. In a fiery social media post, AAP alleged, Poison is being mixed into the Yamuna to make its water untreatable. If people in Delhi consume this water, many will die. This is nothing short of a mass murder. Hitting back at Saini, Kejriwal said he should not do politics over the issue. Its sinful, you will face the curse of the people, Kejriwal said referring to Saini. They are threatening to filea case against me. I was sent to jail by them, will they now hang me, he stated. Delhi CM Atishi and her Punjab counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, also met EC officials, alleging that the BJP-led Haryana government is deliberately releasing alarming levels of ammonia into the Yamuna river, endangering Delhis water supply. Atishi had written two letters to the EC seeking an immediate meeting with the officials of the poll panel one on Monday and another on Tuesday morning. Earlier, War of words over Yamuna water has escalated with the BJP and Congress attacking AAP over Kejriwals poison in Yamuna or water terrorism remark. Addressing a press conference, 10 BJP MPs from Haryana said it was a clear case of criminal conspiracy by Kejriwal who was trying to create panic among the residents of Delhi. The BJP MPs challenged the Aam Aadmi Party government to test the quality of water released from Haryana before it is supplied to households in Delhi. The BJP leader asserted that the AAP is going to be ousted from power in the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls. In Haryanvi-mixed Hindi, Saini took a dig at the former Delhi chief minister, saying that he has been running a jhoot ki dukan in the national capital for the last 10 years. He (Kejriwal) told a lie on Monday that surprised me. I had to issue a statement at 12 night. He claimed that poison is being mixed in the (Yamuna) water from Haryana and that (Delhi Jal Board) engineers found out about it and stopped the water, he said. I want to tell Kejriwal that it is our holy Yamuna, in which Kalia Naag (a mythical serpent) used to spread poison and Lord Krishna finished him off, he said, accusing the AAP national convenor of blemishing Haryana, where he was born. A major accident marred the Nirvana Laddu Parv of the first Tirthankara in Jainism, Bhagwan Adinath, in Baghpat, on Tuesday, as a wooden platform within the Manastambha complex crumpled, leaving seven dead and trapping over 50 devotees beneath the debris. The unexpected collapse resulted in a chaotic scene filled with panic and confusion as rescue efforts were launched at the site. The absence of readily available ambulances meant that many of the injured were transported to hospitals via e-rickshaws. Emergency responders from the Badaut police team quickly arrived to manage the situation and assist in the ongoing rescue operations, further highlighting the urgency of the situation. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident. He directed officials to immediately reach the location, expedite the relief efforts and prioritise the provision of proper medical treatment to the injured. Additionally, the chief minister expressed his wishes for the speedy recovery of all those affected by the unfortunate event. Baghpat District Magistrate Asmita Lal and Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya rushed to the district hospital to enquire about the well-being of the injured. Asmita Lal confirmed five deaths while two more deaths were reported from hospital but the identity of the victims could not be ascertained. The others were identified as Taraspal (80), Amit (40), Usha (65), Vineet and Kamlesh, all of Baghpat. It may be mentioned that earlier this month, at least six people were killed and 35 injured in a stampede near one of Indias busiest and richest temples, Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, popularly known as Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh. The stampede happened after thousands of devout Hindus assembled there to secure free visit passes. Meanwhile, in another unfortunate incident, a tractor and Bolero collided in Rae Bareli which resulted in the death of three, while three others were injured. It is reported that the driver of the tractor fled after the accident. According to reports, the injured met with an accident while returning after taking holy dip in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. They were rushed to a hospital, where two were said to be in critical condition. These people are from Telibagh. There was an accident in Rae Bareli, and all of them were brought here by ambulance, Emergency Medical Officer Atul Pandey said. In another tragic accident, four friends died in Deoria on Monday night. The four youths were going home by motorcycle after celebrating their friends birthday. The youths were crushed by a truck near Yadav Hotel near Hetimpur highway in Mahuadih police station area. On receiving information, the police reached the spot and sent the bodies for post-mortem. The deceased were identified as 22-year-old Ankit Gaur, 20-year-old Pintu Gaur, 22-year-old Atul Singh and 22-year-old Nitesh Singh. They had come to Deoria late Monday evening to celebrate their friends birthday. In a blistering attack on the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said its 'jhadu' election symbol should be forfeited for pushing the national Capital into a civic mess. Addressing public meetings in support of BJP candidates at Mangolpuri, Vikaspuri and Rajender Nagar, Adityanath accused AAP of making the people of Delhi thirst for water and said he sometimes wondered if the party was possessed by the spirit of Aurangzeb. The firebrand BJP leader also charged AAP of sheltering Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators in Delhi. The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh connected three crore households with piped water supply but by sheltering the tanker mafia, AAP forced the people of Delhi to thirst for every drop, he alleged. "I sometimes wonder, has Aurangzeb's spirit possessed them that they are forcing the people of Delhi to thirst for water?" Adityanath charged. "It's the right time to make AAP yearn for every vote as it has made you thirst for every drop of water," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said during his Rajender Nagar rally. In Vikaspuri, he said the Yamuna was considered a holy river and people chanted "Har Har Gange, Har Har Yamune" after taking a dip in Mathura-Vridavan, alleging that the AAP government had turned it into a "stinking" drain of filth. Citing "civic mess" in Delhi, Adityanath said every road was potholed and littered with garbage, sewers overflowed onto the streets, and people hankered for drinking water. AAP and Kejriwal came to power holding the 'jhadu (broom)' but fooled the people and made the party symbol a synonym for "filth and mess", he claimed. "AAP's 'jhadu' symbol should be forfeited because it has become a synonym for filth, insanitation and mismanagement," he said. AAP is the first political party in independent India to be an accused in a corruption case and more than a dozen of its leaders went to jail, he added. Dubbing AAP a "symbol of corruption and anarchy", Adityanath urged the voters to bring a "double-engine government" of the BJP in the February 5 assembly polls. Addressing a public meeting in support of BJP candidate Raj Kumar Chauhan in Mangolpuri, he also slammed Kejriwal over the "stinking Yamuna" in Delhi. "If you had moral courage, you would have taken a dip in the Yamuna, along with ministers of the AAP government," Adityanath said, referring to a recent dip he had taken at the Sangam in Prayagraj along with his Cabinet, during the ongoing Maha Kumbh. He also charged that the party spread "anarchy" by "sheltering" Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators in Delhi. "AAP's public representatives and office-bearers forcefully occupied hundreds of acres of land of the Uttar Pradesh government's irrigation department near Jamia Nagar and settled Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators," he charged. When the land was not vacated despite repeated warnings, Adityanath said he sent the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and bulldozers and, with the Delhi Police's help, cleared the land. If Delhi needs the land for any medical facility, academic or convention centre, it will be provided but not a single inch of it will be given to infiltrators, he asserted. Adityanath alleged that civic amenities and infrastructure had collapsed in Delhi and people from the city were settling in Noida and Ghaziabad -- both in Uttar Pradesh -- for better facilities. Known as a stronghold of AAP, the Okhla Assembly constituency will see a fierce electoral battle between the sitting two-term AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, Congress candidate Ariba Khan and BJPs candidate Manish Chaudhary. Moreover with the entry of Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) declaring Shifa-ur-Rehman as its candidate, who is currently in jail as an accused in the Delhi riots case, the elections are expected to be polarising. The seat, located in the East Delhi Lok Sabh seat, is an urban area near the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border and is one of Delhis oldest inhabited regions along the Yamuna river. It saw a long dominance of the Congress before it went to the ruling party for the consecutive Assembly elections of 2015 and 2020. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly election, Khan of the AAP secured a landslide victory, receiving 1,30,367 votes while BJPs Brahm Singh finished second with 58,540 votes, accounting for 29.65 per cent of the vote share. Congress Parvez Hashmi managed only 5,123 votes. Khan also dominated the 2015 polls, winning the polls with 1,04,271 votes claiming a vote share of 62.57 per cent while BJPs Brahm Singh garnered only 39,739 votes. Congress Asif Muhammad Khan managed to secure only 20,135 votes. The seat encompasses several areas, including Madanpur Khadar, Khizrabad, Jasola, Aali, and Taimur Nagar. It holds significant political and social importance, with a diverse demographic and voter base including a significant presence of Muslims. The Muslims consists 43 per cent of the seat along with 15 per cent of Gujjars, 10 per cent of Other Backward Castes (OBC), 10 per cent of Scheduled Castes (SC), 6 per cent Punjabis, 3 per cent Pandits, 2 per cent of Sikhs. The seat also has 11 per cent Middle class voters. According to the Election Commission, Okhla has 3,79,509 voters compromising of 2,19,300 males, 1,60,205 females and 4 third gender voters. While the BJP relied on Manish Chaudhary and the AAP showed faith in its two-term MLA Amanatullah Khan, the Congress fielded Ariba Khan this time. Some voters think Khan has the advantage because of his prior work, but others think he hasn't really improved the constituency. Owaisi's AIMIM, however, has announced Shifa-ur-Rehman as its nominee. Rehman submitted his nomination on January 16 and is currently incarcerated as an accused in the Delhi riots case. Noor Fatima, his wife, is pushing for him and is still optimistic that he will win. There are fourteen Okhla candidates in the race. Concerns regarding the dearth of employment prospects and poor infrastructure have been voiced by Okhla residents, emphasising the necessity to widen roads leading to the neighbourhood, as traffic jams are a daily picture. Sanitation remains a major concern, with garbage and drains often left unaddressed. "The region has not seen much development in the last few years. Neither schools nor hospitals have been constructed, Rizwan said. It's not that this party or that party wasn't working, but it's the political mindset of leaders. Political parties use minorities as a vote bank in places where they account for a sizable portion of the vote. They don't care about our way of life. In addition to the inner lanes' narrowness, there is overflowing drainage. They arrive, make promises, and then proudly walk around. However, what does that provide us? he asked. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Tuesday, criticised the difficulties faced by common devotees due to the VIP movement at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Sharing a video showing common devotees walking while a convoy passed along the same road, the SP leader stated in a post on X, On one hand, devotees in the crowd are being pushed and shoved, with some walking 5 to 10 kilometres on foot, while on the other hand, leaders, officials and their entire families are comfortably seated in cars, honking their horns, teasing the devotees, and heading straight to the Maha Kumbh. Attacking the state government for ignoring common people and making them wait for hours in long lines, the SP chief said, Yogi Ji, who boasts about the systems and spends crores on promoting them, is only benefiting the VIPs. The common people have to stand in long lines or wait for hours to avail the benefits of these systems. Taking a jibe at political leaders and government officials for using VIP facilities to take a dip at Triveni Sangam, Akhilesh Yadav said, Its hard to understand whether the sins of those who reach the place of faith with VIP facilities are being washed away or are they accumulating more? Officials are thoroughly enjoying the governments inaction, while the leaders sitting in the government are under the illusion that they can confuse the public with absurd issues during elections and regain their seats, he added. Akhilesh Yadavs attack on the Uttar Pradesh government comes amid videos of many devotees expressing their ordeal while on the way to take a dip at Triveni, Sangam that have surfaced on social media. Akhilesh Yadav, on Monday, had voiced his discontent over the arrangements made by the state government and urged the administration to prioritise the needs of the pilgrims over VIP arrangements. The government should ensure smooth transport for pilgrims instead of creating difficulties due to VIP protocols. The Maha Kumbh should be about special arrangements for the devotees, not the dignitaries, Yadav wrote on X. In a massive protest against the desecration of Dr BR Ambedkars statue in Amritsar on Republic Day, the dalit organizations across Punjab on Tuesday staged widespread demonstrations in four major districts Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Moga calling for justice and the invocation of the National Security Act (NSA) against the accused. The protests came in the wake of an incident on January 26, when a young man, later identified as Akashdeep, allegedly damaged the statue of Dr Ambedkar and desecrated the Constitution book at the Heritage Street in Amritsar. The violence led to a blockade of the Amritsar-Delhi Highway by Dalit protesters in Ludhiana, and the closure of shops and markets in Jalandhar and Ludhiana. In Ludhiana, demonstrators forced shopkeepers in the Ghanta Ghar Market to shut their doors, and a march was held to submit a memorandum to the District Commissioner. The protest also saw shops being closed in Jalandhar in solidarity. The Dalit groups have strongly demanded that the accused be charged under the NSA for his actions, which they argue were aimed at inciting communal tensions. Meanwhile, the Punjab BJP held silent protests across the State, covering their mouths with cloth, in solidarity with the Dalit community. BJP leaders, including from Mohali and Jalandhar, participated in the protests, highlighting their concerns over rising incidents of intolerance. The controversy erupted when Akashdeep, a 12th-grade student from Moga, climbed Dr Ambedkars statue on Republic Day and smashed it with a hammer. Security guards attempted to intervene, and the accused was detained. After his release, the incident led to large-scale protests by Dalit organizations in Amritsar and surrounding regions on January 27. In the wake of the protest, shops in Hall Gate and Wall City Market were shut in Amritsar, and Bhundari Bridge was blocked, creating traffic jams. Akashdeep, who had returned from Dubai three months prior to the incident, has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses under the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita. The police have not yet determined his motive for desecrating the statue. Akashdeeps questioning is expected to shed light on the reasons behind his actions, with further investigation set for January 30. Punjabs Cabinet Minister Aman Arora has reiterated that Punjab, a land of saints and mystics, will never allow divisive forces to succeed. He emphasized that the people of Punjab will stand united in the face of such attempts to sow hatred, and the state government will continue to ensure harmony and peace among its people. / Punjab Polices Special State Operation Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, has arrested two individuals involved in a grenade attack on the Gumtala Police Post in Amritsar earlier this month. The arrested persons have been identified as Bagga Singh from Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Sirsa, Haryana, and Puskaran Singh alias Sagar from Amarkot, Amritsar. The duo was apprehended following an intensive investigation that traced their connection to the USA-based drug smuggler Sarwan Bhola and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passian, who are alleged to have coordinated terror activities across the region, said the state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday. In addition to the arrests, Punjab Police seized a hand grenade and two sophisticated pistols, along with ammunition, from their possession, a significant recovery that highlighted the dangerous nature of the groups operations. The attack on the Gumtala Police Post, which took place on January 9, 2025, involved the hurling of a hand grenade, an act that was later claimed by the banned terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) on social media. DGP Yadav said that investigations revealed that Bagga Singh is related to Sarwan Bhola, who is the brother of notorious drug smuggler Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta. The latter is currently incarcerated in Bathinda jail in connection with a massive heroin haul of 532 kg. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday, inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening (UP-AGREES) project, marking a significant step forward for farmers and the agriculture sector. This project is expected to become a milestone in boosting agricultural productivity, enhancing rural enterprises and empowering farmers in the state. It aims to improve farmers yield, which is anticipated to rise from 10 quintals to 14-15 quintals per acre, and will provide a much-needed boost to the agricultural economy of UP. It is worth mentioning here that around 45 per cent of the countrys land is cultivable, with 75 per cent of this land located in UP, making the state one of the most fertile and productive regions in India. This is why UP leads the nation in the production of wheat, potatoes, mangoes, guavas, peas, mushrooms, watermelons, honey, and more. The state accounts for 15 per cent of Indias vegetable production and 11 per cent of its fruit production. Despite housing 16 to 17 per cent of the nations population, UP contributes over 23 per cent of Indias food grain output, earning it the title of the food basket of India. Congress leader Ajay Maken on Tuesday attacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal over allegations regarding Delhi's water supply, saying that if the former Delhi chief minister is lying, it is "treason." The former union minister also demanded the statements made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana and Kejriwal to be investigated. "If Arvind Kejriwal is lying about mixing poison in the water, it is treason. If the Haryana government is wrong, action should be taken. If Arvind Kejriwal is spreading rumours, action should be taken against him," Maken said in a press conference. His remarks in a news conference came in response to Kejriwal's statement on Monday, in which he alleged that Delhis water supply had been poisoned. He also accused the Haryana government of planning a "genocide" against Delhi residents. The remarks have ignited a storm in the national capital and in neighbouring Haryana, whose Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini threatened to sue the AAP chief. On the other hand, the Delhi Jal Board CEO wrote a letter to the chief secretary saying that Arvind Kejriwal's remarks were factually incorrect and without any basis. Maken also spoke out on the matter of support extended by Samajwadi Party(SP)chief Akhilesh Yadav and other INDIA bloc parties to AAP and Arvind Kejriwal ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections. He called on the INDIA bloc allies to recognise that only Congress could effectively fight the BJP and urged that they should not weaken the party. The Congress, which held power in Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has faced major setbacks in the last two assembly elections, failing to win any seats. In contrast, AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, securing 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of 70, while BJP won only three and eight seats in these elections. Maken also alleged that a total of 3.20 lakh beneficiaries have not been paid Rs 618 crore by the Delhi government under the "Ladli Yojana," launched by former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in 2008. He said Dikshit had launched the Ladli Yojana scheme on January 1, 2008 to stop female foeticide and save the girl child in the national capital. "This was Delhi's flagship scheme, which was praised across the world," he added. In its response, the Aam Aadmi Party said, "It's unfortunate how the Congress is parroting BJP-manufactured lies -- using forged documents cooked up in BJP offices -- to hurl baseless accusations at the AAP. The Congress must publicly declare its alliance with the BJP now." The Ladli Yojana provides financial assistance in the form of term deposits: Rs 11,000 for hospital births, Rs 10,000 for home births, and Rs 5,000 at key milestones -- enrollment in classes one, two, six, nine, and 10. As soon as the girl turns 18, Rs 1 lakh is deposited in her account. "According to the CAG report, a total of 20,242 people registered in 2008-09 when the scheme was launched. This was done under registration at birth. The numbers increased to 23,871 in 2009-10. However, the registration has reduced to 3,153 in 2020-21," Maken said, adding that there was a decline of 700 per cent. When it began, the scheme had two parts. First, the money was to be given after registration at the time of birth of the girl child. Second, if registration was not done at birth, it could be done later. "The government has not done any publicity, and no action has been taken for the scheme," he alleged. The total registration in 2013-14 was 1,39,346, but it reduced to 43,415 in 2020-21, amounting to a reduction of 300 per cent. The population is increasing in Delhi, but the registration has decreased, he said. "The government is promising to give Rs 2,100 to women but is not implementing the scheme meant for the girls," Maken alleged. On the 64th day of his hunger strike, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Tuesday vowed to continue his protest until the government meets all the demands of the farmer community, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the protection of Punjabs water resources. Dallewals unwavering commitment to the cause has captured national attention, as he refused to back down until his demands are addressed. Despite the toll on his health, Dallewal remained steadfast, calling for farmers across the country to unite and stand together for the movements success. In his first address since agreeing to accept medical aid on January 4, Dallewal emphasized the urgent need for farmers unity in the ongoing struggle. We are inching closer to victory, but we need to come together as one force to make it a reality. Internal divisions are the only thing holding us back, he said in his frail but resolute voice. Dallewals appeal for unity comes at a critical juncture, as the farmers movement gains momentum and heads into key talks with the Central Government scheduled for February 14. He urged the farmer community to join him at the Khanauri border on February 12 the anniversary of the ongoing protest, to show their strength and solidarity. Reflecting on his health and the ongoing struggle, Dallewal shared that he had reluctantly accepted medical aid after the government offered a meeting for February 14, but reiterated that his fast will continue until the government addresses their demands. While I have accepted medical assistance, my hunger strike will persist until we achieve our goals, he vowed, underscoring the significance of the farmers' demands in securing a better future for the community. As the one-year anniversary of the farmers protests approaches on February 13, three Mahapanchayats (major gatherings) have been planned to mobilize support. These gatherings are set to take place from February 11 to 13, with each event drawing thousands of farmers from different states. The first will be held on February 11 at Ratnapura, followed by a mass gathering on February 12 at the Khanauri border, and another on February 13 at Shambhu. A major delegation from Uttar Pradesh, led by prominent farmer leaders, has already reached Khanauri to extend their support to the ongoing protest. The farmers of Khanauri have shown unwavering resolve, with significant efforts underway to ensure that the February 12 Mahapanchayat is a grand success. Dallewal, who began fast on November 26, urged the farmers from across the country to assemble at the Khanauri border on February 12 for a mahapanchayat (mass gathering) marking the first anniversary of the Delhi Chalo Andolan 2.0. He expressed hope that the immense show of solidarity would energize him, allowing him to attend the crucial talks scheduled with the Central Government on February 14. Your presence at the Khanauri border on February 12 will give me the strength to continue this struggle and help me physically attend the talks with the government, Dallewal said, his voice resolute despite the toll of his prolonged fast. This protest is not just for us, but for the future of our farmers, our land, and our water. We are inching closer to victory, and it is your support that fuels this movement, he said. Dallewals hunger strike is rooted in a series of demands, with the most pressing being the legal guarantee for MSP, a crucial safeguard for farmers who often face market exploitation. He also emphasized the importance of safeguarding Punjab's water resources, which are under increasing strain due to both environmental challenges and governmental policies. His message was clear the future of agriculture in Punjab depends on these demands being met. Reflecting on the previous farmers movement, Dallewal noted how the sentiment across the country is unified in the call for MSP and protection of water resources. MSP is not a mere demand; it is essential to protect Punjabs water and ensure the survival of our agricultural practices. Whatever I could do, I have done with Wahegurus guidance, he said, thanking the people of India for their continued support. In a significant gesture of gratitude for the progress made in the movement, Dallewal announced that the farmers would hold an Akhand Path (a religious ceremony) to seek divine blessings for the success of their cause. The ceremony will be held on January 30, and Dallewal encouraged people to participate in the prayers for the government to come to its senses and agree to the farmers' demands. Dallewals appeal for unity among the farmers' factions was also evident as he spoke about the ongoing efforts to create a unified front. He expressed frustration over the delays in forming a cohesive movement despite multiple rounds of meetings. The public sentiment is clear we must fight together. We are so close to achieving our goals, yet internal divisions continue to hold us back, he said. In addition, the memory of Shubhkaran Singh, a Bathinda-based young farmer who tragically lost his life during the police crackdown at Khanauri last year, continues to fuel the resolve of the protesters. A memorial event will be held on February 21 to mark the first anniversary of his death, further strengthening the emotional bond between the farmers and their cause. The Protest The history of the farmers' movement has been marked by struggle, sacrifice, and unity. It all began on February 13, 2024, when farmers from Punjab and Haryana united to demand a legal guarantee for MSP and other reforms. Initially, the Centre appeared to respond, sending senior leaders, including then Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, to engage in talks. However, after the government failed to address the farmers' concerns, the movement escalated, with barricades being erected and trade disruptions causing a standoff at the Khanauri border. The violent clash at Khanauri, which resulted in the death of Shubhkaran Singh, led to widespread outrage and further intensified the farmers resolve. Legal battles ensued, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordering the removal of barricades, but the Haryana Government escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, which formed a high-power committee to address the issue. The farmers determination was further demonstrated through the nationwide tractor march on January 26, which galvanized public support. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's second day of Japan visit on wednesday, he will engage in crucial discussions with prominent industrialists and organizations. Efforts will be made to strengthen Indias economic partnership with Japan. The day will be dedicated to enhancing investment, trade, and industrial cooperation in the state. The first meeting of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav will be with Mr. Yuji Fukusawa, President of East Japan Railway Company and the South Asia Committee of Keidanren. The meeting will be held at the conference hall of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, focusing on technical cooperation and investment opportunities in the railway and transport sectors. Dr. Yadav will meet with Mr. Susumu Kataoka, President of JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization). The meeting will take place at JETRO's headquarters, Ark Mori Building, Minato-ku, Tokyo. The primary goal of the discussions will be to explore business and industrial development opportunities in Madhya Pradesh and strengthen trade relations with Japan. Dr. Yadav will meet with Mr. Takayuki Sanno, Chairman of Suntory India, at the Imperial Hotel. The meeting will focus on investment and collaboration in the food and beverage industry. In the afternoon, Dr. Yadav will meet with officials at the Bridgestone Headquarters in Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The discussion will aim to expand technical partnerships and investment opportunities in the automobile and tire industry. Dr. Yadav will meet with Mr. Shohei Hara, Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The discussions will center on water management, smart city projects, and infrastructure development. In the afternoon, Dr. Yadav will meet with Mr. Tadashi Yanai, Chairman and CEO of Fast Retailing Company. The conversation will focus on developing Madhya Pradesh as a major hub for the textile and retail industry. Dr. Yadav will meet with Mr. Toshiyuki Shirai, Chairman of Nitori Holdings, at the Imperial Hotels conference hall. The meeting will focus on exploring new opportunities for collaboration in the furniture industry. In the evening, Dr. Yadav will participate in an interaction program with the Indian diaspora and friends of Madhya Pradesh at the Hikari Hall of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. The Chief Minister will highlight the state's industrial progress, investment opportunities, and policies. He will also attend the dinner hosted during this event. This day of Chief Minister Dr. Yadavs visit will mark a significant step towards establishing Madhya Pradesh as a global investment destination and forging long-term industrial partnerships with Japan. The visit holds the potential to open new doors for the states economic progress. Habibganj police arrested two robbers and recovered stolen goods, including looted mobile phones and a stolen Activa, collectively worth ?3 lakhs. On January 27, during a routine vehicle check near Metro Walk, police intercepted two suspects riding a white Activa without a number plate. The suspects, identified as Lilendra alias Sameer Singh Meena of Govind Dham Suraj Nagar and Manish alias Dev Malviya of Shahpura, failed to provide valid documents for the vehicle. Upon further questioning, they admitted to stealing the Activa 56 months ago from MP Nagar. A search of the Activa's trunk revealed seven mobile phones, which the accused confessed were snatched from passersby across various locations in Bhopal. The duo stated they were en route to sell the stolen phones when apprehended. The police registered a case under relevant sections of the law, and the stolen Activa, along with the mobile phones, was seized. Ahead of the high-stakes January 30 mayoral elections in Chandigarh, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress have moved their councillors to resorts in Punjab, an AAP-ruled state, to avoid poaching attempts. Sources said that all six Congress councillors have been shifted to a resort in Ludhiana. Similarly, 10 AAP councillors have been relocated to a resort near Rupnagar while three councilors are in Chandigarh. AAP- Congress alliance suffered a setback after three-time Congress Councillor Gurbax Rawat on Monday joined BJP. With this, the INDIA bloc is now left with 20 votes in House 13 from AAP, six from Congress, and one ex officio vote of MP Manish Tewari while the BJP has 16 votes. With Congress Councillor Rawat's shift to BJP a few days before the Mayoral election, the possibility of cross voting has increased. In the last election, Akali Dal Councillor Hardeep Singh had voted in favour of the BJP candidate but now he has joined the Aam Aadmi Party. In such a situation, AAP's numbers have increased compared to the last elections. Sources in AAP said that BJP is trying to approach their Councillor and get them on its side. The leaders were also asked to surrender their mobile phones. Three AAP councillors have, however, refused to go to the hotel over differences within the party. These three councillors were unhappy over the candidature of AAPs Prem Lata for mayor and were in talks with the BJP. The saffron party now requires only three more votes to secure the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the January 30 elections. Both the political Groups are currently working hard to get the magic number to clinch all three posts. The candidate who gets 19 votes will win the Mayor election. Talking to Reporters, Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky alleged that the BJPs motives were clear. Last year, they undermined democracy by rigging the mayoral elections through Anil Masih. Now, they are engaging in shameless horse-trading and buying councillors loyalties using money and muscle power. The people of Chandigarh will not forget this betrayal by Rawat and the BJP, he said. BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra criticised the AAP-Congress alliance, accusing them of lacking cohesion. He pointed out that the two parties had failed to hold a single joint press conference or official meeting to announce their alliance. He also claimed that Councillors from both parties were confused, as they criticised each other in Delhi while presenting themselves as allies in Chandigarh. Monday was the last date for withdrawal of nominations but no one withdrew the nomination. This time the post of Mayor is reserved for a woman councilor. AAP named its Councillor Prem Lata as the party candidate for the post of Chandigarh Mayor. Lata will take on BJP's Harpreet Kaur Babla. While the AAP has fielded its candidate for the post of Mayor, the Congress has put up its candidates--Jasbir Singh Bunty and Taruna Mehta -- for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The BJP has fielded Bimla Dubey for the post of senior deputy mayor and Lakhbir Singh Billu for deputy mayor. It should be mentioned here that the Supreme Court on Monday appointed Justice Jaishree Thakur a former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court as an independent observer to physically supervise the Chandigarh mayoral election on January 30. The election will be held at 11 am in the Assembly Hall of the Chandigarh municipal corporation, Sector 17 on January 30, with results to be announced right away. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav held a meeting with senior officials from Toyota Motor Corporation to discuss investment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh on the first day of his visit to Japan. He met Mr. Toshiyuki Nakahara, General Manager, Administration & Support Department, India and Middle East Division, and Mr. Masahiro Nogi, Project General Manager, Administration & Support Department, India and Middle East Division, for in-depth discussions on business prospects and investment opportunities. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav highlighted Madhya Pradesh as an ideal destination for investment and briefed to the team Toyota about the states key features. He stated that Madhya Pradeshs central location in India makes it an ideal hub for the north, south, east, and west regions. The state has a vast industrial land bank, a skilled workforce, and excellent infrastructure. Particularly, the Pithampur automobile cluster is emerging rapidly as an industrial hub, bringing immense opportunities for global investors. Dr. Yadav emphasized the peaceful and disaster-free environment of the state, drawing a comparison with Japans reputation for peace and stability. He pointed out that Madhya Pradesh is safe from natural disasters, making it even more favorable for investment. The states industrious and disciplined populace, along with its technical expertise and business commitment, provides an excellent environment for industries. The Chief Minister invited Toyota to invest in Madhya Pradesh and particularly emphasized the potential for training and empowering youth for technical jobs. He stated that Madhya Pradesh offers an ideal location for Toyota to establish its facilities and expand its business. The states industrial policies, investment incentives, land availability, and its ability to attract global companies make it a favorable investment destination. Toyotas officials appreciated the states industrial environment and investment-friendly atmosphere and expressed their commitment to collaborating with Madhya Pradesh. This visit by Chief Minister Dr. Yadav is a major milestone of the Invest in Madhya Pradesh campaign, paving the way for the Global Investors Summit 2025 to be held in Bhopal in February 2025. The meeting is another significant step in strengthening economic cooperation between India and Japan and positioning Madhya Pradesh as a global investment hub. Invitation to Global Investors Summit Dr. Yadav also invited Japanese industrialists to participate in the Global Investors Summit, scheduled to be held in Bhopal on February 24-25, 2025. This two-day summit aims to showcase the states investment opportunities, climate, and industrial infrastructure. It will provide numerous opportunities for potential collaboration in investment and will serve as a platform for global leaders, industrialists, and experts to share their insights on international markets and trends and discuss ways to maximize Madhya Pradeshs investment potential. The Chief Minister invited Japanese industry leaders to take part in the Invest Madhya Pradesh - Global Investors Summit 2025. BJP leaders on Tuesday slammed the AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal of making a dangerous statement and asked him to prove that there is poison in the water or else apologise immediately. Lambasting the AAP chief, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said even Pakistan did not make such an allegation against India during wars, claiming that Kejriwal has made a low-level claim to hide his failures, and sensing his party's impending defeat in the Delhi Assembly polls. BJP manifesto committee chairman Ramvir Singh Bidhuri slammed the AAP chief saying poison is not in the water of Yamuna but in the mind of him. Seeing the defeat in the elections, he is now losing his senses and is making baseless allegations, Bidhuri said. He said that Kejriwal has polluted the Yamuna in Delhi so much in ten years that he cannot even take its water in a handful, while he used to talk about bathing in it. The silt of Delhi's water treatment plants has not been removed, due to which their capacity is being badly affected. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly and BJP candidate from Rohini Assembly constituency, Vijender Gupta, on Tuesday described Arvind Kejriwal's accusation of Haryana sending toxic water to Delhi as a result of his desperation. Making this assertion, Gupta also claimed that Kejriwal and other senior AAP leaders are frustrated by the prospect of their defeat and, losing mental balance and are making baseless statements. Addressing people during a padyatra in sector-13 of Rohini Assembly constituency, Gupta said Kejriwal has done nothing for the people of Delhi in the last ten years, leading to widespread public dissatisfaction. He stated that the people have decided to uproot AAP's government this time, and as a result, Kejriwal and his party leaders have already realised their defeat. The BJP leader remarked that old slogans like shining Delhi's roads and free electricity and water will not work anymore as the public has seen through their motives. He appealed to the people of Delhi to replace Kejriwal's corrupt government and hand over the reins to the BJP. Gupta assured them that with a double-engine government, BJP would understand and quickly resolve their problems. He promised that as soon as the BJP comes to power, all Central Government schemes would be implemented for the people of Delhi from day one. In a bid to strengthen the leadership and management skills of educational leaders, the Punjab Government has partnered with the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, to offer a specialized Management Development Program (MDP) for the Principals of ITIs and Polytechnics across the state. This collaboration aims to enhance the academic and managerial performance of these institutions, ensuring that they meet the evolving demands of technical education. Punjab Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Tuesday announced that a team of IIM-Ahmedabad experts will visit Punjab from February 12-15, 2025, to engage with stakeholders and fine-tune the training needs for the program. We are working closely with IIM-Ahmedabad to develop this transformative program, which will not only elevate the quality of leadership in our technical institutions but also create Centres of Excellence in Punjab's technical education landscape, Bains said. As part of the initiative, 30 Principals from ITIs and Polytechnics, along with senior department officials, will undergo a five-day residential training at IIM-Ahmedabad. The program will feature 20 interactive sessions, led by renowned professors such as Prof Ambrish Dongre and Prof Neharika Vohra, focusing on enhancing leadership, strategic planning, conflict resolution, and team management skills. The program also aims to improve time management, communication strategies, and budgeting capabilities, empowering participants to lead their institutions effectively. This program, aligned with the state's vision to upgrade its vocational education and skill development ecosystem, is expected to foster better industry collaborations, enhance skill development opportunities, and ultimately elevate the standard of technical education in Punjab. As millions of devotees and tourists gather in Prayagraj for the Mauni Amavasya snan at Maha Kumbh on Wednesday, the meal administration and police have intensified safety measures to ensure a secure and comfortable experience for them. Devotees have also been urged to remain vigilant, steer clear of rumors, and report concerns promptly. A dedicated team comprising the mela police, traffic police and specialised doctors has been deployed around the clock to assist devotees in case of emergencies. Senior Superintendent of Police (Mahakumbhnagar) Rajesh Dwivedi, stated, Robust arrangements have been made for the second Amrit Snan of Maha Kumbh, especially for Mauni Amavasya. He urged devotees to cooperate with the police, remain cautious and seek assistance. The police and administration are available 24x7 to support the devotees at Maha Kumbh, he added. The devotees have been advised to take different lanes to reach Sangam ghat; stay in their lanes while going for a holy dip; after bathing and darshan, go straight to the parking; while going for darshan in temples, stay in their lane, and from there, leave for their destination; take the help of the police if needed; in case of any health-related problem, get themselves examined in the hospital set up in the nearest sector; be patient on the barricading and pontoon bridges, and avoid hurrying and jostling; use only paper, jute or eco-friendly utensils and kulhar. What not to do: Devotees should not stop at one place together; under no circumstances should the devotees coming and going come face to face; ignore rumours; do not believe any confusion spread on social media; do not rush to visit temples; do not stop on roads instead of holding areas, and do not create any obstruction; avoid getting misled by anyone regarding arrangements or facilities; avoid spreading any kind of misleading news, not rush to take a holy bath. The court has remanded former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma and his associate Chetan Gaur to police custody until February 4 after their arrest by the Lokayukta. The duo was presented in court on Tuesday following a five-hour interrogation at the Lokayukta office. The Lokayukta had sought a seven-day police remand, but Saurabhs lawyer, Harish Mehta, opposed the request. However, after considering all arguments, the court granted the seven-day remand. During the hearing, the Lokayuktas lawyer argued that further investigation was necessary, including face-to-face questioning of Saurabh and Chetan. The Lokayukta also revealed that a "golden car" seized during the search belonged to Chetan Gaur. Meanwhile, Saurabhs partner, Sharad Jaiswal, arrived at the Lokayukta office with his lawyer to record his statement. After providing his statement, Jaiswal was also taken into custody and questioned. Saurabh Sharma had been absconding for 41 days, evading searches by the Lokayukta, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Income Tax Department. He eventually surrendered at the Lokayukta special court in Bhopal on Monday with his lawyer. The court ordered him to appear again on Tuesday at 11 a.m., where the Lokayukta arrested him outside the court premises. In a span of nine days, the ED, Lokayukta, and Income Tax Department conducted raids on Saurabhs residence and uncovered assets worth over Rs 93 crores. This included 52 kg of gold and Rs 11 crores in cash found in a car. On December 27, the ED raided the properties of Saurabh Sharma, Chetan Singh Gaur, Sharad Jaiswal, and Rohit Tiwari. The investigation revealed a bank balance of Rs 4 crores in the accounts of Saurabhs family and friends, along with properties worth Rs 23 crores. The case highlights the extensive corruption involving Saurabh Sharma and his associates, with multiple agencies working to uncover the full extent of their illicit activities. The courts decision to grant a seven-day remand reflects the ongoing need for thorough investigation into the case. Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, H.D. Kumaraswamy, along with Minister of State for Steel, Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma, addressed the media during their departure from Bokaro. They summarized the key outcomes of their two-day visit, reaffirming the governments commitment to transforming Bokaro into a hub of industrial excellence through significant investments, improved infrastructure, and sustainable practices. The ministers emphasized the Rs 20,000 crore brownfield expansion plan for Bokaro Steel Plant, which aims to increase production capacity from 5.25 MTPA to 7.55 MTPA. Kumaraswamy highlighted that the expansion, which includes advanced facilities such as a 4500 cubic meter blast furnace and thin slab casting and direct rolling systems, aligns with Indias goal of producing 300 MTPA steel by 2030. The project will generate 2,500 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs, significantly boosting local employment opportunities. Both ministers assured that the much-anticipated Bokaro airport would begin operations soon. Kumaraswamy noted that the matter is under review and promised swift action to ensure the airport is operational at the earliest, facilitating regional connectivity and accelerating industrial growth. Speaking on SAILs leadership, Kumaraswamy and Varma expressed confidence in SAIL Chairman Amarendu Prakash and Bokaro Steel Plant Director-in-Charge B.K. Tiwari. They praised their efforts to overcome global challenges in the steel market and drive modernization. Kumaraswamy added that he is personally reviewing key projects regularly to ensure a unified and efficient approach in addressing challenges and achieving milestones. The ministers also emphasized sustainability, with Kumaraswamy highlighting Bokaro Steel Plants plans to reduce carbon emissions from 2.67 tonnes to below 2.2 tonnes per tonne of crude steel by 2030. Ongoing renewable energy initiatives, such as a 30 MW floating solar power plant and 100 MW of power procurement through SECI, were cited as crucial steps toward environmentally friendly steel production. During their visit, the ministers reviewed progress at the Tasra Coal Mine and Chasnalla Washery, key projects aimed at reducing reliance on imported coking coal. The Tasra Coal Mine, scheduled to begin operations by September 2025, will produce 3.5 MTPA of domestic coking coal. Varma noted that these projects are essential for ensuring raw material security and aligning with Indias self-reliance goals. As they departed, both Kumaraswamy and Varma reaffirmed the governments commitment to transforming Bokaro into a major industrial hub, aligning with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. They thanked the SAIL leadership and local stakeholders for their cooperation and assured continued support for the regions development. Vedanta ESL Limited, an integrated steel producer and part of the Vedanta Group, celebrated Indias 76th Republic Day with enthusiasm and a strong sense of patriotism. The event, held at the companys Siyaljori plant in Bokaro, showcased the organizations dedication to community well-being and national development. The celebrations commenced with a parade inspection by ESL Steel Limiteds security personnel, followed by the ceremonial unfurling of the national flag by Ashish Gupta, CEO & WTD of Vedanta ESL Limited. The event also included a felicitation ceremony recognizing employees for their outstanding contributions to the company, as well as an inspiring address by Mr. Gupta. More than 100 individuals, including management members, employees, their families, and workers from the shop floor, attended the event. The parade, performed by over 500 security personnel, was met with applause for its precision and dedication, reflecting the discipline and commitment of the team. Approximately 10 employees were honored for their exceptional efforts in areas such as housekeeping, safety initiatives, and in-house construction projects. In his address, Ashish Gupta highlighted the synergy between community growth and business progress. He emphasized Vedanta ESLs commitment to creating employment opportunities for local communities and enhancing socio-economic conditions in the region. The companys CSR initiatives have transformed lives, making 450 acres of land cultivable, providing potable water to 1,400 homes, supporting the education of over 12,000 students, and offering healthcare services to nearly 1.7 lakh villagers. The Republic Day celebrations reinforced Vedanta ESLs pledge to contribute to the social and economic development of Bokaro, Jharkhand, and the nation. The company remains steadfast in its efforts to drive sustainable growth while uplifting the communities it serves. A weekly public grievance meeting, known as 'Janata Darbar', was held at the Collectorate. The meeting was chaired by the District Supply Officer, Ram Gopal Pandey. Villagers raised concerns about issues such as ration, pensions, housing, and employment. Their grievances were heard, and officials were instructed to address them. Several women from Kharshota complained that eligible beneficiaries were not receiving benefits from the 'Abua Awas' scheme. They alleged that ineligible beneficiaries were receiving benefits in exchange for money, and that eligible beneficiaries were being asked for bribes. Devanath Ram, from Hariharpur village, submitted an application stating that descendants of a former landowner were illegally occupying houses and land. He alleged they were harassing and persecuting poor Scheduled Caste and weaker sections of society. He requested action to be taken. Women from Sundhi Tola village complained that they had not received benefits from the Chief Minister's Bal Aashirwad scheme. They had submitted the required forms, but their children had not received the benefits. They requested the District Supply Officer to ensure they receive the benefits. Rampravesh Paswan and Shobha Devi, from Parihara village, informed the District Supply Officer that they had been denied benefits from the 'Abua Awas' scheme by the panchayat secretary. The secretary had declared them ineligible by falsely claiming they had a pucca house. They requested an investigation and the provision of 'Abua Awas' to eligible beneficiaries. Other individuals also raised various issues. The concerned officials were instructed to take necessary action to resolve the complaints. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday, asked whether Indias largest minority would accept that their ancestors were Rams devotees like Indonesia. Speaking at a private channels event held in Lucknow on Tuesday, Chief Minister Yogi highlighted Indonesias strong cultural ties to India, noting that despite being a Muslim-majority country, Indonesia honours its Indian heritage, with traditions like Ramlila, a national airline named Garuda and Ganpati featured on its currency. He also noted that the Indonesian Presidents name is inspired by Sanskrit and posed a thought-provoking question: Would a significant portion of Indias population, often viewed as a vote bank, accept Lord Ram as their ancestor, despite benefiting from the land and its resources? He further shared his views on several pressing issues, including the rights of minorities, electricity theft, the Waqf Act, appeasement politics and preparations for Maha Kumbh 2025. The chief minister urged Indias minorities to take pride in their ancestors, citing Indonesia as an example. On the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Chief Minister Yogi firmly addressed opposition warnings, saying, The amendments to the Waqf Act are a necessity of the times. I am glad the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has worked on this, and I hope it will be implemented in the next session. He emphasised that the goal of such changes is to ensure transparency and justice in society. Just as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was implemented to benefit minorities from neighbouring countries, the amended Waqf Bill will also be enforced, he remarked. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pointed out discrepancies in Waqf land claims in Uttar Pradesh. Waqf has no land of its own; its revenue land. Waqf had claimed 1.27 lakh properties in the state, but upon investigation, only 7,000 were found to be valid. He stressed that public property belongs to the Revenue Department and should serve public or administrative purposes. Referring to Sambhal, he added that even there, no objections were raised. Addressing the ongoing dispute surrounding the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, he asserted the importance of historical evidence and ancient scriptures. He referred to mentions of Sambhal in the Puranas and Ain-i-Akbari, stating that the latter records show how Mir Baqi demolished a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu to construct the mosque. We are not looking for temples everywhere, but where historical evidence exists, it is important to bring the truth to light, Chief Minister Yogi said. Responding to remarks by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi, the chief minister pointed out that Indian scriptures offer clear evidence of the significance of Sambhal. The Puranas, written over 3,500 to 5,000 years ago, detail the place of Lord Vishnus 10th incarnation. Islam came into existence only 1,400 years ago, and we have no issue with it. However, the historical facts cannot be ignored, he said. Chief Minister Yogi urged sceptics to refer to Ain-i-Akbari and consider the findings from archaeological excavations in Sambhal. The excavations reveal evidence of an ancient city mentioned in the Puranas. These findings align with the traditional beliefs of the people. If such truths are emerging, I believe everyone should have the courage to accept them, he remarked. Taking a strong stance on electricity theft in Sambhal, the chief minister highlighted its adverse impact on the states power sector. He said that Sambhal, with a population of just three lakhs, incurred electricity theft worth Rs 200 crore monthly. Temporary substations were even set up atop mosques to facilitate the theft, he added. We conducted raids on four mosques and disconnected illegal connections. This was an injustice to consumers who pay their bills on time, Chief Minister Yogi stated. He further emphasised the financial burden on the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, which is currently facing an annual loss of Rs 46,000 crore, was projected to rise to Rs 60,000 crore next year. In Sambhal alone, 90 per cent of electricity was being stolen. Such inefficiencies had to be addressed, he added. The chief minister also criticised the Delhi government, comparing the electricity rates and power supply conditions in both states. In Delhi, electricity costs Rs 9-10 per unit, while in Uttar Pradesh, it is Rs 3.5 per unit. Yet, Delhi faces frequent power cuts, he said. Haryana Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Vipul Goel on Wednesday said the state government will get a case registered against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal over his "poison in Yamuna" remark, which he dubbed an irresponsible statement aimed at spread panic among people. "Kejriwal has made an irresponsible statement spreading panic among the people of Delhi and Haryana. Haryana government is going to get a case registered against him before CJM Court in Sonipat under the Disaster Management Act's Sections 2 (D) and 54," Goel told reporters here. The provision which Goel referred to regarding the Act pertains to anyone making or circulating a false alarm or warning as to disaster or its severity or magnitude, leading to panic. Hitting out at the former Delhi chief minister, Goel accused him of speaking "such a big lie". "What kind of water we give them (to Delhi), all our officers have checked the water being supplied," he said. Slamming Kejriwal over his remarks that "poison" is being mixed in the Yamuna, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that "AAP-da people" have turned desperate fearing their defeat in the Delhi Assembly polls. Addressing a public meeting in Delhi's Kartar Nagar, Modi said, "A former CM has made malicious allegations against the people of Haryana. 'AAP-da' people have become desperate due to the fear of defeat." "Is Haryana different from Delhi? Don't they have children and relatives in Delhi? Will they mix poison for their own people?" he asked, hitting out at Kejriwal. He said the people of Delhi, diplomats in the embassies and the judges staying in the national capital drink the same water from Haryana. Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had said Kejriwal's remark that the BJP is "mixing poison in the Yamuna" is a "political stunt" by the AAP aimed at influencing voters in the Delhi polls and deflecting attention from its own failures. Saini had assured that the Haryana government is committed to ensuring the purity and continuous supply of water to Delhi. The AAP had on Monday accused the ruling BJP in Haryana of intentionally draining industrial waste into the Yamuna, with Kejriwal alleging that it is trying to kill people by "mixing poison" in the river. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi had also on Monday alleged that the BJP is "deliberately disrupting" Delhi's water supply as a "historic loss" awaits the saffron party in the February 5 assembly polls in the national capital. Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP is trying to keep the people of Delhi thirsty as it indulges in "dirty politics". "BJP people in Haryana are mixing poison in the water and sending it to Delhi. If people in Delhi drink this water, many will die. Can anything be more disgusting than this? "The poison that is being mixed in the water cannot even be cleaned in water treatment plants. For the safety of the people of Delhi, the water supply has to be stopped in many areas," Kejriwal had said in a post on X. The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed hospitals, including AIIMS New Delhi, to regularise the unauthorised absence of doctors who were part of protests against the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar took note of the submissions of a doctors' body that some hospitals had regularised the absence of the doctors following its August 22, 2024 order but a few others, including AIIMS Delhi, decided to treat the period as leave of absence. "We deem it appropriate to clarify that if protesting workers had joined work post the Supreme Court order then their absence shall be regularised and not be treated as absence from duty. This is issued in peculiar facts and circumstances of the cases and is not laying down any precedent, the CJI said. The lawyer appearing for the body said the decision to treat the protest period as leave may create trouble for some of the medical PG students. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said as the case was non-adversarial, the hospitals would abide by the top court's directions. Mehta said AIIMS, Delhi, decided to treat the period as leave of absence availed by the doctors. By an earlier order, it was stated that no coercive step would be taken against the protesting doctors for protests till the date of the order. Pursuant to this some of the AIIMS such as Kalyani and Gorakhpur and the PGI Chandigarh have regularised the absence. However some other institutes have treated the said period as if doctors were on leave," said the bench. On August 22, last year, the bench made an impassioned appeal to the protesting doctors across the country, asking them to resume work. Observing "justice and medicine" couldn't be stopped, it directed no coercive action would be taken against doctors once they resumed work. The heinous crime triggered nationwide outrage and prolonged protests in West Bengal. The bench was hearing the suo-motu case over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the Kolkata hospital. On January 20, a Kolkata trial court awarded convict Sanjay Roy "life term imprisonment till death" in the case. The body of the post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the hospital's seminar room on August 9, last year following which the Kolkata police arrested civic volunteer Roy the next day in connection with the crime. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday held a high-level meeting at his residence here on Wednesday after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh and said some people were "seriously injured" in the incident. The situation is under control now, even though the crowd pressure remains, he told reporters here after the meeting. Adityanath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Amit Shah and J P Nadda called him to take stock of the situation in Prayagraj. The chief minister said around 9-10 crore people are in Prayagraj and appealed to devotees to take a dip in the Ganga at their nearest ghats and not try to reach the Sangam Nose to avoid overcrowding. Multiple casualties were feared after the stampede at the Sangam as millions of pilgrims turned up for a holy bath on 'Mauni Amavasya', the most significant ritual at the Maha Kumbh. This year, a rare celestial alignment called 'Triveni Yog' is occurring after 144 years, amplifying the spiritual significance of the day. The 'Amrit Snan' on 'Mauni Amavasya' is expected to draw around 10 crore pilgrims. Security personnel and rescue workers were seen carrying the injured on stretchers. People's belongings, including blankets and bags, lay strewn around. After the chaos subsided, some searched frantically for their family members while others fanned and offered water to those who were trapped in the crowd. "Between 1 am to 2 am, at the Akhara route where arrangements were made for the Amrit Snan of the Akharas, several devotees jumped over the barricades and some were critically injured. They were immediately rushed to hospital," Adityanath said. "All the injured are undergoing treatment and we hope and pray for their quick recovery," he said. "Since the start of the auspicious Mauni Amavasya period, the local administration had been busy trying to ensure safe Amrit Snan for the devotees who have converged here from all over," he said. Adityanath said PM Modi has called him four times so far to enquire about the well-being of the devotees. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister J P Nadda and Governor Anandiben Patel also called, the CM added. "Since morning, we have been busy ensuring that devotees face no inconvenience while taking the holy dip and that is why a high-level meeting was held here with chief secretary, DGP, principal secretary (home), ADG law and order, and other senior officials. The situation in Prayagraj is under control but the crowd pressure is still there," Adityanath said. He said he was in touch with all Akharas and all of them had agreed to take the holy dip only after the crowd pressure at the ghats eases. "I have personally spoken to Akahara Parishad heads and other seers including Maha Mandaleshwars. The respected saints have politely agreed to let devotees take the dip (first). They would take the dip only after the crowd pressure eases," he said. "About 5 crore devotees took the dip yesterday. Till 8.30 am (on Wednesday), over 3 crore devotees had taken the dip," he said, adding that the crowd pressure remains at several spots. Adityanath appealed to people to take a dip in the Ganga at their nearest ghats and not try to reach the Sangam Nose to avoid overcrowding. "There is huge crowd pressure in the Sangam Nose area and hence we seek the cooperation of all," he said. "I appeal to devotees to take bath wherever they are as temporary bathing ghats have been set up. It is not important to head to the Sangam Nose for bathing. "The elderly, children and asthma patients need to be extremely cautious and bathe at ghats nearest to them. All are Ganga ghats and all would get the same 'punya' (divine blessings) as it is Mauni Amavasya," he said. Adityanath also urged people not to fall prey to rumours. "Rumours can cause harm... My appeal is not to let anyone spread negativity," he said. All are advised to follow directives of the local administration, he added. Religious leaders also appealed to devotees gathered at the Maha Kumbh to exercise caution and self-discipline. Swami Rambhadracharya of the Vaishnav sect urged devotees to not insist on bathing at the Sangam Nose and instead bathe at their nearest Ganga ghat. He advised people to stay near their camps and prioritise their safety and that of others. Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Ravindra Puri said, "More than 12 crore devotees are present in Prayagraj. Managing such a massive crowd is a challenging task. With lakhs of saints and their followers also present, ensuring the safety of all devotees remains our top priority." Yoga guru Ramdev urged devotees to exercise self-discipline and take holy dip with caution. Multiple people were killed and many injured in a stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early Wednesday as crores of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. While the Uttar Pradesh government was tight-lipped on the number of casualties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his deepest condolences to the devotees who lost their family members in the stampede, describing the tragedy as extremely saddening. In a post on X, he said the local administration in Prayagraj is giving all possible help to the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Later at a poll rally in Delhi, Modi said, "We lost some good souls in the tragic incident at Kumbh and some people have also got hurt. I convey my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and pray for the early recovery of those injured". "I am in constant touch with the Uttar Pradesh government. Due to 'Mauni Amavasya', crores of devotees have reached there. For sometime, the process of bathing had been halted, but now for several hours, the yatris are taking a bath. I once again convey my condolences to the families," he said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the incident took place between 1 am and 2 am when some devotees climbed over the barricades at Akhara marg, he said. "Between 1 am to 2 am, at the akhara route where arrangements were made for the Amrit Snan of the akharas, some devotees crossed over the barricades and were critically injured. They were immediately rushed to hospital where treatment was promptly ensured, he said after a high-level meeting in Lucknow. Around 2 am, the blaring sirens of ambulances and police vehicles rushing to the Sangam pierced through the continuous chants of mantras and shlokas echoing from loudspeakers across the Kumbh Mela area. Those injured were taken to the central hospital established in the Mela area. Relatives of many injured also reached there, as did some senior administrative and police officials. Security personnel and rescue workers were seen carrying many of the injured on stretchers. People's belongings, including blankets and bags, lay strewn around. On the Amrit Snan by akharas, Adityanath said a consensus has been reached with the akharas that they would take the holy dip only after the crowd pressure has decreased at the ghats. I have personally spoken to Akahara Parishad heads and other seers, including Maha Mandaleshwars and the respected saints have politely agreed to let devotees take the dip and only after the crowd pressure decreases they will take the dip, the CM said. Our first priority is to ensure safety of devotees," he said, adding "the situation in Prayagraj is under control but the crowd pressure is still there". The chief minister said around 9-10 crore people are in Prayagraj and appealed to devotees to take a dip in the Ganga at their nearest ghats and not try to reach the Sangam Nose to avoid overcrowding. Officer on Special Duty for the Mela Akanksha Rana earlier said, "Some people have got injured and have been hospitalised after a barrier broke at the Sangam. We are yet to have the exact count of those injured". Sarojini, a devotee from Karnataka said, "We came in a batch of 60 people in two buses, we were nine people in the group. Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd, and we got trapped. A lot of us fell down and the crowd went uncontrolled." "There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides," the woman told PTI Videos. A man from Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh said his mother was injured and hospitalised, while a middle-aged couple from Meghalaya walked away from the crowd, both of them sobbing and narrating to reporters their harrowing experience of getting caught up in the ruckus. Another woman at the hospital, whose child suffered injuries in the chaos, narrated her ordeal, claiming, "There was nowhere to go. Some people who pushed us were laughing while we begged them for kindness towards the children." The head of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad Mahant Ravindra Puri said the traditional bathing ritual of all the akharas has been deferred due to "overcrowding" at the Sangam ghat amid the Maha Kumbh.. However, Puri, who is the head of the apex body of 13 akharas, did not refer to the stampede and said there was "overcrowding" at the Sangam. "We are seeing that the crowd is decreasing now, and we are in talks with the Mela administration. If the crowd is decreasing, then we would like to take the snan," Puri told PTI Videos. Puri said he was waiting for clearance from the Mela administration to proceed with the traditional akhara bathing rituals of saints, which however, would be much subdued. As per tradition of the Kumbh Mela, Akharas belonging to the three sects 'Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen' take the holy dip in a set sequence following a majestic, awe-inspiring procession to the Sangam Ghat. The Triveni Sangam -- confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati -- is considered the holiest by Hindus, with a belief that taking a dip in it during Maha Kumbh and particularly on special bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya washes away people's sins and provides them 'moksha' or salvation. On Tuesday, in view of the anticipated influx of pilgrims, the Mela authorities issued an advisory urging devotees to follow crowd-management guidelines for safety and convenience. Pilgrims were asked to use designated lanes to reach Sangam Ghat, stay in their lanes while approaching the bathing area, and avoid lingering at ghats after the holy dip. They were urged to proceed promptly to parking areas or their destinations to ensure smooth movement. Visitors were reminded to remain patient at barricades and pontoon bridges, avoiding rushing or jostling to prevent accidents. The administration emphasised that "all ghats at Sangam are equally sacred", encouraging devotees to "bathe at the first ghat they reach to prevent overcrowding". Being held after 12 years, the Maha Kumbh kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26. Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:SGIOY Get Free Report) and Schroders (OTCMKTS:SHNWF Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, dividends and profitability. Profitability This table compares Shionogi & Co., Ltd. and Schroders net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Shionogi & Co. Ltd. alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Shionogi & Co., Ltd. 35.53% 11.95% 10.56% Schroders N/A N/A N/A Insider & Institutional Ownership 1.9% of Shionogi & Co., Ltd. shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Shionogi & Co., Ltd. 0 0 0 0 0.00 Schroders 0 1 0 0 2.00 This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Shionogi & Co., Ltd. and Schroders, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Volatility and Risk Shionogi & Co., Ltd. has a beta of 0.21, indicating that its share price is 79% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Schroders has a beta of 1.17, indicating that its share price is 17% more volatile than the S&P 500. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Shionogi & Co., Ltd. and Schroderss gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Shionogi & Co., Ltd. $3.01 billion 4.27 $1.12 billion $0.59 12.90 Schroders $3.65 billion N/A $500.79 million N/A N/A Shionogi & Co., Ltd. has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Schroders. Summary Shionogi & Co., Ltd. beats Schroders on 5 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (Get Free Report) Shionogi & Co., Ltd. engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceuticals, diagnostic reagents, and medical devices in Japan. It offers Fetroja, a multidrug-resistant for gram-negative bacterial infection treatment; Cabenuva and Apretude an anti-HIV and HIV prophylactic drug; Xocova an oral COVID-19 treatment drug; Finibax a carbapenem antibiotic; Xofluza, an influenza antiviral drug; and Tivicay, an anti-HIV drug. It also develops S-872600 an influenza nasal vaccine; S-875670 anCOVID-19 nasal vaccine; S-540956 a nucleic acid adjuvant; S-554110 a nontuberculous mycobacterial infection; S-337395 for RSV infections; S-892216 for COVID-19 therapeutics; Olorofim for invasive aspergillosis; cefiderocol for aerobic gram-negative bacterial infections and infectious diseases; S-268019 a COVID-19 prophylactic vaccine; S-268019 a prophylactic vaccine for COVID-19; ensitrelvir for COVID-19 treatment and prevention; baloxavir for influenza virus infection; S-365598 for HIV infection; and S-555739 for suppressing aggravation of COVID-19. In addition, the company develops S-540956 for nucleic acid adjuvant; S-109802 for post-stroke spasticity; S-151128 for chronic pain; S-588210 and S-531011 for solid tumor; S-309309 for obesity; BPN14770 for Alzheimers disease and fragile X syndrome; S-588410 for bladder cancer; S-488210 for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; S-005151 for Acute ischemic stroke and epidermolysis bullosa; Rizmoic for opioid-induced constipation; ADR-001 for decompensated liver cirrhosis; S-222611 for malignant tumor; S-812217 for depression; GRT7039 for pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee; SDT-001 for inattentive ADHD; S-588410 for esophageal cancer; SR-0379 for cutaneous ulcer; and S-723595 for type 2 diabetes. The company was formerly known as Shionogi Shoten Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Shionogi & Co., Ltd. in 1943. Shionogi & Co., Ltd. was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in Osaka, Japan. About Schroders (Get Free Report) Schroders plc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm also provides advisory and consultancy services. It provides its services to financial institutions, high net worth clients, large corporate, local authority, charitable entities, individuals, pension plans, government funds, insurance companies, and endowments. The firm launches and manages equity mutual funds and manages fixed income mutual funds for its clients. It also manages hedge for its clients. The firm invests in the public equity, fixed income, and alternative investment markets across the globe. The firms alternative investments include real estate markets, emerging market debt, commodities and agriculture funds, funds of hedge funds and private equity funds of funds. It conducts an in-house research to make its investments. The company was formerly known as New Schroders plc and changed its name to Schroders plc in April 2000. Schroders plc was founded on 1804 and is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Receive News & Ratings for Shionogi & Co. Ltd. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Shionogi & Co. Ltd. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deutsche Lufthansa AG (OTCMKTS:DLAKY Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 600 shares, a drop of 88.7% from the December 31st total of 5,300 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 151,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Deutsche Lufthansa Trading Up 0.9 % Shares of DLAKY stock traded up $0.06 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $6.65. The companys stock had a trading volume of 85,505 shares, compared to its average volume of 181,136. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 0.82. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $6.44 and its 200-day simple moving average is $6.58. The company has a market cap of $7.97 billion, a PE ratio of 8.01, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.21. Deutsche Lufthansa has a 52 week low of $5.69 and a 52 week high of $8.50. Get Deutsche Lufthansa alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have issued reports on DLAKY shares. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Deutsche Lufthansa from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Morgan Stanley raised Deutsche Lufthansa from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Citigroup upgraded Deutsche Lufthansa from a strong sell rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Barclays raised shares of Deutsche Lufthansa from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Deutsche Lufthansa presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. About Deutsche Lufthansa (Get Free Report) Deutsche Lufthansa AG operates as an aviation company worldwide. It operates in three segments: Passenger Airlines; Logistics; and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Services (MRO). The Passenger Airlines segment offers products and services to passengers of Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Deutsche Lufthansa Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deutsche Lufthansa and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Northeast Indiana Bancorp (OTCMKTS:NIDB Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, Zacks reports. Northeast Indiana Bancorp Stock Performance Shares of NIDB stock remained flat at $18.00 on Tuesday. The stock had a trading volume of 45 shares, compared to its average volume of 305. The firm has a market cap of $43.16 million, a PE ratio of 10.59 and a beta of 0.39. Northeast Indiana Bancorp has a 52-week low of $13.25 and a 52-week high of $19.14. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $18.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $17.17. Get Northeast Indiana Bancorp alerts: Northeast Indiana Bancorp Company Profile (Get Free Report) Read More Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc operates as the bank holding company for First Federal Savings Bank that provides various banking and financial advisory services. The company offers checking accounts, savings accounts, retirement accounts, health savings accounts, and direct deposits, as well as certificates of deposit. Receive News & Ratings for Northeast Indiana Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northeast Indiana Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Banco del Bajio, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple (OTCMKTS:BBAJF Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 185,500 shares, a decrease of 82.3% from the December 31st total of 1,046,100 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 16,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 11.5 days. Banco del Bajio, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple Stock Up 2.5 % Shares of Banco del Bajio, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple stock traded up $0.06 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $2.45. 5,882 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,121. Banco del Bajio, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple has a 52 week low of $1.95 and a 52 week high of $4.01. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $2.13 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2.40. Get Banco del Bajio S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple alerts: Banco del Bajio, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple Company Profile (Get Free Report) See Also Banco del Bajio, SA, Institucion de Banca Multiple provides banking products and services in Mexico. The company offers electronic banking, insurance products; credit and credit cards, trust contract; online banking; foreign exchange, and derivative finance services. It also offers working capital and fixed asset, and other loans; investment products; payroll advance services; financial factoring and leasing services. Receive News & Ratings for Banco del Bajio S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco del Bajio S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Great Wall Motor Company Limited (OTCMKTS:GWLLY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a decrease of 83.3% from the December 31st total of 600 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. Great Wall Motor Stock Down 0.2 % Shares of OTCMKTS GWLLY traded down $0.04 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $16.20. The companys stock had a trading volume of 562 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,615. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $17.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $16.17. Great Wall Motor has a fifty-two week low of $9.69 and a fifty-two week high of $22.34. Get Great Wall Motor alerts: Great Wall Motor Company Profile (Get Free Report) Read More Great Wall Motor Company Limited researches and develops, manufactures, and sells automobiles, and automotive parts and components in China, Europe, ASEAN countries, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia, South Africa, and internationally. The company offers SUVs, sedans, pick-up trucks, multi-purpose vehicles, and energy vehicles primarily under the Haval, WEY, ORA, Tank, and Great Wall Pickup brand names. Receive News & Ratings for Great Wall Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Great Wall Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SAF-Holland SE (OTCMKTS:SFHLF Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a drop of 80.0% from the December 31st total of 500 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently days. SAF-Holland Price Performance SAF-Holland stock remained flat at C$19.50 during midday trading on Tuesday. SAF-Holland has a one year low of C$19.50 and a one year high of C$19.50. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of C$19.50 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$19.31. Get SAF-Holland alerts: About SAF-Holland (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories SAF-Holland SE manufactures and supplies chassis-related assemblies and components for trailers, trucks, semi-trailers, and buses. The company offers axle and air suspension systems, fifth wheels, hweel systems, coupling systems, kingpins, and landing gears, as well as ball races, braking and EBS systems, lighting systems, and disc brakes. Receive News & Ratings for SAF-Holland Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SAF-Holland and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SSAB AB (publ) (OTCMKTS:SSAAF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,000 shares, a growth of 566.7% from the December 31st total of 300 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.0 days. SSAB AB (publ) Price Performance SSAAF remained flat at $3.86 during trading on Tuesday. SSAB AB has a one year low of $3.86 and a one year high of $8.23. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $4.37 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $4.69. Get SSAB AB (publ) alerts: About SSAB AB (publ) (Get Free Report) See Also SSAB AB (publ) produces and sells steel products in Sweden, Finland, Rest of Europe, the United States, and internationally. It operates through five segments: SSAB Special Steels, SSAB Europe, SSAB Americas, Tibnor, and Ruukki Construction. The SSAB Special Steels segment offers quenched and tempered steels, and advanced high-strength steel products for steel and plate production. Receive News & Ratings for SSAB AB (publ) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SSAB AB (publ) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV Get Free Report) is projected to post its quarterly earnings results before the market opens on Thursday, January 30th. Analysts expect Southwest Airlines to post earnings of $0.45 per share and revenue of $6.95 billion for the quarter. Persons that wish to register for the companys earnings conference call can do so using this link. Southwest Airlines Stock Performance Shares of LUV stock opened at $31.88 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.88. The company has a market capitalization of $19.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -455.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 1.14. Southwest Airlines has a one year low of $23.58 and a one year high of $36.12. The companys 50-day moving average is $33.02 and its 200 day moving average is $30.36. Get Southwest Airlines alerts: Southwest Airlines Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 16th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 26th were given a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. Southwest Airliness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -1,028.57%. Insiders Place Their Bets Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades In other Southwest Airlines news, insider Linda B. Rutherford sold 3,849 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.40, for a total value of $132,405.60. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 89,376 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,074,534.40. This represents a 4.13 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . 0.33% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Several analysts have commented on the company. Bank of America reiterated an underperform rating and set a $31.00 target price (down from $33.00) on shares of Southwest Airlines in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their target price on Southwest Airlines from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Southwest Airlines from an underperform rating to a hold rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $24.00 to $32.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Southwest Airlines from $32.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, December 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a sell rating and set a $28.00 price target on shares of Southwest Airlines in a report on Friday, November 15th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Southwest Airlines currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $32.31. View Our Latest Report on Southwest Airlines About Southwest Airlines (Get Free Report) Southwest Airlines Co operates as a passenger airline company that provides scheduled air transportation services in the United States and near-international markets. As of December 31, 2023, the company operated a total fleet of 817 Boeing 737 aircraft; and served 121 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as ten near-international countries, including Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Southwest Airlines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southwest Airlines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stryker Corporation revealed that Glenn S. Boehnlein, the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will retire from his role effective April 1, 2025. Concurrently, Preston W. Wells, the current Vice President, Group Chief Financial Officer for Orthopaedics, has been promoted to assume the position of Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of the company as of the aforementioned date. Get alerts: The company confirmed that there are no predefined arrangements or agreements between Mr. Wells and any third party influencing his selection as an officer. Furthermore, Mr. Wells has no familial relationships with any company directors or executive officers. The transition to Mr. Wellss new role is part of a strategic move following Mr. Boehnleins decision to retire. Mr. Wells, a seasoned professional with a strong financial background, has held various financial roles within the company since joining in July 2022. Before his current role, he served in significant positions, including leading Investor Relations, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Finance functions at other companies such as Dialight Corporation and Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Wells brings 17 years of financial and accounting expertise, having graduated with a bachelors degree in accounting from Bucknell University and an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Lehigh University. Regarding the transition process, Mr. Boehnlein has entered a Transition Agreement with Stryker Corporation. This agreement outlines his continued employment as an Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer during the Advisory Period, which lasts until March 31, 2026. During this time, he will receive his current annual salary and will remain eligible for specified bonuses in line with company guidelines. Mr. Boehnleins outstanding equity awards will adhere to the terms of the existing agreements, with no new equity awards granted during the advisory period. In Mr. Wells case, a Letter Agreement has been established, detailing his new compensation framework. Effective April 1, 2025, Mr. Wellss base salary will increase to $725,000 annually, and his bonus target will be set at 85% of his base salary, prorated for 2025. Additionally, recommendations will be made to the Compensation and Human Capital Committee for long-term incentive plan awards, with an approximate target value of $3,000,000, comprised of stock options and performance stock units. Stryker Corporation also disclosed the issuing of a press release on January 28, 2025, regarding these executive changes, which can be found as Exhibit 99.1 in the filed Form 8-K. This information, along with all pertinent agreements and details, are available for review in the official SEC filing. This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read Strykers 8K filing here. Stryker Company Profile (Get Free Report) Stryker Corporation operates as a medical technology company. The company operates through two segments, MedSurg and Neurotechnology, and Orthopaedics and Spine. The Orthopaedics and Spine segment provides implants for use in total joint replacements, such as hip, knee and shoulder, and trauma and extremities surgeries. Featured Stories Sudzucker AG (ETR:SZU Get Free Report) shares shot up 1.9% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as 10.85 ($11.30) and last traded at 10.72 ($11.17). 169,162 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 59% from the average session volume of 410,903 shares. The stock had previously closed at 10.52 ($10.96). Sudzucker Stock Up 1.9 % The company has a market cap of $2.19 billion, a PE ratio of 6.54, a PEG ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 2.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 55.44. The companys fifty day moving average is 10.61 and its 200-day moving average is 11.34. About Sudzucker (Get Free Report) Sudzucker AG produces and sells sugar products in Germany, rest of the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through five segments: Sugar, Special Products, CropEnergies, Starch, and Fruit. The Sugar segment produces and sells sugar, sugar specialty products, glucose syrup, and animal feed to food industry, retailers, and agriculture markets, as well as offers by-products of sugar. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Sudzucker Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sudzucker and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 449 shares of the communications equipment providers stock, valued at approximately $208,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of MSI. FSA Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Motorola Solutions during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Motorola Solutions in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Planning Capital Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Motorola Solutions in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. MidAtlantic Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Motorola Solutions during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in Motorola Solutions in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 84.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Motorola Solutions alerts: Motorola Solutions Stock Down 0.6 % Shares of NYSE:MSI opened at $465.59 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.23. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $474.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $451.87. The company has a market capitalization of $77.81 billion, a PE ratio of 51.00, a P/E/G ratio of 3.47 and a beta of 1.01. Motorola Solutions, Inc. has a twelve month low of $314.84 and a twelve month high of $507.82. Motorola Solutions Increases Dividend Motorola Solutions ( NYSE:MSI Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The communications equipment provider reported $3.46 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.10 by $0.36. The firm had revenue of $2.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.76 billion. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 14.65% and a return on equity of 251.96%. On average, equities analysts predict that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 12.57 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 13th were paid a $1.09 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 13th. This represents a $4.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.94%. This is a boost from Motorola Solutionss previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. Motorola Solutionss payout ratio is currently 47.75%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth MSI has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on Motorola Solutions from $440.00 to $530.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Motorola Solutions from $440.00 to $520.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Raymond James boosted their price target on shares of Motorola Solutions from $425.00 to $515.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Motorola Solutions from $467.00 to $529.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Motorola Solutions from $430.00 to $495.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Motorola Solutions currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $504.88. Read Our Latest Stock Report on MSI Motorola Solutions Profile (Free Report) Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Motorola Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Motorola Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. On January 21, 2025, Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. disclosed in an 8-K filing that the District Court, City & County of Denver, State of Colorado, issued a Preliminary Approval Order for a proposed settlement involving three stockholder derivative actions and two demands related to the Companys AP-013 trial for Ampion. Get alerts: The settlement, subject to court approval, was reached through a Stipulation of Settlement dated January 8, 2025, involving plaintiffs Jordan LeaJames (McCann), Robert Maresca, Samantha Marquis, stockholders Satheesh Thomas, and Dirk McKnight, the Company as the nominal defendant, and individual named defendants. A hearing has been scheduled for April 7, 2025, by the Court to review final approval of the proposed settlement. As part of compliance with the Preliminary Approval Order, Ampio Pharmaceuticals is submitting the Stipulation of Settlement and the Notice of Proposed Derivative Settlement alongside the 8-K filing. Noteworthy is the dissolution of the Company on August 16, 2024, as per Section 278 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, functioning solely for specific purposes such as defending suits and discharging obligations. The proposed settlement aims to fully resolve the mentioned derivative actions and demands, subject to the stipulated terms. The Company reiterates that the 8-K submission is solely in response to the Preliminary Approval Order and that no additional reporting obligations are triggered by this filing. Furthermore, the Stipulation of Settlement outlines specific reforms and procedures that the Company is required to adopt and maintain should the settlement gain final approval. The settlement, if approved by the Court, would signify the conclusion and dismissal of the derivative actions and demands. Investors and shareholders can refer to the filed Stipulation of Settlement for detailed information on the proposed resolution. For further details, including the full content of the Stipulation and related exhibits, interested parties are encouraged to visit the Companys website. Its clear that Ampio Pharmaceuticals is actively engaged in reaching a comprehensive settlement regarding the mentioned legal matters in an effort to conclude pending issues effectively. This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read Ampio Pharmaceuticalss 8K filing here. About Ampio Pharmaceuticals (Get Free Report) Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, develops therapies for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK) in the United States. It develops OA-201, a small molecule formulation for the treatment of OAK pain. The company is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado. See Also BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN (NYSEARCA:FNGD Get Free Report)s share price was up 4.7% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $12.06 and last traded at $11.98. Approximately 2,211,743 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 61% from the average daily volume of 5,681,764 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.44. BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN Stock Performance The firm has a market cap of $8.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.73 and a beta of -5.03. The stocks fifty day moving average is $13.76 and its two-hundred day moving average is $19.50. About BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN (Get Free Report) The MicroSectors FANG+ Index -3X Inverse Leveraged ETN (FNGD) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the NYSE FANG+ index. The fund tracks -3x the daily price movements of an index of technology and consumer discretionary companies. The note uses derivatives to achieve its -3x exposure. FNGD was launched on Jan 25, 2018 and is issued by REX Microsectors. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Inverse Leveraged ETN and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brinker International (NYSE:EAT Get Free Report) announced its earnings results on Wednesday. The restaurant operator reported $2.80 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $1.43, Zacks reports. Brinker International had a negative return on equity of 839.19% and a net margin of 4.11%. Brinker International updated its FY 2025 guidance to 7.500-8.000 EPS. Brinker International Price Performance EAT opened at $174.75 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $135.89 and a 200 day simple moving average of $100.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.54. The stock has a market cap of $7.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.52, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 2.52. Brinker International has a 12 month low of $40.12 and a 12 month high of $180.00. Get Brinker International alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth EAT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley upgraded Brinker International from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $70.00 to $115.00 in a research note on Friday, December 20th. Argus raised shares of Brinker International from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $150.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Brinker International from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price target for the company from $67.00 to $100.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Raymond James downgraded Brinker International from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $62.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, November 4th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $111.29. Insider Buying and Selling at Brinker International In related news, CFO Michaela M. Ware sold 3,753 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.02, for a total value of $386,634.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 23,071 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,376,774.42. The trade was a 13.99 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.72% of the companys stock. About Brinker International (Get Free Report) Brinker International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership, development, operation, and franchising of casual dining restaurants in the United States and internationally. It operates and franchises Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant brands. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Brinker International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brinker International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $61.10 and last traded at $60.28, with a volume of 1005624 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $59.67. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on BMY. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Friday, November 15th. They set a peer perform rating for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a neutral rating and issued a $50.00 price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. They set a market perform rating and a $56.00 target price on the stock. Daiwa America raised Bristol-Myers Squibb from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Leerink Partnrs raised shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $56.60. Get Bristol-Myers Squibb alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol-Myers Squibb Stock Performance The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.83. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $57.55 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $52.85. Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.80 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.31. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a negative net margin of 15.30% and a positive return on equity of 11.94%. The firm had revenue of $11.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.26 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.00 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 0.92 EPS for the current fiscal year. Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.62 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 3rd. This is an increase from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.21%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -69.08%. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Samit Hirawat bought 1,830 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 1st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $54.67 per share, with a total value of $100,046.10. Following the completion of the purchase, the executive vice president now directly owns 62,109 shares in the company, valued at $3,395,499.03. This represents a 3.04 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Phil M. Holzer sold 700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.62, for a total transaction of $38,934.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 11,760 shares in the company, valued at approximately $654,091.20. This trade represents a 5.62 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Bristol-Myers Squibb Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Reston Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Hollencrest Capital Management boosted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 61.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 492 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 187 shares in the last quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Valued Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1,168.1% during the third quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 596 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 549 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 76.41% of the companys stock. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile (Get Free Report) Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for various anti-cancer indications, including bladder, blood, CRC, head and neck, RCC, HCC, lung, melanoma, MPM, stomach and esophageal cancer; Pomalyst/Imnovid for multiple myeloma; Orencia for active rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bristol-Myers Squibb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Companhia Paranaense de Energia (NYSE:ELPC Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Wednesday . 6,018 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 47% from the previous sessions volume of 4,088 shares.The stock last traded at $5.88 and had previously closed at $5.72. Companhia Paranaense de Energia Price Performance The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $5.48 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $6.10. Get Companhia Paranaense de Energia alerts: Companhia Paranaense de Energia (NYSE:ELPC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported $0.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $1.03 billion during the quarter. Companhia Paranaense de Energia Announces Dividend Institutional Inflows and Outflows The company also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, December 13th were paid a $0.131 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 13th. An institutional investor recently raised its position in Companhia Paranaense de Energia stock. SPX Gestao de Recursos Ltda grew its holdings in shares of Companhia Paranaense de Energia (NYSE:ELPC Free Report) by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 458,294 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 8,417 shares during the period. SPX Gestao de Recursos Ltdas holdings in Companhia Paranaense de Energia were worth $2,695,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Companhia Paranaense de Energia Company Profile (Get Free Report) Companhia Paranaense de Energia COPEL engages in the generation, transformation, distribution, and sale of electricity to industrial, residential, commercial, rural, and other customers in Brazil. The company operates through Power Generation and Transmission, Power Distribution, GAS, Power Sale, and Holding and Services segments. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Companhia Paranaense de Energia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Companhia Paranaense de Energia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (BATS:VLUE Free Report) by 3.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 15,696 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 528 shares during the quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF were worth $1,658,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Studio Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF during the third quarter valued at about $30,000. MGB Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF in the third quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Get iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF Price Performance BATS VLUE opened at $109.81 on Wednesday. iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF has a 1-year low of $71.21 and a 1-year high of $89.40. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $109.36 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $108.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.42 billion, a PE ratio of 13.26 and a beta of 0.87. About iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF The iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Enhanced Value index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap US equities. Stocks are selected and weighted using fundamental metrics (earnings, revenue, book value and cash earnings), aiming for exposure to undervalued stocks in each sector. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VLUE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (BATS:VLUE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Gjensidige Forsikring ASA (OTCMKTS:GJNSY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 400 shares, a decline of 83.3% from the December 31st total of 2,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 4,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. Gjensidige Forsikring ASA Price Performance OTCMKTS:GJNSY traded down $0.03 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $20.42. 750 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,522. Gjensidige Forsikring ASA has a one year low of $13.39 and a one year high of $20.89. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $18.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $17.69. Get Gjensidige Forsikring ASA alerts: Gjensidige Forsikring ASA Company Profile (Get Free Report) Read More Gjensidige Forsikring ASA engages in the provision of general insurance and pension products in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The company operates through five segments: General Insurance Private, General Insurance Commercial, General Insurance Sweden, General Insurance Baltics, and Pension. Receive News & Ratings for Gjensidige Forsikring ASA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gjensidige Forsikring ASA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report) by 1.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,470 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 75 shares during the period. McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc.s holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $1,894,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,434,001 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,277,127,000 after purchasing an additional 149,272 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 6,292,268 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,645,972,000 after purchasing an additional 167,422 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,347,326 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $877,234,000 after buying an additional 135,023 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 1.8% during the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,849,448 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $484,685,000 after purchasing an additional 32,656 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stifel Financial Corp raised its position in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 1,757,245 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $460,533,000 after purchasing an additional 17,139 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.77% of the companys stock. Get Illinois Tool Works alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have commented on ITW shares. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $255.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $279.00 to $265.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 13th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $268.00 to $266.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Barclays decreased their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $270.00 to $265.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $240.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Illinois Tool Works presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $269.89. Illinois Tool Works Stock Performance NYSE:ITW opened at $258.87 on Wednesday. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 52-week low of $232.77 and a 52-week high of $279.13. The company has a market cap of $76.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.39, a PEG ratio of 3.60 and a beta of 1.11. The firms 50-day moving average is $262.74 and its 200-day moving average is $256.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.94, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.36. Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.53 by $0.12. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 21.66% and a return on equity of 97.06%. The business had revenue of $3.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.02 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.55 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.13 earnings per share for the current year. Illinois Tool Works Company Profile (Free Report) Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment in the United States and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ITW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Illinois Tool Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Illinois Tool Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL Free Report) by 273.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,823 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 5,728 shares during the quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in Dell Technologies were worth $902,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of DELL. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 92.4% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,767,011 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,513,401,000 after purchasing an additional 6,131,507 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 71.8% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 6,317,829 shares of the technology companys stock worth $746,596,000 after acquiring an additional 2,641,456 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Dell Technologies by 19,376.1% during the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,427,699 shares of the technology companys stock worth $287,779,000 after acquiring an additional 2,415,234 shares during the period. Alkeon Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Dell Technologies by 48.3% in the 3rd quarter. Alkeon Capital Management LLC now owns 2,146,777 shares of the technology companys stock worth $254,479,000 after purchasing an additional 699,204 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in Dell Technologies by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,725,473 shares of the technology companys stock worth $204,538,000 after purchasing an additional 29,717 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 76.37% of the companys stock. Get Dell Technologies alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Barclays upped their price objective on Dell Technologies from $106.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $150.00 price target on shares of Dell Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $136.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Dell Technologies from $160.00 to $156.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, November 18th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Dell Technologies currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $148.06. Dell Technologies Price Performance Shares of Dell Technologies stock opened at $101.40 on Wednesday. Dell Technologies Inc. has a 1 year low of $80.49 and a 1 year high of $179.70. The company has a market capitalization of $71.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.91, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $120.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $118.78. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 26th. The technology company reported $2.15 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.83 by $0.32. The business had revenue of $24.37 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.67 billion. Dell Technologies had a net margin of 4.36% and a negative return on equity of 191.91%. Dell Technologiess revenue was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.62 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Dell Technologies Inc. will post 6.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Dell Technologies Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 22nd will be issued a $0.445 dividend. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.76%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 22nd. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio is currently 31.45%. Insider Buying and Selling at Dell Technologies In other news, CFO Yvonne Mcgill sold 8,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $143.24, for a total transaction of $1,145,920.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 236,419 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $33,864,657.56. This represents a 3.27 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director V (Gp) L.L.C. Slta sold 103,745 shares of Dell Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.28, for a total transaction of $12,997,173.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 777,347 shares in the company, valued at $97,386,032.16. This trade represents a 11.77 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 946,132 shares of company stock valued at $115,660,009 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 46.70% of the companys stock. Dell Technologies Profile (Free Report) Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG). Read More Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Paladin Advisory Group LLC cut its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 9.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,414 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 449 shares during the period. Paladin Advisory Group LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $117,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Swiss National Bank raised its stake in shares of Pfizer by 0.6% in the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 16,819,712 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $486,762,000 after purchasing an additional 100,900 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 11.0% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 130,143,942 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,766,366,000 after acquiring an additional 12,864,343 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in Pfizer by 80.9% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 508,256 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $14,709,000 after purchasing an additional 227,349 shares in the last quarter. Addison Advisors LLC increased its stake in Pfizer by 394.2% in the 3rd quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 52,238 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,512,000 after buying an additional 41,668 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 26.0% during the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 3,105,433 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $89,872,000 after buying an additional 639,985 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial reduced their target price on Pfizer from $36.00 to $32.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Citigroup lowered their target price on Pfizer from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday, November 15th. They set an underperform rating and a $25.00 price target for the company. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $31.00 to $29.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $31.92. Pfizer Stock Performance Shares of PFE opened at $26.72 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 1.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $151.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.64. Pfizer Inc. has a 52-week low of $24.48 and a 52-week high of $31.54. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $26.18 and its 200 day simple moving average is $27.91. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.42. The company had revenue of $17.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.92 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 7.07% and a return on equity of 16.28%. Pfizers revenue for the quarter was up 31.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned ($0.17) earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.94 EPS for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.44%. This is a boost from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 24th. Pfizers payout ratio is presently 227.03%. About Pfizer (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI lifted its position in shares of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED Free Report) by 123.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,343 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 3,500 shares during the quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RIs holdings in Consolidated Edison were worth $566,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Consolidated Edison by 1.7% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,429,218 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,439,684,000 after purchasing an additional 399,034 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Consolidated Edison by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 8,853,788 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $919,041,000 after purchasing an additional 107,281 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Consolidated Edison by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,148,666 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $223,741,000 after buying an additional 28,254 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,145,128 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $223,373,000 after buying an additional 82,985 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC increased its position in Consolidated Edison by 82.3% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,268,424 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $132,081,000 after buying an additional 572,530 shares in the last quarter. 66.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Consolidated Edison alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth ED has been the topic of several recent research reports. Barclays reduced their price objective on Consolidated Edison from $99.00 to $92.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Consolidated Edison from a sector underperform rating to a sector perform rating and upped their target price for the company from $90.00 to $100.00 in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Citigroup upgraded shares of Consolidated Edison from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $103.00 to $116.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Consolidated Edison in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. They set a hold rating and a $108.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Consolidated Edison from $88.00 to $85.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $100.00. Consolidated Edison Stock Down 1.4 % Shares of NYSE ED opened at $93.56 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $32.41 billion, a PE ratio of 17.62, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $92.85 and a 200-day moving average of $98.09. Consolidated Edison, Inc. has a 52-week low of $85.85 and a 52-week high of $107.75. Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.56 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $4.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.02 billion. Consolidated Edison had a return on equity of 8.70% and a net margin of 12.27%. On average, analysts anticipate that Consolidated Edison, Inc. will post 5.35 EPS for the current year. Consolidated Edison Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 19th will be given a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.63%. This is a boost from Consolidated Edisons previous quarterly dividend of $0.83. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 19th. Consolidated Edisons payout ratio is 64.03%. About Consolidated Edison (Free Report) Consolidated Edison, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.7 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,530 customers in parts of Manhattan. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Consolidated Edison Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Consolidated Edison and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC increased its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 1.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 38,706 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 391 shares during the quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $1,027,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in PFE. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Gladius Capital Management LP raised its stake in Pfizer by 102.8% during the third quarter. Gladius Capital Management LP now owns 1,043 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 38,015 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP bought a new position in shares of Pfizer during the second quarter valued at $31,000. Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association of America acquired a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 168.3% in the 3rd quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management now owns 1,229 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 771 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Price Performance PFE opened at $26.79 on Wednesday. Pfizer Inc. has a 52 week low of $24.48 and a 52 week high of $31.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 1.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $151.79 billion, a PE ratio of 36.20, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $26.15 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $27.92. Pfizer Increases Dividend Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.06 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.42. The business had revenue of $17.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.92 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 7.07% and a return on equity of 16.28%. Pfizers quarterly revenue was up 31.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($0.17) EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th will be given a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.42%. This is a boost from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is currently 227.03%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have commented on PFE shares. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Truist Financial dropped their price target on Pfizer from $36.00 to $32.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. Bank of America reissued a neutral rating and issued a $29.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $45.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Finally, Guggenheim reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $35.00 to $33.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Pfizer has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $31.92. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Pfizer About Pfizer (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC decreased its position in shares of Webster Financial Co. (NYSE:WBS Free Report) by 0.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 20,168 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 172 shares during the quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLCs holdings in Webster Financial were worth $1,114,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Webster Financial in the third quarter valued at $27,000. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in shares of Webster Financial by 340.7% in the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 595 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 460 shares in the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new stake in shares of Webster Financial during the 3rd quarter valued at about $53,000. NBC Securities Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Webster Financial by 117.9% during the third quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,268 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 686 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Webster Financial by 45.9% in the third quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 1,398 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 440 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.58% of the companys stock. Get Webster Financial alerts: Webster Financial Stock Up 0.5 % Shares of NYSE WBS opened at $59.44 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $10.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.60, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firms fifty day moving average is $58.02 and its 200 day moving average is $51.84. Webster Financial Co. has a 52 week low of $39.33 and a 52 week high of $63.99. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Webster Financial ( NYSE:WBS Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $661.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $687.53 million. Webster Financial had a net margin of 18.39% and a return on equity of 10.82%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.46 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Webster Financial Co. will post 5.83 earnings per share for the current year. Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Webster Financial from $63.00 to $69.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. UBS Group began coverage on Webster Financial in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. They issued a buy rating and a $76.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com raised Webster Financial from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 11th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Webster Financial from $66.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Webster Financial from $67.00 to $65.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $62.08. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on WBS Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, insider Javier L. Evans sold 10,137 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.41, for a total transaction of $581,965.17. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 22,657 shares in the company, valued at $1,300,738.37. This represents a 30.91 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO John R. Ciulla sold 8,000 shares of Webster Financial stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.33, for a total transaction of $474,640.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 218,924 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,988,760.92. This trade represents a 3.53 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 25,287 shares of company stock worth $1,485,050. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Webster Financial Company Profile (Free Report) Webster Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Webster Bank, National Association that provides a range of financial products and services to individuals, families, and businesses in the United States. It operates through three segments: Commercial Banking, HSA Bank, and Consumer Banking. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Webster Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Webster Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE:PAA Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, January 7th,Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 31st will be given a dividend of 0.38 per share by the pipeline company on Friday, February 14th. This represents a $1.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.41%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 31st. This is a positive change from Plains All American Pipelines previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. Plains All American Pipeline has increased its dividend payment by an average of 20.8% per year over the last three years. Plains All American Pipeline has a dividend payout ratio of 100.7% meaning the company cannot currently cover its dividend with earnings alone and is relying on its balance sheet to cover its dividend payments. Equities analysts expect Plains All American Pipeline to earn $1.39 per share next year, which means the company may not be able to cover its $1.52 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 109.4%. Get Plains All American Pipeline alerts: Plains All American Pipeline Price Performance NYSE:PAA opened at $20.52 on Wednesday. The firms fifty day moving average is $18.20 and its two-hundred day moving average is $17.80. The firm has a market cap of $14.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.64 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 1.01. Plains All American Pipeline has a one year low of $15.02 and a one year high of $21.00. Analysts Set New Price Targets Plains All American Pipeline ( NYSE:PAA Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, November 8th. The pipeline company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.06. Plains All American Pipeline had a return on equity of 11.63% and a net margin of 2.08%. The firm had revenue of $12.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.09 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.35 earnings per share. Plains All American Pipelines revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Plains All American Pipeline will post 1.17 EPS for the current year. A number of brokerages recently issued reports on PAA. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Plains All American Pipeline in a report on Thursday, October 17th. They set a neutral rating and a $18.00 price target on the stock. Raymond James increased their target price on shares of Plains All American Pipeline from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company cut Plains All American Pipeline from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $22.00 to $20.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $19.00 price objective on shares of Plains All American Pipeline in a report on Friday, November 15th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised Plains All American Pipeline from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $22.00 target price for the company in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $20.21. Read Our Latest Analysis on Plains All American Pipeline Plains All American Pipeline Company Profile (Get Free Report) Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., through its subsidiaries, engages in the pipeline transportation, terminaling, storage, and gathering of crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) in the United States and Canada. The company operates through two segments, Crude Oil and NGL. The Crude Oil segment offers gathering and transporting crude oil through pipelines, gathering systems, trucks, and on barges or railcars. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Plains All American Pipeline Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Plains All American Pipeline and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (NYSE:RYAM Get Free Report) rose 5.7% on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $8.55 and last traded at $8.53. Approximately 162,554 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 54% from the average daily volume of 355,773 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.07. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Rayonier Advanced Materials from $10.00 to $12.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. StockNews.com cut shares of Rayonier Advanced Materials from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 20th. Get Rayonier Advanced Materials alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Rayonier Advanced Materials Rayonier Advanced Materials Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $551.55 million, a PE ratio of -6.54 and a beta of 3.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 1.09. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $8.07 and its 200 day simple moving average is $7.85. Rayonier Advanced Materials (NYSE:RYAM Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The basic materials company reported ($0.12) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.18) by $0.06. The business had revenue of $401.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $412.20 million. Rayonier Advanced Materials had a negative return on equity of 1.61% and a negative net margin of 5.21%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.41) earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. will post -0.08 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at Rayonier Advanced Materials In other Rayonier Advanced Materials news, Director Eric Bowen acquired 12,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 13th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $8.04 per share, with a total value of $100,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 12,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $100,500. The trade was a increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 3.14% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Rayonier Advanced Materials Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in RYAM. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Rayonier Advanced Materials during the second quarter worth about $29,000. nVerses Capital LLC raised its position in Rayonier Advanced Materials by 121.9% during the third quarter. nVerses Capital LLC now owns 7,100 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $61,000 after acquiring an additional 3,900 shares during the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV acquired a new stake in shares of Rayonier Advanced Materials in the second quarter valued at approximately $61,000. Truist Financial Corp purchased a new position in shares of Rayonier Advanced Materials during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $66,000. Finally, Entropy Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Rayonier Advanced Materials during the 4th quarter worth approximately $84,000. 68.64% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Rayonier Advanced Materials (Get Free Report) Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc manufactures and sells cellulose specialty products in the United States, China, Latin America, Canada, Japan, Europe, Latin America, other Asian countries, and internationally. It operates through High Purity Cellulose, Paperboard, and High-Yield Pulp segments. The companys products include cellulose specialties, which are natural polymers that are used as raw materials to manufacture a range of consumer-oriented products, such as liquid crystal displays, impact-resistant plastics, thickeners for food products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, cigarette filters, high-tenacity rayon yarn for tires and industrial hoses, food casings, paints, and lacquers. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Rayonier Advanced Materials Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rayonier Advanced Materials and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PIMCO Income Strategy Fund (NYSE:PFL Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 52,000 shares, a decline of 35.9% from the December 31st total of 81,100 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 153,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. PIMCO Income Strategy Fund Price Performance PIMCO Income Strategy Fund stock opened at $8.41 on Wednesday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $8.43 and its 200 day moving average price is $8.42. PIMCO Income Strategy Fund has a one year low of $7.95 and a one year high of $8.81. Get PIMCO Income Strategy Fund alerts: PIMCO Income Strategy Fund Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 3rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 13th will be issued a $0.0814 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 13th. This represents a $0.98 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 11.61%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On PIMCO Income Strategy Fund About PIMCO Income Strategy Fund Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC grew its stake in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund by 141.8% during the 3rd quarter. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC now owns 1,248,835 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $10,703,000 after buying an additional 732,282 shares during the last quarter. Stifel Financial Corp grew its stake in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 240,860 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,064,000 after buying an additional 5,810 shares during the last quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. grew its stake in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund by 52.9% during the 3rd quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 229,619 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,968,000 after buying an additional 79,458 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its stake in shares of PIMCO Income Strategy Fund by 3.1% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 185,296 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,510,000 after purchasing an additional 5,625 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Horizon Kinetics Asset Management LLC grew its position in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund by 36.7% in the 3rd quarter. Horizon Kinetics Asset Management LLC now owns 135,486 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,161,000 after buying an additional 36,395 shares in the last quarter. (Get Free Report) PIMCO Income Strategy Fund is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC. The fund is co-managed by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC. It invests in fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in a diversified portfolio of floating rate debt instruments with an average duration of around three years. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for PIMCO Income Strategy Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PIMCO Income Strategy Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SteelPeak Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Free Report) by 4.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,173 shares of the credit services providers stock after buying an additional 217 shares during the period. SteelPeak Wealth LLCs holdings in Mastercard were worth $2,724,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Mastercard in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in Mastercard during the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. First Personal Financial Services bought a new position in shares of Mastercard in the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Lowe Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Mastercard by 74.0% in the third quarter. Lowe Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 87 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 3rd quarter worth $54,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.28% of the companys stock. Get Mastercard alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Mastercard in a report on Monday, November 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Mastercard from $593.00 to $580.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 1st. UBS Group increased their target price on Mastercard from $590.00 to $610.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on Mastercard from $580.00 to $618.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $575.00 to $591.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-two have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $567.29. Mastercard Trading Down 0.0 % Shares of Mastercard stock opened at $547.61 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $502.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 1.10. Mastercard Incorporated has a 12-month low of $428.86 and a 12-month high of $551.55. The company has a quick ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $525.29 and a 200 day simple moving average of $498.70. Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The credit services provider reported $3.89 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.73 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $7.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.27 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 45.26% and a return on equity of 178.27%. The companys revenue was up 12.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.39 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Mastercard Incorporated will post 14.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Mastercard Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 7th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 9th will be paid a $0.76 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 10th. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.56%. This is a positive change from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. Mastercards payout ratio is currently 23.00%. Mastercard declared that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Tuesday, December 17th that allows the company to repurchase $12.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the credit services provider to purchase up to 2.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued. Mastercard Company Profile (Free Report) Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Mastercard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mastercard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Westhaven Gold Corp. (OTCMKTS:WTHVF Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,000 shares, a decline of 85.1% from the December 31st total of 6,700 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 205,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Westhaven Gold Stock Performance Shares of OTCMKTS WTHVF opened at $0.08 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $0.08 and a 200 day moving average price of $0.10. Westhaven Gold has a 52-week low of $0.06 and a 52-week high of $0.20. Get Westhaven Gold alerts: Westhaven Gold Company Profile (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories Westhaven Gold Corp., a junior exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. Its flagship project is the Shovelnose project, which consists of 32 contiguous mineral claims covering approximately 17,625 ha located in the Spences Bridge Gold Belt in British Columbia, Canada. Receive News & Ratings for Westhaven Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Westhaven Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Sam Hou Fai said on Tuesday that in the Year of the Snake, Macao will strive to enhance governance capacity, promote economic diversification, and proactively integrate into the national development paradigm. Sam made the remarks in his Spring Festival message, extending New Year wishes to the residents of Macao. Noting that the snake symbolizes wisdom, sensitivity, flexibility, and auspiciousness in Chinese culture, Sam said that while there may be uncertainties on the path toward the future and rapid changes may occur in the international landscape, the motherland "will always be our staunch supporter." The chief executive noted that this new year marks the first year of the inauguration of the sixth-term SAR government, adding, "We will continue to strengthen the implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle and uphold national security with a greater sense of responsibility." In constructing the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Sam underlined that he and his team will make achievements in implementing innovative policies and integrating regulations, bolster advancements in industry development and foundation building, and expedite a new stage of Macao-Hengqin integration in the areas of systems, mechanisms, policies, and others. Zheng Xincong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, said on Tuesday that with the care of the central government, strong support of the motherland, and joint efforts of the SAR government and all sectors of society, the "one country, two systems" policy will certainly take new steps and present a new outlook. Standing at a new historic starting point, he added, it is believed that Macao will make the path toward appropriate economic diversification broader and more solid. Liu Xianfa, commissioner of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR, said in his message that in the new year, the foreign affairs office will further strengthen safeguarding national security, fully support the chief executive and the SAR government in governing by law, and assist the SAR in expanding foreign exchanges and cooperation. Liu added that the office will also promote the introduction of more measures to facilitate the movement of people between China and foreign countries, increase efforts to attract international investment to the in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and better protect the rights and interests of Macao compatriots overseas. In a move signaling a continued commitment to bilateral relations, top military brass from India and Nepal recently convened in Kathmandu to explore avenues for enhanced defense cooperation. Lieutenant General Zubin A. Minwalla, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Indian Armys 33 Corps and Colonel of the Regiment of the 9 Gorkha Rifles undertook a visit to Nepal, engaging in strategic dialogues with his Nepalese counterparts. The discussions centered on deepening the existing defense partnership, fostering greater strategic understanding, and identifying concrete areas for future collaboration between the armed forces of the two neighboring nations. Get alerts: High-Level Meetings at Nepalese Army Headquarters Lt. Gen. Minwalla met with General Ashok Raj Sigdel, the Chief of Army Staff of the Nepalese Army, to discuss defense cooperation. Both leaders emphasized the strong military relationship between India and Nepal. Discussions included joint military exercises, training programs, and intelligence sharing, with a focus on addressing emerging security challenges and proposing increased cooperation. Addressing Regional Security Concerns Further reinforcing the collaborative spirit, Lt. Gen. Minwalla engaged in an extended interaction with Major General Pawan Raj Ghimire, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nepalese Armys Eastern Division. This meeting was particularly significant as it facilitated a direct dialogue on regional security matters of mutual concern. The Eastern Division of the Nepalese Army plays a crucial role in safeguarding Nepals eastern borders, an area of strategic importance shared with India. Commitment to the Welfare of Ex-Servicemen Lt. Gen. Minwalla and Major General Ghimire discussed cross-border security management, disaster response coordination, and information exchange mechanisms. Strengthening coordination at the operational level, particularly between forces deployed in bordering regions, is seen as vital for maintaining effective border management and responding swiftly to emergent security situations. This engagement highlights the practical and ground-level focus of defense cooperation, moving beyond high-level policy discussions to concrete operational synergies. Beyond the strategic and operational dimensions of military cooperation, Lt. Gen. Minwallas itinerary also included a visit to the Defence Wings Welfare Branch and the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Polyclinic in Kathmandu. This visit underscored Indias commitment to the welfare of Nepalese veterans who have distinguished themselves in the Indian Army. Nepal has a long and proud tradition of contributing soldiers to the Indian Army, particularly within the Gorkha regiments. These soldiers have rendered exemplary service and formed an integral part of the Indian military ethos. Lt. Gen. Minwallas interaction with Nepalese veterans was deeply symbolic, reaffirming Indias moral and institutional obligation to support their well-being post-retirement. During his visit to the Welfare Branch and the ECHS Polyclinic, Lt. Gen. Minwalla reiterated Indias commitment to providing comprehensive healthcare and welfare support to these veterans and their families. Discussions revolved around streamlining access to healthcare services, expanding welfare schemes, and addressing any challenges faced by the veteran community. This aspect of the visit highlights the human dimension of the India-Nepal military relationship, acknowledging the sacrifices and contributions of Nepalese soldiers to the Indian armed forces. Deep Roots and Future Trajectory The visit of Lt. Gen. Minwalla to Nepal is viewed as a reaffirmation of the deep-seated historical and cultural connections that underpin the India-Nepal relationship. For decades, military cooperation has served as a bridge between the two nations, fostering mutual trust and understanding. The presence of thousands of Nepalese soldiers in the Indian Army is a testament to the enduring people-to-people bond that transcends political and geographical boundaries. Lt.Minwallas visit This recent high-level engagement underscores the shared commitment of India and Nepal to maintaining regional stability and security in an increasingly dynamic geopolitical environment. By focusing on enhancing defense cooperation, fostering strategic understanding, and prioritizing the welfare of veterans, both nations are actively working to strengthen a partnership that is vital for the peace and prosperity of the region. The visit is expected to pave the way for further concrete initiatives and sustained dialogue, ensuring that the India-Nepal military relationship continues to evolve and adapt to the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Observers believe that this renewed impetus in defense cooperation will not only strengthen bilateral ties but also contribute significantly to the overall stability and security architecture of South Asia. Donegal County Council has agreed to help drive the idea of restoring rail between Letterkenny and Derry - a move welcomed by the Into The West campaigning group. A motion to the council was proposed on Monday by Independent Councillor Declan Meehan, who represents the Milford electoral area. Local rail campaigners Into The West met with Cllr Meehan earlier this month to discuss the case for restoring rail between Letterkenny and Derry and to understand how best to secure the active support of Donegal Council for reopening the route. Following the meeting, Cllr Meehan submitted a motion to Mondays meeting of the full council, with two main asks included. The first was for Donegal Council to seek funding for a feasibility study into restoring the Letterkenny-Derry route to coincide with a study that is already ongoing north of the border into reopening the Derry-Portadown line. READ NEXT: N14 at Tullyrap to remain closed 'for the remainder of the week' after fatal crash The second ask was for a delegation from Donegal to meet the new Irish Government to lobby for rail reopening to be accelerated in the county. Were very grateful to Clr Meehan for meeting us earlier this month and for his enthusiasm for bringing rail back to Letterkenny, Chair of Into The West, Steve Bradley, commented. The All-Island Rail Strategy has recommended that Letterkenny should have its rail restored, and a unique window of opportunity exists right now to do so. Firstly a dedicated 17bn infrastructure fund has been set up with the Apple Windfall Tax money, and the projects it will be spent on are due to be decided in the coming months. Secondly, the Northern & Western Region of Ireland which includes Donegal has an under-performing economy, which led the EU to officially downgrade its status in 2020 from a developed region to one that is merely now in transition. This introduces the possibility of EU funding for rail projects in Donegal funding which will no longer be available once the regions economy is eventually upgraded again. So Cllr Meehans motion to Donegal County Council is extremely timely, and were very grateful for his support in proposing it. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the closure of the Derry-Portadown railway line - which erased the last bits of rail from Tyrone and Donegal. Into the West is keen for that event to be marked in the coming months by a joint cross-border delegation to Dublin and Stormont from all four councils in the north-west of the island Derry-Strabane, Donegal, Fermanagh-Omagh and Mid-Ulster. The aim of the delegations will be to push for restoring the Derry-Portadown route to be made an agreed priority project within the All-Island Rail Strategy, and for the reopening of Letterkenny-Derry to be expedited and delivered within the next decade. The All-Island Rail Strategy recommended reopening the Derry-Portadown line to provide a rail corridor between the north-west and Dublin, but the route hasnt been chosen as one of the strategys seven priority projects, Mr Bradley added. It is essential that that decision is changed, as otherwise it just wont happen for decades. Meanwhile, Letterkenny is currently the third largest town in the Republic without rail, and by 2035 it will be the largest. It is essential that the unique window of opportunity presented by the Apple Windfall Tax and EU funding as well as the recently announced 1bn for the Shared Island Fund be used to ensure that Letterkenny gets its rail back before 2035. Otherwise, it wont happen until the second half of this century, which will be a massive failure. Its fantastic that Donegal Council has agreed to be part of such a cross-border delegation, and were very grateful to Cllr Meehan and all councillors in the county for their support for the proposal. We hope that elected representatives in Derry-Strabane, Fermanagh-Omagh and Mid-Ulster will now also give their support to what would be an extremely powerful cross-border delegation on rail one which would be impossible for the governments in Dublin and Belfast to ignore. Into the West campaign from improvements to the single rail line from Derry~Londonderry to Belfast, to campaigning for the return of rail to counties Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone, to link up the towns such as Strabane, Omagh and Enniskillen that lost their rail lines in the 1950s and 1960s and restore rail as an option for journeys from Derry~Londonderry and Letterkenny to Dublin, Sligo and Galway. The level of abuse and intimidation of women politicians in Northern Ireland is leading some to have doubts about running in elections, MPs have been told. Cahir Hughes, head of Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland, said that female politicians in the region had suffered horrific abuse including incidents of stalking and being targeted by pornographic deepfake videos. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee was hearing evidence from officials at the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Office as part of its investigation into how elections are conducted in the region. Responding to a question about abuse and intimidation of politicians and candidates in Northern Ireland, Mr Hughes said: Since 2022 female candidates and elected representatives have reported horrific abuse, misogynistic, sexist, violent (abuse). We have been working very closely with the PSNI to challenge that over the last number of years. It links in with the PSNIs strategy of tackling violence against women and girls. Changes that have happened in recent elections, the PSNI will now give each candidate a single point of contact so that when they are out campaigning they know there is a police officer they can contact. The PSNI are much more active now in terms of providing briefings for candidates and elected members in terms of stepping up their own security. Mr Hughes said the Northern Ireland Assembly has now offered funding for MLAs so they can install security features at their personal address or office. He added: I do think we need a cultural change within our society. We have got a younger generation coming through that think that this is acceptable and a normal part of politics. The threat in Northern Ireland and I suppose the UK, particularly when we speak to female candidates, is that people are going to stop putting themselves forward. I think that would be hugely damaging to our democracy. Recently, SDLP MLA Cara Hunter spoke out about how she feared a deepfake video would ruin her political career as she urged action to clamp down on online abuse. Ms Hunter was targeted in April 2022 when a fake video was created to look as if she was taking part in pornographic activity with a man and shared online. Alliance Party MP Sorcha Eastwood told the House of Commons this month of an experience leading a school visit to Parliament Buildings at Stormont when she was approached by a member of the public who said they wanted to rape her. Mr Hughes said he encouraged politicians to report all incidents of abuse or intimidation to police. He added: We have heard from candidates and elected representatives who have been stalked because the imprint on their election material, some candidates would use their home address or an office address and they will have people standing at the edge of the driveway or outside their office. We know of female candidates who have been made intentionally to feel uncomfortable when they are out canvassing, be that hurling verbal abuse or just stalking and following. He added: It is just frankly unacceptable and the real challenge is that female candidates are now having reservations about putting themselves for election and they have told us that as well. Mr Hughes said the Electoral Commission was working with the Department of Education to improve education for young people about why people participate in politics. David Marshall, the chief electoral officer for Northern Ireland, told MPs that his biggest concern in last years general election was around intimidation of polling station staff. He said: They are exposed, they are running a polling station, it is extremely difficult when people are doing a public service. We had situations where people were concerned over their safety in terms of coming and going from the polling station and and the police were involved in that. When you picture a tech disruptor in the field of artificial intelligence, chances are you think of well-funded American giants, maybe something out of Silicon Valley with big venture capital dollars behind it. But every so often, a player emerges from an unexpected corner of the world, knocking our collective socks off. Right now, that disruptor is DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup that has left global financial markets reeling and our understanding of who can dominate the world of AI and how. For me, it all started with a flurry of news reports about an open-source AI marvel that had trained a top-tier model on a fraction of the budget normally swallowed by big-time AI labs. Then came the jaw-dropping day on January 27, 2025, when NVIDIA stock fell a massive 17% in a single day, wiping out $600 billion. Even in an era where stock values soar and crash like clockwork, thats a meltdown you rarely see. Also read: DeepSeek AI: Beyond ChatGPT, 5 ways DeepSeek is rewriting AI rules In a world where were used to hearing about monstrous billion-dollar training budgets, DeepSeeks success story is the polar opposite. Its about being ingeniously frugal, preserving open-source ethos, and an against-all-odds approach that puts them on the map faster than you can say GPU shortage. DeepSeek: Chinese AI player no one saw coming Little is known of DeepSeeks CEO and founder, Liang Wenfeng, who also co-founded a successful hedge fund, High-Flyer Quant, before pivoting to AI. In 2023, he launched DeepSeek with a mission to democratise AI development. Flash forward two years, and the companys new flagship model, DeepSeek-V3, is knocking us all back on our heels. Why is the whole world talking about DeepSeek these past few days? Its got to do with their secret sauce. They built and trained that model on about 2,000 NVIDIA H800 GPUs way lesser than the 16,000 or so GPUs your typical top-tier lab might throw at the problem. All thanks to a technique allowing each task to tap only the slice of compute it genuinely needs. The net effect is that DeepSeek spent roughly $5.58 million on training peanuts by AI unicorn standards and still ended up with performance that many say matches or even surpasses the likes of OpenAI ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude and other big US labs dabbling in cutting edge AI. Soon after DeepSeek unveiled their new model with all of its specs and (more importantly) its performance metrics, the very first Monday of trading saw NVIDIAs stock tumble 17% or just under $600 billion wiping off the largest single day net worth of any company ever. Investors had a knee jerk reaction to the fact that if DeepSeeks approach scales, you dont need thousands of top-shelf NVIDIA GPUs. You just need a fraction of that, cleverly used. This is potentially worrisome to NVIDIAs growth story, which has so far banked on AI labs spending ever larger sums on hardware. Also read: DeepSeek vs ChatGPT and NVIDIA: Making AI affordable again? Its not just NVIDIA that took a body blow, as Microsoft, Googles parent Alphabet, Broadcom, among others, saw significant dips. Over $1 trillion disappeared off the US stock market, on the first day of trading of the week in the aftermath of DeepSeek. When an upstart like DeepSeek can trigger such widespread market waves, perhaps its a sign that were entering an era of lean AI, akin to how lean start-ups emerged in tech a decade ago. DeepSeek gives thumbs up to open source AI Another fundamentally interesting fact about DeepSeeks disruptive power is that it didnt just cut costs it embraced an open-source framework. That might raise eyebrows, considering the typical hush-hush secrecy we see from big AI product companies who treat their models like trade secrets. By contrast, DeepSeek is letting outsiders peek at the code, adapt it, or repurpose the architecture for their own ends. For me, thats a real breath of fresh air. After all, if we keep AI hidden behind locked doors and massive paywalls, how do we expect it to actually solve real problems at scale? If youre a small company or a rural university lab anywhere in the world, you probably dont have the budget to pay for usage of top-tier commercial AI. But if a robust open-source model exists, you can dive in and build solutions for local needs farming, weather predictions, small business analytics without bankrupting yourself on API calls. Also read: Deepseek R1 vs Llama 3.2 vs ChatGPT o1: Which AI model wins? This shift is reminiscent of the wave of open-source software that took on proprietary operating systems decades ago. Linux started out as a side project and ended up powering most of the internet. Could DeepSeek do something similar for advanced AI? Of course, DeepSeeks success didnt happen in a vacuum. Llama from Meta was an early sign that open-source AI can shake up the market. The question is whether DeepSeeks model is truly up there in performance for general-purpose tasks like coding or language generation. From the initial buzz, it appears it might be. DeepSeeks criticism and censorship fear But its not just about cost and code availability. There are geopolitical undercurrents here, and not everyone is popping open champagne bottles to celebrate DeepSeeks viral AI moment just yet despite DeepSeek becoming the #1 app on Apples App Store in the US by Jan 27, 2025, pushing down OpenAIs ChatGPT. Skeptics and experts alike say the DeepSeek AI model might be forced to comply with sending data back to China or Chinese censorship standards, limiting the range of permissible discourse. Others raise concerns about data privacy we still dont know exactly what data DeepSeek used for its AI model training. For instance, if they used data from the open internet, the same misinformation or bias issues that plague other AI models could pop up again on DeepSeek. Also read: DeepSeek R1: A wake-up call for Indian AI ambition, say startup investors Its also worth noting that sometimes a disruptive demonstration might not hold up at large scale. We cant overlook the real possibility that DeepSeeks model might falter under certain high-level tasks or user loads. In fact this is happening now, where DeepSeek queries are returning The server is busy, please try again later responses. According to the official press statements, DeepSeek remains in research and development mode, with no immediate push for commercial monetisation. So is DeepSeek robust, or is it a well-crafted AI spectacle meant to last for a fleeting moment? In a post DeepSeek AI world One thing is for certain, though. DeepSeeks sudden rise is part of a larger story the unstoppable wave of open-source and cost-efficient AI thats now upon us. At least in the short term, were likely to see a flurry of open-source AI startups, each claiming to replicate or improve upon DeepSeeks success. Thats good for competition, good for price, and hopefully good for all the smaller industries or academic labs that want in on the AI revolution. Also read: DeepSeek praised by Silicon Valley: The $6 million AI disruption For the end-user people like you and me this might mean a future with advanced AI assistants that dont cost an arm and a leg, or that dont require you to trust your data with a big, remote cloud. Imagine freely running a near-cutting-edge language model on your laptop or a modest local server or even a Raspberry Pi! Thats a radical shift from the subscribe to a $200/month tier for advanced usage narrative weve been fed. Maybe its a bit premature to write off expensive enterprise AI models entirely OpenAIs prospects may dwindle a bit, NVIDIA will reevaluate expectations, and the hype will settle down somewhat. Still, theres no doubt DeepSeek is shining a spotlight on an uncomfortable truth, that a lot of us might have been overpaying for AI we could replicate on half the hardware with a dash of clever engineering. Also read: DeepSeek-R1, BLOOM and Falcon AI: Exploring lesser-known open source LLMs Built at an estimated cost of $6 million, DeepSeeks model challenges the perception that modern AI requires enormous resources. For India, this development is both an inspiration and a challenge, prompting a reassessment of its AI strategy. Arun Chandrasekaran, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, offers valuable insights into what DeepSeeks success means for India and the steps needed to establish itself as a global AI leader. DeepSeeks AI significance and lessons for India DeepSeek has demonstrated that high-quality AI models can be developed outside traditional hubs like the United States. Its R1 model has been lauded for its performance on benchmark tests and its open-source release under the permissive MIT licence, which allows developers worldwide to access and build upon it. Also read: DeepSeek AI: How this free LLM is shaking up AI industry Chandrasekaran described DeepSeeks achievement as phenomenal, noting that it exemplifies how software and algorithmic innovation can often compensate for hardware limitations. However, he cautioned against taking the reported $6 million cost at face value. Its hard to gauge the actual cost of building DeepSeek because we dont know if this figure includes pre-runs or other hidden expenses, he explained. Regardless, the models success underscores a critical lesson: efficiency in scaling AI is becoming more important than brute computational power. For India, where resource constraints are a reality, DeepSeek offers a blueprint for innovation within limitations. Chandrasekaran observed that if DeepSeek relied on older-generation GPUs, it highlights the importance of deep research knowledge and access to prevailing techniques in the field. The only way to build a state-of-the-art model with limited infrastructure is through software ingenuity, he said. Indias current position in AI development India has long been recognised for its IT expertise and engineering talent. Government initiatives like the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and the IndiaAI Mission have laid a foundation for AI adoption across sectors such as healthcare and agriculture. Also read: DeepSeek R1: A wake-up call for Indian AI ambition, say startup investors However, foundational research remains an area where India lags behind global leaders like China and the United States. One of the primary challenges is infrastructure. High-performance computing resources such as GPUs are scarce, and there is limited investment in data centres and energy-efficient systems. Chandrasekaran emphasised that robust infrastructure is essential for fostering an ecosystem where software innovation can thrive. These clusters are extremely power-hungry, he noted. Investments in cooling technologies and sustainable energy solutions are critical. Another area requiring attention is research funding. While countries like China have heavily invested in academic research through state-backed initiatives, Indias R&D spending remains below 1% of GDP far lower than global averages. Chandrasekaran argued that deep investments in research are crucial for building foundational capabilities in AI. Additionally, talent development needs to be prioritised. Institutions like IITs and IISc produce world-class engineers but have limited capacity relative to Indias population size. The number of computer science seats at IITs or IISc is a drop in the bucket compared to whats needed, Chandrasekaran remarked. AI opportunities for India Despite these challenges, Chandrasekaran sees immense potential for India to carve out a unique role in the global AI landscape. He believes constraints such as purchasing power parity can drive more efficient and frugal innovation. Also read: DeepSeek praised by Silicon Valley: The $6 million AI disruption Constraints are not always a curse; sometimes they can be a blessing, he said. One opportunity lies in developing smaller, localised models tailored to Indian languages and use cases. Such models could address unique socio-economic challenges while fostering innovation within resource limitations. Chandrasekaran also emphasised the importance of building a robust developer ecosystem: India needs an environment where developers can create B2B and B2C applications using homegrown models. Furthermore, public-private partnerships could accelerate innovation by bridging gaps between academia, industry, and government bodies. Future of AI development Chandrasekaran believes that future advancements in AI will prioritise efficiency over brute force approaches that rely on massive compute power and data volumes. He noted that leaner models will become increasingly important as developers aim to optimise performance without escalating costs. On a broader level, he reflected on how AI could reshape human identity itself. While he sees immense potential for AI to enable humans to reach their full potential, he also expressed concerns about its impact on creativity and purpose-driven tasks traditionally associated with human identity. Also read: Meet Janus-Pro-7B: DeepSeeks free AI image generation tool If AI becomes so good that it takes over tasks we enjoy or aspire to do, he said, it raises existential questions about what it means to be human. DeepSeeks rise serves as both an inspiration and a challenge for India. It highlights what can be achieved with strategic investments and efficient innovation but also underscores gaps in Indias current approach to foundational AI research. As Arun Chandrasekaran aptly put it: The task ahead is enormous, but so is the opportunity. By addressing its challenges head-on through investments in infrastructure, talent development, and research funding India can transform itself into a global leader in artificial intelligence. With visionary leadership and collaborative efforts across sectors, India has the potential not only to catch up but also to lead in areas where it has unique strengths paving the way for a future where technology serves as a force for inclusive growth and societal advancement. Also read: DeepSeek AI: Beyond ChatGPT, 5 ways DeepSeek is rewriting AI rules Gardai and ESB Networks has warned customers of a phishing scam doing the rounds in the wake of Storm Eowyn. As the country continues to clean up the aftermath of last weekend's severe weather, fraudsters have been busy targeting ESB customers as people around the country anxiously wait for their power to be restored. Taking to social media to issue the warning, gardai said: "We have been informed of a phishing scam doing the rounds by text message and phone calls purporting to be from E.S.B. and offering rebates due to outages caused by Storm Eowyn. "Do not engage with such messages or share any personal or banking information or without independently verifying the sources of any calls or text messages. "Gardai recommend blocking these messages and not interacting with them otherwise," the post concluded. In a separate statement, ESB Networks also warned customers of the ongoing scam. "We have also been made aware of scam text messages purporting to come from ESB Networks. We ask that customers do not engage directly, do not share any personal information if asked, and block and report the suspicious number if necessary," a spokesperson said. READ MORE | PICTURES: Ireland's top sportswomen, partners and families step out in style to awards night An Garda Siochana is reminding the public to always be wary of texts from unknown senders, and unusual requests that can even appear in the thread of previous genuine texts. Never ever click on links in a text Never ring a number contained in a text Never ever give away your personal data (e.g., bank details, PIN numbers, passwords, one time codes, PPS number, Eircode, etc) Do not transfer any money If the caller purports to be a son or daughter seeking money, hang up and try and make contact with your child or their friends Be wary of cold calls always ask the caller their name and for their phone number. If you have any concerns just hang up and ring your bank/service provider using the number on your bill/statement just because it looks like an Irish number doesnt mean it is Never download any Apps that give fraudsters control of your device If you are offered a job in a cold call, be suspicious and ask yourself why me? and why does my new employer need access to my bank account? If you have been a victim, change your passwords and PIN codes, report it to your bank ASAP and ask them to do a recall. 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. The Government has appointed its team of junior ministers, including former agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue and Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae. Fifteen senior ministers were appointed last Thursday when Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin became Taoiseach, a day after disruptive scenes in the Dail parliament. Criticisms were made of the drop in the number of women at Cabinet from four to three. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, just two seats short of a majority, formed a coalition deal with the regional independent group and Kerry brothers Michael and Danny Healy-Rae. To reflect the mandate of each political group based on Novembers election, Fianna Fail has 10 junior ministry roles, including chief whip Mary Butler; Fine Gael has eight, while the independents have five. Three super junior ministers were announced last week: the Regional Independents Sean Canney and Noel Grealish, and Fine Gaels Hildegarde Naughton. Two other independents, Kevin Boxer Moran, Marian Harkin and Mr Healy-Rae, have been given junior ministries. On Wednesday, the full 16 junior ministerial roles were revealed six of whom are women, three of whom are new female junior ministers. Donegal TD Mr McConalogue, who was the only minister to be dropped from Cabinet last week, accepted a role as a minister of state. Robert Troy, who resigned as a junior minister at the Department of Enterprise in August 2022 after failing to declare all his property dealings on the Dail register of members interests, has returned to the junior benches. The Westmeath TD said at the time these were genuine errors and not an attempt to conceal anything. Fianna Fail has promoted former media committee chairwoman Niamh Smyth and Jennifer Murnane OConnor as junior ministers. Cork North-West TD for Fianna Fail Michael Moynihan, Cork TD Christopher OSullivan and Clare TD Timmy Dooley have also been promoted to junior ministries. Thomas Byrne and Niall Collins have been re-appointed to junior ministerial roles. For Fine Gael, Cork South-Central TD Jerry Buttimer, former cathaoirleach of the Seanad; Dublin South West TD Colm Brophy; and Waterford TD John Cummins have been promoted as ministers of state. Alan Dillon, Neale Richmond, Emer Higgins and Kieran ODonnell remain as ministers of state. The Government nominees for the leas Ceann Comhairle role is a joint bid between Fianna Fails John McGuinness and Fine Gaels Frank Feighan, who will rotate the role on November 16 2027. On Tuesday, Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly began a legal challenge against the Government as to whether having super junior ministers at Cabinet is unconstitutional. There can only be a maximum of 15 members of Government at Cabinet as per the Irish constitution. Mr Dalys case was granted leave in the High Court on Wednesday after a record high number of junior ministerial appointments. Labours finance spokesperson Ged Nash said that the boom-time baby minister bonanza is back. He added: Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are prepared to spend at least an extra 1.5 million euro a year of public money to keep Independents and their own TDs happy with new perks and positions. This stroke by the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and their partner in government Michael Lowry have absolutely smashed the pre-crash record of 20 ministers of state. By the time the committee chair gigs are doled out, we will have in excess of 50 TDs with Government-sponsored jobs. The RISE Community Fund has announced plans to award new cash grants to small businesses, farms, social enterprises, schools, charities and community groups in Louth, with funding available to those who can demonstrate innovative plans to use technology to scale the positive impact of their work and benefit the local community. Previous Louth groups to receive grant funding from the RISE Community Fund include Commercial Club, Drogheda Womens and Childrens Refuge Centre CLG, Louth Village Youth Club, Mattock Rangers CLG and local farmer Barry McDonnell. Supported by National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company responsible for delivering the Irish Governments National Broadband Plan, as well as other corporate partners including KN Circet, KPMG, Test Triangle, DreamDev Technologies and TLI Group, the RISE Community Fund has travelled the breadth of the country in recent years to provide a cash injection for community organisations thinking creatively about how they can use technology. David McCourt, Chairman of NBI and founder of RISE, commented: At NBI weve always been clear that our mission is about more than bringing Netflix to rural Ireland; its about empowering communities to embrace new technologies with the foundation of world-class fibre broadband, which NBI is delivering at scale. "In partnership with RISE, were finding and rewarding entrepreneurial uses of technology, and weve already awarded over 130 cash grants across the country, including many great examples here in Louth. Applications for the cash grants open on 3rd February and close on 28th February 2025. Grants of up to 1000 will be available to successful applicants across the county. The application process is incredibly quick and easy, and successful applicants will be notified in March, with money following in quick succession. We cant wait to see the entrepreneurial ideas from Louth, added McCourt. With 5,300 premises in Louth already able to order or pre-order a service on its network, NBI is reminding Louth residents and businesses to visit their website at www.nbi.ie to order from their broadband provider of choice. Read more about the RISE Community Fund and gain access to the grant application at riseglobalfoundation.com. USE THE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' TO BROWSE THROUGH THE FULL GALLERY Audi A6 Sportback e-tron Volkswagen Group, comprising Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, CUPRA, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, recently invited us to their impressive Technical Centre on the Nangor Road in Dublin for a state of the company address. We also learned that they will celebrate several milestones in 2025, including 130 years of the Skoda brand, 75 years of SEAT and 75 years of Volkswagen in Ireland. All the brands under the umbrella of Volkswagen were present giving us a heads up on the year ahead. Volkswagen Group is the leading umbrella car brand in Ireland ahead of the likes of Toyota, Hyundai, Renault and Stellantis. They proudly said that one in 4 EVs sold in Ireland last year was a Volkswagen Group car leading the way on the path to the total electrification of our national fleet. This year Volkswagen Ireland will launch a number of models, including the Tayron SUV, the new T-ROC and, towards the end of the year, the electric ID.2all the most compact and affordable member of their ID. family to date. There'll also be a series of special edition Edition 75 models expected to provide class leading specifications and serious value for money. Audi retained its crown as Irelands best-selling premium brand in 2024. A host of new arrivals will arrive over the next 12 months, starting with the all-electric A6 e-tron, the new A7 Avant & Saloon, the new A5 PHEV, the Q3 SUV and Sportback, Q5 PHEV, RS5 PHEV as well as a refreshed Q4 e-tron. Skoda shattered sales records in 2024 with a 20 per cent increase in registrations compared to 2023. This year we will see a number of next generation PHEV models like the Skoda Superb Combi iV and the Kodiaq iV and the new all electric Elroq this spring. Both SEAT and CUPRA laid out the foundations for expansion in 2025 with the rollout of new dealerships across Ireland all ready for the launch of the new Leon PHEV 2.0 as well as the updated Arona and Ibiza. The CUPRA range will expand to five models when the Terramar and the all-electric Tavascan land. In the commercial vehicle space Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles posted their highest volumes since 2019 with models like the Amarok, ID. Buzz and new Crafter. The new models coming include the seven-seat ID. Buzz LWB and GTX, the brand-new California camper and the highly anticipated stalwart, the Volkswagen Transporter, which will have an all-electric offering. It would be safe to say that despite the noise and negativity swirling around VW at the moment they seem very ebullient and confident facing into 2025. They must retain their position as the number one group, increase sales and market share to deliver on that confidence. I would not bet against them doing exactly that. It would be safe to say that despite the noise and negativity swirling around VW at the moment they seem very ebullient and confident facing into 2025. They must retain their position as the number one group, increase sales and market share to deliver on that confidence. I would not bet against them doing exactly that. A new TG4 documentary that depicts the night-time scene in Cork City is coming to television screens next month. The show, entitled Oiche i gCorcaigh, is an atmospheric documentary series set in Cork over one night. It features a range of local people who work and play in to the late hours of the evening and early morning. Viewers will meet Garda Shane McCarthy and Garda Barra OShea, as they patrol the streets; shift workers from a variety of bars, clubs, hospitals and restaurants, as they come and go from one hour to the next; and party-goers Hannah McCarthy and her friends, Phoebe and Orlaith, as they get some prinks in before hitting the town. Audiences will also get to see Brian Desmond, as he begins his late-night shift at Heineken Brewery; Imperial Hotel manager Ide Breathnach, as she leads her staff through a busy birthday celebration; and Frank OConnor, founder of Anois, who will discuss dereliction across the city, before stopping in at Cafe Spresso on MacCurtain St, where owner Tomasz Wrzesien presides over a nightly crew of regulars. University College Cork lecturer Paddy Egan, who is also a concertina player, his wife, Nicola, and their baby daughter will also appear in the series, as will Paschal Coffey, from Hope for the Homeless, and paramedics Domhnall Mac Aodha and Kevin Hourihan, as they rush to get to hospital a man who was retrieved from the River Lee. Comedian Tadhg Hickey will be shown performing to a full house, and Dr Caitriona Ni Chathasaigh will be profiled working her way through the wards of Mallow Hospital. Viewers will also make a stop in Cobh, where they will see the Benedictine nuns begin a night of prayer and contemplation, and meet with Mother Catherine and Geraldine Heffernan, who is a teacher at Mater Dei Academy, on a personal retreat in St Benedicts. The explorative series, produced by Wicklow-based Phoenix Films, will air on TG4 for the first time on Wednesday, February 5 at 9.30pm, and again on Wednesday, February 12 at the same time. There have been calls for clarity on the progression of BusConnects in Cork, with landowners set to receive letters about the acquisition of some of their properties this week. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has commenced issuing letters to homeowners whose property may be potentially impacted by BusConnects Cork. They will receive a letter with a map showing the current understanding of the potential land extents required, and a questionnaire to be filled in. The NTA highlighted that these do not form part of a formal compulsory purchase order (CPO) process, which will only commence when a CPO has been prepared and a statutory application has been submitted to An Bord Pleanala for its consideration and decision, which is anticipated to happen later this year. Acquisitions The acquisitions may include both the temporary and permanent acquisition of a portion of land, with proposed temporary acquisition being used to facilitate construction and later reinstated and returned to the landowner. The NTA explains in the letters: The preparation of documentation is ongoing for the formal applications for approval and the related compulsory acquisitions of lands which will be made to An Bord Pleanala later this year. It is anticipated that applications for the three standalone proposed schemes will be submitted on a phased basis beginning in mid-2025. If subsequently approved by An Bord Pleanala, the acquisition of the portions of properties included in the approved CPO would involve the payment of appropriate compensation in respect of the relevant properties. This latest development comes after three rounds of public consultation. The NTA has said that there will be a further opportunity to make submissions directly to the appeal board in relation to the proposed acquisitions. Letters were issued yesterday to people along the Dunkettle to City line, the Mayfield to City line, the Blackpool to City line, and the Hollyhill to City line. Letters relating to Airport Rd to City, Maryborough Hill to City, Mahon to City, and Kinsale Rd to Douglas will be issued later in the week. The Ballincollig to City, Bishopstown to City, and Togher to City letters will be sent at the end of this week. Sustainable transport corridors The NTA also said the 11 sustainable transport corridors (STCs) that have been the subject of non-statutory public consultation have been combined into three standalone proposed schemes. These are the Cork City North Sustainable Transport Corridors Scheme, which combines the Dunkettle, Mayfield, Blackpool, and Hollyhill lines; the Cork City South West Sustainable Transport Corridors Scheme for Ballincollig, Bishopstown, and Togher; and the Cork City South East Sustainable Transport Corridors Scheme, made up of Airport Rd, Maryborough Hill, Mahon, and Kinsale Rd. Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy told The Echo: The moving on of the project is welcome, as has been the ongoing conversations between individuals and the NTA officials. It has been over a year since the third round of public consultation on the BusConnects corridors. All of us stakeholders involved are a little bit rusty on what conversations were had during the third round. A year is a long time in a community. I have written to the NTA to clarify and to publish what changes have been made arising out of the third round, so all involved are on the same page, so we all know the next steps of the process. Latest: Centre Park Road and Monahan Road have now been fully re-opened. In a statement, Cork City Council said: "Operational works are ongoing at Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station. "Uisce Eireann crews, supported by Cork City Council and specialist operators, have been on the ground since last night to resolve the issues at the Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station following equipment failure. "Cork City Council is liaising with Uisce Eireann's incident management team and the EPA. "We are continuing to monitor the situation, however as of now no further road closures are planned." Road Closure - Further Update Centre Park Road and Monahan Road have now been fully re-opened. Operational works are ongoing at Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station. Uisce Eireann crews, supported by Cork City Council and specialist operators, have been on the ground Cork City Council (@corkcitycouncil) January 29, 2025 Meanwhile in a statement this evening, a spokesperson for the EPA confirmed that Uisce Eireann yesterday notified the agency of an incident "resulting from a significant equipment failure at the Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station". "The incident caused the sewer network to backup, which resulted in localised flooding of wastewater in the Monaghan Road and Centre Park Road area. "To minimise the potential for wastewater flooding in these areas, Uisce Eireann turned off three pumping stations in Cork city. This gave rise to overflows of wastewater to the River Lee from these pumping stations. "The EPA has inspected the site today. "Uisce Eireann is actively working to resolve the issue at the Atlantic Pond Wastewater Pumping Station and has taken immediate actions to restore the pumping of wastewater through the network to the wastewater treatment plant. "This has ceased the overflow from the three pumping stations in Cork city. Further significant works will be required at the Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station to restore it to normal operations. "The EPA has requested Uisce Eireann to sample the River Lee to establish the extent of the impact. "The EPA will continue to investigate this matter and the site inspection report will be available on the EPA website in due course." 5.25pm Centre Park Road and Monahan Road will remain closed this evening, a spokesperson for Cork City Council has said. Operational works are ongoing at Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station. Uisce Eireann crews, supported by Cork City Council and specialist operators, have been on the ground since last night to resolve the issues at the Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station following equipment failure. Cork City Council is liaising with Uisce Eireanns incident management team and the EPA. We are continuing to monitor the situation, however as of now no further road closures are planned. Further updates will issue when roads re-open, the council said. 4.30pm Uisce Eireann crews, supported by Cork City Council and specialist operators, have been on the ground since last night to resolve the issues at the Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station following equipment failure, a spokesperson for the utility has said. Crews have been dealing with flooding which impacted workers entering and leaving their business premises on the Monahan and Centre Park Roads in the Atlantic Pond area of Cork city since Tuesday afternoon. To reduce the risk of wastewater flooding homes and businesses, some overflows have been opened as a temporary measure, Uisce Eireann explained. Additionally, the wastewater is being captured by a team of tankers who worked through last night and today to mitigate the issues. Uisce Eireanns incident management team is liaising with the EPA and Cork City Council at all stages of operations. "We are continuing to monitor the situation, however as of now no further road closures are planned," a spokesperson for the utility said. "Uisce Eireann apologises for any inconvenience and would like to assure the local community that we are working to resolve this issue as a matter of priority. "Uisce Eireanns priority is to protect public health and safety and minimise harm to the environment." Earlier Work is continuing to control overflow in Cork city's Atlantic Pond this morning following a flooding incident yesterday. Crews from Uisce Eireann have been dealing with flooding which impacted workers entering and leaving their business premises on the Monahan and Centre Park Roads in the Atlantic Pond area of Cork city during Tuesday afternoon and evening. Cork City Council Water department staff and contractors Clearing drains - Flooding on Centre Park Road and Monahan Road, Cork City. Pic Larry Cummins The flooding has been caused by an overflow at the Atlantic Pond wastewater pumping station. A spokesperson for Uisce Eireann said this morning: "Uisce Eireann is working to resolve an overflow of wastewater in the Atlantic Pond area in Cork which has led to some flooding of roads in the vicinity. "Crews are on the ground working to resolve the issue and mitigate the impact of any overflows. ROAD CLOSED - Clearing drains - Flooding on Centre Park Road and Monahan Road, Cork City. Pic Larry Cummins "A traffic management plan has been put in place and a number of streets in the locality remain closed in consultation with Cork City Council and An Garda Siochana. "Areas impacted by road closures are Monahan Road and Centre Park Road. "Uisce Eireanns incident management team is liaising with the EPA and Cork City Council in relation this incident. Monahan Road this morning. Clearing drains - Flooding on Centre Park Road and Monahan Road, Cork City. Pic Larry Cummins "Tankers are on site removing excess wastewater overflows. We are asking people to take alternative routes while work is ongoing Uisce Eireanns priority is to protect public health and safety and minimise harm to the environment. Further updates will be provided as they become available." Uisce Eireanns Customer Care Team is available 24/7 on 1800 278 278. Part of Cork City's Half Moon Street has been cordoned off this morning as Gardai investigate a burglary at a retail premises last night. It is understood that the incident occurred at a clothing store. A Garda spokesperson told The Echo this morning: "Gardai are investigating a burglary of a retail premises on Half Moon Street, Cork City which occurred late yesterday evening, 28th January 2025. "The scene is currently held for technical examination. "Investigations are ongoing." Cork University Hospital (CUH) saw the most injuries of staff by patients of any hospital in the county, data provided by the HSE shows. Professor Conor Deasy, the clinical director of emergency and acute care at CUH, said: Cork University Hospital emergency department is the busiest in the country, and we ensure we report these events to learn from them ways we can protect our patients and staff. Its important to understand that not all these injuries are caused by deliberate assaults, some can be due to medical reasons such as people who have delirium, who dont realise they are hitting out at medical staff. Causes of delirium can include infection, but also detoxification from alcohol and drugs. There are patients who come in under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and assault healthcare professionals. These people are held responsible for their actions and reported to An Garda Siochana. According to data provided to The Echo by the HSE through the Freedom of Information Act, a total of 510 hospital staff were injured by patients in Cork hospitals between 2020 and summer 2024. Of these, 336 occurred in the CUH, with a further 129 in Mercy University Hospital. There were 44 injuries in South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, with the HSE explaining: The South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital is a voluntary hospital, and does not have an emergency department. All admissions are planned, booked admissions with also a number of outpatient clinics. Mr Deasy said that when an injury occurs, it is a serious issue. The nurse or doctor reports the event to their line manager and, if their injuries are significant, is registered to be seen as a patient, he said. When somebody is at risk of being aggressive, the emergency department will risk-assess the patient and attempt de-escalation through talking with the patient. The Director of Public Prosecutions decided that the case against a former Fianna Fail councillor for allegedly harassing a woman in Cork city could be dealt with at Cork District Court. However, Judge Mary Dorgan said that she would adjourn the issue of whether or not she would accept jurisdiction to deal with the case at district court level. The case was adjourned, on the application of Sergeant Aisling Murphy, to Cork District Court on March 12. Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, asked for the prosecution statements in the case to be sent to the defence. 49-year-old Joseph ODonovan, formerly known as Gary OFlynn, of Melvindale House, Coolowen, Blarney, County Cork, was present in court for the brief hearing. He is charged contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, for the alleged offence of harassment on three dates between July 30 and August 6, 2022 at a location in Cork city. As Gary OFlynn, he was a councillor on Cork City Council from 2003 to 2008. A man who approached an off-duty member of An Garda Siochana offering him cannabis is challenging the charges against him, claiming that he bought the substance in a well-known retail shop and passed it off as cannabis. Martin Long, aged 33, of Loughaderra, Castlemartyr, Co Cork, appeared at Cork District Court where he was charged with possession of cannabis for his own use and possession of the drug for the purpose of sale or supply to others. The value of the alleged cannabis seized was 280. It is alleged that Mr Long approached an off-duty member of An Garda Siochana at the bus station on Parnell Pl and offered to sell him the item. Solicitor Joseph Cuddigan, on behalf of Mr Long, said: He said he purchased the substance that he offered it for sale he purchased it from a retail premises and he was passing it off as genuine. Mr Cuddigan said the premises in question was prosecuted a number of times for what was being sold at the store. I am asking for details of those prosecutions, Mr Cuddigan said. I am seeking an order for details of those prosecutions. He is not denying approaching an off-duty garda. Commenting on the defences approach to the case, Judge Philip OLeary said: It has a novel ring to it as a defence, I will give you that much. Judge OLeary adjourned the case until March 25 at Cork District Court for the purpose of setting a later date for a hearing of the case. When you buy something in Ireland or the EU, you have strong rights. The laws are designed to make you feel confident when shopping in stores or online, make sure you have enough information to make informed decisions, and provide redress options if things go wrong. By law, sellers or suppliers (known as traders) must treat you fairly, for example, by making sure products and services are safe and of a high standard. Updates to consumer law The Consumer Rights Act 2022 simplified and updated consumer protection laws. The Act introduced new protections, including: Rights for digital content contracts Rights for services contracts A right to agree a price reduction on faulty products or services A blacklist of contract terms that are always unfair A ban on certain aggressive commercial practices, including fake reviews The Act also gave extra enforcement powers for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) Who are consumers? Consumer laws only apply to transactions between a consumer and a trader. A consumer buys goods or services for personal use. A trader sells goods or services as a business, trade or profession. Be mindful that consumer law does not apply when buying from: A private individual who is not a trader (for example, someone selling you their car but who does not sell cars as a profession). A seller outside the EU or European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein). Types of consumer contracts When you buy goods, services and digital content, you make a contract with the seller. As parties to the agreement, both you and the seller have certain legal rights and obligations. The main types of consumer contracts are: Sales contracts and online sales contracts Contracts for services Digital content services or contracts Contracts can be verbal, in writing, or by your conduct (for example, a silent contract where you pay for a good at a self-service supermarket checkout). Certain terms can be set by the businesses (for example, the price or how a service is carried out) however, these must not go against your consumer rights. What you can expect from your product or service When you buy products, services or digital content or services they must be in conformity with the contract. They must meet certain conditions of quality, performance and durability. You are entitled to certain remedies when something you buy does not meet the conditions or standards. A remedy could be a repair, replacement, refund or a price reduction. Right to information Consumer law gives you a right to certain information before you buy. The information you must get depends on whether you bought in a physical shop, online or on your doorstep. When you buy online or at your doorstep, you must get a copy of the signed contract or order confirmation. The confirmation should be on paper or through email. Contact your local Citizens Information Office to check what information you will need, as this differs depending on whether you bought in-store, online, or if it was delivered to your door. Right to change your mind and cancel You have a right to change your mind and cancel when you buy online, over the phone, by mail order or on your doorstep (known as distance contracts). With distance contracts, you do not enter into the contract in person and you cannot check the products or service before you buy. For this reason, you have a cooling off period where you can change your mind and get a refund. The cooling off period ends 14 days after you receive the goods or service. For doorstep sales, you have 30 days from when the contract was agreed to cancel. Sometimes you do not have a cooling-off period and the seller must tell you this before you buy. Unfair terms Contract terms and conditions must be fair and clear. A term is unfair if you are at an unfair disadvantage. Consumer law sets out terms that may be unfair (the grey list) and ones that are always and automatically unfair (the blacklist). There are legal tests of the transparency and fairness of contract terms. It is up to the seller to prove that terms are transparent and fair. Unfair sales practices You are protected against unfair, misleading or aggressive sales practices. Sellers cannot: Make a false or misleading claim about products, services, and prices Use false or misleading descriptions Use aggressive tactics to influence you Present reviews as genuine without checking they are not fake. If things go wrong... If something you bought is faulty or does not meet the description, the seller must offer you a repair, replacement, refund or a reduction in the price. Make a complaint Always approach the seller first, to allow them to put things right. You can get more advice about how to make a complaint by contacting your local Citizens Information Centre. Breaches of consumer law The Consumer Rights Act 2022 strengthens the enforcement powers of consumer protection agencies like the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). The CCPC can take action against traders who do not give you the remedies or refunds you are entitled to or who use misleading or aggressive practices. Companies can be fined by the Courts following enforcement action taken by the CCPC. Vivienne Clarke An Independent TD has called on the Government to "send out" the Army help the elderly and most vulnerable in society who are still without power after Storm Eowyn. There were about 142,000 premises still without power on Wednesday after hurricane-force gusts hit some areas during the storm on Friday morning. Many households have been told their electricity may not return until next Wednesday. Uisce Eireann said about 16,000 people remain without a water supply, as of Wednesday morning. Michael Fitzmaurice, the TD for Roscommon-Galway, told RTE's Today with Claire Byrne that Uisce Eireann should have been better prepared for the storm and that the utility needed to "cop on". Mr Fitzmaurice also said it was "ferociously disappointing" that local authorities in some parts of the country did not allow staff out to work at clearing up until after 4pm on Friday. He said the Government should establish a grant scheme so people could buy generators to have on standby for future events. Mr Fitzmaurice said he had an old generator and it allowed the heating to turn on and the fridge to work. Many small businesses and GP surgeries would be able to function now if they had a generator, he claimed. "I spoke this morning to a doctor in Ballaghaderreen that cannot basically function because they have no computer," he said. "The place is freezing. Even if someone is sick this minute, they cannot operate." Mr Fitzmaurice added that there are many vulnerable people in society who needed power to care for sick family members at home. "If you're at home and you have a hoist and a hospital bed, you need to be able to use that. A small generator is required to help with that." Margaret Attridge, Uisce Eireanns head of water operations, said the 16,000 people still without water on Wednesday morning equated to 6,000 houses and was down from a high of 200,000 people in the immediate aftermath of Storm Eowyn. The majority of those without water are in the northwest, she told RTEs Morning Ireland. She said there were generators maintaining supply to another 120,000 people. Ms Attridge said alternative supplies in the form of tankers are being provided in areas where there are vulnerable people and people who cannot get out to collect water for themselves. She went on to explain that Uisce Eireann has backup generators at the four largest water treatment plants that supply water for 2.5 million people, but they did not have generators for all the 8,000 assets around the country, all of which require power. A generator installation programme has been progressing in recent years, she said. But many of the plants needed to be made more resilient and there was a plan in place to rationalise smaller schemes into larger more secure treatment plants. By Rebecca Black, PA Concern has been expressed that a public inquiry into the Omagh bomb will not be able to uncover the full truth. Claire Hayes, whose brother Alan Radford (16) was among the 29 people killed in the dissident republican bomb attack in 1998, said she is very sceptical, with the Irish Government not being a full participant in the proceedings. The inquiry started four weeks of public commemorative hearings on Tuesday, recalling the lives of and hearing tributes to all those killed and impacted by the Real IRA atrocity. The probe, led by Scottish judge Lord Turnbull, is examining whether the atrocity could reasonably have been prevented by UK authorities. The first tributes were paid to Fernando Blasco Baselga (12) and Rocio Abad Ramos (23), two Spanish tourists killed in the bombing. Rocio Abad Ramos (23), from Madrid, was among 29 people killed in the dissident republican bomb attack in the Co Tyrone town in 1998 Bereaved families and survivors have gathered at the Strule Arts Centre in the Co Tyrone town for the second day of commemorative hearings which include evidence from Ms Hayes about her brother. Speaking ahead of the hearing, Ms Hayes said she is sceptical about the outcome of the inquiry. I am very sceptical when the Irish Government isnt partaking in it, it is not a full inquiry, so there is already a flaw, she told BBC Radio Ulsters Good Morning Ulster programme. That doesnt give me great comfort knowing that given the fact that this bomb was made in the south [of Ireland], the car was stolen in the south. Claire Hayess brother Alan Radford was killed in the Omagh bomb (Liam McBurney/PA) The southern Government have said that they will help but they are not compelled to do so, and for me, for Alan, I wanted it to be completely robust, completely transparent, so we know absolutely everything. Earlier this week Taoiseach Micheal Martin said his Government will co-operate fully with the inquiry, while Tanaiste Simon Harris said they will not be found wanting. Lord Turnbull said during his opening statement last year that the inquiry will undertake its task rigorously and fearlessly, and emphasised the defining character of the inquiry must be its independence. Later, the inquiry will hear commemorations of three generations of the same family who were killed in the bombing. James Barker, Esther Gibson, Sean McGrath, Gareth Conway, Elizabeth Rush, Fred White, Lorraine Wilson, Veda Short, Alan Radford, Bryan White, Brenda Logue, Deborah Cartwright, Geraldine Breslin, and Oran Doherty were among the victims Mary Grimes, her daughter Avril Monaghan, who was pregnant with twins, and her daughter Maura Monaghan, who was just 18 months old, died in the attack. The names of all those killed in the bombing were read out at the inquiry on Tuesday morning before all those assembled were invited to stand for a minutes silence in remembrance. The commemorative and personal statement hearings will be heard over the next four weeks. These will begin with bereaved families giving pen portrait evidence of those who died, followed by survivors, emergency services and those working in statutory organisations. Gordon Deegan The numbers of those refused entry to the State at Dublin airport last year due to having no travel documents declined by 30 per cent to 2,293. New Department of Justice figures show that the 2,293 refused entry by front-line immigration officials at Dublin airport last year compares to 3,287 refused for having no travel documents in 2023 - a decline of 994. The decline follows the then Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, last August imposing higher fines on airlines and ferry companies that allow someone to board or disembark without proper documentation. The Ministerial order increasing the maximum fines from 3,000 to 5,000 was a way of preventing the practice whereby some people destroy or dispose of travel documents as part of efforts to claim asylum. At the time, Minister McEntee said: "There is a legal obligation on our airlines and on our ferries to make sure that any individual that boards our planes or boats that they have the correct and proper documentation where that doesn't occur, we need to make sure that there are very clear penalties and fines. In a written Dail reply to a question placed by Carol Nolan TD, Dept of Justice figures show that the total numbers refused entry to the State at Dublin in 2024 amounted to 5,255. The 5,255 refused entry last year is a 10 per cent decline on the 5,826 who were refused entry at Dublin in 2023. The figures show that while the numbers refused entry due to having no travel documents dropped, the numbers refused entry due to false documents+importers increased by 23.5pc from 872 to 1,077 which is part of the 5,255 total. The Department figures show that 2022 recorded the peak number of recent years for those refused entry to the State when 7,662 were refused entry that included 4,968 refused due to having no travel documentation. The numbers refused declined in 2024 despite the overall number of passengers arriving into Dublin airport last year increasing by 4pc from 16.62m to 17.3m. The Border Management Unit (BMU) of the Department of Justice is responsible for frontline Immigration at Dublin Airport only while other airports and other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). The decline in those being refused entry without travel documentation follows the Dept of Justice and the GNIB working closely with airlines on a range of measures to ensure that passengers have such documentation when boarding. This includes delivering in-person training to relevant airline ground-handling staff on immigration requirements and false travel documentation. In addition, BMU and GNIB also have an ongoing intelligence-led programme of operations at airplanes to detect passengers who destroyed documents inflight and to identify the point of embarkation of undocumented passengers. Last year in 2024, the BMU carried out over 7,300 doorstep operations at Dublin Airport. Eoin Reynolds A woman accused of murdering a pensioner whose skull was fractured and his body allegedly thrown over Ireland's tallest cliffs told gardai she was "a bit manic" and was exaggerating when she told a friend she had hit the deceased over the head. The trial also heard that Nikita Burns (23) told gardai that her co-accused, Alan Vial (39), had struck the deceased man Robert 'Robin' Wilkin (66) six or seven times with a rock. She described seeing Mr Vial with the rock in his hand, "smashing it off Robin's head" while she told him to stop. She said: "I saw blood going everywhere and Alan just kept hitting him and hitting him and I kept saying, that's enough." When Mr Vial stopped, she said, Mr Wilkin was dead and lay slumped between the car seats while Mr Vial drove to the cliffs at Sliabh Liag. Ms Burns said Mr Vial had suggested they throw Mr Wilkin over the cliff. They drove for 30 minutes and when they got to the top, she said Mr Vial "dragged him [the deceased] over to the fence and pushed him over." Ms Burns said she did not get out of the car at Sliabh Liag and did not touch the rock or hit Mr Wilkin at any point. Ms Burns of Carrick, Co Donegal and Mr Vial of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, Co Donegal have pleaded not guilty to the murder of 66-year-old Robert 'Robin' Wilkin on June 25th, 2023 in Donegal. Mr Wilkin's body was found eight days later in the water below the Sliabh Liag cliffs. Detective Garda Patrick Farrell told prosecution counsel Emmet Nolan BL that Ms Burns was arrested on June 26th, the day after the alleged murder, and interviewed three times at Ballyshannon Garda Station. In her first interview she said that she and Mr Vial had been "seeing each other" for a few weeks and when asked if they were in love, she replied: "Yeah." She had been living at Mr Vial's five-bedroom house along with Mr Wilkin for about one month. She said she and Mr Vial worked for Mr Wilkin, who was involved in a concrete business. In her first two interviews, she said she didn't know what happened to Mr Wilkin but in her third interview, she told the detectives that Mr Vial killed Mr Wilkin and threw him off a cliff. She said she had difficulty remembering what happened because she was "really drunk" but she thought she had been in the front passenger seat of a Volkswagen Passat which was being driven by Mr Wilkin. The two men were fighting, she said, and Mr Wilkin pulled over in an area that she later identified as Roshine in Fintown after gardai showed her CCTV footage of the Passat's movements. She said she remembered seeing Mr Vial with a rock in his hands. "He kept smashing off Robin's head with it and I told him to stop but he wouldn't stop," she said. Mr Vial struck the deceased six or seven times with the rock, she said, and when he stopped Mr Wilkin was dead. She said it was Mr Vial's idea to put the body over the cliff at Sliabh Liag. Sharon O'Dowd has previously given evidence that she spoke to Ms Burns by phone the night after Mr Wilkin's death. Ms O'Dowd said Ms Burns told her that she and Mr Vial "beat some man's head in" so she recorded part of the conversation. Gardai played the recording to Ms Burns. Following a five-minute consultation with her solicitor, Ms Burns said: "I was off my head, I was a bit manic and then I over-exaggerated the story because I felt I needed to tell somebody and then I just over-exaggerated. I wanted to protect Alan. I wanted him not to take the fall." When asked what specifically she had exaggerated, she said: "I exaggerated that I hit him over the head and dragged his body." She denied murdering Mr Wilkin or throwing him over the cliff and said she did not touch the rock or hit the deceased. She said she returned to Sliabh Liag the following day because Mr Vial wanted to "have a look to make sure the body was not still there". She said they didn't see anything so they left. She further told gardai that the only reason she cleaned blood from the Passat was that she felt "threatened" after Mr Vial told her he didn't know what he would do if she didn't help. It is the prosecution case that the two accused caused Mr Wilkin's death having engaged in a joint enterprise with the intention to cause serious injury to him. The jury has been told that where two or more people set out on a criminal enterprise, each one is responsible in law for the actions of the other. The statement of one accused person cannot be used as evidence against the other, the jurors were also told. The trial will continue next Tuesday before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven women and five men. 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. In a new study, scientists are raising concerns over the ways that flea treatment chemicals for pets can leach into the environment and harm local wildlife. In light of the study, experts are calling on veterinarians to minimize preventative flea treatments to protect songbirds and insects impacted by the chemicals in these treatments. Scientists from the University of Sussex published a study revealing that nests lined with fur were exposing blue tit and great tit songbirds to chemicals found in common veterinary drugs. The team tested for 20 total chemicals, of which they found 17 present, across 103 different nests. The most common chemicals included fipronil, found in 100% of the nests, as well as imidacloprid (found in 89.1% of nests) and permethrin (also found in 89.1% of the samples). Further, the research also revealed that nests with higher number of insecticides, higher concentrations of insecticides, or higher concentrations of fipronil, imidacloprid or permethrin specifically also had higher numbers of unhatched eggs or dead offspring. No nest was free from insecticides in our study, and this significant presence of harmful chemicals could be having devastating consequences on the UKs bird populations, Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, lead author of the study and a research and associate fellow at the University of Sussex, said in a statement. As The Guardian reported, some of the chemicals detected in the study have been banned in the UK and the EU, but not for use in veterinary drugs. Fipronil is banned for agricultural use in the UK and EU, and imidacloprids use for plant protection is banned in the EU and could soon be banned in the UK for agricultural use. In the meantime, experts, including veterinarians, are calling on reduced usage of veterinary drugs for flea and tick prevention. Neither experts nor the study authors are telling pet owners to forgo flea and tick treatments. As recommended by the British Veterinary Association, pet owners should skip year-round, blanket treatments of these chemicals and only use them as needed. We are a nation of pet lovers and bird lovers, and it is extremely concerning to see the alarming levels of toxic pesticides in bird nests from veterinary drugs, said Sue Morgan, chief executive of SongBird Survival, a charity that funded the study. Pet owners will be upset to hear that in trying to do the right thing to support their pets with fleas and ticks, they could be harming our ecosystem, resulting in dead newborn chicks and unhatched eggs. As pet owners, we need to have confidence that we are keeping our pets well, without devastating impacts on our wildlife. A goldfinch gathers cat fur from a rosemary bush. Andi Edwards / iStock / Getty Images Plus According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), pet owners can prevent and treat fleas through other methods, such as regularly combing pet fur with a fine-tooth comb, and washing pets with warm water and common soaps that are pet-safe, which together can kill fleas without the added chemicals. The organization also recommended that pet owners regularly clean areas where pets sleep and rest, such as their beds or sofas, and minimize fleas by applying nematodes in yards and gardens. The researchers and SongBird Survival are also calling on governmental agencies to conduct more risk assessments on how veterinary drugs impact the environment, and establish policies to address those risks. 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. With so many media sources these days commercial television, social media, old-fashioned newspapers some are bound to be more reliable in terms of accuracy than others. Researchers have found that people who believe climate change is a conspiracy get most of their news and information about current events from social and commercial media sources. After Donald Trump was reelected president, chief executive of Meta Mark Zuckerberg fired his companys social media fact-checkers, with the intention of replacing them with a community notes format like the one used by Elon Musks platform X. The model relies on corrections added by users to posts that are false or misleading, Mark Andrejevic, a media professor at Monash Universitys School of Media, Film, and Journalism, wrote in The Conversation. The model has been described by Musk as citizen journalism, where you hear from the people. Its by the people, for the people. However, for this to work, the citizen journalists, as well as their readers, must value accuracy, accountability and good-faith deliberation, Andrejevic said. This is why its been so interesting to hear in recent weeks how social media is actually turning away from factchecking: because theyre pretending and I think its a pretence that theyre being more hands-off; but theyre not hands-off, because they build these algorithms to pump stuff into our feeds, Andrejevic told Guardian Australia. Algorithms do that based only on commercial values: is it viral, will it get engagement, will it get attention? Not at all on: is it important, accurate or useful for participating in democracy? New research by Andrejevic and his team, conducted in partnership with Essential Media, looked into what those who use social media think of everyday civic values. For their research report, Mapping civic disposition, media use and affective polarisation, the team reviewed existing studies on political polarisation and social cohesion, conducted 10 focus groups and compiled a scale of civic values. The scale aimed to measure peoples levels of trust in the government and media institutions, along with their openness to considering perspectives of others that challenge their own. The researchers conducted a survey of 2,046 Australians, asking them how strong their belief was in a common public interest. They also asked how important it was to them for Australians to be informed about political issues and for civics to be taught in schools. They inquired about the respondents news sources: commercial television, commercial radio, social media, newspapers or non-commercial media. More than a third of those who relied mainly on commercial television and radio for most of their news agreed with the statement, fluctuations in the climate are the result of natural cycles that take place regardless of human activity, reported The Guardian. A quarter of respondents who primarily got their news from social media believed that the climate crisis was a conspiracy. On the other hand, those who did not believe in climate change conspiracies more often got their information from the public broadcasters SBS and ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Just two percent who relied on public radio for their news and six percent for whom public television was their main source believed climate change was a conspiracy. We found people who rely on social media for news score significantly lower on a civic values scale than those who rely on newspapers and non-commercial broadcasters such as the ABC, Andrejevic wrote in The Conversation. By contrast, people who rely on non-commercial radio scored highest on the civic values scale. Those who relied mostly on non-commercial radio had scores that were 11 percent higher than respondents who relied on social media and 12 percent higher than those who used commercial television as their primary news source. People who relied mainly on commercial radio had the lowest scores. People who mostly read newspapers, watched non-commercial television and looked to online news aggregators scored higher than those who were reliant on commercial broadcasting and social media. The survey found that civic value scores went up as the number of media sources people used on a daily basis increased. The point of the civic values scale we developed is to highlight the fact that the values people bring to news about the world is as important as the news content, Andrejevic explained in The Conversation. For example, most people in the United States have likely heard about the violence of the attack on the Capitol protesting Trumps loss in 2020. That Trump and his supporters can recast this violent riot as a day of love is not the result of a lack of information. It is, rather, a symptom of peoples lack of trust in media and government institutions and their unwillingness to confront facts that challenge their views. In other words, it is not enough to provide people with accurate information. What counts is the mindset they bring to that information. So do social media platforms cultivate lower civic values or just cater to them? We dont have the evidence to answer that, Andrejevic told Guardian Australia. It could be that social media just attracts people who score lower on these questions; and people who listen to ABC radio tend to score higher because they seek that out. Andrejevic pointed out that the long-term concern of social media critics has been that the platforms favor virality and sensationalism over thoughtfulness and accuracy, which does not help democracy. Free speech is based on the idea that people have been educated enough in the values of civil society to be willing to engage in good faith discussion, but what you see online is that doesnt happen at all, Andrejevic told Guardian Australia. We wanted to see how the different media actually cater to scoring higher or lower on this set of values that we think are important for democracy. According to sociologist Zeynep Tufekci, social media is more about mocking perceived opponents and bonding with those who share similar views than meaningful engagement, Andrejevic wrote in The Conversation. Platforms want to wash their hands of the fact-checking process, because it is politically fraught. Their owners claim they want to encourage the free flow of information, Andrejevic said. However, their fingers are on the scale. The algorithms they craft play a central role in deciding which forms of expression make it into our feeds and which do not. Its disingenuous for them to abdicate responsibility for the content they chose to pump into peoples news feeds, especially when they have systematically created a civically challenged media environment, Andrejevic added. 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 mariscadora collects shellfish at the coast in Pobra do Caraminal, Galicia, Spain on June 21, 2013. Pablo Blazquez Dominguez / Getty Images Spanish fishers in Galicia Europes main source of shellfish and the biggest producer of mussels in the world are reporting a catastrophic collapse in shellfish populations due to the climate crisis. Some shellfish stocks have plummeted by 90 percent in just a few years, reported The Guardian. The clams and cockles local residents depend on and have been harvesting for years are disappearing fast. Extreme weather events like torrential rain and heat waves have become more intense and frequent due to climate change, threatening the regions marine species. Either the shellfish adapt, or they die, and us too, said Patricia Pineiro, who harvests clams in the small fishing town of Cambados, but has been having an increasingly difficult time finding ones big enough to harvest, as Mongabay reported. Theyre just too small. Pineiro held a measuring device provided by local fishing authorities that was set to 1.5 inches the minimum size for harvesting the bivalves. There has been a steep decline in clams, mussels and cockles, according to a fishing website, reported The Guardian. The cockles and clams are collected at low tide by hand, while mussels are taken from the ocean on ropes attached to wooden rafts. Cockle numbers fell by 80 percent in 2023, compared with the year before, while some clam varieties dropped by 78 percent. Oyster production has seen a slight increase. Mussel production in 2024 was the lowest in 25 years, falling to 178,000 tonnes from 250,000 tonnes in 2021. A group of women gather shellfish on a beach near Vigo, Spain on Dec. 28, 2013. percds / iStock Unreleased Extreme climate events, such as heatwaves and torrential rain, affect the physiology and functioning of marine species, especially in estuarine habitats, producing severe ecological and socioeconomic impacts when the affected species support important fisheries, such as artisanal shellfisheries, said a 2023 analysis, Assessment of Risks Associated with Extreme Climate Events in Small-Scale Bivalve Fisheries: Conceptual Maps for Decision-Making Based on a Review of Recent Studies, published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. Maria del Carmen Besada Meis, head of the San Martino fishers association in Ria de Arousa, believes climate change is to blame. The past two years have brought above-average rainfall to the region, with recent torrential rains lowering the waters salinity. But we dont have enough concrete evidence and what wed like is for someone to come and do some proper research so that we know whats behind this and what we can do about it, Besada Meis said, as The Guardian reported. Were marisqueros (shell fishers) and we dont know what the solution is, which is why [we] need scientists to help us with this. The government needs to put some money on the table for this research. Marta Martin-Borregon, coordinator of Greenpeace oceans in Spain, described the recent figures as catastrophic. The biggest cause is pollution from waste discharged into the estuary, from agriculture and from factories, such as the fish canneries, Martin-Borregon said. Fishermen catch shellfish near ENCEs pulp and paper plant at Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain in 1990. Greenpeace / Bob Edwards Plans to open a copper mine and build a cellulose plant could potentially produce more waste and use enormous amounts of water. The water company in Galicia said waste was dumped into the sea over 2,000 times each year, 10 percent of which exceeds legal toxicity limits. Martin-Borregon said, though pollution is a huge problem, the main culprit is climate change. The waters of the rias are normally cold and the currents bring a lot of nutrients. With warming seas there are species of shellfish that cant thrive in warm water, Martin-Borregon explained. This is especially the case with mussels and as the temperatures rise the shellfish industry is moving closer towards collapse. When dams are opened during low tide, the rias is flooded with freshwater, reducing salinity and leading to massive mortality events for bivalves, especially cockles. Invasive species like the blue crab a western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico native are also attracted to the warmer waters. Blue crabs feed on local species such as velvet and spider crabs, which have high market value. We cant make a living like this, Besada Meis said. We carry on working but were living on social security. Comcast has announced new technology for ultra-low lag Internet on its Xfinity service. According to the company's release, users of select products and software from its partners will experience less delay in situations with bi-directional traffic. The first wave of supported applications include select games from Valve's Steam platform, GeForce Now from NVIDIA, select apps on mixed reality headsets from Meta, and FaceTime on Apple hardware. The reduction in latency comes from the Internet Engineering Task Force's L4S open standard. The tech is complex here's a whitepaper on L4S if you're interested but broadly if a packet traveling between your device and the server experiences congestion, it will report that on arrival, which can improve future packets' journeys. A rep from Comcast told Engadget that the products from Apple, Meta, NVIDIA and Valve are the first to support the tech because they were initial partners for testing this low-latency connectivity. Other developers can choose to take advantage of the open standard technology once Comcast has fully rolled out the low lag option and it will be available to all Xfinity customers then. Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Rockville (Maryland) and San Francisco are among the first cities to receive the low latency tech. Comcast said in its release that it plans to deploy to additional locations in the coming months. NVIDIA just warned consumers that it might be pretty difficult for gamers to get their hands on its upcoming high-end RTX 5090 and 5080 graphics cards . The company says it expects significant demand for the cards and that stock-outs may happen. The term stock-out is business speak for we ran out of the thing you want. The official launch is January 30, so many gamers could find themselves out of luck on release day. Several distributors have revealed they wont even have the cards on January 30. MSI says it wont be selling the GPUs in the US until February 6 and PC maker PowerGPU told its customers that availability will be the worst for the first three months. Warning you all now. The launch of the RTX 5090 will be the worst when it comes to availability. Already being told to expect it to be that way for the first 3 months. PowerGPU (@PowerGPU) January 21, 2025 This is a global issue. VideoCardz has reported that Korea likely wont see shipments until mid-February and the UK retailer Overclockers has posted that it only has single-digit numbers of RTX 5090s in stock . The retailer does, however, have slightly more 5080s in stock. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Gizmodo has reported that folks are already camping out in the cold for the expensive cards. NVIDIA, for its part, has stated that its shipping more stock to retail every day to help get GPUs into the hands of gamers. Well see how that goes. In any event, we have compiled some tips to help folks snag one of these cards . If you pay attention to NVIDIA product launches, this news should come as no surprise. The same thing happened with the 40 series. There was high demand and limited initial availability. It took months until gamers could cruise online and purchase one of the latest graphics cards. The 30 series cards were also difficult to find at launch, due to the pandemic and bitcoin mining. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Kendall Jenner's appearance at Schiaparelli's Spring 2025 Haute Couture show in Paris on January 27, 2025, has sparked online debate about her runway presence and the distinctive design she showcased. The supermodel wore a sculptural beige gown featuring a floral corset with exposed boning, Chinoiserie embroidery, exaggerated hips, and a dramatic bow. Kendall Jenner just walked Schiaparelli couture pic.twitter.com/mTocDBNmog Up Next (@upnextdesigner) January 27, 2025 The show, held at the historic Petit Palais museum, quickly generated discussion on social media, with critics focusing on both Jenner's modeling skills and the dress itself. Several commenters suggested that Jenner might be better suited for photo shoots than runway work, with one noting, "her celebrity energy is stronger than her model energy." Others directly criticized her runway presence, describing her as "disengaged." Ugliest dress ever Elsie Bee (@ecbdc5) January 28, 2025 oozing mediocrity Golden Age Trump (@Probable__Spam) January 28, 2025 Her catwalk is the same as a door. The current guy (@_currentguy) January 28, 2025 Whats wrong with her hips? Are they implants? Shonda Jones (@shondaj07) January 27, 2025 cant believe this is one of the highest paid model out there. shes extremely boring and her ability to never serve is insane.@threadreaderapp unroll JanaNayagan (@imjananayagan) January 28, 2025 The avant-garde Schiaparelli design also drew mixed reactions, with some questioning its aesthetic and wearability. Despite the criticism, Jenner celebrated the moment on Instagram, sharing behind-the-scenes content and expressing gratitude to Schiaparelli and creative director Daniel Roseberry. "Dress of dreams... This entire show took my breath away," she wrote. The appearance adds to Jenner's ongoing relationship with Schiaparelli. She has previously worn the brand's designs at several events, including the 2024 Academy Museum Gala and the 2023 opening of Atlantis The Royal hotel in Dubai. Most recently, she appeared in Schiaparelli's Spring/Summer 2025 Ready-to-Wear collection. Following the show, Jenner, 29, was spotted in a more casual ensemble, wearing The Row pieces and carrying a suede Hermes Birkin bag. The model, who recently vacationed with Justin and Hailey Bieber, has not publicly addressed the runway criticism so far. Gabriel Macht, known for playing Harvey Specter on Suits, has taken a significant step back from acting to prioritize his family and explore life beyond Hollywood. Speaking with PEOPLE, Macht revealed, "I don't tell anybody where I live because I like to keep that under wraps." He added, "I got out of town and we're exploring the world." After Suits ended in 2019, Macht, 53, decided to take a "long break" from acting to focus on his wife, Jacinda Barrett, and their two children, Satine, 17, and Luca, 10. The family initially planned to homeschool their kids before the COVID-19 pandemic but found themselves stuck in Manhattan during the lockdown. "That just wasn't doing it for us," Macht said. The actor explained that after years in New York and Los Angeles, the family decided to leave city life behind. "We decided to explore the world, so we left," Macht shared. "I've spent half of my life on the East Coast and half on the West Coast, but it was time for something different." While Macht has stepped away from acting, he has embraced a new role as creative partner and executive shareholder in Bear Fight Whiskey. "I wanted to be a partner in a company that made sense," Macht said, explaining that his approach to whiskey reflects his personality more than his character's. "Harvey he's really a Macallan guy, but I'm not a Macallan guy. I'm a Bear Fight guy." Despite his hiatus, Macht expressed openness to reprising his role in the Suits LA spinoff. "It made sense for my family," he noted, adding that his involvement will allow him to "pass the baton" to the new cast. Macht envisions his iconic character Harvey Specter focusing on pro bono work and distilling whiskey. "He's a distiller, and he tastes whiskeys," Macht said, hinting at where Harvey might be today. Justin Baldoni's heartfelt apology to Blake Lively over their It Ends With Us rooftop scene feud has been leaked, revealing a deeply personal six-minute voice message sent in the early hours of April 2023. In the voicemail, Baldoni admitted, "I f**ked up" and apologized for not supporting her creative changes to the pivotal scene. The newly surfaced audio, first obtained by Daily Mail, captures Baldoni expressing regret over his evidently lukewarm response to Lively's rewritten scene. "I'm really sorry I fell short," Baldoni said, acknowledging that his lack of enthusiasm had left Lively feeling unsupported despite praise from her husband Ryan Reynolds and friend Taylor Swift. To be fair, if Justin Baldoni left me a 2AM voicemail with THAT voice, my man wouldnt be thrilled either . This just shows he was trying to make it work and walking on eggshells. He was doomed no matter what. pic.twitter.com/8AaDJpuEZp Ariadna Jacob (@littlemissjacob) January 27, 2025 Lively had been vocal about her frustrations, likening herself to Khaleesi from Game of Thrones while calling Reynolds and Swift her "dragons." In the leaked audio, Baldoni directly addressed the reference, admitting, "Damn right, you got great friends... the three of you together is unbelievable. Talk about energy." This voicemail is part of a larger legal saga surrounding It Ends With Us. Lively had filed a harassment complaint against Baldoni in December 2024, citing several on-set incidents, and accusing him of orchestrating an online campaign to ruin her reputation. Baldoni has denied the allegations and countersued, accusing Lively (and Reynolds, for the matter) of defamation and attempting to derail his career. Lively vs. Baldoni Details The feud initially erupted over Lively's changes to the film's rooftop scene, which Baldoni had described as good but didn't enthusiastically endorse. The scene is pivotal to the film given it is when Lively and Baldoni's characters first meet. Lively reportedly felt the comment undermined her efforts and said, "I have to stop worrying about people liking me." In his voicemail, Baldoni reassured her of her talent, calling her work "really good" and saying it would make the film "sing." As the legal battles rage on, the voicemail offers a glimpse into their tense relationship. Baldoni noted, "I'm excited to have a creative partner in you," but admitted his shortcomings in communicating through texts and voicemails, saying he excels in face-to-face interactions. Justin Baldoni Trial With a trial date set for March 2026, both sides have intensified their legal maneuvers. Lively's team has filed motions to restrict public disclosures, accusing Baldoni's team of retaliation through leaked media. Meanwhile, Baldoni's camp claims the allegations are part of a calculated smear campaign. The fallout has dominated headlines, with both actors continuing to defend their reputations. As Baldoni said in his 2 a.m. apology, per Deadline, "I will always apologize and find my way back to center." Whether this will help resolve their ongoing dispute remains to be seen. Tom Green, the former MTV prankster and ex of Drew Barrymore, has traded Hollywood glitz for a quiet life on a 150-acre farm in rural Ontario. After two decades in Los Angeles, the 53-year-old comedian packed up and returned to Canada in 2021, seeking authenticity and a fresh perspective. "I'm not really a Hollywood guy," Green tells The New York Times in a new interview. "I started to feel like I wasn't being true to my authentic self." These days, Green spends his time tending to chickens, riding his mule Fanny and soaking in the simplicity of farm life. Green's decision to leave Hollywood behind came with a nod to his past. Known for outrageous stunts on The Tom Green Show, his antics like painting his parents' house plaid or suckling a cow made him a cultural icon in the early 2000s. Yet, Green admits that social media has diluted the impact of such humor. "To a certain extent, it's lost its impact," he says. Now, Green is returning to the spotlight with a new slate of projects on Amazon Prime Video. His stand-up special I Got a Mule! premiered on January 28, while his reality show Tom Green Country, which explores his life on the farm, debuts January 31. The lineup also includes This Is the Tom Green Documentary, chronicling his meteoric rise to fame. "People are probably going to be surprised that I'm not, like, completely crazy," Green warns of Tom Green Country. The show highlights his close relationship with his family and his love for nature, offering a more grounded view of the comedian. Despite his quiet rural life, Green remains busy. His U.S. comedy tour kicked off last Friday, showing his ongoing dedication to stand-up, even while basking in nature and away from the bright lights of Hollywood. "There's a sort of a wholesome heartwarming thing to this," Green theorizes. "That I have a close relationship with my family, that I love animals, that I enjoy doing a lot of things that a great many people in the world enjoy doing, like getting out into the woods." For Green, the shift to farm life isn't just a career pivot it's a personal transformation. "To me, I thought the weirdest thing that I could do is get a farm and a mule," Green quips. "That's kind of what makes it fun for me is that this is ridiculous. Can you believe this? I'm riding a mule." See some mule footage of Green below. Russell Brand went live to react to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation hearing and he held nothing back including his impersonation of Bernie Sanders. Kennedy, often referred to as RFK Jr. for short, is President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. His first confirmation hearing was on Wednesday, January 29, before he appears before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Thursday, January 30. Both committees have to consider the 71-year-old's nomination before the Senate votes. Brand -- who converted to Christianity in 2024 -- has been a vocal supporter of Trump and even made an appearance at his inauguration. In a clip from his livestream shared to his official X account, Sanders can be heard saying in the background: "And for working class people in this country, they are living six, seven years shorter lives than the top 1%. We got a problem." How's my Bernie Sanders impression? pic.twitter.com/CwsovQ8DO8 Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) January 29, 2025 "Got a problem..." Brand began, clearly mocking Sanders. "...we're going to have to solve it!" He shared the post to his 11 million followers with the caption: "How's my Bernie Sanders impression?" with one laughing face emoji. After a brief break, Brand returned to the timeline with more thoughts and impressions. "I stepped away for 5 seconds and we're talking about onesies now? ," he captioned a post. He said in jest: "What about onesies, and is it okay for me to wear one? To lay around, in a onesie... enjoying life!" "STOP SELLING THE ONESIES' GEORGIE!" the 49-year-old said. I stepped away for 5 seconds and we're talking about onesies now? pic.twitter.com/H6urFKQvrA Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) January 29, 2025 "This LOOKS like @RobertKennedyJr, Confirmation But it SOUNDS like Curb Your Enthusiasm," Brand tweeted. This LOOKS like @RobertKennedyJr Confirmation But it SOUNDS like Curb Your Enthusiasm pic.twitter.com/1zwW1AwVB2 Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) January 29, 2025 RFK Jr., who was a former White House hopeful who ran as an Independent before suspending his campaign in August 2024, has faced intense backlash over his controversial views on Covid-19, vaccines, and abortion rights. RFK Jr. has since supported Trump in his bid for presidency, even focusing on making "America healthy again" to address American's chronic health issues. "News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry," Kennedy said during the hearing. An unidentified person yelled out "You are!" before being escorted out of the chamber. "I am neither. I am pro-safety," Kennedy continued. "I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, but that didn't make me anti-fish. All of my kids are vaccinated, and I believe vaccines have a critical role in health care." Read more: Snoop Dogg Loses Over 570K Instagram Followers After Performing at Trump Inauguration Event "I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine," the father of seven declared. "I will do nothing as HHS Secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything." Support Us Your Support will ensure EPWs financial viability and sustainability. The EPW produces independent and public-spirited scholarship and analyses of contemporary affairs every week. EPW is one of the few publications that keep alive the spirit of intellectual inquiry in the Indian media. Often described as a publication with a social conscience, EPW has never shied away from taking strong editorial positions. Our publication is free from political pressure, or commercial interests. Our editorial independence is our pride. We rely on your support to continue the endeavour of highlighting the challenges faced by the disadvantaged, writings from the margins, and scholarship on the most pertinent issues that concern contemporary Indian society. Every contribution is valuable for our future. For Immediate Release Contact: Elaine Rock ElaineRockAuthor@gmail.com ElaineRock.com 707-293-0000 Discover the Hidden California Woman Who Really Ignited the Women's Movement January 29, 2025. Sonoma County, California. Gloria Steinem knows who Dusty Roads is, the true hidden figure who ignited the woman's movement. With the gripping words of author Elaine Rock, thousands of flight attendants and union members know of the ground breaking accomplishments of one stewardess. And now, the public will, too. "Dusty was the one who started it all." - Gloria Steinem Elaine Rock writes from Sonoma County, California. She is a woman's rights advocate, historian, speaker and former technology executive announcing the release of her authorized biography about Dusty Roads (1928-2023), who lived in Sonoma County for many years. Dusty Roads: Meet the Hidden Figure Who Really Ignited the Women's Movement was the result of their meeting at the local Sonoma County Family YMCA swimming pool. The stage is set in the 1950s when no one had said or wrote the phrase women's movement yet. Stewardess and Union leader Dusty Roads challenged and led the fight to eliminate American Airlines' employment policies firing stewardesses at thirty-two and banning marriage. And the infamous girdle check and weigh-ins. The same rules did not apply to male stewards. Dusty Roads was incensed and vowed to fight the policy. And she won. Roads became a visual and vocal presence in Washington DC as one of the first female lobbyists in 1958. She befriended Congressional Representatives, Senators, Congressional Aides, even Vice Presidents and Presidents. She became the most influential voice in her union, and her story captures the essence of her pivotal role in shaping a more inclusive and equal society. Her persistence helped lay the groundwork for Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In 1965, Dusty brought the first discrimination complaint to the EEOC when it opened its door. The author Elaine Rock shares, "In my research, I found numerous references to what women were forbidden to do in the 1950s and 60s, like not being able to have a credit card. When I talk about these restrictions, men and women, no matter what age group, their jaws drop. They're incredulous. Then, when I tell them Dusty Roads was the woman who really started the women's movement, they want to know more." The book is based on extensive interviews with Dusty Roads at her home in Santa Rosa, along with the insights of the men and women in Washington DC who knew her, of her, and her work Rock reveals, "When I speak of how Dusty was one of the first women lobbyists to Congress; how she filed the first discrimination complaint in the United States; and confronted dangerous duty flying troops to the Vietnam war, the room becomes silent and attentive. Many have no idea that flight attendants had such a contribution to the women's movement or the war effort. Dusty Roads is the perfect example that helps inspire and give women hope today." Dusty Roads: Meet the Hidden Figure who Really Ignited the Women's Movement is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and at local bookstores. ### Media: Elaine Rock responds quickly to interview requests. Call 707-293-0000 or email her at ElaineRockAuthor@gmail.com . Regular updates are added to her website: www.ElaineRock.com . She was featured on the PBS American Experience documentary "Fly With Me" in February of 2024. Rock has published short stories about Dusty and others who are leaders who shaped history and became trailblazers. . She can provide background stories and commentary about how the women's movement began before Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan came on the scenebefore it had a name. In the United States, the role of the family caregiver has become both a lifeline and a heavy burden for millions. As of 2024, an estimated 53 million adults are providing unpaid care to an older relative, spouse, friend, or neighbora significant increase that highlights the evolving realities of aging in America. Matt McCann, a leading expert on long-term care planning, attributes this rise to advances in medical science and increased longevity. "People are living longer, which is wonderful, but it comes with challenges. This underscores the growing reliance on family members to support aging loved ones, especially as too many American families have neither planned for nor even discussed long-term care." The emotional weight of this responsibility often goes unspoken. Caregivers sacrifice time, energy, and financial stability to ensure their loved ones age with dignity. "It's not just about the logistical demandsit's about the love and commitment that compel so many to step into this role, often without adequate preparation or resources." McCann says that too many American families have not planned or even discussed long-term care. This, he explains, creates a family crisis. Duties and Responsibilities of Family Caregivers Family caregivers undertake a wide array of tasks to support their aging relatives. These responsibilities often include: Personal Care Assistance : Helping with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting. Household Management : Handling chores like shopping, laundry, housework, meal preparation, transportation, bill payments, and home maintenance. Medical Tasks : Administering medications, managing appointments, and coordinating with healthcare providers. Emotional Support : Providing companionship and emotional reassurance to combat feelings of loneliness or depression in older adults. These duties can be time-consuming and physically and emotionally demanding, often requiring caregivers to be available around the clock. Impact on Career and Family Life Balancing caregiving with professional and personal responsibilities poses significant challenges. According to a report by Guardian Life, one in five caregivers has taken a leave of absence or a demotion to accommodate their caregiving duties. The same report highlights that only 23% of caregivers rate their mental health as "good," with 40% noting that caregiving negatively affects their stress levels. McCann says that financially, caregivers often face substantial burdens. Many incur out-of-pocket expenses for their loved one's care, leading to financial strain. A study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that caregivers spend an average of $7,000 annually on caregiving expenses. The emotional toll is equally significant. Caregivers frequently experience increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues due to the pressures of their role. "The constant juggling of responsibilities can lead to burnout, affecting both personal well-being and relationships with other family members." Financial Implications of Professional Care When the demands of caregiving become overwhelming, families often consider professional care options. However, these services come at a considerable cost, according to a nationwide long-term care cost survey by LTC News. For instance, in Villa Park, Illinois, the median annual cost for home healthcare is approximately $77,256, while a nursing home can cost around $114,974 per year. The cost of long-term care services varies depending on where you live. Without Long-Term Care Insurance, these expenses can quickly deplete a family's income and assets. "Many families underestimate the financial impact of long-term care. Without proper planning, the costs can be devastating." The Role of Long-Term Care Insurance in Retirement Planning Given the high costs associated with professional care, Long-Term Care Insurance has become an essential component of retirement planning. LTC Insurance policies are designed to cover services that assist individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities, or just frailty due to aging, including both in-home care and facility-based care. McCann advises that incorporating Long-Term Care Insurance into your retirement plan provides a safety net. Best Long-Term Care Insurance Companies: 2025 Provider Guide. "It ensures that you have the resources to access quality care without compromising your financial stability or placing undue burden on your family." He further notes that early planning is crucial. The younger and healthier you are when you purchase a policy, the more affordable it will be. How Much Does Long-Term Care Insurance Cost at My Age? McCann says most people purchase Long-Term Care Insurance between ages 47 and 67, but premiums vary dramatically between insurance companies. Balancing Caregiving and Life is Challenging The increasing prevalence of family caregivers in America highlights the need for comprehensive planning and support. Balancing caregiving responsibilities with career and personal life can be challenging, but with proper planning, including considering Long-Term Care Insurance, families can manage these demands more effectively. If your loved one needs care, find professional caregivers or long-term care facilities to provide all the care or even provide respite care for a family caregiver. McCann recommends the LTC News Caregiver Directory. The directory, which is free to use, has over 80,000 caregivers, home health agencies, senior communities, adult day care centers, assisted living facilities, memory care, and nursing homes. You can search for quality long-term care services near you or a loved one with a few quick clicks. As McCann aptly puts it, planning for long-term care is not just about protecting your assets; it's about ensuring that you and your loved ones have access to the care you need without sacrificing your quality of life. By understanding the roles and challenges of caregiving and proactively planning for future care needs, individuals can navigate this complex journey with greater confidence and peace of mind. Get Professional Planning Help Matt McCann is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, representing top-rated insurance companies that provide long-term care solutions. His innovative approach allows clients to consult with him over the phone while viewing his computer screen, ensuring a convenient and transparent process for learning about, exploring, and selecting the best options. You can get free and accurate quotes from all the top companies, along with professional recommendations - Free and Accurate Quotes. Media Availability McCann is available for radio, TV, and podcast interviews. He also speaks to groups and organizations worldwide on the issues of aging, caregiving, health, and long-term care. Contact McCann through his website for information. GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Residents of Montana are urged to exercise caution when consuming information shared on social media, as recent posts in local Facebook groups have sparked unnecessary fear and confusion. These posts allege serious crimes, including murders, committed by individuals labeled as armed and dangerous, yet a closer examination reveals significant discrepancies. The Social Media Claims: Two Facebook posts, shared in separate community groups by newly created profiles, are spreading unverified information. Claim #1: A man named Roberto Dominguez-Soto is wanted for a murder in Montana. Claim #2: A woman named Jennifer Samantha Puente is wanted for murder along with Dominguez-Soto for killing three female police officers in Montana. Both posts are gaining traction and causing alarm in the community. The Facts: These cases are real but unrelated to Montana. The individuals named are wanted or convicted for crimes committed in entirely different states. Roberto Dominguez-Soto: Sought in connection with the murder of Blanca Sauer in Roswell, Georgia. Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta is offering a reward for information leading to his arrest. Jennifer Samantha Puente: Recently sentenced in Ellis County, Texas, for a 2012 murder and tampering with evidence. These cases have no ties to Montana, yet the posts falsely suggest imminent danger within the state. The posts originate from accounts created within the last week, raising suspicions about their authenticity and intent. Their tone appears to be race-baiting, using alarming language to incite fear and division within the community. Local law enforcement and community leaders are urging residents to verify information before sharing it online. "Social media allows us to connect with one another and pass information in ways that we've never been able to before, and that can be super valuable. It can be helpful both for sharing information and also for communicating during times of crisis. I mean, those those are things that social media allows us to do and allows us to do it quickly and effectively. However, it also allows sensation and panic to be built when there shouldn't ever be, and those things can have a negative outcome on any type of incident," said Lt. Matthew Fleming with the Great Falls Police Department. Here are some tips to help identify false or misleading posts from GFPD: Check the source: Look at the profile sharing the information. Accounts created recently or with limited activity may not be credible. Verify claims: Cross-check with official sources such as police departments or reputable news outlets. Think before sharing: Consider the potential consequences of amplifying unverified information. For accurate information on public safety in Montana, rely on official announcements from local law enforcement and trusted news sources. "Generally speaking, if there's an ongoing active public safety issue, the community is going to know that because that information is coming from us. Now, it'll come through our local media outlets and our internal social media channels. But that information will come specifically from us if there's an active incident or an ongoing public safety concern," emphasized Fleming. Fear-driven posts like these have the power to disrupt communities and sow distrust. By being vigilant and responsible online, residents can help prevent the spread of harmful misinformation. SALEM, Ohio Range Resources Corporation filed a challenge to Cecil Townships Zoning Hearing Board against its recent oil and gas zoning ordinance which increased well pad setback limits from 500 feet to 2,500 feet from protected structures. The challenge comes two months after the ordinance was approved by the Cecil Township Board of Supervisors in a 3-2 vote. Cecil Township, home to five well pads with more than 25 wells, is one of the few communities in Washington County to create setbacks greater than 500 feet after residents raised concerns over noise and health impacts. Range Resources filed a substantive validity challenge on Dec. 26, according to Cecil Township Manager Don Gennuso. This challenge argues the ordinance is unfair and exclusionary a term used when a zoning ordinance excludes certain types of land uses in a community. The issue was discussed briefly at the Jan. 20 zoning hearing board meeting, where Kimberly Brown, a lawyer representing Range Resources, argued that Kara Shirdon, chairperson of the Cecil Township Zoning Hearing Board, should recuse herself from voting on the challenge. Brown said Shirdon was biased, pointing to testimony Shirdon gave in support of the 2,500-foot setback during a public hearing on the oil and gas ordinance in August 2024. Shirdon recused herself from the vote. Cecil Township Solicitor Gretchen Moore sought a motion to dismiss the legal challenge. Residents and environmental organizations, like the Center for Coalfield Justice and the Clear Air Council, also sought party participation, which gives individuals and community organizations the right to present arguments and play an active role in the legal process. Chris Voltz, solicitor for the Cecil Township Zoning Hearing Board, did not grant anyone party status at the meeting. Instead, Range Resources, the township and those seeking to participate in the challenge will present their arguments at the next zoning board meeting on Feb. 17. Lois Bower-Bjornson, southwestern Pennsylvania field organizer for Clean Air Council and Washington County resident, was at the Jan. 20 meeting and plans to present her organizations arguments at the February meeting. She is confident that the new oil and gas ordinance will stick because of the support within the community and emphasizes its importance for other Pennsylvania communities. This is a precedent-setting ordinance, Bjornson said. This will help to shape ordinances in other areas, even if theres already drilling there. This is going to give communities and people that live within (these) communities a voice for the first time. Markwest Liberty Midstream, a natural gas company based in Colorado, also filed a procedural validity challenge, which argues the township did not follow all the procedural steps when updating the ordinance. The challenge will be heard by a judge in the Washington County Court of Pleas. Range Resources did not respond to Farm and Dairys request for comment. (Liz Partsch can be reached at epartsch@farmanddairy.com or 330-337-3419.) The Scottish dairy sector has raised concerns over the continued decline in herd numbers, with the latest figures showing a fall of 23% over the last decade. The Scottish Dairy Cattle Association (SDCA) has revealed a net decrease of 30 dairy herds during 2024, bringing the total number of milking herds to 764. NFU Scotland said the decline was 'disappointing', as many farmers continued to grapple with issues such as rising input costs and labour shortages. Throughout last year, the number of dairy cows decreased by 257, making the current total 183,391. Despite these declines, the average herd size increased to 236, up by nine from 2023. Ayrshire experienced the most significant decrease with a net loss of 15 herds, followed by Dumfriesshire with a net loss of five herds. However, both regions saw new dairy herds start up with more expected to begin operations in 2025. Bruce Mackie, chair of NFU Scotlands Milk Committee said: It is always disappointing to see a year-on-year decline in the number of Scottish dairy herds a trend that has persisted over the past decade. "The continued struggle with labour shortages, rising input costs, increase regulatory pressures, and market uncertainty all contribute to the challenges faced by our dairy farmers." However, despite these challenges, Mr Mackie noted that Scottish dairy farmers were producing more milk from fewer, more efficient cows. "This increase in efficiency is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our farmers," he explained. "Furthermore, the industry is not carrying the carbon cost of unproductive animals, which is crucial when addressing climate change and reducing our carbon footprint." According to the SDCA figures, Scottish herds are producing more milk per cow than any UK nation, which is important for efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint per litre of milk. And globally, Scotland remains a vital place to produce milk competitively, given the temperate maritime climate, well-invested herds with high average yields, and resistance to climate shocks. Mr Mackie concluded: "We have a great tradition of skilled stockpeople, and with continuing investment in processing infrastructure, I am optimistic that our industry has a bright future. Frontier Agriculture has posted a near 30% decline in group operating profit, down from 52.1m to 37m, as a result of the lower winter wheat plantings. This was due to the wet autumn of 2023 and consequent reduction in spring crop protection and fertiliser purchasing, the grain merchant said. The results, for the year-ending June 2024, also show that profit before tax was 40 million, in line with prior year, which was 40.2m. Frontier Agriculture, which is one of the UK's leading crop production and grain marketing business, employs around 1,100 people. It operates across all aspects of arable crop production and grain marketing, supplying seed, crop protection products and fertiliser to farmers, as well as providing agronomy advice. Over the last three years, the firm has invested in a number of adjacency businesses, including start-ups associated with its supply chains and farm-gate activities. Principal investments in this category have been in agricultural banking through Oxbury, which Frontier is one of the founding investors since 2018. In the year-ending 2024, Frontiers investment in agricultural banking appreciated in value by 16.8m, which offset the downside impact in the group operating profit. Frontier senior executive director, Mark Aitchison said: "Like many of our farmer customers, diversifying income streams in parallel with volatile trading activities provides some security of earnings. "Our adjacency investments are all in areas we believe can benefit our customers, providing for us both the opportunity to bring more certainty. "Robust earnings enable us to invest in the core business at a consistent rate during periods of downturn, and ensures we continue to develop products and services for the future." The NFU has confirmed it will increase its efforts in fighting the so-called 'family farm tax', with a 'constant drumbeat of activity' planned for February and March. NFU Council has voted overwhelmingly to stage a 'campaign moment' in London in February as part of its drive to halt the government's inheritance tax proposals. The union said this would be a 'strong emotional and visual' event that would highlight the damage that Labour's policy would do on the next generation of farmers. The activity will coincide with the annual NFU Conference, which is being held in London on 25 February. NFU Council also voted to support a planned rally proposed by a group of farmers in the capital, due to take place in March. It follows the reform of agricultural property relief (APR) in the autumn budget, meaning farms worth more than 1m will incur a 20% inheritance tax charge from 2026. "We have always said we are in this for the long haul, and todays update continues to build on the progress the campaign has made so far," the NFU said. "NFU Council also agreed, overwhelmingly, that the organisation should support a proposed rally in London in March, if it goes ahead. "We will continue to demonstrate, as we did during the Day of Unity and the mass lobby, that when farming speaks with a united voice, it's deafening." In the past week alone, all of the UKs major retailers have publicly backed an industry campaign calling on the government to scrap the IHT measures. Meanwhile, a UK-wide 'Day of Unity' saw farmers stage protests and events across the UK over the weekend, rallying for public support. And last week, an NFU petition signed by over 270,000 members of the public was handed to 10 Downing Street calling on the government to ditch its IHT plan. Campaigners at Save British Farming are organising a new rally outside Whitehall on 10 February as MPs are set to debate the issue. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has announced it will stop issuing new permits that allow farmers to dispose of waste sheep dip to land. Instead, farming businesses will need to have the waste dip removed by a registered waste carrier and disposed of in a suitable waste facility. The environmental regulator announced today (29 January) that it would implement the changes in order to 'safeguard' Wales' rivers. NFU Cymru has called on NRW to reverse its decision, calling the move 'shocking' as it was taken 'without consideration of the wider impacts'. While NRW acknowledged sheep dipping was important for the nation's livestock farmers, it said it had measured increased chemical levels in rivers. Disposing of sheep dip to land in Wales has been allowed for more than 30 years. But Nadia De Longhi, NRW's head of regulation said: Were constantly working to balance the needs of farms with our duties to safeguard the environment and this often means gradual change to the way things work. Weve noticed a negative effect accumulating in our rivers that is causing us to fail to meet the standards required to protect the water environment. This is why weve decided to phase out the practice as there are now better alternatives available." NRW said farms with active permits would be able to continue to dispose to land for the time being. However, all waste dip would soon need to be disposed of in the new way, as it would bring "consistency with how all other liquid wastes are disposed of". Where a farmer no longer needs to dispose of waste sheep dip to land, NRW said they would be able to surrender their permit for free. Ms De Longhi said: "To support that change we have removed the charge, which currently stands at 363, to surrender your permit if you no longer need it. Responding, NFU Cymru livestock board chairman, Rob Lewis said the union had written to NRW calling for the decision to be reversed. He said: The practice of sheep dipping in Wales is integral to maintain the high flock health status of the Welsh flock. "The decision has implications for animal health and welfare, the ongoing management of key habitats and disadvantages young farmers to the sheep sector." What happens now? Farmers that need their sheep to be dipped but currently do not have a permit, can: Apply to use the Welsh government-funded Gwaredu Scab programme if they suspect they have a scab infestation. Dip the sheep themselves - if they hold the necessary certificates - and arrange for a registered waste carrier to collect the waste dip for off-site disposal Employ a mobile sheep dip contractor to dip their sheep for them and take the waste away for disposal NRW is encouraging farmers to surrender permits they no longer need, which can now be done for free on the NRW website Tractor rallies will take place across Scotland this weekend to highlight how the proposed changes to inheritance tax threatens the viability of family farms. The protests, originally due to take place on 25 January but postponed due to Storm Eowyn, aim to send a 'loud and clear message' to the UK government. It follows the reform of agricultural property relief (APR) in the autumn budget, as farms worth more than 1m will incur a 20% inheritance tax charge from 2026. NFU Scotland, which is organising this weekend's rallies, said the IHT changes would impact businesses 'up and down the supply chain'. Union representatives will also be in Westminster this week to meet with a range of MPs to raise the concerns. NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy said: "I encourage all, along with others involved with the farming sector, to take part and raise awareness of how these tax proposals would impact their businesses. "The tractor rallies are just part of our wider, ongoing fight, alongside the other UK farming unions, to get these taxation proposals reviewed by the UK government as we campaign to #StopTheFamilyFarmTax. "Full details of where and when events will be happening will be posted on our website over the coming days once we have finalised and approved our plans." The Scotland-wide tractor rallies will take place on Saturday and Sunday, 1 and 2 February. They were originally planned to take part in the UK-wide day of action, which took place on 25 January in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. But due to the impact of Storm Eowyn on cities and towns in Scotland, NFU Scotland called off the rallies. Meanwhile, farmers across the UK are set to rally on the streets of London on 10 February as MPs debate the inheritance tax issue in parliament. The protest is also taking place against the backdrop of wider financial pressures impacting the industry, including high costs and low returns, and uncertainty over future policy. A retired military officer has claimed he was abducted by an angry alien. An ex-military officer claims he was abducted by an angry alien Whistleblower Lt Col John Blitch was told by a "7ft tall praying mantis looking being" that his body "is just a machine that your soul occupies for this lifetime", and that they were trying to help him and not cause any physical pain. He went on to claim that "there was this image that put in and it was terrifying". Blitch- who was "terrified, frozen, paralysed on the bed" as the creature stood over him - told News Nation's Ross Coulthart: "His mandibles that were kind of behind a casing or shell opened up, and he starts grabbing chunks of my cheek and he's ripping it. And there's blood spattering on the wall. "And I'm feeling the tug, and I'm feeling this flesh. And the whole time he is conveying to me: 'See we can't get your soul. We can do a lot of damage to your body if we want to. We don't. We're trying to help you. But this is how bad it could get. So stop squiggling around and let us get this done'." The military man added that there was no real damage to his cheek, but he could feel the "tugging and had the visual". Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom both need "verbal support" in their relationship. Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom need 'verbal support' from each other The 40-year-old star has opened up on how her love languages are "acts of service" and affirmation", and insisted it's important for both partners to learn what works for their other half. She told PEOPLE magazine: "I've talked a lot about love languages and how important they are in learning your partner's love language, and even if it isn't your love language, tapping into that for them." She added: "Verbal support is really important, I think, for both of us." The 'Roar' hitmaker is excited to kick off her 'Lifetimes Tour' in May, and while she's focused on delivering something special for the fans, she's also prioritising her family life. She explained: "I'm 40. I have a family. I have a whole other world outside of this that I'm tending to as well. "I know the responsibility of putting on a tour and how much people look forward to it. "I'm really trying to stay in the best shape, give my body breaks, look after myself so that I can show up every night and give as close to 100 percent that I can." When it comes to her relationship with Orlando - with whom she has four-year-old daughter Daisy Dove - Katy previously discussed the 'Pirates of the Carribean' actor's energy as a partner. She told Apple Music's Zane Lowe: "He's a real sage. We both have parts of ourselves. There's two parts of us, our highest good, and then our carnal, material self. Ego. "When the ego is running the show, then it's like, 'Whoa.' But when that's in check, then we're both something else." The couple first met at a Golden Globes after party in 2016, and got engaged three years later. Despite loving their life together, Katy acknowledged that it's not always easy. She said: "I mean, life is not peachy keen, jelly bean. "It's about who you are in those really challenging moments, and I get to see who he is in those challenging moments. And it's why I chose him." Cambodia exported a total of $13.92 billion worth of garments, footwear and travel goods (GFT) last yeara rise of 23 per cent year on year (YoY), according to a report from the ministry of commerce. Garment exports were valued at $9.79 billion last yeara YoY increase of 24 per cent. Footwear exports rose by 23 per cent YoY to $1.68 billion, while travel goods exports surged by 19.6 per cent YoY to $1.95 billion. Cambodia exported a total of $13.92 billion worth of garments, footwear and travel goods (GFT) last yeara rise of 23 per cent YoY, a report from the ministry of commerce said. Garment exports were valued at $9.79 billion last yeara YoY increase of 24 per cent. Footwear exports rose by 23 per cent YoY to $1.68 billion, while travel goods exports surged by 19.6 per cent YoY to $1.95 billion. The sector has received purchase orders, Penn Sovicheat, secretary of state and spokesperson at the ministry, was cited as saying by domestic media reports. The sector is the countrys largest foreign exchange earner. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Exports from Bangladeshs export processing zones (EPZs) grew by 22.41 per cent year on year (YoY) in the first half (H1) of this fiscal (FY25) to $4,126 million, according to the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA). BEPZA executive chairman Maj Gen Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman said BEPZA contributed 29 per cent of total foreign direct investment (FDI) of the country in FY24. Exports from Bangladesh's export processing zones grew by 22.41 per cent YoY in H1 FY25 to $4,126 million, the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) said. BEPZA contributed 29 per cent of total FDI in FY24. Thirty eight countries invested in EPZs under BEPZA in the period. Among these, 108 were Chinese, 61 South Korean, 29 Japanese, 19 Indian, 19 British, 17 US and seven Sri Lankan. BEPZA exported products worth $7.07 billion, which is 16 per cent of the total $44.47 billion export income in FY 2023-24, he was quoted as saying by a domestic news agency. BEPZA signed agreements with 28 foreign companies to invest $568.49 million in Bangladesh. Thirty eight countries invested in EPZs under BEPZA during the period. Among these, 108 were Chinese, 61 South Korean, 29 Japanese, 19 Indian, 19 British, 17 US and seven Sri Lankan, he said. Uninterrupted energy supply remains a challenge, and if that can be addressed, investment flow will not be hit, he noted, adding that the authority has nearly 50 investment proposals at present. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Jordan's exports to the United States reached 2.044 billion Jordanian Dinars ($2.881 billion) during JanuaryNovember 2024, marking a 14.9 per cent increase compared to exports of 1.779 billion Jordanian Dinars ($2.507 billion) in the same period last year. Garments were the most important product in the export basket. Jordans garment exports to the partner nation also rose by 13.51 per cent during the same period. According to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro, the Gulf nations apparel exports to the US were valued at $1,741.083 million in the first 11 months of 2024. This was 13.51 per cent higher than the shipment of $1,533.874 million in the same period of the previous year. Jordan's exports to the US reached 2.044 billion Jordanian Dinars ($2.881 billion) in JanuaryNovember 2024, a 14.9 per cent increase from 2023. Garments, key to the export basket, rose 13.51 per cent to $1.741 billion. The US accounted for 79.56 per cent of Jordan's garment exports. Despite fluctuations in previous years, trade reflects strong ties. The US accounted for 79.56 per cent of the total garment exports from Jordan, which stood at $2,188.282 million in January-November 2024. The US share also increased from 77.17 per cent in the same period of 2023. Jordan is highly dependent on the partner nation for garment exports. Both countries share strong economic and diplomatic relations. Geopolitical compulsions have also made them closer allies. Jordans garment exports to the nation have experienced fluctuations in previous years. The shipment dropped by 14.26 per cent to $1,527.979 million in 2020, from $1,782.176 million in 2019. However, it recovered, increasing by 9.55 per cent to $1,673.875 million in 2021. Exports further rose by 15.57 per cent to $1,934.456 million in 2022. However, bilateral trade eased by 14.21 per cent, declining to $1,659.623 million in 2023, as per TexPro. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) The Philippine department of trade and industry (DTI) is confident of starting negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States under the Trump regime, DTI undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo recently said. At the launch of a book titled Doing Business in the Philippines released by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), DivinaLaw, and the Philippine Board of Investments, DTI undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, who is also vice chairman and managing head of the Board of Investments, said some of Trumps appointees had earlier expressed support for closer economic ties with the Philippines, domestic media outlets reported. The Philippines is confident of starting negotiations for an FTA with the US under the Trump regime, a top government official of the former recently said. The Philippines-EU FTA talks will begin the second round of negotiations next month. Meanwhile, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines urged the country not to lose steam in implementing policy and regulatory reforms. For President Biden, for his administration, it was so difficult to even have a watered-down statement that would say that the US notes the Philippines interest in a bilateral free trade agreement. Take that in contrast with the statement from President Trump in 2017, Rodolfo told European businesses. The Joe Biden administration was quite cautious in responding to the Philippines FTA proposal, he said. That will also push all of us to hurry up a bit in terms of what we already started in terms of the Philippines-EU FTA, he noted. The Philippines-European Union FTA talks will begin the second round of negotiations next month. Meanwhile, ECCP urged the country not to lose steam in implementing policy and regulatory reforms, helping unlock the Philippines full potential. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2025) - Green River Gold Corp. (CSE: CCR) (OTC Pink: CCRRF) (the "Company") announces that it has requested a temporary Management Cease Trade Order ("MCTO") from the Alberta Securities Commission ("ASC") in connection with the Company's filing of its audited annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis and the applicable CEO and CFO certifications in respect of such filings for the financial year ended September 30, 2024 (collectively the "Annual Filings"). The Company's financial statements have significantly increased in complexity over the last year due to the Company's expansion into a new line of business. The Company is requesting the MCTO in order to secure additional time for the Company's auditors to complete the audit of the financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2024. Accordingly, the Company has applied to the ASC for the MCTO that will prohibit the management of the Company from trading in the securities of the Company until such time as the Annual Filings are filed. No decision has yet been made by the ASC on this application. The ASC may grant the application and issue the MCTO or it may impose an issuer cease trade order if the Annual Filings are not filed in a timely fashion. The Company notes that: The Company is required to file its September 30, 2024 Annual Filings by January 29, 2025 (the " Filing Deadline "), as required pursuant to National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations . At this time the Company is uncertain as to whether it will be able to complete its Annual Filings on or before the Filing Deadline. "), as required pursuant to National Instrument 51-102 - . At this time the Company is uncertain as to whether it will be able to complete its Annual Filings on or before the Filing Deadline. The Company and its auditors are working diligently to prepare and file the Annual Filings, on or before March 28, 2025. The Company confirms that, other than as disclosed in prior press releases, there is no material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed since the filing on August 29, 2024 of the Company's latest interim financial reports for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2024 & 2023. Until the Company has filed the Annual Filings, members of the Company's management and other insiders are subject to an insider trading black-out. During the period of default and until filing of the Annual Filings, the Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines as required by National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders. About Green River Gold Corp. Green River Gold Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on its wholly-owned Fontaine Gold Project, Quesnel Nickel/Magnesium/Talc Project, and Kymar Silver Project which are located in renowned mining districts in British Columbia. The Fontaine Gold and Quesnel Nickel properties cover an area exceeding 200 square kilometres and straddle a 32-kilometre length of the Barkerville and Quesnel Terranes. They are contiguous to Osisko Development Corp.'s mineral claim group containing a proposed mine location at its Cariboo Gold Project. The Kymar Silver Project is located in southeast BC, approximately 28 kilometres west of the town of Invermere in the Golden Mining Division. The property is made up of two mineral tenures, totalling 1,625 hectares, along the southeast flank of Mount Catherine. For more information contact: Additional information about Green River Gold Corp. can be found by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca Forward-Looking Information: This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Expressions such as "anticipates", "expects", "believes", "estimates", "could", "intends", "may", "plans", "predicts", "projects", "will", "would" and other similar expressions, or the negative of these terms, are generally indicative of forward-looking information. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. In addition, the forward-looking information contained in this release is based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as it is inherently uncertain, and no assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in such information will prove to be correct. The forward-looking information in this release is made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances. The securities of the Company have not been 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 requirements. This release is issued for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238772 SOURCE: Green River Gold Corp. The Mayan Languages Preservation and Digitization Project, supported by MasterWord Services, announces the release of its first Universal Mayan Keyboard for Microsoft Windows. This new tool represents a pivotal step toward advancing digital accessibility for more than seven million Mayan language speakers, building on earlier Google Android offerings and expanding the ways Mayan speakers can write and communicate online. The Universal Keyboard for Mayan Languages is a First for Windows Mayan woman using a laptop Ingrid Pacay, project contributor and Q'eqchi' speaker, explains, "Li tz'iib'leb'aal jwal ajel li ru jo' k'anjelob'aal li ta'tenq'anq reheb' naab'aleb' li qakomon jwal nake'cha'ajko' chi ru roksinkileb' li ulul ch'iich' sa' kaxlanchi'." "The keyboard is a necessary tool that will help our people who struggle to use a computer in Spanish." Jose Miguel Tzib'oy Yat, teacher at the CTB Bilingual School in Guatemala, adds, "Li xyiib'ankil re jun tz'iib'leb'aal windows jwal us xb'aan naq naxkawob'resi li qaatinob'aal Q'eqchi', natenq'ank qe chi xseeb'ankil li q'a k'anjel." "The creation of a keyboard for Windows in our language is extremely positive because it strengthens the Q'eqchi' language and allows us to work in a more effective way." Optimized for Microsoft Windows Users Publishing through the Microsoft Store allows Windows users to install and seamlessly use the Universal Mayan Keyboard across Microsoft Office and other desktop applications. The layout is optimized for Mayan languages, preserving familiar Spanish keyboard elements while adding special Mayan characters. Expanding Access and Empowering Communities This release of the Universal Mayan Keyboard for Windows is just one part of a broader effort to promote linguistic and cultural continuity: Additional Keyboards : Versions tailored to specific Mayan languages like Kaqchikel and Mam are currently in development, reaffirming the project's commitment to equitable digital access. Open-Source Tools: All software is being developed as open-source to ensure sustainable long-term support and community-driven improvements. How to Download The keyboard is free to download at mayanlanguagespreservation.org/keyboards/ , where users can also find installation instructions and other resources. The website is fully localized in K'iche' and Q'eqchi', demonstrating the project's commitment to linguistic inclusion and cultural authenticity. The keyboard can also be downloaded directly from Microsoft at https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xpfg6q48q2b85h?hl=en-us&gl=US . About the Mayan Languages Preservation and Digitization Project Launched in 2023 in alignment with UNESCO's International Decade of Indigenous Languages, the Mayan Languages Preservation and Digitization Project is a community-driven initiative that safeguards the linguistic and cultural heritage of Mayan speakers. With over 100 contributors from local communities, the project creates open-source tools that bridge the digital divide and elevate indigenous voices. For more information, visit mayanlanguagespreservation.org . SOURCE: MasterWord Services, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Tampa, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2025) - Guac Digital recently announced that its Founder and CEO, Guy Leon Sheetrit, has been accepted into the Forbes Agency Council, an invitation-only community for senior executives in public relations, media strategy, creative, and advertising industries. This membership highlights Sheetrit's proven leadership in the digital marketing industry and his ongoing contributions to innovation and business growth. The Forbes Agency Council connects accomplished leaders from various industries, providing a platform for collaboration, shared insights, and professional development. Membership is granted only to senior executives who meet rigorous criteria, including a proven history of business growth, industry expertise, and notable professional achievements. Guac Digital CEO Guy Leon Sheetrit Joins Prestigious Community of Senior Executives and Industry Leaders To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/238759_082d65ba548df963_001full.jpg This recognition underscores Guac Digital's position as an innovative player in the digital marketing industry, and it highlights Sheetrit's track record of driving measurable results for businesses. As part of the Forbes Agency Council, Sheetrit will represent Guac Digital in contributing insights and best practices that reflect the company's expertise in ranking, speed optimization, and website accessibility. In addition to Guac Digital, Sheetrit is also the founder of Betterweb AI (betterweb.ai), a cutting-edge platform offering a 3-in-1 solution for compliance, speed optimization, and security. Betterweb AI empowers businesses to maintain fast, secure, and compliant websites, further solidifying the impact of Sheetrit's innovation in the digital marketing and technology space. With the membership, Guy Leon Sheetrit will participate in a community that offers unique opportunities to foster innovation and thought leadership. Forbes Agency Council provides members with exclusive networking opportunities, enabling collaboration with other senior executives in private forums. Members can also contribute their expertise by publishing thought leadership articles and participating in expert panels on Forbes.com. These platforms allow members to share insights, address industry challenges, and help shape the future of their respective fields. Guac Digital Celebrates Membership in Exclusive Forbes Agency Council To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/238759_082d65ba548df963_002full.jpg The Forbes Agency Council also offers its members access to exclusive resources that support professional and business growth, including branded marketing collateral and personalized support from the council's concierge team. These benefits enhance members' influence while providing tools to further elevate their companies' impact in their respective markets. Guy Leon Sheetrit views the membership as a valuable opportunity to amplify the voices of Guac Digital and Betterweb AI within the industry, staying at the forefront of emerging trends and fostering collaborative growth. By engaging with other thought leaders and contributing to industry conversations, Sheetrit aims to shape the future of digital marketing, accessibility, and website optimization. About Guac Digital: Guac Digital is a marketing agency that assists businesses and brands in attracting potential customers, creating brand visibility, and disrupting their industries through innovations. The company has achieved this by building a dynamic team that blends creativity with advanced technology in digital marketing. About Betterweb AI: Betterweb AI (betterweb.ai) offers a 3-in-1 solution for compliance, speed optimization, and security. It empowers businesses to create fast, secure, and accessible websites while ensuring legal compliance and enhancing user experience. Media Contact: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238759 SOURCE: GetFeatured Aurora, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2025) - Anew Media Group has officially transitioned to an AI-focused local SEO firm, marking a significant step in its ongoing mission to innovate digital marketing. This strategic move highlights the company's commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence to help businesses achieve superior online visibility and engagement in their target markets. The decision to prioritize AI-driven local SEO solutions reflects Anew Media Group's forward-thinking approach to digital marketing. Over the past eight years, the company has steadily integrated AI technologies into its services, focusing on enhancing precision and efficiency in addressing the unique challenges of local SEO. This transition underscores the company's dedication to staying ahead of evolving market demands and positioning clients for success in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. To strengthen this transformation, Anew Media Group has introduced proprietary AI-powered tools designed to address critical aspects of local SEO. These tools include an AI Schema for Enhanced Structured Data, optimizing how search engines interpret and display business information. Additionally, the company has developed an advanced AI blogging system that integrates three innovative models to produce E.E.A.T. (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness)-aligned content, which meets the latest search engine standards. The company is also introducing an AI Local Map Application Tool designed to enhance brand impressions on Google My Business (GMB) profiles. This tool enables businesses to improve their Google Maps rankings, helping them double their local leads. In addition, Anew Media Group has rolled out AI chatbots with video and voice cloning capabilities. These innovative tools enable business owners to engage with customers via video or web calls, streamlining appointment booking and improving conversion rates. Another notable innovation that is part of the local SEO services by Anew Media Group includes a new Pay-Per-Click (PPC)-like program designed to capture up to 70% of Google Search traffic. This system transforms traditional paid ads into organic branding results, providing businesses with a cost-effective way to increase local leads while reducing Google ad spend. Anew Media Group's adoption of artificial intelligence ensures more precise local search optimization and supports businesses in adapting to evolving search engine algorithms and user behavior trends. The integration of AI tools aligns with the company's mission to empower businesses with cutting-edge solutions that drive visibility and engagement in competitive markets. The transition to an AI-focused business model highlights Anew Media Group's commitment to blending advanced technology with human expertise. While artificial intelligence is at the heart of the Denver SEO company's services, the team emphasizes the importance of tailored, data-driven insights delivered by experienced professionals. This approach ensures that businesses working with Anew Media Group benefit from innovative solutions designed to achieve measurable growth. About Anew Media Group: Anew Media Group is an SEO firm specializing in data-driven marketing solutions for small and medium businesses. The company offers services such as SEO, backlinking, paid advertising, and AI-powered site development. With its recent transition to a fully AI-focused firm, Anew Media Group continues to innovate and deliver cutting-edge solutions that help clients excel in competitive digital landscapes. Media Contact: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238760 SOURCE: GetFeatured Siemens Energy experienced a remarkable surge in its stock price on Tuesday, driven by unexpectedly strong quarterly results that significantly exceeded analyst expectations. The energy technology company reported earnings of 463 million euros, substantially outperforming the projected 373 million euros. The company's free cash flow before taxes is now anticipated to surpass the previous forecast of up to one billion euros for the current fiscal year. This impressive performance was attributed to reduced losses in its wind energy subsidiary Siemens Gamesa and improvements across Grid Technologies and Industry Transformation divisions. The stock responded positively, climbing 7.53% to reach 51.96 euros, with trading volume exceeding 6.4 million shares. Analyst Outlook Strengthens Financial experts have responded favorably to the quarterly performance, with several major institutions revising their price targets upward. The company demonstrated robust operational trends, particularly in its gas turbine business, where growth opportunities extend beyond the U.S. market. Looking ahead, analysts project earnings per share of 0.741 euros for fiscal year 2025, alongside expectations for the company's first dividend payment in recent history, marking a significant milestone in Siemens Energy's financial recovery. Ad Fresh Siemens Energy information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Siemens Energy analysis... MINNEAPOLIS (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Bancorp (USB) announced that its President, Gunjan Kedia, will become the company's Chief Executive Officer at the conclusion of the organization's annual meeting of shareholders on April 15. Current Chairman and chief executive officer Andy Cecere will continue as executive chairman, leading the Board of Directors and supporting Kedia as she assumes her new role.Kedia, 54, joined U.S. Bancorp in 2016. She has nearly 30 years of experience in financial services, having held global executive positions at State Street Financial and BNY, as well as leadership roles at McKinsey and Company and PwC.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. Apple faces significant regulatory challenges in Germany as the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe signals potential support for classifying the tech giant as a company with "paramount cross-market significance." This designation would subject Apple to enhanced antitrust oversight, similar to other tech leaders like Alphabet and Meta. The court's preliminary assessment suggests Apple strongly meets several statutory criteria for this classification, particularly concerning its dominant position in the App Store ecosystem. The Federal Cartel Office's heightened scrutiny could specifically target Apple's tracking practices, where third-party apps require explicit user consent while Apple's own applications operate under different rules. AI Innovation Offers Silver Lining Despite regulatory headwinds, Apple shows promising developments in artificial intelligence ventures. The company's strategic position as a leading consumer products manufacturer enables it to capitalize on generative AI opportunities without requiring massive investments in language models or infrastructure. With quarterly capital expenditure of $9.45 billion, Apple's efficient approach to AI development could potentially drive improved product upgrade cycles, offsetting some regulatory concerns and supporting long-term stock growth potential. Ad Fresh Apple information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Apple analysis... Democrats The endless debate over what went wrong forin the last election has almost entirely avoided what has become the party's signature issue: abortion. Democrats believed they could ride the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade to victory, and not without reason. Polling consistently showed that more than half of Americans disapproved of the ruling. And yet, even though Kamala Harris and Tim Walz made abortion rights a centerpiece of their campaign, they lost ground among women. Most analysts blame the economy for that, but the party's central emphasis on abortion rights probably made it more difficult for voters to identify Harris with her economic agenda. Nearly eight in 10 voters who named the economy as their top issue voted for Donald Trump , while only 23% of voters named abortion as one of their top three issues. The problem, however, wasn't just one of emphasis. Tone mattered, too. Over the past decade, the party's rhetoric on abortion has grown more divisive, often taking an accusatory form. Those who wish to ban or restrict it are trying to "control women's bodies" because they "don't trust women," since they're "weird." Although the end of Roe has understandably heightened passions on the issue, Democrats would benefit politically by remembering who didn't make those kinds of accusations: the last three Democrats to win the presidency. Joe Biden mostly avoided the issue in 2020, not even mentioning it in his convention speech. Bill Clinton memorably spoke about wanting to ensure that abortion was "safe, legal and rare" a phrase no longer tolerated by party activists, because of the word "rare." And Barack Obama , who likewise strongly supported abortion rights, took pains to respect opposing views. In a 2009 speech at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana , Obama told the story of getting an email from a pro-life doctor who wanted to vote for him but wouldn't, because Obama's campaign website mentioned "right-wing ideologues who want to take away a woman's right to choose." The doctor did not ask Obama to change his view on abortion, only to speak about it "in fair-minded words." Obama, who directed his staff to change the language on the website and wrote a thank you note to the doctor, urged each side of the debate to make its case respectfully, "without reducing those with differing views to caricature," and to find common ground on reducing unintended pregnancies, increasing adoptions and improving maternal care. Obama's approach to abortion magnanimous and humble, inclusive and unifying helped him become the first Democrat since 1964 to win Indiana . But since then, Democrats have effectively disqualified those who call themselves pro-life from winning party nominations, even though in most red districts, they offer the best chance to win over not only Republicans , but Democrats , too. About one in four moderate or conservative Democrats , or independents who lean Democrat, believe that abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. "Our party sends the wrong message when it has any kind of litmus test: abortion, guns, health care," former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer told me last fall, during an RV trip that brought me through his old district. (I interned in Roemer's office as a student at Notre Dame.) "Democrats do a disservice to themselves if they say, If you're not with us on a particular issue, you're not a Democrat,'" he said. "We've always been a party with a big tent and diversity." Or at least, it was when Democrats were winning national elections. On Thursday, Democrats for Life participated in the annual March For Life in Washington, D.C. , but no Democratic members of Congress spoke at the group's breakfast. Its executive director, Kristen Day , is running for vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee , but no delegates have endorsed her candidacy. The outgoing chair of the Democratic National Committee , Jaime Harrison , refused even to meet with the group, Day told me the first party chair to do so. "People want to be listened to and have their views heard," said Day. "I represent the people who don't have a 100% DNC scorecard, but we still want to be part of the party because there's a lot we agree with on paid parental leave, the child tax credit" and other pro-family issues. Without listening to these dissenting voices, the Democratic Party seems unable to recognize or countenance that many of them favor middle-ground positions. ( Democrats for Life has supported the type of laws that prevail in much of Europe , including legal abortion through a pregnancy's first 20 weeks.) And the party seems unable to recognize or countenance that a big tent approach on abortion would help it reclaim areas that have gone from blue to red. In 2024, Democrats for Life's political action committee endorsed 39 candidates; 37 of them won. As Democrats wander the wilderness, they pine for candidates with Obama's political talents. To have a chance to win the districts and states he did, they should start by embracing his spirit and giving Day's candidacy for DNC vice-chair a fair-minded hearing. Previously: Dems have their own 'weird' problem San Francisco gets tough to save liberalism Dems wanted another New Deal. They neglected the most important part (COMMENT, BELOW) Flash This photo taken by a cellphone on Jan. 28, 2025 shows policemen trying to disperse protesters outside the French embassy in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [Photo/Xinhua] Several embassies in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were damaged, looted, and even set on fire amid mass demonstrations against the perceived inaction of the international community in addressing the ongoing violence in the eastern part of the country, Xinhua reporters observed. In Kinshasa, the city woke up in turmoil as civil society mobilized the local population to protest against the dire situation in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, and the inaction of the international community. Protesters were seen on the city's main arteries, disrupting traffic, blocking commercial activities, burning tires, and chanting slogans in front of the embassies of the United States and other Western countries, as well as the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission. Part of the exterior of the French embassy was set on fire by protesters, while the nearby Ugandan embassy was looted. Sounds of detonation were heard in the neighborhoods where the Rwandan embassy and the U.S. consular service are located, according to a Xinhua reporter. Blaise Kilimbalimba, Kinshasa police commander, urged the demonstrators to remain calm and return home, warning that those sowing trouble would face serious consequences. Hostilities resumed in Goma on Tuesday morning after a relatively calm night. March 23 Movement (M23) rebels have been attacking Goma since late Sunday. Local sources told Xinhua that intense fighting has been going on since early Tuesday between the DRC army and the rebels near the airport, a strategic point once controlled by the M23. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2025) - Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FSE: 8BN) ("Optimi" or the "Company"), a GMP-approved, Health Canada licensed psychedelics pharmaceutical manufacturer specializing in botanical psilocybin and MDMA, announces it has closed the second and final tranche (the "Second Tranche") of its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.30 per Unit. Under the Second Tranche, the Company distributed 1,316,668 Units for gross proceeds of $395,000, bringing the total Offering raise to $934,000. Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one-half of one (1/2) transferable Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant a "Warrant"). Each Warrant issued under the Second Tranche entitles the holder to acquire one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.40 until January 24, 2027, subject to an accelerated expiry provision, whereby in the event the closing price of the Company's Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange") exceeds $0.50 for a period of 20 consecutive trading days, at the Company's election, the period within which the Warrants are exercisable, will be reduced and the holders of the Warrants will be entitled to exercise their Warrants for a period of 30 days commencing on the day the Company provides notice, any outstanding Warrants not exercised during the 30 day period will expire. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general working capital purposes. All securities issued under the Second Tranche, including securities issuable on exercise thereof, will be subject to a hold period expiring May 25, 2025, in accordance with the rules and policies of the Exchange and applicable Canadian securities laws. The Second Tranche was completed by insiders of the Company, the issuance of Units to insiders is considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.5(a) and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a) in respect of such insider participation as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. Debt Settlement The Company also announces that it has completed a debt settlement with 2 creditors which has resulted in an aggregate of $98,501.25 of indebtedness being retired in consideration for the issuance of 458,145 Common Shares at a deemed price per Common Share of $0.215 (the "Debt Settlement"). The debt relates to marketing and investor relations services. The Common Shares issued in connection with the Debt Settlement are subject to a hold period January 24, 2025. Completion of the Offering and the Debt Settlement is subject to certain conditions including but not limited to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the final approval of the Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, in the United States or to any "U.S Person" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act")) of any equity or other securities of the Company. The securities of the Company have not been, and will not be, registered under the 1933 Act or under any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to a U.S. Person absent registration under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws or an applicable exemption therefrom. About Optimi Health Corp. Optimi Health Corp. is a Health Canada-licensed, GMP-compliant manufacturer and supplier of natural psilocybin and MDMA. Dedicated to producing high-quality psychedelic products, the Company aims to support the global advancement of mental health therapies through rigorous compliance, innovation, and collaboration. On Behalf of the Board JJ Wilson, Chair of the Board 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"), including statements pertaining to the completion of the Offering and the Debt Settlement. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, certain of which are unknown. 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. These statements may involve estimates, assumptions, and uncertainties that 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 Optimi'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 risk factors include but are not limited to those factors which are discussed in the Company's long form prospectus dated February 12, 2021, a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Except as expressly required by applicable law, Optimi 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 Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each 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. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization 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/238799 SOURCE: Optimi Health Corp. Chicago, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2025) - Dara Agruss Design, an interior designer in the Chicago suburbs, is pleased to announce the winner of a classroom makeover donation. The design firm was recently involved in the sponsorship of a giveaway that provided a local educator with the chance to upgrade their classroom through a makeover. As the head of the Elmhurst-based interior design firm, Dara wanted to make a difference by creating an inspiring learning environment full of vibrant colors to help engage students and support education. The winner of the classroom makeover giveaway, Caryn Diaz-who teaches the first grade at J.B. Nelson School in Batavia, IL-received a donation of $500 along with Dara's hands-on involvement in the design and setup of the classroom ahead of the school year. Dara Agruss Design Donates Classroom Makeover to Illinois First-Grade Teacher To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/238779_5b48a16f84157ba2_001full.jpg Dara's background as a former public school teacher of 3rd and 4th-grade students for 12 years served as her inspiration for making a difference. "Before becoming an interior decorator, I was a classroom teacher for many years. I have tremendous respect for teachers and love to support local teachers in any way I can. Being able to team up with my husband Mike, from Mike Agruss Law, was such a thrill. He saw first-hand how hard teachers work each and every day so he is a huge supporter of teachers, as am I," she explained. Dara brought her passion for education and design together, viewing it from the perspective of what she would want in her classroom if she were the teacher. Knowing first-hand how busy teachers are in the summer preparing for the upcoming school year, she wanted to make the new classroom design easy for Mrs. Diaz while encouraging children to foster a love of learning. Together with her husband Mike, they worked to bring Mrs. Diaz's classroom needs and desires to fruition. The focus was on making things comfortable, functional, organized, and fun. Dara Agruss Design serves the western suburbs of Chicago with in-person and virtual full-service interior design To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/238779_5b48a16f84157ba2_002full.jpg "Colorful environments have such an impact on mood and I loved giving these children a bright, happy environment to come to each day. Students deserve to come to an inviting environment each day that invigorates them to want to learn, and I hope that the additions I made help do that," Dara added. Dara Agruss Design serves the western suburbs of Chicago with in-person and virtual full-service interior design for kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, home offices, basements, playrooms, and new homes. Homeowners in the local area can view Dara Agruss Design's portfolio for inspiration as well as connect with her for inquiries about design services for improving their homes. Dara Agruss Design is available Monday through Sunday from the hours of 8 am to 6 pm. Residents considering upgrading their interiors with a refreshed yet livable look are welcome to call 847-750-5354 or complete the convenient contact form online at daraagrussdesign.com to schedule an appointment. Media Contact: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238779 SOURCE: GetFeatured WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Stryker (SYK) agreed to sell its U.S. spinal implants business to Viscogliosi Brothers, LLC, a family-owned investment firm specializing in the neuro-musculoskeletal space, to create a newly formed company called VB Spine, LLC.After closing, VB Spine will become a strategic partner to Stryker with exclusive access to Mako Spine and Copilot for use with VB Spines implants in spine procedures.Stryker noted that the agreement also includes a binding offer to acquire Strykers spinal implants business in France, subject to required consultations with employees and/or employee representatives.The transaction is expected to close in the U.S. in the first half of 2025.In a separate press release, Stryker announced that Glenn Boehnlein will retire from his role as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Preston Wells, who currently serves as Group Chief Financial Officer for Strykers Orthopaedics Group, will assume the role of Vice President, Chief Financial Officer effective April 1, 2025.While announcing its fourth-quarter results, Stryker said it expects adjusted net earnings per share to be in the range of $13.45 to $13.70 and organic net sales growth of 8.0% to 9.0% for 2025.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. Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2025) - The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) proudly announces the appointment of Prabhakar Raghavan, Chief Technologist at Google, to its Board of Directors. As the first board member named in 2025, Raghavan joins an elite roster of industry leaders shaping USISPF's mission to advance collaboration between the United States and India in critical technology and innovation sectors. Prabhakar Raghavan Chief Technologist at Google LLC Prabhakar is one of the foremost authorities on Search and is the co-author of two widely used graduate texts on algorithms and search. He has over two decades of research spanning algorithms, web search, and databases, has published over 100 papers in various fields, and holds 20 issued patents, including several on link analysis for web search. Welcoming Prabhakar to the USISPF Board, Dr. Mukesh Aghi, USISPF President and CEO said: "The relationship between the United States and India is at a pivotal stage where synergy in fields of the initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) and subsequently with the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), are driving the relationship forward and touch heavily on the role of critical tech in AI in both the private sector and next-generation defense technology. In Prabhakar, we have a tech leader who can help with India's digital transformation as Google's ongoing investments in India's digital infrastructure, including the launch of cloud regions in Mumbai and Delhi, demonstrate Google's commitment to the country's digital growth. The critical aspect over the next decade will be to leverage the digital trade economy to enhance the commercial partnership between the United States and India. Prabhakar's vision and insight will be key to this mission." USISPF Chairman John Chambers congratulated Prabhakar and said: "Having spent the majority of my career in Silicon Valley, I understand the pivotal role of tech companies in countries' overall growth and innovation, especially as we go through this next-generation tech transition with AI. As Prime Minister Modi shared during his 2023 state visit, AI is not just artificial intelligence, but America and India - and the opportunity that comes from our two countries leading this transition together. As such, the addition of Prabhakar to the USISPF Board of Directors is a strategic and exciting step in furthering our joint position in the global AI race. I look forward to seeing how his Board presence will bolster USISPF's efforts to increase AI collaboration between governments and businesses." Prabhakar joined Google in 2012 and prior to his role as the company's Chief Technologist, was most recently the SVP for Knowledge & Information (K&I) responsible for Google's Search, Ads, Commerce, Geo, Assistant & Gemini products. Prabhakar Raghavan expressed gratitude about his appointment and said: "I'm incredibly honored to join the USISPF Board of Directors and contribute to its mission of strengthening the US-India relationship. India is remarkably positioned in the global technology landscape, not just as a nation of over a billion people, but also as the birthplace of population-scale digital platforms such as UPI, which have benefited its citizens and moved the tech discourse forward. Google is deeply invested in India's digital future, powered by the opportunities of AI, and I'm eager to work alongside fellow board members to further advance this vital partnership." Prior to leading Google K&I, Prabhakar led the Ads & Commerce teams and also served as the vice President of Workspace in Google Cloud. Before joining Google, Prabhakar founded and led Yahoo! Labs. He also served as CTO at Verity and was at IBM Research for 14 years. For media inquiries and further information, please contact: Ankit Jain ajain@usispf.org Akshobh Giridharadas agiridharadas@usispf.org About USISPF The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum's (USISPF) mission is to build, enable, advocate, and facilitate partnerships between the United States and India by providing a platform for all stakeholders to come together in new ways that will create meaningful opportunities with the power to change the lives of citizens in both countries. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238756 SOURCE: US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Qatar-based real estate company to utilise cloud-based asset management platform DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Msheireb Properties, Qatar's leading smart and sustainable real estate developer, has partnered with Yardi to elevate its operational efficiency and enhance tenant services. The adoption of Yardi's cloud-based solutions will help Msheireb Properties centralise its data, allowing the company to manage its diverse portfolio from one integrated platform. With Yardi, Msheireb Properties can provide greater value to both customers and tenants by simplifying lease administration, and optimising accounting, billing, and reporting processes. Through Yardi's self-service portal and app, tenants can easily submit maintenance requests, access invoices, upload sales data, and make payments online, freeing up staff to focus on higher value tasks. Commenting on the partnership, Msheireb Properties Senior Director of Commercial Assets, Mubarak Al Boanin, said: "Our partnership with Yardi aligns perfectly with our mission to rethink urban living through innovation that enhances quality of life. Yardi's comprehensive solutions will help improve operational efficiency, tenant engagement and deliver services that are aligned with our vision of creating an innovative, environmentally responsible urban experience. "This collaboration will advance our journey to setting new benchmarks for smart living. By integrating Yardi's advanced capabilities, we continue to redefine sustainable urban development and provide our tenants with a seamless, technology-driven experience that supports their evolving needs." "We are proud to collaborate with Msheireb Properties as they adopt Yardi's fully integrated asset management platform," stated Said Haider, senior director for Yardi. "Our platform is designed to empower forward-thinking organisations like Msheireb Properties, streamlining operations and delivering exceptional experiences for its clients and tenants." See how you can enhance the tenant experience with Yardi. About Msheireb Properties Msheireb Properties is a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation for Education, Sciences and Community Development and Qatar's leading sustainable property developer, supporting the goals of Qatar's 2030 Vision and Qatar Foundation's objectives. Its mission is to change how people think about urban living and improve their overall quality of life through innovations that encourage social interaction, respect for culture, and greater care for the environment. Its signature project, Msheireb Downtown Doha, is one of the smartest, most sustainable city districts, which employs a new approach to urban planning by combining traditional methods and modern technology to preserve Qatar's environment and cultural identity. All buildings are either Gold or Platinum LEED-certified. It is an integrated city that embraces modern, fully furnished residential units, a range of mixed- use and commercial buildings that offer a wide array of retail and business services, and cultural facilities. It is also the home to Msheireb Museums, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Al Wadi Hotel - MGallery by AccorHotels, Park Hyatt Hotel, Msheireb Galleria, and Barahat Msheireb- the biggest open-air covered pedestrian square in the region. For more information, visit msheirebproperties.com. About Yardi Yardi develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. With over 9,500 employees, Yardi is working with clients globally to drive significant innovation in the real estate industry. For more information on how Yardi is Energised for Tomorrow, visit yardi.ae. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2607886/Yardi_Msheireb.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/737275/5138755/Yardi_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/msheireb-properties-partners-with-yardi-to-streamline-operation--enhance-tenant-experience-302362343.html Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Manganese X Energy Corp. (TSXV: MN) (FSE: 9SC) (TRADEGATE: 9SC) ("Manganese X" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the successful closing of its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"), raising aggregate gross proceeds of $2,100,000 through the issuance of a total of 60,000,000 subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts") at a subscription price of $0.035 per Subscription Receipt. The Offering was initially announced on January 2, 2025. The gross proceeds from the Offering are currently held in escrow and will be released to the Company upon receiving all necessary shareholder and regulatory approvals (the "Approvals"), including shareholder approval for the creation of a new "Control Person" under TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") policies. The Offering remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSXV. Following the Approvals, each Subscription Receipt will automatically convert into one unit of the Company ("Unit") without additional consideration. Each Unit consists of one common share ("Share") and one-half of a share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant ("Warrant") entitles the holder to purchase one additional Share ("Warrant Share") at $0.06 per Warrant Share within 36 months of issuance. If the Approvals are not obtained by March 31, 2025, the Subscription Receipts will be cancelled and the escrowed funds will be refunded to subscribers. The securities issued under the Offering are subject to statutory and TSXV hold periods, both expiring on May 29, 2025. Notable Investment by Eric Sprott Mr. Eric Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation beneficially owned by him, invested $2,000,000 by subscribing for 57,142,857 Subscription Receipts. Upon conversion, Mr. Sprott will own 57,142,857 Shares and 28,571,428 Warrants, representing 26.63% of the then outstanding Shares (non-diluted) and 35.25% (partially diluted) assuming full Warrant exercise. Shareholder Meeting for Approval The Company will hold an annual and special shareholders' meeting on February 28, 2025, to approve, among other things, Mr. Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., as a new Control Person of the Company. Additional meeting details, including the record date, location, and time, are set forth in the Notice of Meeting and Management Information Circular for the meeting, which are both available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Use of Proceeds The net proceeds are expected to primarily advance the Battery Hill Project in New Brunswick, including the completion of a pre-feasibility study, with a portion allocated for general working capital. The Offering utilized the TSXV's Minimum Price Exception, permitting issuances below $0.05 per Subscription Receipt. The Company confirms no proceeds will be used for payments to non-arm's length parties or investor relations activities. About Manganese X Energy Corp. Manganese X's mission is to advance its Battery Hill project into production, thereby becoming the first public actively traded manganese mining company in Canada and US to commercialize EV compliant high purity manganese, potentially supplying the North American supply chain. The Company intends on supplying value-added materials to the lithium-ion battery and other alternative energy industries, as well as striving to achieve new carbon-friendly more efficient methodologies, while processing manganese at a lower competitive cost. For more information visit the website at www.manganesexenergycorp.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors of MANGANESE X ENERGY CORP. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating to the future operations and activities of Manganese X, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to the acceptance of the Offering by the TSXV, the ability of the Company obtain the necessary Approvals, the conversion of the Subscription Receipts to Units, the upcoming annual and special shareholders' meeting, the creation of a new Control Person, the expected use of proceeds of the Offering, and the Company's goals and plans for 2025, including, among other items, its pilot plant project and PFS. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Manganese X, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. These risks, as well as others, are disclosed within the Company's filings on SEDAR+, which investors are encouraged to review prior to any transaction involving the securities of the Company. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Manganese X 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 applicable securities laws. //THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT INTENDED FOR RELEASE OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES // To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238769 SOURCE: Manganese X Energy Corp. Introducing Sea Shipping and PUDO Services to Enhance Affordability, Flexibility, and Convenience for UAE Shoppers DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Temu, the direct-from-factory online marketplace, today announced a strategic partnership with EMX, the logistics arm of 7X, to enhance e-commerce fulfillment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and across the Middle East. Under the partnership, Temu and EMX are expanding the sea shipping capability and introducing PUDO (Pick-Up and Drop-Off) services to ensure a seamless online shopping experience for Temu's growing customers in the region. Sea Shipping Capability: By managing logistics based on varying shipping needs, Temu can lower costs, ensuring customers enjoy even more affordable pricing. Expanding sea shipping with EMX also enables comprehensive logistics coverage across all Gulf countries, improving accessibility and delivery options for regional customers. PUDO services: By integrating 7X's PUDO services fulfilled by EMX, Temu provides customers with greater delivery flexibility. With convenient pick-up and drop-off options, customers can leave or retrieve their parcels at times and places of their convenience. This feature also minimizes delivery failures, offering peace of mind to consumers while reducing associated costs, all contributing to more efficient and sustainable logistics operations. "Temu's mission is to make quality products affordable to consumers of all walks of life. By partnering with reliable fulfillment partners like EMX, we are able to continuously optimize our logistics solutions, broaden product offerings and ensure a convenient and seamless shopping experience for customers," a Temu spokesperson said. Since launching services in the UAE in September 2023, Temu has rapidly expanded its footprint across the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Jordan. Temu offers a diverse range of products across over 200 categories, from household essentials to electronics, catering to the unique needs of consumers in these markets. "We are excited to partner with Temu to bring our reliable and high-quality delivery services to its online shoppers in the UAE and beyond, driving a strategic transformation in the regional logistics landscape. By leveraging our advanced sea shipping capabilities and scalable PUDO services, together with Temu, we aim to redefine affordability and flexibility in delivery operations, setting a new standard for convenience and customer satisfaction as well as elevating the fast-growing e-commerce fulfillment for the GCC region," said Tariq Al Wahedi, General Manager at EMX. The partnership is facilitated through MailAmericas. As a gold member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Advisory Committee, MailAmericas makes full use of its advantages in cross-border e-commerce to facilitate connections between both parties. Temu is known for pioneering an innovative direct-from-factory model that streamlines the supply chain by eliminating unnecessary layers of intermediaries and their costs, passing on savings to consumers. About Temu Temu is a global e-commerce company that connects consumers with millions of business partners, manufacturers and brands with a mission to enable them to live a better life. Temu is committed to offering affordable products to enable consumers and business partners to realize their dreams in an inclusive environment. Temu began operations in the United States in September 2022 and is now available in 90 markets worldwide. About EMX EMX, the logistics arm of 7X, delivers bespoke logistics services and last-mile delivery solutions to meet the needs of government, banking, e-commerce, and corporate entities. EMX offers reliable domestic door-to-door delivery services in the UAE while fostering global business connections through its international network. Focused on tailored, efficient, and convenient solutions that empower businesses and bridge distances, EMX ensures a world within reach. About MailAmericas MailAmericas is a global logistics company specializing in customized international mail solutions. With over two decades of experience, the company helps postal operators and logistics companies strengthen their delivery capabilities, especially in emerging markets. MailAmericas has become a key player in consolidating international mail for over 60 countries across Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Focused on innovation and cutting-edge technology, MailAmericas is dedicated to providing reliable, cost-effective logistics services for eCommerce platforms, sellers, and businesses worldwide. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2606460/EMX_Visual.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/temu-and-emx-form-strategic-partnership-to-elevate-e-commerce-fulfillment-in-the-united-arab-emirates-302362270.html BioVersys AG / Key word(s): IPO BIOVERSYS LAUNCHES IPO ON THE SIX SWISS EXCHANGE AND SETS IPO PRICE AT CHF 36.00 PER SHARE 29.01.2025 / 07:00 CET/CEST NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. Basel, Switzerland. January 29, 2025 All primary offering consists of up to 2,083,333 newly issued shares, in addition to an over-allotment option of up to 138,888 shares. Price for the offered shares has been set at CHF 36.00 per share and will result in an offer size of approximately CHF 80 million in gross proceeds (assuming the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Offer period commences today, January 29, 2025, and is anticipated to end on February 05, 2025. Listing and first day of trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange are expected to take place on February 07, 2025. BioVersys is expected to be included in the Swiss Performance Index (SPI) on its second trading day, February 10, 2025. BioVersys AG (the "Company"), a multi-asset, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on research and development of novel antibacterial products for serious life-threatening infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, announced today the publication of its prospectus and the start of the book-building process as part of its intention to conduct an Initial Public Offering (the "IPO" or the "Offering") on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Summary of the Proposed Offering BioVersys is targeting gross proceeds of CHF 75 million from the Offering (excluding the over-allotment option) and intends to allocate a majority of such proceeds from the Offering for the development of its lead asset, BV100. Proceeds from the Offering will also be used, in cooperation with GSK and with additional support from non-dilutive grant money, to progress the clinical development of the Company's second lead asset, Alpibectir, towards regulatory approval. The remaining proceeds are expected to be allocated to the Company's preclinical pipeline, complementing existing non-dilutive funding to progress BioVersys' fast follower assets towards clinical development. Based on the current capex forecasts, the Company expects to be funded by IPO proceeds into 2028. The all-primary IPO consists of up to 2,083,333 newly issued shares in addition to an over-allotment option of up to 138,888 newly issued shares. The price for the offered shares has been set at CHF 36.00 per share, implying a base offer size of approximately CHF 75 million, and an offer size of approximately CHF 80 million if the over-allotment option is exercised in full. Based on the offer price, the implied market capitalization of BioVersys is estimated to be CHF 212.9 million (assuming the over-allotment option is exercised in full). On the first day of trading, the free float is expected to be up to 28%. The Offering is expected to be conducted as a public offering in Switzerland and take the form of private placements in a number of jurisdictions, including in the United States, to certain qualified institutional buyers ("QIBs") and institutional "accredited investors" in each case as defined in the applicable securities laws and regulations. The book-building process commences today, January 29, 2025, and is expected to end on February 05, 2025 at 12:00 CET for retail and private banking investors and at 15:00 CET for institutional investors. The final offer size is expected to be published on February 06, 2025. The first day of trading is expected to be February 07, 2025. Pursuant to a commitment letter dated as of January 27, 2025, Glaxo Group Limited ("GSK") has committed to invest an amount of CHF 3.5 million in the Offering. Pursuant to commitment letters dated as of January 28, 2025, AMR Action Fund, L.P. and AMR Action Fund, SCSp (together, and each individually, the "AMR Action Fund") have committed to purchase from the Company, and the Company has committed to issue to the AMR Action Fund, Offered Shares in an aggregate investment amount equaling gross proceeds of CHF 16.0 million in the Offering. The directors of the Company and its executive management committed to a customary lock-up period of 360 days and all existing shareholders committed to a lock-up period of 180 days. The offering and listing prospectus for this Offering has been approved by the Prospectus Office of SIX Exchange Regulation and is available free of charge at UBS AG (email: swiss-prospectus@ubs.com ). Citi, UBS and Stifel are acting as joint global coordinators, with Octavian and Mirabaud as selling agents. For information on the public offering of securities of BioVersys AG in Switzerland, for those legally permitted, please visit www.bioversys.com/investors/IPO. Expected Timeline Price range announced, publication of prospectus 29 January 2025 Roadshow and bookbuilding 29 January 2025 - 5 February 2025 End of bookbuilding 5 February 2025 (at 12:00 CET for retail and private banking investors, and at 15:00 CET for institutional investors) Publication of final offer size 6 February 2025 Listing and first day of trading 7 February 2025 Settlement 10 February 2025 SPI inclusion 10 February 2025 Last day for the exercise of the overallotment option 9 March 2025 About Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) AMR has been widely recognized as the top priority health threat by the World Health Organization (WHO), the G7 and G20. AMR has resulted in the majority of our antimicrobial therapies becoming obsolete thereby leaving the world's population completely susceptible to an ever-increasing range of infections. More than 1'270'000 lives are lost every year to AMR, a figure which is predicted to rise to 10 million by 2050. In Europe alone, about 4 million hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) occur annually, and AMR is responsible for an estimated 33'000 deaths per year, with associated EUR 1.5 billion in healthcare costs and productivity losses every year. Resistant infections threaten the advancements of modern medicine, where patients undergoing surgery, treatments for cancer, or viral infections (COVID-19) are put in jeopardy of contracting an untreatable bacterial infection because appropriate working antibiotics are no longer available. About BioVersys BioVersys AG is a multi-asset, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing novel antibacterial products for serious life-threatening infections caused by multi-drug resistant ("MDR") bacteria. Derived from the Company's two internal technology platforms (TRIC and Ansamycin Chemistry), candidates are designed and developed to overcome resistance mechanisms, block virulence production and directly affect the pathogenesis of harmful bacteria towards the identification of new treatment options in the antimicrobial and microbiome fields. This enables BioVersys to address the high unmet medical need for new treatments against life-threatening resistant bacterial infections and bacteria-exacerbated chronic inflammatory microbiome disorders. The Company's most advanced research and development programs address nosocomial infections of Acinetobacter baumannii (BV100, Phase 3 ready), and tuberculosis (alpibectir, Phase 2a, in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and a consortium of the University of Lille, France). BioVersys is located in the biotech hub of Basel, Switzerland. BioVersys contact Hernan Levett, CFO, Tel. +41 61 633 22 50; Mail: Hernan.levett@bioversys.com For Media: media@bioversys.com www.bioversys.com Disclaimer This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe for shares. This document is not a prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act and not a prospectus under any other applicable laws. Copies of this document may not be sent to, distributed in or sent from jurisdictions in which this is barred or prohibited by law. The information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any jurisdiction. This document constitutes advertising in accordance with article 68 of the Swiss Financial Services Act. Such advertisements are communications to investors aiming to draw their attention to financial instruments. Any investment decisions with respect to any securities should not be made based on this advertisement. A decision to invest in securities of BioVersys AG should be based exclusively on the issue and listing prospectus published by BioVersys AG (the Company) for such purpose. Copies of such issue and listing prospectus (and any supplements thereto) are available free of charge from UBS AG (email: swiss-prospectus@ubs.com). This document is not for publication or distribution in the United States of America (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia), Canada, Japan or Australia or any other jurisdiction into which the same would be unlawful. This document does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities in such countries or in any other jurisdiction into which the same would be unlawful. In particular, the document and the information contained herein should not be distributed or otherwise transmitted into the United States of America or to publications with a general circulation in the United States of America. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or the laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration under or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of the securities in the United States of America. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer of securities to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus offering securities to the public will be published in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom this document is only directed at persons who are (A) qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended, and who are also (B)(i) investment professionals falling within article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the FSMA Order); (ii) persons falling within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d), "high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc." of the FSMA Order or (iii) persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 may otherwise be lawfully communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons). The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. In any member state of the European Economic Area (each a Relevant State) this document is only addressed to qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. Information to UK Distributors: Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in delict, tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements), may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Shares have been subject to a product approval process by each Manager established in the UK, which has determined that the Share are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors, as defined in the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook ("COBS"), investors who meet the criteria of professional clients, as defined in Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended, and eligible counterparties, as defined in the COBS; and (b) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution channels (the "UK Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, "distributors" should note that: the price of the Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The UK Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offer. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, the Managers established in the UK will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties. For the avoidance of doubt, the UK Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapter 9A or 10A respectively of the COBS; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. Information to EEA Distributors: Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Shares have been subject to a product approval process by each Manager established in the EEA, which has determined that the Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the Target Market Assessment). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Distributors should note that: the price of the Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offer. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, the Managers established in the EEA will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties. For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as "plans", "targets", "aims", "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "will", "may", "continues", "should" and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect, at the time, BioVersys' beliefs, intentions and current targets/aims concerning, among other things, BioVersys' results of operations, financial condition, industry, liquidity, prospects, growth and strategies and are subject to change. The estimated financial information is based on management's current expectations and is subject to change. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial consequences of the plans and events described herein. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors (including, but not limited to, future global economic conditions, changed market conditions, intense competition in the markets in which BioVersys operates, costs of compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards, diverse political, legal, economic and other conditions affecting the BioVersys' markets, and other factors beyond the control of BioVersys). Neither BioVersys nor its shareholders, directors, officers, employees, advisors, or any other person is under any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak of the date of this announcement. Statements contained in this announcement regarding past trends or events should not be taken as a representation that such trends or events will continue in the future. Some of the information presented herein is based on statements by third parties, and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, the fairness, reasonableness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of this information or any other information or opinions contained herein, for any purpose whatsoever. Except as required by applicable law, BioVersys AG has no intention or obligation to update, keep updated or revise this publication or any parts thereof following the date hereof. None of the underwriters, the selling agents or any of their respective subsidiary undertakings, affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents, alliance partners or any other entity or person accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the group, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Accordingly, each of the underwriters, the selling agents and the other foregoing persons disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all and any liability, whether arising in tort or contract or that they might otherwise be found to have in respect of this announcement and/or any such statement. End of Media Release CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday.The Australian dollar fell to a 2-day low of 96.81 against the yen and a 4-week low of 1.6751 against the euro, from yesterday's closing quotes of 97.25 and 1.6680, respectively.Against the U.S., the Canada and New Zealand dollars, the aussie dropped to an 8-day low of 0.6227, a 1-week low of 0.8971 and a 1-month low of 1.1006 from Tuesday's closing quotes of 0.6252, 0.9004 and 1.1038, respectively.If the aussie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 95.00 against the yen, 1.69 against the euro, 0.60 against the greenback, 0.88 against the loonie and 1.09 against the kiwi.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. Sopra Steria, a major tech player in Europe with 56,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, is recognised for its consulting, digital services and software development. It helps its clients drive their digital transformation and obtain tangible and sustainable benefits. The Group provides end-to-end solutions to make large companies and organisations more competitive by combining in-depth knowledge of a wide range of business sectors and innovative technologies with a fully collaborative approach. Sopra Steria places people at the heart of everything it does and is committed to putting digital to work for its clients in order to build a positive future for all. In 2023, the Group generated revenue of 5.8 billion. The world is how we shape it. Sopra Steria (SOP) is listed on Euronext Paris (Compartment A) ISIN: FR0000050809 For more information, visit us at www.soprasteria.com 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. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - La Mirada, California-based La Fiesta Food Products, LLC, is recalling 8 oz packages of La Fiesta brand unseasoned and seasoned bread crumbs citing the presence of undeclared sesame, a known allergen, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The recall involves Unseasoned Bread Crumbs (Pan Rayado) in 8 oz transparent plastic bags with UPC#032327000886 and Lot codes 26032; 26073; 26082; 26092; 26094; and 26,400. These were sold across the United States through distributors to retail stores from April 10, 2024 through January 22, 2025.La Fiesta brand Bread Crumbs Seasoned (Pan Rayado Sazonado) with UPC#032327000887 and Lot codes 26094; 26123; 6,240 were also recalled. These were available through retail stores from August 29, 2024 through January 22, 2025.The recall was initiated after discovering that the product contained undeclared sesame. Additionally, the labels do not include the allergen declaration in Spanish. As per probe, the issue was caused by errors on the product labeling.For those people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to sesame, consuming these impacted products could cause serious or life-threatening allergic reaction. However, no illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the issue.Consumers who have bought the products are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.In similar recalls, Louisville, Kentucky -based Custom Food Solutions last week called back around 105,164 pounds of ready-to-eat or RTE frozen drunken chicken product sold in Indiana, citing misbranding and undeclared sesame, along with egg, both known allergens.Lehigh Acres, Florida-based A Tu Gusto, LLC in October recalled around 7,630 pounds of frozen meat and poultry croquette products that contain undeclared sesame seed, soy and wheat.For More Such Health News, visit rttnews.comCopyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. New Capabilities aim to strengthen corporate profile for strategic transactions and reinforce ongoing partnering discussions Regulatory News: TME Pharma N.V. (Euronext Growth Paris: ALTME), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for treatment of cancer by targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME), today announced a collaboration with aimed analytics, a cutting-edge medical data analytics company. This partnership supports TME Pharma's strategic plan, announced on December 4, 2024, by enhancing its capability profile for potential strategic partners. This partnership aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to create new and improved drug candidates without the need for time and resource-intensive laboratory testing. The collaboration leverages recent cutting-edge advances in AI to accelerate timelines while reducing associated costs and need for experimental infrastructure. "The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for AI-based models that allow remarkable prediction of molecular structures. This technology can also be used to discover new drugs and improved versions of existing drugs. We believe that the collaboration with aimed analytics will further advance our strategic vision announced last December. By combining our expertise in development of oligonucleotide drugs, cancer biology and immune-oncology with aimed analytics' cutting-edge capabilities, we aim to integrate AI- and Deep Learning-driven insights into our drug discovery capabilities," said Aram Mangasarian, CEO of TME Pharma. "The goal of this collaboration is to allow TME Pharma to not only bring its existing drugs to the table for strategic partners, but also the potential for rapid and efficient discovery of new drugs. We are committed to delivering on the goals of our new strategy announced in December 2024 and plan to share further information about our progress in the coming weeks." "We are excited to partner with TME Pharma and contribute our deep-learning and structural modelling expertise to their innovative approach in cancer treatment," said Dr. Patrick Gunther, CEO of aimed analytics. "By enabling a comprehensive search for promising therapeutic compounds and bringing a new level of technological sophistication to TME Pharma's drug discovery efforts, we aim to accelerate the discovery of more effective treatments and potentially lead to breakthrough therapies for patients in need." About aimed analytics aimed analytics, a pioneering company in AI-based data analytics, is enabling innovation in pharmaceutical research and development with its innovative data analytics platform and application of advanced deep-learning models for structural prediction. By integrating cutting-edge AI technologies with expertise in omics data analysis, aimed analytics empowers researchers to uncover insights that accelerate drug discovery and development. Further information can be found at: aimed-analytics.com. About TME Pharma TME Pharma is a clinical-stage company focused on developing novel therapies for treatment of the most aggressive cancers. The company's oncology-focused pipeline is designed to act on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer immunity cycle by breaking tumor protection barriers against the immune system and blocking tumor repair. By neutralizing chemokines in the TME, TME Pharma's approach works in combination with other forms of treatment to weaken tumor defenses and enable greater therapeutic impact. In the GLORIA Phase 1/2 clinical trial, TME Pharma is studying its lead drug candidate NOX-A12 (olaptesed pegol, an anti-CXCL12 L-RNA aptamer) in newly diagnosed brain cancer patients who will not benefit clinically from standard chemotherapy. TME Pharma has delivered top-line data from the NOX-A12 three dose-escalation cohorts combined with radiotherapy of the GLORIA clinical trial, observing consistent tumor reductions and objective tumor responses. Additionally, GLORIA expansion arms evaluate safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 in other combinations where the interim results from the triple combination of NOX-A12, radiotherapy and bevacizumab suggest even deeper and more durable responses, and improved survival. US FDA has approved the design of a randomized Phase 2 trial in glioblastoma and TME Pharma was awarded fast track designation by the FDA for NOX-A12 in combination with radiotherapy and bevacizumab for use in the treatment of the aggressive adult brain cancer, glioblastoma. NOX-A12 in combination with radiotherapy had also previously received orphan drug designation (ODD) for glioblastoma in the United States and glioma in Europe. TME Pharma has delivered final top-line data with encouraging overall survival and safety profile from its NOX-A12 combination trial with Keytruda in metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients, which was published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer in October 2021. The company has entered in its second collaboration with MSD/Merck for its Phase 2 study, OPTIMUS, to further evaluate safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 in combination with Merck's Keytruda and two different chemotherapy regimens as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The design of the trial has been approved in the United States. The company's second clinical-stage drug candidate, NOX-E36 (emapticap pegol, L-RNA aptamer inhibiting CCL2 and related chemokines), showing potential to address fibrosis and inflammation is evaluated in ophthalmic diseases with a high need for well-tolerated therapies with anti-fibrotic effect. Further information can be found at: www.tmepharma.com. TME Pharma and the TME Pharma logo are registered trademarks. Keytruda is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. Visit TME Pharma on LinkedIn and X. About the GLORIA Study GLORIA (NCT04121455) is TME Pharma's dose-escalation, Phase 1/2 study of NOX-A12 in combination with radiotherapy in first-line partially resected or unresected glioblastoma (brain cancer) patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter (resistant to standard chemotherapy). GLORIA further evaluates safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 in the expansion arm in which NOX-A12 is combined with radiotherapy and bevacizumab. About the OPTIMUS Study OPTIMUS (NCT04901741) is TME Pharma's planned open-label two-arm Phase 2 study of NOX-A12 combined with pembrolizumab and nanoliposomal irinotecan/5-FU/leucovorin or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in microsatellite-stable metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. Disclaimer Translations of any press release into languages other than English are intended solely as a convenience to the non-English-reading audience. The company has attempted to provide an accurate translation of the original text in English, but due to the nuances in translating into another language, slight differences may exist. This press release includes certain disclosures that contain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are based on TME Pharma's current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the risks inherent in oncology drug development, including clinical trials and the timing of and TME Pharma's ability to obtain regulatory approvals for NOX-A12 as well as any other drug candidates. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and TME Pharma undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250128749773/en/ Contacts: For more information, please contact: TME Pharma N.V. Aram Mangasarian, Ph.D., CEO Tel. +49 (0) 30 16637082 0 investors@tmepharma.com Investor and Media Relations: LifeSci Advisors Guillaume van Renterghem Tel. +41 (0) 76 735 01 31 gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com NewCap Arthur Rouille Tel. +33 (0) 1 44 71 00 15 arouille@newcap.fr Brampton, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Apna Toronto, is excited to announce its continued commitment to providing high-quality, complimentary test preparation resources for Canadians. From aspiring drivers to future citizens and professionals, the platform offers an unparalleled suite of practice tests designed to simplify the journey to success. Whether preparing for key milestones, such as Ontario's driving exams (G1, M1, or commercial licenses), the Canadian Citizenship Test, or professional certifications like the NCLEX or Ontario Real Estate Exam, Apna Toronto serves as a one-stop solution for test readiness. With an easy-to-use interface and up-to-date materials, the platform ensures accessibility and effectiveness. What Apna Toronto Offers Driving Test Preparation: Apna Toronto provides practice tests and study materials for car, motorcycle, and truck licenses. These resources simulate real test conditions, ensuring users understand the format and types of questions they'll encounter. Citizenship Exam Support: For those preparing for the Canadian Citizenship Test, the platform offers complimentary quizzes aligned with the latest "Discover Canada" guide. Professional Exam Assistance: Aspiring professionals can access resources for challenging exams like the NCLEX and Ontario Real Estate Exam. Educational Blog: The website also hosts a blog with articles, tips, and guides on Ontario driving, auto maintenance, and test preparation strategies. Why Apna Toronto Stands Out Apna Toronto distinguishes itself by offering complimentary test preparation resources without compromising on quality. The platform's database is meticulously curated to reflect official test standards, ensuring users are thoroughly prepared. Comprehensive Coverage: A broad spectrum of tests, from driving and citizenship to professional certifications. Realistic Practice Tests: Users can familiarize themselves with actual test formats and questions, building confidence and competence. Complimentary Accessibility: All resources are offered at no cost, ensuring inclusivity for learners from all walks of life and eliminating financial barriers to quality test preparation. Proven Success: With nearly two decades of experience, Apna Toronto has achieved a high success rate among its users. Key Benefits for Users Simplified Driving Test Preparation: The platform makes it easier to pass Ontario's driving tests with quizzes and study materials reflecting real-world scenarios. Citizenship Success: By mastering quizzes based on official guidelines, users can confidently prepare for their Canadian Citizenship Test. Professional Growth: Complimentary tools for exams like the NCLEX and real estate licenses support career advancement. Confidence and Readiness: Apna Toronto's resources build confidence, ensuring users are well-prepared on test day. About Apna Toronto Apna Toronto was founded with a mission to help users achieve their goals and democratize access to test preparation resources. Whether obtaining a driver's license, gaining Canadian citizenship, or advancing their careers, the platform offers complimentary, reliable, and accurate tools to help individuals achieve critical milestones. With a vision to become Canada's most trusted resource for test preparation, Apna Toronto continuously innovates to meet the evolving needs of its users. For more information and to access complimentary practice tests, visit www.apnatoronto.com today and take the first step toward success with confidence. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238703 SOURCE: GYT DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Estonia has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first nation to provide 100% digital government services, reflecting its commitment for innovation and efficiency in governance. Similarly in the MENA region, Saudi Arabia is making significant strides in digital transformation, driven by its Vision 2030 goals, prioritising the development of digital government services to enhance efficiency and improve citizens' quality of life. Saudi Arabia's Digitalisation Efforts Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 places digitalisation at the heart of its strategy to create a citizen-focused, digital-first society. Programmes such as the Saudi Digital Academy, that provide training and upskilling, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the 'Digital Giving' initiative which promotes digital inclusion, reflect the Kingdom's ambitions. Key targets include digitising 70% of patient activities by 2030, automating healthcare processes, and simplifying procedures through innovative technologies. Flagship initiatives like the Digital Government Authority's unified access for all digital government services, the National Technology Development Program (NTDP), and smart projects such as the Red Sea Global Project, NEOM and Qiddiya underscore Saudi Arabia's commitment to developing human capital, building digital infrastructure, and leveraging technology to improve quality of life and drive economic progress. Achievements in Digital Governance In the spirit of shared progress, Saudi Arabia has made impressive strides in digital governance, recently advancing 25 places in the UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2024. The Kingdom now ranks fourth globally, first in the region, and second among G20 nations in the digital services index, showcasing its dedication to adopting global best practices while forging its own path in technology and governance. The ICT sector plays a vital role in Saudi Arabia's economy, contributing over SAR 50 billion annually to the national GDP, with projections indicating this figure will double by 2030. With an impressive 99% internet penetration rate, Saudi Arabia boasts one of the most connected populations in the world, facilitating seamless access to streamlined government services for its citizens. Reflections on Collaborative Efforts The shared vision of Estonia and Saudi Arabia reinforces the significance of collaboration and knowledge exchange in achieving digital transformation. As Estonia extends its hand to Saudi Arabia, both nations can inspire and support one another in their respective journeys toward enhanced governance, nurturing an environment where innovation flourishes. Reflecting on this collaborative spirit, Enel Pungas, Head of the Population Facts Department at the Estonian Ministry of Interior, expressed: "Our accomplishment in achieving 100% digital government services is not merely a testament to our technological acumen; it reflects our commitment to improving the everyday lives of our citizens. By collaborating with nations like Saudi Arabia, we can share insights and best practices that inspire and support other nations on their own digital journeys, demonstrating that transformation is a collective effort that can benefit all." A Future Driven by Digital Transformation As both nations continue to solidify their partnership, they lay the groundwork for a future where digital transformation is at the front and centre of governance. By placing citizen needs first and embracing innovation, Estonia and Saudi Arabia shed light on the limitless possibilities for progress, evoking confidence in their abilities to impact global efforts in building a digitally-empowered world. About Estonia Estonia is a global leader in digital innovation and a pioneer of e-governance. By integrating technology with transparency and efficiency, Estonia has created one of the most sophisticated digital nations in the world. The country offers exceptional opportunities for business, innovation and tourism. e-Estonia showcases Estonia's innovative digital society, pioneering e-governance, e-residency, and cutting-edge digital solutions. Trade with Estonia connects enterprises to a dynamic, innovation-driven economy, providing access to global markets. Visit Estonia highlights Estonia as a destination where nature and culture meet innovation, offering travellers a unique blend of medieval charm, stunning natural landscapes, and vibrant modern city vibes. This project is funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608639/Trade_Estonia.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/estonia-and-saudi-arabia-unite-in-their-commitment-to-digital-governance-excellence-302363023.html Arlington, Virginia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Edge Total Intelligence Inc. (TSXV: CTRL) (OTCQB: UNFYF) (FSE: Q5I) ("edgeTI", "Company"), a leading provider of real-time digital twin software, announces the Company was Recognized in the Gartner Emerging Tech: The Future of Digital Business Units (DBU) as a Sample tech provider supporting DBUs. In the research paper, Gartner states, "We define 'digital business units' as part of an enterprise that is not a traditional technology and service provider (TSP) and creates a new digital-based business that serves its traditional vertical industry (manufacturing or healthcare) or domain arena (supply chain and logistics). The digital business unit will often partner as well as compete with traditional TSPs." "We were pleased to be recognized in this report as a tech provider supporting digital business units. Our partner, North Wind Group, was recognized as a sample enterprise with DBUs. North Wind Group uses its expertise in environmental, reclamation, and construction services with our edgeCore platform," said Jim Barrett, CEO of edgeTI. According to Gartner, "Traditional enterprises in manufacturing, finance, and oil and gas are investing in creating separate digital business units (DBUs) to drive revenue and take advantage of their vertical domain expertise and digital technology to better serve customers. They need tech provider product leaders to help them with digital technologies." The Future of Digital Business Units To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10266/238755_edgetiimage.jpg "Relationships among customers and providers can change quickly when friction is removed throughout the customer lifecycles -DBUs have a compelling opportunity to deliver its domain expertise to remove risk and accelerate value," said Jim Barrett, CEO of edgeTI. "We appreciate Gartner for putting forward-looking concepts such as the one above in the report." edgeTI offers demonstrations and free evaluations of technology for Digital Business Units via the Company's website to prospective enterprises. Gartner Attribution and Objectivity Disclaimer Gartner, Emerging Tech: The Future of Digital Business Units, 2024, Alfonso Velosa, Chrissy Healey, John Santoro , et al., 22 October 2024. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About edgeTI edgeTI helps customers sustain situational awareness and accelerate action with its real-time digital operations software, edgeCore that unites multiple software applications and data sources into one immersive experience called a Digital Twin. Global enterprises, service providers, and governments are more profitable when insight and action are united to deliver fluid journeys via the platform's low-code development capability and composable operations. With edgeCore, customers can improve their margins and agility by rapidly transforming siloed systems and data across continuously evolving situations in business, technology, and cross-domain operations - helping them achieve the impossible. Website: https://ir.edgeti.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/edgeti YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/edgetechnologies X: https://x.com/CTRLonTSXV Forward-Looking Information and Statements Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements or information for the purposes of applicable Canadian and US securities law. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, 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/238755 SOURCE: Edge Total Intelligence Inc. Thales Sentinel protects Eyedea technologies based on artificial intelligence and machine learning, assuring customers that software is secure, trusted and validated Enables Eyedea to scale revenue streams and focus on technology innovation Thales today announced a collaboration with the visual recognition technology company Eyedea, enabling the company to deploy and protect its AI-powered and machine learning visual recognition software for customers around the world using Thales Sentinel, the world's leading software monetization and protection platform. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129251942/en/ Thales With high-profile, security-conscious customers including international and national police organisations such as Interpol, Europol and the Czech Police, Eyedea was originally established in 2006 by a research group from the Czech Technical University in Prague's Centre for Machine Perception. The company offers AI visual recognition software that can classify things such as vehicle make and models, number plates, train carriage numbers and more, from CCTV footage. From standard traffic cameras, their technology recognises activities such as distracted drivers, unfastened or fastened seatbelts, and counts passengers for use in environments like carpool lanes. In addition, Eyedea's technology can make human factors and vehicle license plates unidentifiable in image data, ensuring compliance with GDPR and other local data protection laws. "We're very proud of the long-standing relationship we've built with Eyedea. Thales Sentinel has been able to offer IP protection and flexible packaging as their AI-based software has grown to support hundreds of public and private customers worldwide. We look forward to continuing to work together as Eyedea further innovates and evolves its AI technology," commented Damien Bullot, Vice President Software Monetization at Thales. "Thales Sentinel is essential for us to go-to-market in a secure and assured way. Our customers need to be able to trust that access to our software is safeguarded, while we need to protect our IP and manage the active deployments we have. Thales Sentinel does a fantastic job of handling both, and our long-standing partnership with them allows us to scale our revenue streams, and focus more of our time on technology innovation, as time goes on," said Martin Urban, CEO at Eyedea. Eyedea's customers use its AI recognition software by embedding it into existing hardware and software they're using. This is delivered via software development kits (SDKs) supplied by Eyedea, alongside a Thales Sentinel license on a hardware key. The combination of the hardware key along with the SDK not only provides assurance to customers that their access to the software is safeguarded, but also that the team at Eyedea can be sure there's no unauthorised use or tampering of their software. The Sentinel Envelope secures the software from breaches, and the Sentinel Licensing further enables Eyedea to offer varying packaging tiers based on customer requirements. This includes the flexibility to offer customers a free three-month trial which expires based on time or volume of usage, which customers can then opt to purchase as a one-year license. About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence Security, Aeronautics Space, and Cyber Digital. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive. The Group invests close to 4 billion a year in Research Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G. Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of 18.4 billion. PLEASE VISIT Thales Group Cloud Protection Licensing Solutions Thales Group Cybersecurity Solutions Thales Group View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129251942/en/ Contacts: PRESS Thales, Media Relations Security Cybersecurity Marion Bonnet +33 (0)6 60 38 48 92 marion.bonnet@thalesgroup.com ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NayaOne is proud to power the World Economic Forum's TradeTech Regulatory Sandbox, delivered in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Economy (MoE) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED). This groundbreaking initiative is set to revolutionise global trade by leveraging cutting-edge technologies, streamlining trade processes, and fostering a more efficient, inclusive, and equitable trading ecosystem. The NayaOne platform is proud to enable the global trade initiative with its Digital Sandbox platform. By bringing together regulators, global enterprises, and innovative technology providers, the initiative fosters a dynamic ecosystem aimed at driving progress in the trade finance sector in a safe and secure manner. The initiative is supported by leading regulatory partners committed to driving digital trade innovation, including Abu Dhabi Global Market, the Central Bank of the UAE, the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs (UAE), and the Dubai Financial Services Authority. This inaugural cohort marks a significant milestone in shaping the future of global digital trade infrastructure through real-world regulatory collaboration. Selected pioneering companies from the UAE, Africa, Sweden, India, Germany, and Estonia will test and refine trade tech solutions to ensure compliance while accelerating the adoption of digital trade innovations. We are excited to see these pioneering companies pave the way for a more secure, inclusive, and efficient cross-border trade environment. About NayaOne NayaOne accelerates innovation by helping financial institutions and large enterprises discover, test, and adopt new technologies. Its agile platform offers pre-vetted technology vendors, synthetic data, and secure testing environments, cutting implementation timelines by up to 12 months. Trusted by financial institutions worldwide, NayaOne drives digital transformation and reduces procurement complexities. Visit nayaone.com for more. About WEF The World Economic Forum (WEF) unites global leaders to tackle challenges, foster innovation, and drive sustainable growth. By shaping policies and advancing technology, WEF acts as a catalyst for global change. Learn more at weforum.org . About UAE Ministry of Economy The UAE Ministry of Economy (MoE) drives economic growth through innovation, competitiveness, and diversification, positioning the UAE as a hub for investment, trade, and innovation. Visit moec.gov.ae for details. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2349483/5138571/NayaOne_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/driving-digital-trade-transformation-nayaone-powers-world-economic-forums-groundbreaking-tradetech-regulatory-sandbox-302362263.html JERICHO, N.Y., Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report, scientific, technical, financial, and risk management experts explore the implementation of new and existing Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) regulations across different regions along with significant compliance challenges for organizations operating on a global scale. As sustainability continues to be a critical issue worldwide, businesses are facing an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. While some jurisdictions are advancing sustainability frameworks, others, most notably the United States, are likely to see new environmental and energy policies which disfavor sustainability advancements as reflected by recent executive orders following the change in administrations. The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), adopted in 2024, is a landmark regulation requiring both EU and non-EU companies to conduct due diligence to identify and prevent adverse environmental and human rights impacts throughout their operations and supply chains. J.S. Held environmental risk and compliance expert John Peiserich, Esq., observes, "Compliance with CS3D poses significant challenges for multinational corporations, especially those selling into the EU market, as they navigate conflicting regulatory requirements across jurisdictions." In the United States, ESG-related policies have become a polarizing issue. Some states have mandated ESG criteria-such as climate risk assessments-for state-related investment decisions, while others have actively opposed such measures. Kim Logue Ortega, Associate Vice President at J.S. Held, adds, "Despite these contrasting approaches, businesses must continue addressing sustainability concerns, as environmental considerations are increasingly tied to permitting and regulatory approvals." Following the June, 2024 United States Supreme Court ruling in Loper Bright, a team of environmental risk experts at the Verdantix Green Quadrant recognized consultancy J.S. Held, examined in Crosscurrents: Companies Face Regulatory Uncertainties in Wake of SCOTUS Decisions, how the Supreme Court further complicated the regulatory environment by undermining agency authority to define compliance standards. This ruling is expected to lead to increased legal challenges to environmental and sustainability-related regulations, adding further uncertainty for businesses seeking to comply with evolving standards. With the second Trump administration expected to roll back key environmental justice directives and sustainability-related incentives introduced under the previous Administration, businesses must remain vigilant in monitoring regulatory developments. Strategic planning and proactive risk management will be crucial for navigating the evolving ESG landscape and maintaining compliance across multiple jurisdictions. J.S. Held experts present insights into how organizations can align with evolving frameworks while driving innovation and managing risk, as they explore: 1. EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, where non-compliance could lead to fines and civil liability, necessitating companies to rigorously assess environmental and human right impacts. 2. Regulatory Fragmentation and Greenwashing / Greenhushing, summoning businesses to avoid exaggerated or underreported sustainability claims to mitigate the rising threat of litigation and regulatory scrutiny. 3. Shareholder Activism and Litigation, as investors demand greater transparency on sustainability goals, which may present legal consequences for failing to meet expectations. One week into the new Administration in the United States, the anticipated rollback of environmental justice directives and sustainability-related incentives introduced under the previous Administration have begun to take shape in the form of various Executive Actions and other directives. J.S. Held experts are actively monitoring regulatory developments, providing strategic guidance to multinational clients as they navigate the evolving ESG landscape and compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions. Sustainability is just one of the five key areas analyzed in the J.S. Held 2025 Global Risk Report. Other topics include global supply chain challenges, the rise of crypto and digital assets, AI and data regulations, and managing cyber risk. If you have any questions or would like to further discuss the risks and opportunities outlined in the report, please email GlobalRiskReport@jsheld.com. About J.S. Held J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that combines technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations. More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 81% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 70% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (85% of the NAIC top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 65% of the Fortune 100 Companies. J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not law firms and do not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC or Ocean Tomo Investment Group, LLC, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC. All rights reserved. Media Contact Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held, +1 786 833 4864, Kristi.Stathis@JSHeld.com, JSHeld.com Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MM6FjmRUFs Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824221/JS_Held_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/js-held-experts-examine-sustainability-investments-and-headwinds-in-annual-global-risk-report-302361715.html Rebrands European product suite after strong 2024: Bitwise surpassed $12 billion in client assets, launched new products such as Solana and Aptos Staking ETPs Bitwise surpassed $12 billion in client assets, launched new products such as Solana and Aptos Staking ETPs TER of the Bitwise Core Bitcoin ETP (BTC1) lowered to 0.20% p.a. Crypto poised to soar in 2025: Bitwise research forecasts record valuations and inflows in crypto markets this year amid reduced regulatory risk Bitwise research forecasts record valuations and inflows in crypto markets this year amid reduced regulatory risk Continued innovation: Bitwise looks to cement position as market leader by providing new best-in-class products, broadening access to crypto for investors January 29, 2025. Frankfurt, Germany: Bitwise today announced the company has completed the rebranding of all ETPs in its European product suite following last year's acquisition of ETC Group . The move comes as Bitwise looks to expand its position as a market leader in crypto markets in 2025, a year in which a number of structural upward trends are likely to bolster crypto markets. Among the renamed products are the Bitwise Core Bitcoin ETP, the Bitwise Ethereum Staking ETP, the Bitwise MSCI Digital Assets Select 20 ETP, and the company's flagship product: - the Bitwise Physical Bitcoin ETP. Launched in 2020, BTCE is the most heavily traded bitcoin ETP in Europe. For an overview of all products with their rebranded names, please refer to the table below. Bitwise will continue to broaden crypto access for investors, provide best-in-class innovative products, timely insights on the latest market developments, and champion transparency and accountability in a landmark year for the crypto industry. Hunter Horsley, CEO and Co-Founder of Bitwise: "We expect 2025 will be a pivotal year for crypto, with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana each hitting record highs, and a more crypto-friendly environment in Washington bringing welcome clarity to the space. Bitwise is looking forward to using this moment to reinforce our position as a market leader both in the U.S. and Europe." Bitwise saw significant growth in 2024, a year in which Bitcoin soared to an all-time high of $103,992 after the record-setting launch of spot bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. The company crossed over $12 billion in client assets, using its momentum to launch new institutional-grade crypto staking ETPs, namely the recently launched Bitwise Solana Staking ETP, and the Bitwise Aptos Staking ETP, in addition to filing a Form S-1 for an XRP spot ETF in the U.S. The company's Bitwise Core Bitcoin ETP (BTC1 | DE000A4AER62), an institutionally focused and cost-efficient Bitcoin ETP with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.20%, is also experiencing increased popularity among investors. Another highlight of 2024 for Bitwise was the launch of Bitwise Onchain Solutions after the company's acquisition of Attestant Limited, an institutional-grade Ethereum staking provider with $3.7 billion in staked assets at the time of the acquisition. Crypto poised to soar in 2025 In 2025, adoption of bitcoin and other crypto assets by corporate treasurers are set to be another major driver supporting the asset class, Bitwise Head of Research Europe Dr Andre Dragosch said in a study this month. At the moment, companies hold only 4% of the total available Bitcoin supply, a number that already doubled last year. With total free cash flow between S&P 500 companies standing at $1.5 trillion - more than twice the capital ever invested in Bitcoin - this offers an unprecedented growth opportunity. Bitwise will continue to position itself as a thought leader with studies like the above and several others, providing a rich stream of research and market analysis for investors. This research is available through blog posts on the Bitwise website, such as on this link and here . The following table shows Bitwise's renamed European Crypto ETP suite: Main ticker ISIN New ETP Name Old ETP Name TER Single Asset BTC1 DE000A4AER62 Bitwise Core Bitcoin ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-core-bitcoin/) ETC Group Core Bitcoin 0.20% p.a. BTCE DE000A27Z304 Bitwise Physical Bitcoin ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-physical-bitcoin/) ETC Group Physical Bitcoin 2.00% p.a. ZETH DE000A3GMKD7 Bitwise Physical Ethereum ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-physical-ethereum/) ETC Group Physical Ethereum 1.49% p.a. ESOL DE000A3GVKZ1 Bitwise Physical Solana ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-physical-solana/) ETC Group Physical Solana 1.95% p.a. GXRP DE000A3GYNB0 Bitwise Physical XRP ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-physical-xrp/) ETC Group Physical XRP 1.95% p.a. RDAN DE000A3GVKY4 Bitwise Physical Cardano ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-physical-cardano/) ETC Group Physical Cardano 1.95% p.a. ELTC DE000A3GN5J9 Bitwise Physical Litecoin ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-physical-litecoin/) ETC Group Physical Litecoin 2.00% p.a. Staking ET32 DE000A3G90G9 Bitwise Ethereum Staking ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-ethereum-staking/) ETC Group Ethereum Staking 0.65% p.a. BSOL DE000A4A59D2 Bitwise Solana Staking ETP N/A 0.85% p.a. APTB DE000A4AJWU3 Bitwise Aptos Staking ETP N/A 0.85% p.a. Diversified Index DA20 DE000A3G3ZL3 Bitwise MSCI (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-digital-assets-select-20/) (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-digital-assets-select-20/)Digital Assets Select 20 ETP (https://etc-group.com/products/etc-group-digital-assets-select-20/) ETC Group MSCI Digital Assets Select 20 1.49% p.a. The complete list of Bitwise European ETP products, including all stock exchange listings and trading information, is available at https://bitwiseinvestments.com/eu. About Bitwise Bitwise is one of the world's leading crypto specialist asset managers. Thousands of financial advisors, family offices, and institutional investors across the globe have partnered with us to understand and access the opportunities in crypto. Since 2017, Bitwise has established a track record of excellence managing a broad suite of index and active solutions across ETPs, separately managed accounts, private funds, and hedge fund strategies - spanning both the U.S. and Europe. In Europe, for the past four years Bitwise (formerly ETC Group) has developed an extensive and innovative suite of crypto ETPs, including Europe's most traded bitcoin ETP, or the first diversified Crypto Basket ETP replicating an MSCI digital assets index. This family of crypto ETPs is domiciled in Germany and approved by BaFin. We exclusively partner with reputable entities from the traditional financial industry, ensuring that 100% of the assets are securely stored offline (cold storage) through regulated custodians. Our European products comprise a collection of carefully designed financial instruments that seamlessly integrate into any professional portfolio, providing comprehensive exposure to crypto as an asset class. Access is straightforward via major European stock exchanges, with primary listings on Xetra, the most liquid exchange for ETF trading in Europe. Retail investors benefit from easy access through numerous DIY/online brokers, coupled with our robust and secure physical ETP structure, which includes a redemption feature. For more information, visit www.bitwiseinvestments.com/eu Media contacts: JEA Associates John McLeod 00 44 7886 920436 john@jeaassociates.com Important information This press release does not constitute investment advice, nor does it constitute an offer or solicitation to buy financial products. This press release is issued by Bitwise Europe GmbH ("BEU"), a limited company domiciled in Germany, for information only and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. BEU gives no explicit or implicit assurance or guarantee regarding the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of this article or the opinions contained therein. It is advised not to rely on the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of this article or the opinions contained therein. Please note that this article is neither investment advice nor an offer or solicitation to acquire financial products or cryptocurrencies. Before investing in crypto Exchange Traded Products ("ETPs"), potential investors should consider the following: Potential investors should seek independent advice and consider relevant information contained in the base prospectus and the final terms for the ETPs, especially the risk factors. ETPs issued by BEU are suitable only for persons experienced in investing in cryptocurrencies and risks of investing can be found in the prospectus and final terms available on www.bitwiseinvestments.com./eu. The invested capital is at risk, and losses up to the amount invested are possible. ETPs backed by cryptocurrencies are highly volatile assets and performance is unpredictable. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The market price of ETPs will vary and they do not offer a fixed income or match precisely the performance of the underlying cryptocurrency. Investing in ETPs involves numerous risks including general market risks relating to underlying, adverse price movements, currency, liquidity, operational, legal and regulatory risks. TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japanese Conglomerate Sony Group Corp. (SONY) Wednesday announced the appointment of Hiroki Totoki as Chief Executive Officer, with effect from April 1.Totoki succeeds Kenichiro Yoshida, who will continue to be the Chairman of the company.According to the statement, Sony is adopting a new management structure to support its long-term growth.Further, Lin Tao has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer.Totoki, who joined the company in 1985, is currently a Director, President, COO, and CFO. He will now take over as Director, President, and CEO.Further, Toshimoto Mitomo, currently Executive Deputy President and CSO, Corporate Executive Officer, will be CSO and Representative Corporate Executive Officer.Under the new management structure, the heads of Sony's major businesses will be called 'Business CEOs.'In Tokyo, Sony shares gained 3.78 percent on Wednesday's regular trading, to close at 3,484.00 yen.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. BILBAO (dpa-AFX) - UK's Competition and Markets Authority or CMA announced that it is investigating the completed acquisition by Iberdrola SA (IBDSF.PK), a Spanish renewable energy company, of North West Electricity Networks (Jersey) Limited.Iberdrola made the acquisition through its unit Scottish Power Energy Networks Holdings Ltd.In August, the company had announced its agreement to buy 88 percent of Electricity North West in the U.K. for 2.5 billion euros.The CMA now said it is considering whether the deal has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.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. BH Macro Limited - Notice of Class Closure Meetings PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 29 BH Macro Limited (the "Company") (a closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 46235) LEI: 549300ZOFF0Z2CM87C29 Notice of Class Closure Meetings 29 January 2025 Notices of Class Closure Meetings Further to the announcement by the Company on 28 January 2025 that the Class Closure Resolution procedure contained in the Company's articles of incorporation (the "Articles") has been triggered in respect of the year ended 31 December 2024 for both the Company's Sterling share class and US Dollar share class (the "Shares"), the Company announces that a shareholder circular containing notices convening class closure meetings ("Class Closure Meetings") to be held in respect of both classes of Shares will be despatched to the Company's shareholders ("Shareholders") later today (the "Circular"). Capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this announcement shall have the same meaning as set out in the Circular. Copies of the Circular will shortly be available for inspection at the National Storage Mechanism website at https://www.fca.org.uk/markets/primary-markets/regulatory-disclosures/national-storage-mechanism . An electronic copy of the Circular will also shortly be available on the Company's website www.bhmacro.com . The Circular contains an explanation of the business to be considered at each Class Closure Meeting. The Class Closure Meetings will be held starting at 9.00 a.m. on 18 February 2025 at the offices of Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited Trafalgar Court, Les Banques, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 3QL. Class Closure Resolution If passed by the Shareholders of the relevant class, the Class Closure Resolution to be proposed at each Class Closure Meeting requires the Company to make the following options (the "Class Closure Options") available to those Shareholders in respect of their holdings of shares of that class: (a) to offer all or some of their shares for redemption by the Company; (b) to convert all or some of their shares into shares of the other class of shares; or (c) to remain in the class, subject as described further below. Alternatively, if holders of both classes of the Company's shares approve a Class Closure Resolution, the Company is required to put in place measures for its winding-up instead of offering the Class Closure Options to Shareholders. If a Class Closure Resolution is rejected, no further action is required to be taken in respect of the relevant class of shares. Depending on the share price performance of the relevant class compared to its NAV, the earliest that another class closure resolution may be required to be proposed under the Articles in relation to that class would be in not less than twelve months' time, in 2026. The Board believes that the Company continues to fulfil its purpose and retains the utmost confidence in Brevan Howard Capital Management LP (the "Manager") and the strategy of the Master Fund, both of which the Board continues to monitor closely. The Circular includes a letter from the Manager setting out its support for the Company and further information provided by the Manager regarding the past and comparative performance of the Company. Recommendation The Board considers that a vote AGAINST the Class Closure Resolution, to be proposed at each Class Closure Meeting, is in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole. All directors intend to vote their own beneficial holdings AGAINST the Class Closure Resolution to be proposed at each Class Closure Meeting. The Board unanimously recommends Shareholders to vote AGAINST the Class Closure Resolution to be proposed at each Class Closure Meeting. Class Closure Resolutions The Class Closure Resolution to be proposed at each Class Closure Meeting is a special resolution, which requires not less than seventy-five per cent. of the members of the relevant class of Shares and duly appointed proxies attending the meeting and voting on a show of hands to vote in favour (excluding any votes that are withheld) or, if a poll is demanded, not less than seventy-five per cent. of the total voting rights cast on the relevant resolution (excluding any votes that are withheld) to be in favour. Each Class Closure Resolution will be conducted by poll. Action to be taken Holders of US Dollar Shares should complete and return the Form of Proxy featuring a blue band for the Class Closure Meeting of the US Dollar Shares to the Registrar, Computershare Investor Services (Guernsey) Limited, c/o The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZY as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 9.00 a.m. on 14 February 2025 and/or attend and vote at the meeting on 18 February 2025. Holders of Sterling Shares should complete and return the Form of Proxy featuring a purple band for the Class Closure Meeting of the Sterling Shares to the registrar, Computershare Investor Services (Guernsey) Limited, c/o The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZY as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 9.15 a.m. on 14 February 2025 and/or attend and vote at the meeting on 18 February 2025. The Form(s) of Proxy may also be sent to Computershare Investor Services (Guernsey) Limited by email at externalproxyqueries@computershare.co.uk . The lodging of a Form of Proxy will not prevent you from attending the relevant Class Closure Meeting and voting in person if you so wish. Expected Timetable Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy for the US Dollar Class Closure Meeting 9.00 a.m. on 14 February 2025 Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy for the Sterling Class Closure Meeting 9.15 a.m. on 14 February 2025 US Dollar Class Closure Meeting 9.00 a.m. on 18 February 2025 Sterling Class Closure Meeting 9.15 a.m. on 18 February 2025 All references are to Guernsey time. Company website: www.bhmacro.com Enquiries: The Company Secretary Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited Tel: +44 (0) 1481 745001 Manager Brevan Howard Capital Management LP Email: bhmacro.ir@brevanhoward.com Corporate Broker J.P. Morgan Cazenove William Simmonds / Rupert Budge Tel: +44 (0)20 3493 8000 BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks are down in negative territory Wednesday morning, weighed down by losses in the luxury sector as industry major LVMH's fourt-quarter revenue fell short of expectations.Gains in technology sector help limit market's downside.Investors are looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement due later in the day. The Fed is widely expected to hold rates unchanged, and the focus is on the accompanying statement for clues about future rate moves.The European Central Bank is scheduled to announce its policy on Thursday. The ECB is expected to announce a 25-basis point rate cut.The benchmark CAC 40, which dropped to 7,849.14 earlier this morning, was down 23.32 points or 0.3% at 7,875.05 a few minutes ago.LVMH is down more than 6%. LVMH reported that its 2024 net profit was 12.550 billion euros, down 17% from 15.174 billion euros last year. Profit from recurring operations was 19.571 billion euros, a drop of 14%.For 2024, revenue was 84.683 billion euros, down 2% from 86.153 billion euros. Organic growth for the year was 1%.The company said it reported organic growth despite a challenging economic and geopolitical environment and a high basis of comparison following several years of exceptional post-Covid growth.Kering is declining 6.1% and L'Oreal is down 2.6%, while Hermes International is down with a modest loss of about 0.5%.STMIcroElectronics, Edenred, Pernod Ricard, ArcelorMittal, AXA and BNP Paribas are lower by 0.6 to 1.3%.Schneider Electric, which posted sharpl losses in the previous two sessions, is up 5.1% this morning. Legrand is gaining 2.75%, while Unibail Rodamco and Essilor are up 1.5% and 1.2%, respectively.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. MUMBAI, India, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Piramal Pharma Limited (NSE: PPLPHARMA) (BSE: 543635), a leading global pharmaceuticals and wellness company, today announced its standalone and consolidated results for the Third Quarter (Q3) and Nine Months (9M) ended 31st December 2024. Consolidated Financial Highlights (in - Cr. or as stated) Particulars Q3FY25 Q3FY24 YoY Growth 9MFY25 9MFY24 YoY Growth Revenue from Operations 2,204 1,959 13 % 6,397 5,619 14 % CDMO 1,278 1,134 13 % 3,659 3,101 18 % CHG 654 576 14 % 1,928 1,782 8 % ICH 278 252 10 % 819 747 10 % EBITDA 350 330 6 % 977 815 20 % EBITDA Margin 16 % 17 % 15 % 15 % Share of Net Profit of Associates 17 14 22 % 57 47 20 % Net Profit After Tax 4 10 (64) % (62) (83) NM Key Highlights for Q3FY25/9MFY25 Revenue from Operations grew by 14% YoY for 9MFY25, primarily driven by high-teen growth in the CDMO business grew by 14% YoY for 9MFY25, primarily driven by high-teen growth in the CDMO business EBITDA grew by 20% YoY for 9MFY25, supported by operating leverage, cost optimization initiatives and superior revenue mix grew by 20% YoY for 9MFY25, supported by operating leverage, cost optimization initiatives and superior revenue mix Net-Debt to EBITDA ratio maintained at 2.8x ratio maintained at 2.8x Best-in-Class Quality Track Record - No pending observation at any of our US FDA inspected sites - No pending observation at any of our US FDA inspected sites Significant Step Towards Sustainable Operations - Converted the coal-fired steam boiler at our Digwal facility to operate on biomass briquettes, a carbon-neutral fuel source. This will eliminate ~24,000 tCO2e1 GHG2 emissions annually accounting for about 17% of our total emissions Nandini Piramal, Chairperson, Piramal Pharma Limited said, "FY25 so far has been a steady year for the Company with revenue growth of 14% and EBITDA growing at 20%. Our CDMO business continues to deliver robust performance with 18% revenue growth along with EBITDA margin improvement in 9MFY25. This performance was largely led by innovation related work. Our CHG business registered an early-teen revenue growth during the quarter on the back of strong volume growth in our Inhalation Anesthesia portfolio. In our ICH business, power brands continue to register about 19% growth. The quarter also marked a significant milestone in our journey towards sustainable manufacturing with the conversion of coal-fired steam boiler at our Digwal facility to operate on biomass briquettes. This will significantly reduce our GHG emissions - underscoring our unwavering commitment towards the planet." 1. Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent; 2. Green House Gas Key Business Highlights for Q3 and 9M FY25 Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO): - CDMO business delivered high-teen revenue growth for 9MFY25 driven by continued traction in the on-patent commercial manufacturing and generic API business - Timely capacity expansions and targeted BD1 efforts resulting in YoY growth in RFPs, however customer decision making is prolonged - Continued YoY improvement in EBITDA Margin driven by better revenue mix and initiatives towards better procurement strategies, cost optimization and operational excellence - Maintained our best-in-class quality track record with successful clearance of 365 regulatory inspections (including 45 US FDA inspections) and over 1,800 customer audits since FY2012 - Converted the coal-fired steam boiler at our Digwal facility to operate on biomass briquettes, a carbon-neutral fuel source. This is expected to eliminate ~24,000 tCO2e GHG emissions annually, accounting for about 17% of total emissions - Biotech Funding - CY2024 funding improved over CY2023, enough to replenish biotech cash burn but not enough to accelerate R&D spends Complex Hospital Generics (CHG): - Inhalation Anesthesia (IA) sales in the US tracking healthy volume growth driven by order wins for Sevoflurane and Isoflurane - Capacity expansion at Dahej and Digwal underway to capture IA opportunities in the RoW markets. Seeing month-on-month increase in production output - Maintain our #1 Rank in the US in Sevoflurane (40%+ market share1) and in Intrathecal Baclofen (70%+ market share1). Mitigo (intrathecal morphine sulphate) also delivered encouraging growth during the quarter - Maintaining EBITDA Margins - Cost optimization initiatives in the areas of sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and operational excellence, showing results India Consumer Healthcare (ICH): - ICH business delivered double-digit revenue growth in Q3 and 9MFY25 amidst tepid consumer demand in the industry - Power Brands grew at 19% YoY during 9MFY25, driven by robust performance in Little's, Polycrol and CIR. Power Brands contributed to 48% of total ICH sales - Excluding i-range, which was impacted by regulatory price control, growth in power brands was about 26% for 9MFY25 - Added 16 new products and 23 new SKUs in 9MFY25 - Launched our new media campaign with Mrunal Thakur for Lacto Calamine - E-commerce sales grew at over 40% YoY in Q3FY25 and contributed 20% to ICH sales. Present on more than 20 E-commerce platforms 1. As per IQVIA data Consolidated Profit and Loss Statement (in - Cr. or as stated) Particulars Quarterly Nine Months Q3FY25 Q3FY24 YoY Change 9MFY25 9MFY24 YoY Change Revenue from Operations 2,204 1,959 13 % 6,397 5,619 14 % Other Income 12 62 (80) % 93 149 (38) % Total Income 2,216 2,020 10 % 6,490 5,768 13 % Material Cost 806 675 19 % 2,277 1,940 17 % Employee Expenses 556 524 6 % 1,695 1,535 10 % Other Expenses 504 491 3 % 1,541 1,478 4 % EBITDA 350 330 6 % 977 815 20 % Interest Expenses 103 106 (2) % 318 334 (5) % Depreciation 197 186 6 % 574 544 5 % Share of Net Profit of Associates 17 14 22 % 57 47 20 % Profit Before Tax 67 52 29 % 142 (16) NM Tax 63 9 582 % 204 35 479 % Net Profit after Tax 4 42 (91) % (62) (51) NM Exceptional item - (32) NM - (32) NM Net Profit after Tax after Exceptional Item 4 10 (64) % (62) (83) NM Q3FY25/9MFY25 Earnings Conference Call Piramal Pharma Limited will be hosting a conference call for investors / analysts on 29th January 2025 from 5:30 PM to 6:15 PM (IST) to discuss its Q3 and 9M FY25 Results. The dial-in details for the call are as under: Event Location & Time Telephone Number Conference call on 29th January, 2025 India - 05:30 PM IST +91 22 6280 1461 / +91 22 7115 8320 (Primary Number) 1 800 120 1221 (Toll free number) USA - 07:00 AM (Eastern Time - New York) Toll free number 18667462133 UK - 12:00 PM (London Time) Toll free number 08081011573 Singapore - 08:00 PM (Singapore Time) Toll free number 8001012045 Hong Kong - 08:00 PM (Hong Kong Time) Toll free number 800964448 Express Join with Diamond Pass Please use this link for prior registration to reduce wait time at the time of joining the call - Click Here About Piramal Pharma Limited: Piramal Pharma Limited (PPL, NSE: PPLPHARMA I BSE: 543635), offers a portfolio of differentiated products and services through its 17* global development and manufacturing facilities and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. PPL includes Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS), an integrated contract development and manufacturing organization; Piramal Critical Care (PCC), a complex hospital generics business; and the India Consumer Healthcare business, selling over-the-counter consumer and wellness products. In addition, one of PPL's associate companies, Abbvie Therapeutics India Private Limited, a joint venture between Abbvie and PPL, has emerged as one of the market leaders in the ophthalmology therapy area in the Indian pharma market. Further, PPL has a strategic minority investment in Yapan Bio Private Limited, that operates in the biologics / bio-therapeutics and vaccine segments. For more information, visit: Piramal Pharma | LinkedIn * Includes one facility via PPL's minority investment in Yapan Bio. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855206/4913155/Piramal_Pharma_Limited_Logo.jpg SOURCE Piramal Pharma Ltd Pharmacy Podcast Network adding additional insights from proven community pharmacy leaders. Pharmacy CrossRoads is celebrating a groundbreaking year with more than 60 interviews, spotlighting the individuals driving innovation in independent community pharmacy through technology, practice advancements, and impactful networking. As one of the most popular podcasts on the Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN), Pharmacy CrossRoads has amassed an impressive 40,000+ downloads, earning its reputation as a premier resource for the independent pharmacy sector. With the rise of pharmacy deserts across the United States threatening access to life-saving medications, and primary care providers stretched to their limits, community pharmacies have become more vital than ever. To meet this growing need, Pharmacy CrossRoads is expanding its team of hosts, ensuring even more in-depth conversations and diverse perspectives on the pressing issues affecting independent community pharmacy. Launched by Bruce Kneeland, a revered voice in community pharmacy and prolific writer for publications such as Pharmacy Times, Drug Topics, and Computer Talk, Pharmacy CrossRoads has always been dedicated to fostering meaningful discussions about the future of independent pharmacies. Now, with the addition of four dynamic new hosts, the podcast is taking its mission to the next level. "Bruce is a natural podcaster. He's a master story-teller with sincerity and experience in pharmacy business. His guidance and curiosity drives the best conversations about pharmacy ownership and what innovations are working to improve community pharmacy." --stated Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network. Meet the New Hosts: Dr. Adam Robinson, PharmD - "The Workflow Whisperer" As the owner of Save Rite Drugs in Radcliff, KY, Adam brings real-world insights into the challenges and triumphs of pharmacy ownership. He'll share expert advice on optimizing workflow and operations in independent pharmacies. Kris Rhea - Business Development Visionary With over 15 years of pharmacy and healthcare business experience, Kris is the Director of Business Development at Pharmacy Marketplace. His focus on the financial and operational side of pharmacy will help listeners navigate the business of pharmacy ownership. Dr. Shahida Choudhry, PharmD - Advocate for PBM Reform As the owner of The Palms Pharmacy in Tampa, FL, and a four-time honoree on the "50 Most Influential People in Pharmacy" list, Shahida will lead discussions on combating PBM (Pharmacy Benefit Manager) challenges and advancing the role of pharmacists in communities nationwide. Stacy Hall, MBA - Policy and Advocacy Leader CEO of the Florida Pharmacy Association (FPA), Stacy brings expertise in state and national pharmacy policies. Her connections with organizations like NASPA and APhA will provide a deep dive into the regulatory landscape affecting independent pharmacies. A New Chapter for Pharmacy CrossRoads "It's been an honor to work alongside Bruce Kneeland. His 40+ years of pharmacy business experience and knack for engaging, insightful conversations have made Pharmacy CrossRoads a staple for independent pharmacy professionals," said Todd Eury, CEO of RxPR, LLC, and the Pharmacy Podcast Network. "Bruce has a unique ability to elevate educational content for pharmacy owners without it feeling like a commercial. Now, with the addition of our four new hosts, the future of Pharmacy CrossRoads is brighter than ever." Listen to the Latest Episode To hear the debut episode featuring the new hosts, click here: http://www.PharmacyCrossRoads.com Subscribe to Pharmacy CrossRoads on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast directory to stay updated. About Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN) Pharmacy Podcast Network, ranked #1 Pharma podcast by Million Podcasts for 2025, is the first and only podcast platform exclusively dedicated to the pharmacy profession. PPN offers a wide range of podcasts covering careers, compounding, education, politics, professional development, and more, making it a one-stop resource for pharmacy professionals across all sectors. Contact Information Todd Eury CEO eury@rxpr.net 412-585-4001 SOURCE: RxPR View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Not for Distribution to U.S. Newswire Services for Dissemination in the United States Camino Minerals Corporation (TSXV:COR)(OTC PINK:CAMZF) ("Camino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of the first tranche (the "First Tranche") of its non-brokered private placement (the "Financing") of common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") previously announced on January 10, 2025. Under the First Tranche, the Company issued an aggregate of 7,741,665 Common Shares at an issue price of $0.21 per Common Share, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $1,625,750. The Common Shares were distributed by way of private placement pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, and accordingly, are subject to a hold period of four month and one day from the closing date (expiring on May 29, 2025), in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The gross proceeds from the Financing will be applied towards corporate working capital, legal expenses, engineering studies, and general administrative expenses. Completion of the Financing remains subject to the final approval of the TSXV. In connection with the Financing, the Company paid a finders' fee of $1,050 to an arm's length registered finder. TSXV Policy 5.9 and MI 61-101 Insiders of the Company acquired an aggregate of 3,690,475 Common Shares in the First Tranche (approximately $775,000), which participation constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument - 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") and Policy 5.9 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions of the TSXV ("Policy 5.9") (which incorporates the requirements of MI 61-101). However, such participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively, as neither the fair market value of the Common Shares acquired by the insiders of the Company, nor the consideration for the Common Shares paid by such insiders, exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization for the purposes of MI 61-101. The exact extent of participation by insiders of the Corporation in the First Tranche was not determined sufficiently in advance of the closing thereof, and accordingly, the Company expects to file a material change report relating to the First Tranche less than 21 days from completion of the First Tranche, which is reasonable and necessary in the circumstances. About Camino Camino is a discovery and development stage copper exploration company. On October 7, 2024, Camino signed a Definitive Agreement to purchase the construction-ready Puquios copper mine in Chile. Camino is focused on developing copper producing assets such as Puquios, and advancing its IOCG Los Chapitos copper project located in Peru through to resource delineation and development, and to add new discoveries. Camino has also permitted the Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project for exploration discovery drilling to add to its NI 43-101 resources. In addition, Camino has increased its land position at its copper and silver Plata Dorada project. Camino seeks to acquire a portfolio of advanced copper assets that have the potential to deliver copper into an electrifying copper intensive global economy. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminocorp.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD /S/ "Jay Chmelauskas" President and CEO For further information, please contact: Camino Investor Relations info@caminocorp.com Tel: (604) 493-2058 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined in the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: Certain disclosures in this news release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking disclosures in this news release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information in the news release includes, without limitation, the use of proceeds of the Financing, the timing and ability of the Company to obtain the final approval of the Financing from the TSXV, and an exemption being available under MI 61-101 and Policy 5.9 from the minority shareholder approval and valuation requirements. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Such risk factors include, among others, that actual results of the Company's exploration activities may be different than those expected by management, that the Financing may not be fully subscribed or completed on the terms described herein, that the Company may be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required authorizations and approvals and the state of equity and commodity markets. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE: Camino Minerals Corp View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - XXIX Metal Corp . (TSXV: XXIX) (OTCQB: QCCUF) (FSE: 5LW0) ("XXIX" or the "Company") is pleased to present a review on an ambitious 2025 focused on advancing its projects and strengthening its position as one of Eastern Canada's largest copper explorers and developers. "The broader market continues to undervalue resource and pre-development stage projects like Opemiska and Thierry, a reflection of the cyclical nature of our industry. At XXIX, we remain steadfast in our strategy to focus on overlooked and undervalued assets that we see as critical to the future of copper and metals supply chains. This philosophy, rooted in the Ore Group's values, emphasizes identifying opportunities others miss, building value with patience, managing capital conservatively, and acting decisively when the time is right. Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited to share our operational goals, including the methodical development of our two 100%-owned copper assets, Opemiska and Thierry," said Stephen Stewart, CEO of XXIX Corp. Opemiska Project in Quebec Saddle Zone: XXIX is set to launch a 3,400-meter drill program in the Saddle Zone at the Opemiska Copper Project in Quebec. The program is currently being permitted and is expected to commence in February. Results from this drilling will be incorporated into the forthcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). Scoping Study and PEA: XXIX has effectively completed a comprehensive scoping study in 2024. This study optimized the mine plan and provided critical insights into maximizing shareholder value while fostering sustainable development for the surrounding communities. The insights gained will inform the PEA, which will detail a development plan aligning with both economic and community-focused goals. Cooke and Robitaille Zones: XXIX has begun the reinterpretation of historical Falconbridge drilling and mine data, integrating them with modern geological data for Cooke and Robitaille. The Cooke Zone, historically a gold mine with a copper credit, has shown potential for a second mineralization horizon, which could enhance project economics. Permitting and design for drilling at Cooke are expected in Q2. Opemiska has the potential to serve as the anchor asset in the revitalized district, offering long-term benefits for local communities, including Chapais, Chibougamau and the local First Nations. Thierry Project in Ontario K1 Deposit: XXIX has completed the revalidation and reinterpretation of geological data for the K1 deposit. A rigorous process included integrating historical drilling and incorporating 15 previously unmodelled holes, including seven drilled in 2024. Additionally, a core sampling program revealed over 820 meters of unsampled historical core with disseminated mineralization. XXIX has identified grade increases up to 77% in previously reported intersections when incorporating these zones. Key updates on K1: Mineralization spans up to 230 meters in width, begins at surface, and extends 1.2 kilometres along strike, to 400 meters depth, and remains open to depth. The zone dips at 50-55, making it favorable for open-pit mining with a low strip ratio. A just completed core sampling program has reinforced XXIX's view that the previously interpreted multiple zones can be interpreted as a single, continuous zone. The presence of low-grade mineralization in this area highlights its potential for economic viability and scalability in any future open-pit development. XXIX is highly optimistic about the K1 zone and its ability to expand and advance this resource further. 100km of induced polarization (IP) surveys is being planned and permitted. A drill program is being planned and permitted with the goal of delivering an updated Mineral Resource Estimation. K2 Deposit: Revalidation of the K2 deposit, historically reported as 23.7 Mt at 1.64% Cu, is ongoing. XXIX will provide updates on its geological model and subsequent drill programs during 2025. Connecting K1 and K2: XXIX aims to deepen its understanding of Thierry's geology and deposition model. Locally, the K-1 and K-2 deposits are fairly well understood, though there is significant room for growth. What excites XXIX is the opportunity to verify the untested 3km gap between these two zones, where geophysical signatures clearly suggest the continuity of the favorable horizon. XXIX will also initiate studies to determine what may influence grade differentiation between the two deposits. Thierry represents a highly mineralized and significant system with substantial exploration upside and untapped potential waiting to be uncovered. Roger Gold Project XXIX is updating its work plan and budget while assessing its strategic fit within our operational plans. While it remains uncertain whether Roger offers operational synergies with Opemiska, its significance is clear with a resource of 330,000 ounces of indicated equivalent gold ounces (10.9MT @ 0.85 g/t Au and 0.80 g/t Au) and an additional 202,000 inferred equivalent gold ounces (6.6MT @ 0.75 g/t,1.18 g/t Ag and 0.11% Cu). Roger is positioned in the eastern node of the Chibougamau district, which is best characterized as a gold camp, whereas the western node is more distinctly a copper camp. XXIX is evaluating its options and plans for the Roger Project and will provide a detailed update soon. Community Engagement XXIX remains committed to fostering and investing in strong relationships with local stakeholders. In Quebec, the Company is actively engaging with the town of Chapais within the District of Chibougamau and First Nations communities to ensure sustainable development with meaningful economic and employment opportunities. In Ontario, the Company operates under an exploration agreement dating back to 2008, and both XXIX and local First Nations are working to modernize the agreement, continuing its focus on community-centric operations. Qualified Person Statement The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Charles Beaudry, P.Geo and geo., Director of XXIX Metals Corp, a Qualified Person, as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About XXIX Metal Corp . XXIX is advancing its Opemiska and Thierry Copper projects, two significant Canadian copper assets. The Opemiska Project, Canada's highest-grade copper resource, spans 13,000 hectares in Quebec's Chapais-Chibougamau region, with strong infrastructure and nearby access to the Horne Smelter. A January 2024 resource update reported a 16% increase in contained Copper Equivalent (CuEq) and a 10% grade boost, including 87.3 million tonnes at 0.93% CuEq (Measured & Indicated) and additional Out of Pit resources. The Thierry Project hosts two past-producing ore bodies, one of which was mined underground for six years-producing 5.8Mt @ 1.13% Cu, 0.14% Ni between 1976 - 1982 by UMEX Inc. Historically, copper concentrate was shipped to the Horne Smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, QC. Significant infrastructure is already in place, with the Thierry property being accessible via all-season road, an airport within 5km, a provincial power grid within 8km, and nearby rail. With these two high-potential projects, the Company has solidified its position as a key player in the Canadian copper sector, and has established itself as one of Eastern Canada's largest copper developer. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Specific forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements pertaining to the commencement of trading of the Common Shares on the TSXV under the new name and new stock ticker. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors set forth above and elsewhere in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. These statements are given only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238753 SOURCE: XXIX Metal Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Bayridge Resources Corp. (CSE: BYRG) (OTCQB: BYRRF) (FSE: O0K) ("Bayridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received the Level 2 Exploration Permit for drilling at its 11,142 ha Constellation uranium project in Canada's Athabasca Basin region. The Company is permitted for up to 30 drill sites that can total of up to 10,000 metres of diamond drilling within an 18 month period, that the Company will commence with a Phase 1. In addition, a total of 40-line kilometres of grid line cutting in preparation for ground geophysical surveys have also been permitted. The Company also reports it has received the 2024 Phase I exploration assay results. They will be released as soon as the technical team has reviewed and completed QA/QC procedures in respect of the results. "The drilling permit is the next milestone in the exploration and development of the Constellation project," commented President and CEO Saf Dhillon. "The receipt of this drill permit puts us right on schedule for a late Q1 early Q2 maiden drill program of which, Phase 1 is already fully funded," he continued. The Phase I exploration program was successful in highlighting several areas of anomalous spectrometer count-per-second anomalies, several of which were associated with the VTEM (versatile time-domain electromagnetic) conductors identified from the Geotech VTEM survey flown earlier in the summer. A total of 15 spot radiometric anomalies or anomalous zones were identified, largely associated with VTEM conductors or the boundaries of magnetic highs and magnetic lows, areas believed to be prospective for uranium mineralization (as shown in Figure 1). Figure 1 Constellation Project Spectrometer Anomalies (Readings in CPS or counts per second) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10256/238812_94307509840a39e6_001full.jpg The Constellation property has favourable geology for basement-hosted unconformity-style uranium deposits. The regional geology and magnetics have defined structural lineaments trending NNW and ESE, which could represent structural conduits between the Archean granite inlier and graphitic metasediments that have been mapped on the property. These types of structural zones typically function as pathways for hydrothermal activity. Historical NE-trending conductors have also been outlined on the property but are under-explored and un-drilled. Strong EM conductors are proven targets associated with unconformity and basement-hosted uranium mineralization in and around the Athabasca Basin.1 Bayridge has the right to earn up to an 80% interest in Constellation through a series of cash payments, share issuances and exploration expenditures over the next 4 years. Constellation is located 60 km southwest of the Key Lake Mine, and is accessible via helicopter or float plane, with potential winter road access from Highway 914. The company also announces that it has granted a total of1,000,000 incentive stock options to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.06, subject to Bayridge's Equity Incentive Plan vesting terms and expire five years from the date of grant. Tim Henneberry, P.Geo. (BC), a Consultant and Advisor to the Company, is the Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release. About Bayridge Resources Corp. Bayridge Resources Corp. is a green energy company advancing its portfolio of Canadian uranium and lithium projects. The 1,337 ha Waterbury East project is located 25 km northeast of the Cigar Lake Mine in the northeastern Athabasca Basin region. Geophysical surveys have identified a 7km long conductivity corridor where mid-2000's drilling highlighted faulted and altered basement rock with local uranium enrichment. Large sections of this corridor remain untested. The 11,142 ha Constellation project is located 60 km south of the present-day Athabasca Basin edge in an area of significant exploration activity for basement hosted uranium. Historic airborne radiometric, electromagnetic, and magnetic surveys identified electromagnetic conductors associated with magnetic lows. The 4,413 ha Sharpe Lake project, located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northern Ontario, hosts peraluminous S-type muscovite bearing pegmatite bearing granites in contact with metasediments. Preliminary sampling has highlighted anomalous rare-element values, potentially indicative of lithium mineralization. Forward-looking information Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management, including in regard to the Company's exploration and drill campaign plans at Constellation, enhanced magnetic and electromagnetic anomalies at Constellation, undertaking drilling at Constellation without additional financing or dilution and potential uranium and lithium discovery for the Company's projects. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release. 1 The Company cautions that similar results on its Constellation Project are not implied. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238812 SOURCE: Bayridge Resources Corp. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX: CXB; OTCQX: CXBMF) (the "Company" or "Calibre"), a growing mid-tier gold producer, is pleased to announce a maiden Mineral Resource estimate for its 100% owned Talavera Gold Deposit ("Talavera"), which has, historically, produced 800,000 ounces gold and is located 3 kilometres from the Limon mill. The Mineral Resource, which will be included in the Company's 2024 year-end Mineral Resource statement, includes 3,847,000 tonnes of Inferred Mineral Resource averaging 5.09 g/t gold, yielding 630,000 ounces of gold. The extension of the historical mine, and discovery of several parallel sub vertically dipping veins has led to the delineation of this new resource. Talavera represents another opportunity across the prolific Limon property given its proximity to the processing facility. Recent drilling at Talavera (see news release dated November 18, 2024 ) (https://www.calibremining.com/news/news-details/2024/Calibre-Announces-Significant-High-Grade-Mineralization-at-Limon-Which-Is-Expected-to-Have-a-Positive-Impact-on-Its-Mineral-Resources/default.aspx) continues to intersect high grade gold mineralization approximately 750 metres to the west of the past producing Talavera underground mine and the resource remains open to the west, reaffirming the discovery and resource expansion potential of the deposit. (see figures here (https://s204.q4cdn.com/793454556/files/doc_news/2025/01/20250128-Initial-Mineral-Resource-at-Talavera-Figures-V2-FINAL.pdf)) Darren Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Calibre, stated: "I am pleased to report that Calibre has achieved a significant milestone with the production of our one-millionth ounce of gold in Nicaragua since becoming a producer in Q4 2019. This accomplishment is particularly gratifying as we simultaneously increased our Nicaragua Mineral Reserves from 140,000 ounces in Q4 2019 to more than 1.1 million ounces at December 31, 2023. Additionally, today's announcement of the 630,000-ounce Mineral Resource at Talavera further highlights the enduring nature of the Limon Mine Complex, which has been in continuous operation since the 1940s and has produced over 5 million ounces. Talavera offers strong expansion potential, with opportunities to leverage the existing underground infrastructure located adjacent to the resource from the past producing mine. In 2025, our focus at Talavera will include expansion and delineation drilling while advancing environmental permits. Given Talavera's steeply dipping structure and the presence of several parallel gold-bearing zones, the deposit is well-suited for low cost, long-hole mining. Talavera is poised to contribute to our future gold production, aligning with our strategy of self-funded growth through discovery and operational excellence. Looking ahead, I am confident that we will continue to drive resource growth and maintain strong reserve replacement in Nicaragua, further solidifying our position as a sustainable growing gold producer." About the Talavera Extension Located west of the main Limon trend and mill, Talavera is a former underground mining area with past production during the 1990s of approximately 800,000 ounces of high-grade gold. The Talavera deposit is a low sulphidation, epithermal vein system consisting of high-grade vein shoots along strike of the productive Veta Nueva and Atravesada gold deposits. Recent drill results at Talavera include 12.57 g/t gold over 7.1 metres including 26.65 g/t gold over 2.2 metres and 4.29 g/t gold over 35.2 metres (see news release dated November 18, 2024 ) . (https://www.calibremining.com/news/news-details/2024/Calibre-Announces-Significant-High-Grade-Mineralization-at-Limon-Which-Is-Expected-to-Have-a-Positive-Impact-on-Its-Mineral-Resources/default.aspx) Link - Figures (https://s204.q4cdn.com/793454556/files/doc_news/2025/01/20250128-Initial-Mineral-Resource-at-Talavera-Figures-V2-FINAL.pdf) Quality Assurance/Quality Control Calibre maintains a Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") program for all its exploration projects using industry best practices. Key elements of the QA/QC program include verifiable chain of custody for samples, regular insertion of certified reference standards and blanks, and duplicate check assays. Drill core is halved and shipped in sealed bags to Bureau Veritas in Managua, Nicaragua, an independent analytical services provider with global certifications for Quality Management Systems ISO 9001:2008, Environmental Management: ISO14001 and Safety Management OH SAS 18001 and AS4801. Prior to analysis, samples are prepared at Veritas' Managua facility and then shipped to its analytical facility in Vancouver, Canada. Gold analyses are routinely performed via fire assay/AA finish methods. For greater precision of high-grade material, samples assaying 10 g/t Au or higher are re-assayed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Analyses for silver and other elements of interest are performed via Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP). Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was approved by David Schonfeldt P.GEO, Calibre's Corporate Chief Geologist and a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101. About Calibre Calibre (TSX:CXB) is a Canadian-listed, Americas focused, growing mid-tier gold producer with a strong pipeline of development and exploration opportunities across Newfoundland & Labrador in Canada, Nevada and Washington in the USA, and Nicaragua. Calibre is focused on delivering sustainable value for shareholders, local communities and all stakeholders through responsible operations and a disciplined approach to growth. With a strong balance sheet, a proven management team, strong operating cash flow, accretive development projects and district-scale exploration opportunities, Calibre will unlock significant value. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Darren Hall" Darren Hall, President & Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Ryan King SVP Corporate Development & IR T: 604.628.1012 E: calibre@calibremining.com W: www.calibremining.com (http://www.calibremining.com) Calibre's head office is located at Suite 1560, 200 Burrard St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L6. X (https://twitter.com/CalibreMiningCo) / Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CalibreMining) / LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/calibre-mining-corp-cxb-/?originalSubdomain=ca) / YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@calibreminingcorp) The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future, which include the potential for future mineral resources growth and further exploration success, the potential for maintaining strong mineral reserves replacement and the achievement of environmental permits, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "assume", "intend", "strategy", "goal", "objective", "possible" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Calibre's control. For a listing of risk factors applicable to the Company, please refer to Calibre's annual information form ("AIF") for the year ended December 31, 2023, its management discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other disclosure documents of the Company filed on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca (http://www.sedarplus.ca/). Calibre's forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. Calibre does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. FlatFrog will demonstrate the TeamTablet Flex at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025 along with its ecosystem partners. At the show, we will reveal the next generation Flex built for non-touch displays. In addition, we are launching advanced touchscreen platforms including a 27" OLED touch monitor for personal video meetings, digital signage, automotive and industrial applications. LUND, Sweden, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FlatFrog is thrilled to unveil the next wave of innovation, enabling enterprises to supercharge their meeting rooms with TeamTablet Flex appliances and next generation touchscreen solutions with their partners including Dell, Sharp, Logitech, HP Poly, Jabra, TCL, KTC, HiteVision, CVTE and Lango. Flex your meeting with TeamTablet Flex: The Flex solution from FlatFrog, offers unparalleled flexibility to extend collaboration use cases in team meetings, allowing companies to maximize the return on investment of their meeting room equipment using existing touch or non-touch front of room display Run any video meeting: Fully compliant with existing Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms, Meet, Webex or any other video conference appliance. Fully compliant with existing Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms, Meet, Webex or any other video conference appliance. Use with any digital whiteboard : Use Miro, Microsoft Whiteboard or use built-in local FlatFrog whiteboard, it feels just like using a tablet. : Use Miro, Microsoft Whiteboard or use built-in local FlatFrog whiteboard, it feels just like using a tablet. Wireless presentation with inking : Share PowerPoint wirelessly, and easily annotate a presentation wirelessly on the touch display, with no latency. : Share PowerPoint wirelessly, and easily annotate a presentation wirelessly on the touch display, with no latency. Secure: Designed to be fully secure and private including ability to air-gap so data does not leave premise. User can manage their deployment and usage statistics. InGlass touch innovations: InGlass touch is the market leader for corporate touchscreen solutions with premier OEMs like Dell, Samsung, Sharp, Google, Clevertouch and others. At ISE 2025 FlatFrog will release further innovations with the launch of the M6 and M5L touch platforms. These platforms can also be used outside of meeting rooms for automotive, medical, and industrial applications. M6 Premium touch : This represents a premium touch solution with unparalleled performance and natural handwriting with the best-in-class FlatFrog quality that OEMs have come to rely on. This solution provides industrial design with flush ID and thin and light chassis. It can be provided with or without cover glass. M6 is now available in sizes from 21-86". FlatFrog is revealing a 27" OLED and 65" LCD touch at the show, designed with the M6 platform. : This represents a premium touch solution with unparalleled performance and natural handwriting with the best-in-class FlatFrog quality that OEMs have come to rely on. This solution provides industrial design with flush ID and thin and light chassis. It can be provided with or without cover glass. M6 is now available in sizes from 21-86". FlatFrog is revealing a 27" OLED and 65" LCD touch at the show, designed with the M6 platform. M5L Mainstream touch: For high volume budget conscious OEMs, FlatFrog is introducing M5L which is a cost down of their M5 platform. Come meet with FlatFrog at ISE 2025, from 4-7 February, at booth 2S400 to experience TeamTablet Flex and the latest touchscreen platforms. About FlatFrog FlatFrog is the market leader in interactive meeting solutions, with high-performance TeamTablet appliances for both in-room, hybrid and virtual meetings and patented InGlass touch displays. FlatFrog has designed its award winning, InGlass touch display technology from the ground up, providing the best pen and touch input to mimic the intuitive feeling of a dry-erase board. FlatFrog is headquartered in Lund, Sweden, with locations in the U.S., Taiwan, China and South Korea. For more information, please visit www.flatfrog.com For more information, contact: Noemi Kubiak VP Marketing +46 765 200727 noemi.kubiak@flatfrog.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/flatfrog-laboratories-ab/r/flatfrog-reveals-range-of-new-innovations-at-ise-2025,c4097566 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/flatfrog-laboratories-ab/i/teamtabletflex,c3372419 TeamTabletFlex View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/flatfrog-reveals-range-of-new-innovations-at-ise-2025-302363159.html JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The implementation of new Israeli laws banning the UN Palestine refugee agency will undermine Gaza ceasefire, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned at the Security Council.UNRWA ban in the Palestinian territory is set to take effect on Thursday.Briefing ambassadors in New York on Tuesday, Lazzarini warned that the laws passed in October last year in the Knesset jeopardize the lives of millions of Palestinians and risks undermining the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.They require that UNRWA cease its activities in the territory of the State of Israel - including the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as the Knesset defines it, in defiance of international law - as well as restricting any Government contacts with the agency or anyone acting on its behalf.'Curtailing our operations now - outside a political process, and when trust in the international community is so low - will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza's recovery and political transition,' Lazzarini said.He called for a 'decisive intervention' by Council to support peace and stability in the occupied Palestinian territory and the broader region.UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly to provide humanitarian and other essential services to Palestine refugees until a political solution is reached.Lazzarini further stressed that the full implementation of the Knesset legislation will be 'disastrous.'He added that it would also degrade the capacity of the United Nations just when humanitarian assistance must be scaled up.'This will only worsen the already catastrophic living conditions of millions of Palestinians.'Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Onyx Gold Corp. (TSXV: ONYX) (OTCQX: ONXGF) ("Onyx Gold" or the "Company") announces that it intends to amend the exercise price of 7,143,999 common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") that were issued pursuant to a private placement of units that closed on July 6, 2023. Each Warrant is currently exercisable to purchase one common share of the Company (a "Share") at a price of $0.75 for 24 months from the date of issuance. Following the proposed amendments, each Warrant will have an exercise price of $0.30 and will be subject to an accelerated expiry provision such that, if the closing share price on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") exceeds $0.375 for any 10 consecutive trading days during the unexpired term of the Warrants, the exercise date will be accelerated to 30 calendar days (the "Acceleration Clause"). The activation of the Acceleration Clause will be announced by press release. All other terms and conditions of the Warrants remain the same. The amended Warrant terms remain subject to TSX-V acceptance. Corporate Update The Company also announces that, pursuant to the Company's omnibus incentive plan, the Company has issued an aggregate of 1,375,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") to certain directors and officers of the Company. Each RSU entitles the holder to acquire one Share of the Company on vesting. All of the above RSUs are subject to the following vesting schedule: one-third vesting 12 months after the grant date; one-third vesting 24 months after the grant date; and one-third vesting 36 months after the grant date. Further, the Company announces that Nicole Hoeller has stepped down from her role as VP of Corporate Communications to pursue her new business venture, NIKLI Communications Inc. ("Nikli"). The Company has entered into an agreement with Nikli whereby Ms. Hoeller will continue providing corporate communication services to the Company as an independent contractor. About Onyx Gold Onyx Gold is an exploration company focused on well-established Canadian mining jurisdictions, with assets in Timmins, Ontario, and Yukon Territory. The Company's extensive portfolio of quality gold projects in the greater Timmins gold camp includes the Munro-Croesus Gold property, renowned for its high-grade mineralization, plus two additional earlier-stage large exploration properties, Golden Mile and Timmins South. Onyx Gold also controls four properties in the Selwyn Basin area of Yukon Territory, which is currently gaining significance due to recent discoveries in the area. Onyx Gold's experienced board and senior management team are committed to creating shareholder value through the discovery process, careful allocation of capital, and environmentally/socially responsible mineral exploration. On Behalf of Onyx Gold Corp. "Brock Colterjohn" President & CEO For further information, please visit the Onyx Gold Corp. website at www.onyxgold.com or contact: Brock Colterjohn, President & CEO or Nicole Hoeller, NIKLI Communications Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events, or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release, and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts, and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things, the intention of the Company to proceed with the Warrant amendments and the Company receiving all necessary regulatory approvals for the Warrant amendments. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the Company not receiving the necessary regulatory approvals in respect of the Warrant amendments; and changes in the Company's plan with respect to the Warrant amendments. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will receive the necessary regulatory approvals in respect of the Warrant amendments. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information, or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238775 SOURCE: Onyx Gold Corp. Bottlecapps, a leading provider of innovative digital solutions for the beverage industry, is proud to announce the appointment of Bish Mubarak as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 16, 2025. This decision was made following a unanimous vote by the Board of Directors, recognizing Bish's exceptional leadership and extensive contributions to the company. Bottlecapps Logo The Board of Directors has asked Dr. Prashant Desai, our former Chief Executive Officer to remain as our Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board. Dr. Prashant Desai will guide the board and drive the vision and direction of Bottlecapps through strategic partnerships, growth acceleration, and acquisitions. Dr. Prashant Desai has led Bottlecapps for the last 5 years and has a extensive array of experience in building the largest pharmaceutical brands and e-commerce solutions. Dr. Desai commented "Bottlecapps is a leader in a position of strength and with Bish at the helm will continue to accelerate growth across all three tiers of the beverage alcohol space. We are thrilled to have such an outstanding leadership team to drive our company to historic heights." Bish Mubarak's journey with Bottlecapps began in late 2016 as an investor, bringing not only financial support but also a wealth of strategic insight. In 2017, he officially joined the Bottlecapps team initially serving as Chief Sales Officer, Bish's ability to drive growth and build strong client relationships led to his promotion as Chief Revenue Officer in January 2024. Over the years, his visionary approach and dedication have been instrumental in positioning Bottlecapps as an industry leader. With over 25 years of experience in building and scaling successful enterprises, Bish Mubarak has demonstrated a unique ability to foster innovation and inspire teams to achieve their full potential. As an entrepreneur, he founded his first company in 1998, which he operated across North America for nearly two decades. Beyond his executive roles, Bish has been an active mentor, business consultant, and motivational speaker, sharing his expertise with professionals across the U.S. and Canada. Bish holds a degree from the University of Western Ontario in London, ON, and currently resides in the Dallas, Texas area. He is the proud father of two children and is passionate about empowering individuals and organizations to excel. Bish Mubarak, CEO of Bottlecapps, commented: "I am honored and excited to step into the role of CEO at Bottlecapps. Since my first involvement with the company, I have been inspired by our mission to transform the beverage industry through innovative digital solutions. I look forward to continuing our journey of growth and innovation alongside our talented team, partners, and customers." Under Bish Mubarak's leadership, Bottlecapps is poised to continue its trajectory of success, driving innovation and delivering exceptional value to its partners and clients worldwide. About Bottlecapps : Bottlecapps is a premier provider of digital platforms tailored for the beverage industry. With a commitment to innovation, Bottlecapps helps businesses enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and drive revenue growth. For more information, visit www.bottlecapps.com . SOURCE: Bottlecapps View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Boom Supersonic has achieved a major milestone in its quest for supersonic commercial travel by breaking the sound barrier for the first time during a test flight in Mojave, California.The Colorado-based aerospace company, designing a supersonic airliner named the Overture, said its demonstrator aircraft, XB-1, entered the supersonic corridor and reached an altitude of 35,290 feet before accelerating to Mach 1.122 (652 KTAS or 750 mph), breaking the sound barrier for the first time.XB-1's supersonic flight took place in the same historic airspace where Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier for the first time in 1947. The first supersonic flight of XB-1 marks the first human-piloted civil supersonic flight since Concorde's retirement over 20 years ago, paving the way for the return of commercial supersonic flight onboard Overture.'I've been waiting over 20 years for the return of supersonic speeds, and XB-1's historic flight is a major landmark towards my dreams being realized.,' said Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways, who last flew Concorde in 2003. He congratulated Tristan 'Geppetto' Brandenburg, Chief Test Pilot for Boom Supersonic.Overture has the capacity to carry up to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7, about twice the speed of today's subsonic airliners, on more than 600 international routes.The next-gen passenger flight is designed to run on up to 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel.The XB-1, which is the precursor to Overture, has now completed 12 successful test flights since March 2024.Previously, supersonic aircraft have been developed by militaries and governments. XB-1's supersonic flight marks the first time an independently developed jet has broken the sound barrier.Following its inaugural flight in March 2024, XB-1 completed a rigorous series of 11 human-piloted test flights under increasingly challenging conditions to evaluate systems and aerodynamics. Over the course of the flight test campaign, the XB-1 team systematically expanded the flight envelope through subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds.Boom Supersonic said it has a booking of 130 orders and pre-orders for Overture from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Last year, Boom completed construction on the Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, which will scale to produce 66 Overture aircraft per year.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Crestview Exploration Inc. (CSE: CRS) (FSE: CE7) ("Crestview" or the "Company") has issued 300,000 common shares to the Falcon Mine Group ("FMG") in respect of its option agreement to purchase 100% of the Falcon Project ("Falcon" or the "Property") (see news release dated September 7, 2022). The Falcon project under the Option Agreement comprises eighty-seven (87) unpatented lode claims and six (6) patented claims associated with the historic Falcon mine. Subsequent claim staking by the Company has expanded the Falcon Project to 124 total claims comprising approximately 883 ha or 2,183 acres. According to "in house" historical reports, "[t]he Falcon Mine was discovered in 1876 and produced high-grade ore, averaging 100 opt (ounces per ton) silver, until 1891" (Brian Bond, 2010 - Preliminary Geological Report, Falcon Claim Block). The property is situated less than 2 km south of Crestview's flagship Rock Creek prospect and southwest of Crestview's Dry Creek (formerly Divide) prospect (see Map 1), placing all three properties in close proximity for a total of 239 claims, located in close proximity to the Carlin Trend (within approximately 20 miles) along a structural corridor extending north from the Carlin Complex. Crestview's Tuscarora district play (Rock Creek, Dry Creek, and Falcon) is in a highly prospective, prolific gold region (see Map 2). The properties are surrounded on three sides by giant, "world-class" gold deposits and mines, including the Midas mine, approximately 35 km to the west-southwest, which has produced more than 2.2 Moz Au and 26.9 Moz Ag with proven and probable reserves of an additional 2.73 Moz Au and 199.92 Moz Ag from an epithermal Ag (Au) deposit (Hecla Mining Company Website - 2022); the Goldstrike complex, approximately 45 km south, which produced an incredible 47.8 Moz Au by the end of 2023 from Carlin-type deposits (Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Report MI-2023); and the Jerritt Canyon mine, approximately 30 km to the east (further from the Carlin Trend than the Tuscarora properties), which has produced 9.7 Moz Au from a Carlin-type gold deposit (Technical Report on the Jerritt Canyon Mine, Elko County, Nevada, USA Report for NI 43-101 - 2021), with continued exploration ongoing. The Falcon property occurs in the southwest portion of an Eocene-aged caldera complex, hosted in a sequence of Devonian sedimentary rocks overlain by andesitic, dacitic, and rhyolitic volcanic rocks of the Tuscarora volcanic field (Roney Long, 2000 - The Falcon Mine Project). Our exploration concept at Falcon is very similar to and consistent with our targeting model at Rock Creek and Divide. The historic production and exploration at Falcon focused on silver mineralization in epithermal veins in the upper volcanic sequence. As with the Rock Creek and Dry Creek properties, previous work at the Falcon prospect resulted in stratigraphic interpretations of the surface metasedimentary sequence which indicate the possibility of a Carlin-type host rock at relatively shallow depths (Roney Long, 2000 - The Falcon Mine Project). As such, we envision both shallow, high grade silver vein targets and deeper, disseminated Carlin-type Au (Ag) targets at Falcon. MAP 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7042/238749_73378b64e4184a96_002full.jpg As soon as conditions permit, the company plans to continue extensive, property wide mapping and sampling at Falcon following up on it's initial sampling along 900 meters of float and outcrop of the quartz vein that hosts the historic Falcon Mine. This wide vein (up to 40 feet wide) is one of 18 known veins raking north from the Falcon property up to and along the length of the Rock Creek Property. Thirty-nine samples were collected and submitted for geochemical analysis with detectable gold or silver in all but one sample. Four samples had greater than 25 gpt silver, including samples FAL23_36 at 720 gpt Ag and FAL23_37 at 238 gpt Ag. Both of the highest two silver samples were taken from the Falcon mine area, both had elevated gold, arsenic, and antimony, and both had visible sulfides. Five samples had greater than 0.5 gpt gold, including sample FAL23_13 at 1.131 gpt Au. MAP 2 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7042/238749_crestviewmap2.jpg Sampling to date by the Company at Falcon and Rock Creek has demonstrated combined, confirmed, continuous strike length of approximately 6 kilometers with an untested interval of 2km between Rock Creek and the Company's Falcon sampling having the potential to increase this known mineralize strike length to 8 km. In addition, the veins are open at both the south and north ends of known mineralization. ROCK CREEK: At Rock Creek, the company has completed design of a 5,030 m (16,500 ft) drill program which it intends to commence this coming summer of 2025. High-priority drill targets will be tested with 12 proposed Phase 1 angle drill holes. The drill targets were chosen to test for: Bonanza epithermal precious metal mineralization in quartz veins/silicified faults interpreted from the 2022 HSAMT survey. Mapped structural intersections and possible raking ore shoots. Areas of anomalous and economic gold and silver grades in surface samples and historic drill intercepts. Depth to permissive Paleozoic lower plate stratigraphy and disseminated Carlin-type mineralization. Our planned and proposed exploration activities for 2025 also include further MMI sampling and additional HSAMT lines to aid in targeting. The MMI sampling will infill the northern part of the Rock Creek claim block. MMI sampling will consist of approximately 400 samples at 200 m line spacing and 50 m sample spacing. HSAMT lines will be completed to improve structural interpretations in the northern part of the claim block. Chris Wensley, Crestview's CEO, commented: "The Falcon project is an important element of our Tuscarora prospects, adding expanded possibilities and significant potential to our very compelling position in an extremely prolific region of North Central Nevada. The Falcon prospect lies just over a mile south of our flagship Rock Creek property where we are working tirelessly to commence drilling in this 2025 drilling season." This News Release was jointly prepared with Dr, Craig J Mach, PhD. Geology, and has been approved by Alan Morris, M.Sc., CPG #10550. Alan J. Morris is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed the scientific and technical disclosure included in this news release. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Chris Wensley, CEO On Behalf of the Board of Directors, "Chris Wensley" About Crestview Exploration Inc: Crestview Exploration is an experienced exploration company focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of gold and silver properties located in prolific mining districts of Nevada. Rock Creek gold project is Crestview's flagship asset, with 72 unpatented lode mining claims wholly owned and controlled by CRS. The Rock Creek property was acquired in 2017, and the company went public in 2019. Emboldened by the results coming out of Rock Creek, Crestview strategically expanded on the land position with the acquisition of the nearby Falcon silver-gold prospect in September 2022. Between the two properties and additional claim staking at the nearby Dry Creek prospect, all targeting similar mineralization and likely the same hydrothermal system, Crestview now holds 239 total claims in close proximity of one another. These prospects are situated in a region with proven "world class" gold deposits (including Midas, Jerritt Canyon, Betze-Post, Meikle, and Gold Quarry), where the potential of finding large, high-grade gold-silver deposits is favourable. The Cimarron project is located in the San Antonio Mountains of Nye County, Nevada, and is comprised of 31 unpatented lode mining claims, including control of 6 historically producing claims associated with the historic San Antonio mine. The property is located in the prolific Walker-Lane trend, approximately 44 kms south of the "world class" Round Mountain deposit. Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address acquisition of the Property and future work thereon, mineral resource and reserve potential, exploration activities and events or developments that the Company expects is forward-looking information. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the statements. There are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information. These include the results of the Company's due diligence investigations, market prices, exploration successes, continued availability of capital financing, and general economic, market or business conditions, and those additionally described in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities authorities. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For more information on the Company, investors are encouraged to review the Company's public filings at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238749 SOURCE: Crestview Exploration Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Caprock Mining Corp. (CSE: CAPR) ("Caprock" or the "Company" is pleased to outline management's systematic exploration and development plan for its newly optioned Destiny gold property ("Destiny" or the "Project" or the "Property") located near Val D'Or, Quebec. The Project hosts a near-surface, historical NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") published in 2011 on the DAC deposit (the "Historical Estimate"), which is one of several mineralized zones identified on the Property through previous drilling: 10.8 million tonnes averaging 1.05 g/t Au and containing 364,000 ounces Au in the Indicated category; and 8.3 million tonnes averaging 0.92 g/t Au and containing 247,000 ounces Au in the Inferred category. (The Historical Estimate is based on the March 2011 NI 43-101 (as defined below) technical report on the DAC Deposit authored by Todd McCracken, P.Geo., who is an independent qualified person pursuant to NI 43-101 working for Wardrop and prepared for Alto Ventures Ltd., a previous owner of the Property. Management of the Company believes that the Historical Estimate is reliable based on the fact that it was prepared by a qualified person with extensive experience in Archean and Proterozoic gold deposits, working for a world-renowned resource firm, however Caprock has not verified the Historical Estimate. In order to bring this Historical Estimate to current relevance, the estimate needs to be re-generated using current economic parameters in the context of the current gold price environment and latest costing estimates. The key assumptions and parameters of the Historical Estimate are as follows: (i) drill holes used: 152; (ii) gold price of US$973/oz; (iii) strip ratio: 4:1; (iv) cut-off grade: 0.5 g/t Au; (v) FX Rate: 1.02 CAD - 1.00 USD; (vi) gold recovery: 94%; (vii) operating cost: $14.30/tonne; and (viii) operating rate: 10,000 tpd. Furthermore, the Company would like to note that the Historical Estimate's global block model statistics showed good agreement between all three separate modeling methods, including ordinary kriging, inverse distance squared and nearest neighbour. The Historical Estimate does not use categories other than the ones set out in Sections 1.2 and 1.3 of NI 43-101.) Caprock's President & CEO, Mr. Vishal Gupta states: "The Historical Estimate was generated using a gold price of US$973/oz and a CAD:USD exchange rate of 1.02. The current gold price and FX rate provide a more favourable environment for overall project economics at Destiny. In addition, approximately 10,000 metres of drilling was completed on the Project in 2020-2021 by a previous optionee, which has not been included in an updated MRE to-date. While we believe that updated economics should highlight the Project's attractive characteristics, we also recognize the potential to materially expand Destiny's overall resource inventory through systematic drilling over the next couple of years, based on our review of the historical drilling on the Property." Caprock's management plans to unlock Destiny's potential using the following 3-step exploration and development approach: Step 1: Generating an Updated MRE Caprock's first step towards advancing Destiny involves establishing a new MRE that incorporates current gold and exchange rate economics, and includes results from the additional ~10,000 metres of drilling conducted in 2020-2021. To this end, the Company has recently engaged BBA E&C ("BBA"), a world-renowned resource consulting firm, to complete the updated MRE and accompanying National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") technical report (the "Technical Report") on the Project. The updated MRE is expected to be completed in Q1 2025, following which, the updated Technical Report is expected to be published in early Q2 2025. Management believes that BBA's work to generate the updated MRE will be instrumental in selecting specific drill targets that maximize potential resource expansion as contemplated in Step 2 below, since the ~10,000 meters drilled in 2020-2021 has added significant additional information that management believes has not yet been fully appreciated. Step 2: Resource Delineation at Additional Mineralized Zones The Historical Estimate encompasses less than 1.0 km out of a total interpreted mineralized strike of approximately 6.0 km running along the East-West trending Despinassy shear zone at Destiny. Numerous additional mineralized zones have been identified by previous exploration drilling along the approximately 5.0 km of strike length outside of the DAC deposit, which solely encompasses the Historical Estimate. Following the completion of the updated MRE, management's second step in advancing Destiny will involve the completion of a targeted resource definition drilling program at the additional zones outside of the resource area, especially the Gap Zone and Darla Zone, with the expectation to add to the Project's overall gold resource inventory (see Figure 1 below). This resource definition drilling program is expected to be carried out in the second half of 2025, and will target near-surface mineralization going down to a maximum depth of 300 - 400 m below surface. Management is currently working on generating new maps, cross-sections and long-sections for Destiny that will be incorporated in an updated corporate presentation in the next few weeks in order to better illustrate the resource expansion potential at the numerous additional mineralized zones as demonstrated by the historical drilling on the Property. Figure 1: Map demonstrating the East-West trending mineralized strike at Destiny illustrating the relative location of the DAC deposit that hosts the Historical Estimate, and numerous other mineralized zones identified by previous exploration drilling. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8515/238758_c24bc13d7440a8a9_001full.jpg Step 3: Exploring for Higher Grade Underground Resource Potential at Depth Previous drilling at Destiny included a handful of holes that were specifically designed to intersect the mineralized zone at the DAC deposit at a depth of over 500 metres below surface. These deeper drill holes returned intercepts with very high grades over significant widths (see Figure 2 below). Once the objectives outlined in Steps 1 and 2 above have been achieved, management plans to drill a series of deep holes that will be designed to intersect deep-seated, high-grade mineralization with the aim of establishing a high-grade MRE constrained by underground mining methods and economics. Figure 2: Cross-section illustrating high-grade intercepts over significant widths in deeper drilling at Destiny. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8515/238758_c24bc13d7440a8a9_002full.jpg About Caprock Mining Corp. Caprock Mining Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on exploring precious metals in Quebec and Ontario. The Company has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Destiny gold property that comprises 127 mineral claims and encompasses an area of 5,013 hectares located less than two hours' drive from Val D'Or, Quebec. Destiny lies along a major deformation corridor in the Abitibi greenstone belt that includes the prolific Cadillac-Larder Lake, Destor-Porcupine and Casa Berardi fault zones which host numerous producing and development-stage gold deposits. The Project overlies a 6.0 km long segment of the poorly explored Despinassay shear zone which is a splay off the regional Chicobi Fault. One of the several gold deposits discovered on Destiny is the DAC Deposit which has a near-surface, NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate (the "Historical Estimate") published in 2011 comprising the following gold inventory: 10.8 million tonnes averaging 1.05 g/t Au and containing 364,000 ounces Au in the Indicated category; and 8.3 million tonnes averaging 0.92 g/t Au and containing 247,000 ounces Au in the Inferred category. (The Historical Estimate is based on the March 2011 NI 43-101 technical report on the DAC Deposit authored by Todd McCracken, P.Geo., who is an independent qualified person pursuant to NI 43-101 working for Wardrop and prepared for Alto Ventures Ltd., a previous owner of the Property. Management of the Company believes that the Historical Estimate is reliable based on the fact that it was prepared by a qualified person with extensive experience in Archean and Proterozoic gold deposits, working for a world-renowned resource firm, however Caprock has not verified the Historical Estimate. In order to bring this Historical Estimate to current relevance, the estimate needs to be re-generated using current economic parameters in the context of the current gold price environment and latest costing estimates. The key assumptions and parameters of the Historical Estimate are as follows: (i) drill holes used: 152; (ii) gold price of US$973/oz; (iii) strip ratio: 4:1; (iv) cut-off grade: 0.5 g/t Au; (v) FX Rate: 1.02 CAD - 1.00 USD; (vi) gold recovery: 94%; (vii) operating cost: $14.30/tonne; and (viii) operating rate: 10,000 tpd. Furthermore, the Company would like to note that the Historical Estimate's global block model statistics showed good agreement between all three separate modeling methods, including ordinary kriging, inverse distance squared and nearest neighbour. The Historical Estimate does not use categories other than the ones set out in Sections 1.2 and 1.3 of NI 43-101.) Additionally, the Company holds a 100% interest in three gold exploration properties in the historical Beardmore-Geraldton Gold Belt of Ontario - a belt that has produced over four million ounces of gold historically (Reference: Beardmore-Geraldton Gold Camp - Tashota Resources), and contains the sizeable Greenstone gold project (formerly known as the Hardrock gold project) which is being brought to production by Equinox Gold (TSX: EQX) (Reference: Greenstone Gold Mines - Mining & Processing). The scientific and technical information disclosed in this release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Vishal Gupta, the Company's President & CEO. Mr. Gupta is a P.Geo. registered with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (PGO) and considered a "Qualified Person" as defined under NI 43-101. Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements with respect to: the Company's plans and expectations for the Destiny Project, the timing of the exploration on the Property, the timing of the completion of the MRE and Technical Report, the potential for additional gold mineralization on the Property and the timing of the announcement of the Company's exploration plan for the Property. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Although Caprock believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Caprock can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Caprock's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Caprock's expectations include risks associated with the business of Caprock; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Caprock; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Company's mineral properties; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and First Nation groups in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Caprock's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Caprock does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238758 SOURCE: Caprock Mining Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Wedgemount Resources Corp. (CSE: WDGY) (OTCQB: WDGRF) ("Wedgemount" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its operations and corporate activities. Operations Update Due to extreme cold weather conditions over the past few weeks, Wedgemount proactively shut-in oil production and processing to protect its wells and facilities from potential damage. In light of the return of more seasonal temperatures this week, the Company has resumed production and is once again selling oil. With the majority of surface facility and compliance work related to the recent Huggy acquisition now complete, the Company will focus on production growth and optimization for the remainder of the year. Efforts will include continued chemical treatments and well workovers to enhance efficiency and output. Corporate Update On January 27, 2025, Wedgemount filed both its delayed annual financial statements for the year ended July 31, 2024, the related management discussion and analysis, certifications of the chief executive officer (the CEO) and the chief financial officer (the CFO), and the annual oil and gas filings required under Part 2 of National Instrument 51-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities for the year ended July 31, 2024 (collectively, the annual filings) as well as its interim financial statement for the three-months ended October 31, 2024, the related management discussion and analysis, and certifications of the CEO and CFO. As a result, the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) issued a revocation of the Company's Management Cease Trade Order (MCTO) on January 28, 2025. About Wedgemount Resources Corp. Wedgemount Resources is a junior oil & gas company focused on maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition, development and exploitation of natural resource projects in the southern USA. On behalf of the Board of Directors, WEDGEMOUNT RESOURCES CORP. Mark Vanry, President and CEO Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements made in this news release include the focus on production optimization for the remainder of the year including chemical treatments and well workovers to enhance efficiency and output. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, availability of funds, personnel and other resources necessary to conduct exploration or development programs, successes of the Company's exploration efforts, availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238808 SOURCE: Wedgemount Resources Corp. Urban sophistication meets suburban tranquillity in Dubai's newest development. The project is part of the Riverside Community, the developer's 6th master development. DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DAMAC Properties, the UAE's largest private property developer with a global footprint, proudly announced the launch of Riverside Views, its first development of 2025, following an extraordinary year of achievements in 2024. Located within the newly launched DAMAC Riverside community, this project blends urban convenience with suburban charm, offering an unparalleled lifestyle experience. Amira Sajwani, MD, DAMAC Properties and senior executives from DAMAC headlined the press and partner event held in Coca-Cola Arena, gathering key DAMAC officials, agent partners and brokers, and regional and local media members. Globally acclaimed celebrities and influencers, including Indian Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, were present at the launch. DAMAC ran a month-long campaign for Riverside Views in the UAE and its key target markets, such as India, Japan, China, Russia, and the US. Amira Sajwani, commented: "We are proud to continue listening to our customers' feedback and bringing truly desired products to the market. Riverside Views introduces a collection of stylish one- and two-bedroom apartments housed within eight uniquely themed clusters: Teal, Azure, Marine, Indigo, Royal, Capri, Sun and Pacific. Designed to connect residents to nature and community, the project features a mix of greenery and water scenery, enhancing a sense of well-being and connection with the environment. We will continue to shape Dubai's luxury real estate landscape and bring iconic products." A New Standard in Wellness-based Living Situated around 15 minutes each from Expo 2020 and Al Maktoum International Airport, Riverside Views promises easy accessibility with world-class amenities. Five signature dining options will be available, including Portofino Italian Restaurant, a floating island restaurant, a Zen Spa, and a hydroponic farm providing fresh greens daily. With a focus on health and wellness, fitness facilities by the water and a floating chess stage will be accessible to residents, as well as a floating opera, essential oil lakes, and Peace Rooms designed to encourage mindfulness and creativity. With 1-bedroom apartments starting at AED 888,000 and 2-bedroom apartments from AED 1,420,000, Riverside Views offers an attractive 70/30 payment plan. The project is scheduled for handover on the 31st of May 2028. A Year of Momentum and Expansion The unveiling of Riverside Views follows a record-breaking year for DAMAC Properties, marked by the launch of three major community developments: Sun City, DAMAC Islands, and the announcement of DAMAC Riverside. Building on this momentum, DAMAC plans to introduce new projects and deliver significant construction updates throughout 2025. About DAMAC Properties DAMAC Properties has been at the forefront of the Middle East's luxury real estate market since 2002, delivering award-winning residential, commercial and leisure properties across the region and internationally, including in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, the Maldives, Canada, the United States, as well as the United Kingdom. Since then, the company has delivered more than 47,000 homes with over 40,000 more in diverse planning and development phases. Joining forces with some of the world's most eminent fashion and lifestyle brands to create tremendous living experiences, such as with Versace, Roberto Cavalli, or de GRISOGONO. With a consistent vision and momentum, DAMAC is building the next generation of luxury living across the globe. Live the Luxury. Visit us at www.damacproperties.com Follow DAMAC Properties on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube(@DAMACofficial). Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608720/Riverside_Views_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608718/Riverside_Views_2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608719/Riverside_Views_3.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608717/Riverside_Views_4.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2455928/5140728/DAMAC_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/damac-properties-unveils-its-first-launch-of-2025-riverside-views-302363240.html Thales Enrollment Kiosks for credential issuance help the U.S. Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) improve their customer experience by making common services more accessible and reducing wait times in their Customer Service Center (CSC). Citizens in Georgia may currently access DDS services (licenses renewal, change of address etc.) at 30 kiosks in 23 locations, with more kiosks expected throughout 2025. Featuring a user-friendly touch-screen interface and automatic height adjustment, these Kiosks provide a quick and easy experience for all citizens. Thales is the industry leader in this field, having implemented over 1,700 enrollment kiosks worldwide, applying a "security by design" approach. Through a partnership with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), Thales has successfully deployed inclusively designed enrollment kiosks for credential issuance at Georgia DDS Customer Service Centers locations. This user-friendly solution is designed to enhance the customer experience and free up staff time, bringing a new level of efficiency and convenience to DDS centers across the state. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129680944/en/ @Thales The Thales Enrollment Kiosks offer Georgia citizens a safe and convenient new option for a variety of DDS services, including license renewals, obtaining driving history reports, and change of address transactions. The 30 kiosks are strategically placed across the state at 23 high volume CSC locations, providing Georgians with a quick, easy, and hassle-free way to manage their licensing needs. "The introduction of Thales Enrollment Kiosks for credential issuance has significantly enhanced the customer experience at the Georgia Department of Driver Services. The implementation of this technology has improved staffing efficiencies, enabling our team to focus on providing personalized assistance where it's most needed. Overall, the Thales Kiosks have been a game-changer for both our customers and our staff." - Spencer R. Moore, Commissioner for Georgia Department of Driver Services. Georgia DDS has already seen improvements to their operational efficiency for driver services by using these new self-service kiosks, further enhancing the customer experience. With Thales Kiosk implementations, a single Georgia DDS staff member can simultaneously manage multiple kiosks, enabling DDS staff to provide customized support and manage more complex inquiries, ultimately providing a higher quality of service for their citizens. "We are thrilled to partner with the Georgia Department of Driver Services to introduce our advanced Self-Service Kiosks," said Tyson Moler, Vice President for Thales Identity and Biometric Solutions in North America. "These Kiosks represent a significant leap forward in delivering secure, fast, efficient, and convenient services to the citizens of Georgia. By streamlining routine transactions, we are also helping Georgia DDS optimize their resources and focus on delivering exceptional customer service." About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies within three domains: Defence Security, Aeronautics Space, and Digital Identity Security. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener, and more inclusive. The Group invests close to 4 billion a year in Research Development, particularly in key areas such as quantum technologies, Edge computing, 6G and cybersecurity. Thales has 81,000employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of 18.4 billion. About Thales in the USA In the United States, Thales has conducted significant research and development, manufacturing, and service capabilities for more than 130 years. Today, Thales has 37 locations around the U.S., employing nearly 5,000 people. Working closely with U.S. customers and local partners, Thales is able to meet the most complex requirements for every operating environment. PLEASE VISIT Thales Group Download HD photos View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129680944/en/ Contacts: PRESS Thales, Media Relations North America Jennifer Tumminio jennifer.tumminio@thalesgroup.com OneVest, a comprehensive wealth management technology platform, today announced the closure of a $20 million USD Series B equity funding round. The round was led by Salesforce Ventures, with participation from new investors, Allianz Life Ventures and TIAA Ventures. Returning investors include OMERS Ventures, Deloitte Ventures, Fin Capital, Luge Capital, and Pivot Investment Partners. "We are tackling massive challenges in an industry that's been traditionally slow to adopt new technologies. Having such esteemed investors solidifies our position to reimagine wealth management technology for enterprises across the U.S. and Canada," says Amar Ahluwalia, CEO of OneVest. "With this new funding, we are poised to achieve our goal of becoming the leading wealth management platform in North America." "OneVest is at the forefront of transforming wealth management technology by providing institutions with the tools needed to deliver personalized and scalable solutions," said Zak Kokosa, Senior Associate, Salesforce Ventures. "We're excited to support OneVest as they continue to set the standard for innovation in an industry poised for tremendous growth." Advancing the Future of Wealth Management The wealth management market is undergoing unprecedented change. An estimated $84 trillion will be transferred from Baby Boomers to their Gen X and Millennial heirs over the coming decades, and OneVest's innovative platform is uniquely positioned to help enterprises adapt to these seismic shifts. OneVest's cutting-edge platform is designed modularly and flexibly, allowing firms to roll out their full end-to-end solution, while large enterprises-including banks, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), asset management firms, and insurance companies-are able to pick and choose specific modules to modernize their wealth programs. Customers can save implementation time and cut down significantly on the cost of using various legacy vendors and manual processes. Additionally, the platform is highly configurable, enabling customers to offer tailored hybrid experiences for investors, and empower advisors to gain greater control and insights over their books of business. Building for Tomorrow: AI and Alternative Investments OneVest is building out advanced AI capabilities to enhance decision-making and client engagement. The company will expand its offerings in alternative investments, providing enterprises with tools to diversify client portfolios in an increasingly dynamic financial landscape. OneVest is committed to defining industry changes, while providing a unified, seamless experience for customers. Strategic Partnerships and Expansion OneVest is deepening its strategic partnerships with key industry players, like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Salesforce Financial Services Cloud to further solidify its leadership in the market and expand its reach across the financial services sector. With many of its clients using Salesforce, OneVest is expanding value to mutual customers by further unifying the client/advisor experience. Shaping the Industry's Future OneVest is setting a new standard for the wealth management technology experience, providing enterprises with the ability to deliver unparalleled customization and personalization through a best-in-class platform. The latest funding round will allow OneVest to focus on company growth and product development. About OneVest OneVest is a financial technology company on a mission to Power the World's Wealth. It offers an end-to-end wealth management platform, from client onboarding, to portfolio management, to analytics and beyond. OneVest's software was built to be modular, allowing financial institutions to fill gaps in their process depending on their needs. For more information, please visit onevest.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129763624/en/ Contacts: Media: Emily Wexler Director of Marketing, OneVest emily.wexler@onevest.com Market-leading ASM functionality will enhance Searchlight customers' ability to identify and respond to the highest-priority threats Searchlight Cyber (or "Searchlight"), today announced that it has acquired Assetnote, a Brisbane-based Attack Surface Management (ASM) company. The acquisition, the first by Searchlight Cyber, will integrate Assetnote's industry-leading ASM solution with its dark web intelligence and monitoring capabilities, creating a holistic Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) platform that enables customers to zero in on the highest-priority threats and take action to prevent cyberattacks. Founded in 2018 by some of the leading minds in offensive security, Assetnote is a pioneer in the Attack Surface Management sector. Assetnote offers customers continuous vulnerability discovery and management, providing businesses with essential insight and control over their changing threat exposure to efficiently manage their security posture. The company boasts an impressive roster of loyal customers such as Linktree, Afterpay, and Canva, as well as one of the most prolific and respected vulnerability research teams in the industry. Attack Surface Management shifts the focus of security from an internal to an external lens, making it a natural companion to Searchlight Cyber's existing CTEM capabilities. Assetnote's ASM technology uses the attacker's perspective to identify critical vulnerabilities in customers' infrastructure early on, while Searchlight Cyber provides visibility and context of attackers targeting organisations, allowing cybersecurity teams to focus on the most pressing threats and take mitigating actions before disaster strikes. This inaugural acquisition marks a key milestone in Searchlight's growth journey. Following the strategic growth investment announced in January 2024 from Charlesbank Capital Partners, the company has continued to add to its headcount and global network of partners, with the Assetnote integration considerably expanding Searchlight's customer base and reach globally. The entire Assetnote team will be joining Searchlight, including founders CEO Michael Gianarakis and CTO Shubham Shah, who will be spearheading the ASM side of the business and the engineering and research teams in Australia. Ben Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of Searchlight Cyber, said: "ASM was always going to be the next area of expansion for Searchlight, and when we met the Assetnote team we very quickly recognized the opportunity to incorporate one of the best solutions on the market into our company. The expertise within the Assetnote team, its industry-leading research, and its impressive customer base bring huge value to Searchlight and our customers. We are delighted to welcome the Assetnote team into the business and celebrate this critical step in our continued growth." Michael Gianarakis, Co-Founder and CEO of Assetnote, commented: "Having built our business from the ground up, the next phase of Assetnote's journey is all about how we can best expand our options and proposition for our customers. With Searchlight, we found a company that is similar in terms of culture, vision, and opportunities for growth; everything naturally clicked into place. There is real excitement from across the team for the next chapter, and we can't wait to see the benefits that our shared customers will experience as a result." AGC Partners served as exclusive financial advisor to Assetnote. Mintz and Corrs Chambers Westgarth served as legal advisors to Searchlight. About Searchlight Cyber Searchlight Cyber provides organizations with relevant and actionable threat intelligence, to help them identify and prevent criminal activity. Originally founded in 2017 with a mission to stop criminals acting with impunity on the dark web, we have been involved in some of the world's largest dark web investigations and have the most comprehensive dataset based on proprietary techniques and ground-breaking academic research. The company has expanded and evolved, adding external threat management capabilities to create a Continuous Threat Exposure Management platform for organizations. Today we help government and law enforcement, enterprises, and managed security services providers around the world to identify threats and prevent attacks. To find out more visit slcyber.io or follow Searchlight Cyber on LinkedIn and Twitter. About Assetnote Founded in 2018, Assetnote was born from the collective expertise of some of the leading minds in offensive security, and has grown to reflect the values and ability of our brain trust. Pioneering the Attack Surface Management category, Assetnote's Continuous Exposure Management platform closes the gap between the attacker's and defender's perspectives with industry leading real-time awareness of your evolving attack surface and the exploitable security exposure identified within. Monitoring millions of assets every hour for our customers, we are proud to be the chosen security platform for a wide array of organizations, from innovative startups to members of the Fortune 500, FTSE 100, and ASX 200. To find out more visit assetnote.io. About Charlesbank Capital Partners Based in Boston and New York, Charlesbank Capital Partners is a middle-market private investment firm with approximately $19 billion of assets under management as of 9/30/24. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts, growth capital financings, opportunistic credit, and technology investments. The firm seeks to invest in companies with sustainable competitive advantage and excellent prospects for growth. For more information, please visit www.charlesbank.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129424352/en/ Contacts: Media contact Tom Duncan Brands2Life searchlightcyber@brands2life.com Tacton, a global leader in Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software and leading SaaS platform simplifying sales and configuration processes for manufacturers of complex products, today announced its recognition as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPQ Applications. Positioned highest for Ability to Execute, this marks Tacton's third consecutive time as a Leader, which we believe reinforces its commitment to delivering innovative solutions for manufacturers. Tacton's advanced technology empowers manufacturers to address unique challenges by enhancing operational efficiency, streamlining sales processes, and delivering buyer-centric solutions. As a trusted partner, Tacton supports manufacturers in advancing sustainability, transforming sales strategies, and driving business growth. "For five consecutive times, Tacton has been recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPQ Applications, including being named a Leader for the past three," said Bo Gyldenvang, Chief Executive Officer at Tacton. "We believe this reflects our strong position as the go-to platform for complex manufacturers seeking to overcome industry challenges with innovative and scalable solutions. Manufacturers can rely on Tacton to streamline operations, optimize buyer engagement, and stay ahead in a competitive market." A Gartner Magic Quadrant is a culmination of research in a specific market, giving you a wide-angle view of the relative positions of the market's competitors. By applying a graphical treatment and a uniform set of evaluation criteria, a Magic Quadrant helps you quickly ascertain how well technology providers are executing their stated visions and how well they are performing against Gartner's market view. For Tacton, this announcement is the latest in a series of milestones. In addition to its placement in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, the company was named a Major Player in IDC's MarketScape for APQ Applications 2024-2025 and secured placement in MGI Research's CPQ Buyer's Guide as the number one CPQ product. These achievements highlight Tacton's continued leadership and commitment to innovation in the CPQ market. Access a complimentary copy of the Gartner report and learn more about Tacton at www.tacton.com Gartner Disclaimer This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from Tacton. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Configure, Price and Quote Applications, By Mark Lewis, Luke Tipping, 22 January 2025. About Tacton Tacton is a leading SaaS company redefining how manufacturers of complex products engage with their buyers. Its cutting-edge buyer engagement platform empowers manufacturers to streamline the buyer journey, deliver personalized, customer-centric experiences, and bring complex products to market faster and more efficiently. Tacton partners with manufacturers to drive smart factory initiatives and align operations with customer needs. With over 25 years of experience and trusted by more than 100 global leaders like ABB, Daimler, MAN, Scania, Siemens, Xylem, and Yaskawa, Tacton is co-headquartered in Chicago and Stockholm, with regional offices in Karlsruhe, Warsaw, and Tokyo. Learn more at www.tacton.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129645781/en/ Contacts: Lori McInerney SVP Global Marketing, Tacton Lori.McInerney@tacton.com Moove's total global fleet now comprises 36,000 vehicles. As part of its long term strategy to meet growing demand, Moove will order no fewer than 15,000 vehicles annually across all its markets. The acquisition strengthens Moove's ARR revenue to upwards of $275 Million (on a consolidated basis). Moove's presence now spans 19 cities across 6 continents, showcasing its scale and reach as a global mobility leader. This acquisition strengthens Moove's presence in LATAM, expanding its operational presence and economic impact in the region. Kovi's proprietary IoT software and driver behaviour algorithm will strengthen Moove's AI mobility strategy. DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Moove, a global leader in mobility with a vision to build the largest rideshare fleet and best-in-class technologies powering mobility platforms, has announced the acquisition of Kovi, an urban mobility provider headquartered in Sao Paulo. This strategic acquisition aligns with Moove's commitment to advancing mobility and expanding its footprint in the rapidly growing Latin American market. Launched in 2020, Moove has built the third side of mobility marketplaces by providing dedicated supply via Drive-to-Own, Taxi, and Autonomous fleets and continues to lead the transformation of mobility globally. The acquisition increases Moove's total global fleet to 36,000 vehicles and operations to 19 cities across 6 continents. It not only strengthens the company's position as one of the world's largest rideshare fleet operators, but incorporates Kovi's proprietary IoT software and advanced driver behaviour algorithm, which complement Moove's existing focus on safety and efficiency. These innovations will strengthen Moove's AI mobility strategy, further advancing its position as a global leader in mobility and autonomous vehicle innovation, while also reinforcing its commitment to driving economic growth in Latin America. Founded in 2018, Kovi has established itself as a pioneering force in making car ownership more accessible and efficient through innovative technology and financial solutions. With a robust fleet and a strong presence in Brazil and Mexico, Kovi has demonstrated impressive growth since inception. Its innovative approach to driver support and its strong foothold in Brazil bring significant value to Moove's global operations, strengthening its ability to expand into high growth markets and drive impactful change in mobility. Kovi's data-driven approach to vehicle management and user experience will complement Moove's existing capabilities, enabling the company to offer superior services to its customers. Ladi Delano, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Moove, said: "Kovi has built an impressive business with a robust presence in Brazil, one of the most dynamic mobility markets in the world. We're thrilled to welcome them to the Moove family. This transaction not only strengthens our footprint in Latin America and reinforces our position as a dominant player in global mobility, but it also underscores our commitment to contributing to the Brazilian economy. Kovi's proprietary IoT software and advanced driver behaviour models complement our existing capabilities, supporting our focus on safety, efficiency, and innovation in AI mobility." Adhemar Milani Neto, CEO of Kovi, said: "Today, we stand at the forefront of a new era in mobility, and we believe that Moove has done a fantastic job at scaling their business on a global scale and with the right strategic angles. I met the founders many years back when they were scaling their business in Africa, and I was immediately impressed by their purpose-driven approach, which is also a perfect match to our culture. Together, I believe we will become a truly global category-defining business and will leverage scale and deep expertise never seen in our market. We are also excited to continue our expansion across Latam now with robustness with such strong partners." The completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval from the Brazilian antitrust authority. About Moove Moove is building the world's largest fleet and best-in-class technologies that power mobility platforms. Its flagship Drive-to-Own (DTO) product democratises access to vehicle ownership with a revolutionary revenue based financing model, enabling underserved mobility entrepreneurs to thrive. Moove's growth has been fuelled by its global Uber partnership and support of leading investors and lenders, including Uber, Mubadala, BlackRock, MUFG, and many others. With operations now spanning 19 cities across 6 continents - Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and the Middle East - Moove continues to expand its offerings through strategic acquisitions and partnerships with industry leaders, including Waymo and Uber. Moove is transforming mobility to make it safer, more efficient and accessible to all, while providing economic opportunities and supporting skills development in the mobility sector. Key Facts Launched and scaled to 19 cities across 6 continents in 4 years, since 2020 launch Over 100,000 lives positively impacted through job creation and mobility access 36,000 vehicles in Moove's global fleet 50+ million trips completed in Moove-financed vehicles through its Uber partnership $500+ million in combined equity and debt funding raised from world-class investors including Uber, Mubadala, BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Janus Henderson, and IFC (World Bank) Media Contact moove@zenogroup.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608716/5140719/Moove_Kovi_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/moove-acquires-kovi-strengthening-its-position-as-a-global-leader-in-mobility-302363273.html Brest, January 29, 2025 - Credit Mutuel Arkea announces the roll out of its new strategic plan, Faire 2030, the result of a collaborative effort involving employees and local directors over the past 12 months. This ambitious development plan, with a longer timeframe than its predecessors, aims to strengthen the distinctiveness of both the positioning and development model of the cooperative and territorial group. Faire 2030 is a plan rooted in commitment, openness, and boldness. A plan of commitment benefiting exclusively the real economy, local territories, and their stakeholders. Through Faire 2030, the Group wants to play a key role in the sustainable development of territories. This starts within its federations and local banks - Credit Mutuel de Bretagne and Credit Mutuel du Sud-Ouest - where the Group acts as a universal, relationship-focused, and locally embedded bank, poised for growth and dedicated to supporting transitions for the benefit of all. It also extends nationwide, where its specialized subsidiaries, driven by the same in-depth understanding of local challenges, will enhance their presence and commitment. A plan of openness for its business model by forging new partnerships and fostering boldness - in decisions and technological levers - to significantly accelerate its growth by 2030 in online banking, private equity, responsible asset management, and white-label banking services while fueling a strong dynamic in the life insurance sector. A plan reaffirming the Group's strong commitment to sustainable finance, aiming to support actions to fight climate change (mitigation and adaptation) while investing in new areas such as biodiversity, water management, social impact, and a fair transition. Besides, Credit Mutuel Arkea will continue its transformation to enhance its operational effectiveness and capacity for action, with a renewed commitment to "Faire Groupe" (acting as one cohesive Group). The implementation of a unified customer promise - "With you, with all our strengths" - shared across all Group entities and serving as the tagline for the plan, reflects this collective commitment to member and client satisfaction. These development and transformation ambitions are accompanied by ambitious growth objectives, supported by commercial, financial (cost/income ratio of 67% and a net profit >550 million1 ) and extra-financial indicators for 2027, being the first milestone of this plan. On January 28, 2025, the Board of Directors of Credit Mutuel Arkea, chaired by Julien Carmona, unanimously adopted this new strategic plan2. "Faire 2030" is a strategic plan that reflects who we are, a cooperative group strongly rooted in its territories, open and bold. A group firmly convinced of the role it must play in contributing, through sustainable finance, to creating a more responsible and inclusive world. A resilient group, capable of navigating uncertainty, and one that is more committed than ever to prioritizing action and progress over inertia or withdrawal. Faced with the acceleration of environmental, demographic, technological, and geopolitical transitions that are reshaping our societies, we must continue to transform ourselves -more united and agile- to enhance our operational efficiency in the service of our clients and members. This plan commits us to go further, to accelerate our efforts in providing sustainable, innovative, and tailored solutions to meet the needs of our clients and territories. With "Faire 2030", we affirm our determination to continue along our path: the path of a cooperative territorial bank, a mid-sized bank with an autonomous strategy and decision-making centers rooted in Brittany and Nouvelle-Aquitaine; the path of a mission-driven bank that takes its mutualist values very seriously, as well as its ecological, social, and territorial responsibilities; the path of a bank unlike any other. Julien Carmona, Chairman of Credit Mutuel Arkea and Credit Mutuel de Bretagne *With "Faire 2030," we affirm our commitment to innovate and expand our business model toward new growth drivers, particularly in online banking and private equity while strengthening our territorial roots and intensifying our presence beyond our historical regions. These ambitions will be supported by an IT strategy that is a true partner to our businesses (competitive and high-performing) dedicated to supporting the Group's commercial development and ensuring its autonomy. "Faire 2030" is also a transformation plan focused on simplifying our operations to better meet customer expectations and on excelling, more than ever before, in "acting as one Group." This ambition is embodied in a new, unified customer promise: "With you, with all our strengths." This is more than just a slogan, it's a mindset that should permeate the entire Group, guiding our thinking, methods, and initiatives continuously. With "Faire 2030," we affirm our determination to pursue sustainable growth -fully aligned with the commitments set out in our "Raison d'etre"- creating value for our clients, our territories, and all our stakeholders.* Helene Bernicot, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Mutuel Arkea FAIRE 2030: A Development and Transformation Plan Addressing the Current and Future Challenges of Society > Building on the vision outlined in its previous plan and the results that further strengthened its financial resilience, Credit Mutuel Arkea approaches this new milestone with confidence and determination. Thanks to its previous strategic plan, Transitions 2024, Credit Mutuel Arkea has become a pioneer in sustainable finance, paving the way with several major advancements: the adoption of a "Raison d'etre" (purpose) in 2019, further reinforced in 2022 by adopting mission-driven company status; and the publication - a first in Europe - of its results based on global performance, combining financial and extra-financial metrics. This confirmed its ambition to become the agile financial partner for future transitions. Through the development of specialized divisions (e.g., maritime, real estate), the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, and the growth of its B2B activities, the Group also demonstrated its ability to innovate while staying true to its cooperative values of responsibility and solidarity. Moreover, in 2023, Credit Mutuel Arkea reached an agreement with the wider Credit Mutuel Group, securing a protocol to protect its strategic autonomy and its unique model. This agreement has enabled the Group to smoothly roll out its corporate vision. Over the past four years, despite a context marked by successive crises, the Group has delivered strong results, including: A 34% increase in outstanding loans , significantly outperforming the average growth of its competitors 3 . , significantly outperforming the average growth of its competitors . A 28% rise in Group's equity 4 . Continued job creation, with a 7% increase in staff, reaching 11,564 employees3. Faire 2030, whose name reflects a resolute commitment to progress and action despite a particularly challenging and uncertain environment, builds on the achievements of Transitions 2024 to offer a concrete response to current and future economic, environmental, and societal challenges. This new strategic plan is structured around two development ambitions, three transformation ambitions, and two accelerators, which will guide the actions to Faire 2030. Two development ambitions: 1- A major player in the sustainable development of territories As a universal bank and a mission-driven company, the Group, which maintains strong and lasting links with territories and their stakeholders, carries the ambition and responsibility to further support them in their societal and environmental transitions. This commitment is built on the expertise of the Credit Mutuel de Bretagne and Credit Mutuel du Sud-Ouest networks, as well as their strengthened cooperation with specialized subsidiaries and support functions. 1.a. Establish Credit Mutuel Arkea as a committed and growing leader in Bretagne and the three southwestern departments where the Group is already active In its historical regions of Bretagne and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the objective is to establish itself as the best financial partner for these territories. This means continuing expanding the market share in high-potential segments by significantly speeding-up growth in three priority segments: professionals & businesses, retail and affluent clients. By 2030, the Group aims to achieve the following: Become the bank of 2.3 million clients and members in these two regions 5 (compared to 2.1 million in 2024), making it the cornerstone bank for one in two households in Bretagne and one in five residents in the Sud-Ouest. (compared to 2.1 million in 2024), making it the cornerstone bank for one in two households in Bretagne and one in five residents in the Sud-Ouest. Serve one in four professionals in Bretagne and one in eleven in the Sud-Ouest , effectively doubling its market share. , effectively doubling its market share. Partner with one in two farmers in Bretagne and establish itself as a key agricultural bank in the Sud-Ouest , targeting new farmers through a dedicated agri-agro division and tailored offering.. , targeting new farmers through a dedicated agri-agro division and tailored offering.. Increase its financing and investment capacity for maritime sector stakeholders, aiming to become the "go-to partner" in this sector. Leveraging its unique geographic presence (85,000 jobs and nearly 40% of France's metropolitan coastline), the Group aims to achieve a 25% market share, becoming the bank of one in four maritime stakeholders in its historical territories. These growth ambitions will be supported by the quality of advisory services, the integration of expertise, the acceleration of digitalization, and the modernization of its cooperative membership model. 1.b. Expand nationwide the expertise developed in the Group's historical territories Building on the expertise developed and refined in its historical territories, some of the Group's subsidiaries have successfully extended their skills to the national level. Credit Mutuel Arkea aims to continue along this path by strengthening its support for territories across France, targeting high-net-worth clients, corporates and institutions, and accompanying local decision-makers in their growth and development. This will include: Expanding its presence in high-potential regions (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Grand-Est, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France), particularly targeting companies with annual turnover exceeding 30 million. (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Grand-Est, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France), particularly targeting companies with annual turnover exceeding 30 million. Enhancing coordination between subsidiaries , relying on a Credit Mutuel Arkea Group representative in each territory. , relying on a Credit Mutuel Arkea Group representative in each territory. Offering a comprehensive "Arkea" approach to business leaders, supporting them both as individuals (wealth management, family office solutions) and as entrepreneurs (operational and development cycle support, private equity, strategic advisory services). This national expansion will also address major challenges related to territorial balance and social cohesion by better supporting key sectors such as real estate, energy, and healthcare. 1.c. Continue to demonstrate that finance is a tool for building a more sustainable world Credit Mutuel Arkea aims to position sustainable finance as a powerful driver of economic, financial, and societal performance. This vision is rooted in the belief that financial and extra-financial performance are closely intertwined and that transitions can only be embraced if they are perceived as fair. By 2030, the Group has chosen to act on three strategic priorities in sustainability: Mitigating and adapting to climate change by intensifying client support to meet defined climate targets, accelerating financing for the decarbonization of the economy, rolling out new offers to support the environmental transition, such as thematic or impact savings products, and supporting adaptation solutions. Adopting a Group-wide strategy for biodiversity and natural capital protection starting in 2025. Implementing a policy to preserve water resources across territories beginning in 2026. These initiatives are designed to ensure a "fair transition", prioritizing social fairness. They will increase the Group's commitment to environmental transition while creating new growth drivers and enhancing its financial position. Concrete objectives have been set: 2.2 billion in financing for the environmental transition provided annually by 2027. 1.6 billion in savings raised for the environmental transition gathered annually by 2027. A 50% reduction in the carbon footprint of the financial portfolio6 by 2030. By 2030, the Group aims to be recognized as a leading player in sustainability, contributing to the vitality of territories. 2- Continue opening its business model and expand boldly Through Faire 2030, Credit Mutuel Arkea aims to continue opening its business model, explore new opportunities, and strengthen its autonomy while supporting its organic growth strategy. Two key focuses will be online banking and private equity: Significantly accelerating online banking The growth prospects in the online banking market represent an opportunity to strengthen the position of Arkea Direct Bank (Fortuneo in France and Keytrade Bank in Belgium). Voted "Best Bank 2024"7 Fortuneo -one of the few profitable players in the segment- currently serves, alongside Keytrade Bank8, over 1.2 million active clients in France and Belgium. In a highly competitive environment with new entrants constantly emerging, Arkea Direct Bank faces the dual challenge of consolidating its brands and accelerating client acquisition. This ambition will be supported by marketing and IT investments, expanding the range of services to enhance client relationships, and targeting independent professionals at a national level. The goal is to double the client base, and reach 2.8 million by 2030. Establish itself as a committed player in private equity and responsible asset management Through Arkea Capital, its private equity subsidiary, Credit Mutuel Arkea will continue to expand its investments through minority stakes in French SMEs and mid-sized companies. The objective is to offer business leaders tailored, long-term support (7 to 10 years). Arkea Capital will also speed-up its growth by introducing new "responsible" investment strategies, open to third-party investors. This approach aims to position Arkea Capital quickly and assertively in the private equity market by developing specialized vehicles, such as sovereignty-focused funds or funds for resilient infrastructure. With these initiatives, the subsidiary aims to double its assets under management to 2.5 billion by 2027, with 45% invested by third parties. Simultaneously, the Group is strengthening its position in the asset management market by consolidating its activities under the Arkea Asset Management brand. The subsidiary aspires to become a leading player in solidarity-based asset management, aiming to rank in the top 5 of the largest solidarity funds9 and to manage 70 billion in assets by 2030. Additionally, the rapid development of real estate asset management under the Arkea REIM and Arkea RE brands represents another key growth area. Accelerate its open distribution strategy and partnership approach, particularly in the Group's insurance activities For life insurance, this open distribution strategy will involve seeking new partners and distribution channels, such as private banks, wealth management advisors, and family offices. The goal is to maintain a record level of gross life insurance inflows, targeting 5 billion by 2030. In property and casualty insurance (P&C), the focus will be on diversifying risks and revenues nationwide through the contributions of the Group's networks and external partnerships. Leverage its know-how in bancassurance services to drive growth for its B2B partners and Group entities Credit Mutuel Arkea has ambitious development plans for its specialized subsidiaries (payment solutions, securities solutions, contact centers, etc.) and aims to: Strengthen its leadership in outsourced banking solutions establishing its subsidiaries as key references in their fields and enlarge its range of solutions. establishing its subsidiaries as key references in their fields and Finalize its B2B strategy with high-performing, independent, and enhanced IT platforms , enabling the Group to support the strategies of its main B2B clients and internal stakeholders. , enabling the Group to support the strategies of its main B2B clients and internal stakeholders. Align internal and external needs for products and customer/employee journeys to foster mutualization and ensure the replicability of the offer across the Group. As a cooperative banking group, Arkea aims to achieve 400 million in net banking income (NBI) generated by its white-label activities by 2030 (compared to 310 million in 2024 and 171 million in 2020). Three transformation ambitions : To support these development ambitions, Credit Mutuel Arkea plans to implement changes that promote greater cross-functions and more synergistic methods. To achieve Faire 2030, the Group must "Faire Groupe" (Act as One), uniting the strengths of its entities and employees for greater efficiency, with one singular goal: serving the client. This transformation is built on three ambitions: 1- Commit to a Credit Mutuel Arkea client promise: "With you, with all our strengths" "Faire 2030" introduces a unified client offering across all entities and components of Credit Mutuel Arkea: "With you, with all our strengths". This promise translates into a more impactful client experience built around four key pillars: trust as the foundation of the relationship, simplicity to facilitate interactions, commitment for proactive and personalized support, authenticity through close relationships and active listening. A training program to raise awareness of the Group's Client Culture will be rolled out to all employees, with a target of 80% of staff trained by 2027. This promise will enrich and give substance to the Group's brand tagline: De nouveaux liens pour changer demain (Building new connections to change tomorrow.) It will also be reflected through a new brand architecture designed to create a reciprocal connection between the Group's brands, providing greater clarity for clients and enhancing their understanding of Credit Mutuel Arkea. 2- Enhance operational efficiency: build a more agile organization centered on "Faire Groupe" This strategic plan will require organizational adaptations to ensure flawless execution, with the goal of improving operational efficiency. By 2027, Credit Mutuel Arkea aims to achieve productivity gains of 100 million in operating expenses and a cost/income ratio of 67%. These efforts are expected to result in a net income exceeding 550 million by 2027, delivering a 7% return on regulatory core capital10. The Group also seeks to maintain robust capital and liquidity ratios (CET 1 16%11 , loan/deposit ratio < 110%) while adhering to its prudent risk appetite framework. 3- A committed collective With approximately 11,500 employees and 2,600 local directors, Credit Mutuel Arkea represents a collective dedicated to achieving Faire 2030. These individuals are true ambassadors for the Group in their respective territories. Their efforts will be supported by initiatives designed to strengthen Group culture, foster cross-functional collaboration, and create conditions for engagement, professional development, and employability. Key initiatives include: Rolling out a program to deepen understanding of the Group's business model. Promoting professional mobility, particularly between entities, with the goal of maintaining a mobility rate above 10%. Empowering local directors with additional tools to support solidarity and support local projects. This will include redistributing at least 10 million annually through its sponsorship and solidarity programs. Two key accelerators to drive the success of the strategic plan Credit Mutuel Arkea identifies its IT strategy and AI strategy as key accelerators to achieve the ambitions of Faire 2030. With innovation at the core of its DNA, the Group is committed to: Developing IT systems that are business-focused, competitive, and high-performing, serving the Group's commercial growth and autonomy. Harnessing the full potential of artificial intelligence, while ensuring its responsible and controlled use, in alignment with the Group's mission-driven status. Credit Mutuel Arkea The Credit Mutuel Arkea cooperative group is made up of the Credit Mutuel de Bretagne and Sud-Ouest federations and their local member banks, as well as around 40 specialised subsidiaries (Fortuneo, Monext, Arkea Banque Entreprises et Institutionnels, Arkea Asset Management, Suravenir, etc.). It has more about 11,500 employees, 2,600 directors, more than 5.1 million members and customers in bancassurance and has a balance sheet total of 191.6 billion euros as of December 31, 2023. The first banking group to adopt a Purpose in 2019, Credit Mutuel Arkea became a mission-driven company in 2022 and is committed, through its "Transitions 2024" strategic plan, to practicing finance that serves the regions and their stakeholders in order to position itself as the agile and innovative financial partner for the transitions of the future. Present throughout the national territory, Credit Mutuel Arkea has chosen to maintain its decision-making centers in the regions. It is a major player in job creation in its territories, and relies on a continuous recruitment dynamic. The Group has become convinced that local development can only be achieved by combining the financial and the extra-financial. This is why Credit Mutuel Arkea is the first French bank to have developed a unique method for calculating overall performance. This allows it to take into account all the financial, social, societal and environmental impacts of its activities and those of its stakeholders. Press contact: Solen Deltour - 06 30 80 38 78 - solen.deltour@arkea.com Follow Credit Mutuel Arkea on social networks cm-arkea.com 1 In a central economic scenario and in the absence of major disruptions to the economic, financial, regulatory, and political environment in which the Group's main businesses operate. 2 Information and consultation process currently underway with employee representative bodies. 3 between December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2024 4 between December 31, 2020, and June 30, 2024 5 Note: At the Group level, Faire 2030 aims to reach a total of 7 million clients and members by 2030 (compared to 5.4 million in 2024). 6 Corporate and financial portfolio managed by Arkea Asset Management 7 Pricebank, March 2024: https://www.fortuneo.fr/files/palmares-2024-de-la-meilleure-banque-par-pricebank.pdf 8 Forbes: Voted Best Belgian Bank for the second consecutive year (2023 and 2024). 9 A financial investment that supports the financing of social and solidarity economy (SSE) organizations with high social or environmental value. 10 Net profit / [RWA x 15 %] - Notional ROE based on a 15% CET1 11 With a leeway to 15 % in exceptional situation (external growth, investments, absorption of external shocks, ) and in compliance with the Group's risk appetite framework ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: yGlvYcWalmiUlXKcaZpramdmameSmWKdm5TGlpZvZJiUnHFilG9nb5jGZnFqnGVs - 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-0-89706-20250129-press-release-faire-2030_eng.pdf MyGovWatch.com, a government bid notification and intelligence website that offers a free trial in more than 200 industries, recently presented compiled data showing outsourced Federal contracting dollars are likely to increase during a second Trump administration. MyGovWatch Presents Federal Data Showing Trump 2.0 Outsourced Spending Likely to Increase Despite efforts to rein in government during Trump 1.0, every indicator shows greater dollars spent, both in-house and contracted dollars, by the end of Trump's first term compared to when it started. In the November 20, 2024, edition of MyGovWatch Live, MyGovWatch President Nick Bernardo addressed an idea creating concern for some in the government contractor community: That a newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may foretell reductions in Federal government spending, including contracting dollars for outsourced activity. In the event, which you can find and view on this page, he presents charts tracking dollars spent spanning three administrations. Charts show the following for FY13-24 using two departments as bellwethers: Total spending over time Total spending versus total defense spending Total spending versus contracted spending Contracted spending versus contracted DOD and contracted homeland security spending Contracted spending versus small business contracted spending Despite efforts to rein in government during Trump 1.0, every indicator shows greater dollars spent, both in-house and contracted dollars, by the end of Trump's first term compared to when it started. There's every reason to suspect contracted dollars will go up both in absolute terms and as a percentage of total spending under a Trump reboot based on the political climate and on statements President Trump and Elon Musk continue to make about their intentions. "People looking to grow a business through government contracts, including Federal contracts, should have no concerns about opportunities with the new administration," stated Bernardo, adding, "Based on past history, our users will continue to see large numbers of government contracting opportunities at all levels of government, including Federal, through the MyGovWatch portal." SOURCE: MyGovWatch View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has revealed plans to install solar systems in 18 offices by 2025, aiming to cut emissions and reduce reliance on diesel. The UNHCR said that it plans to power most of its offices with solar energy, targeting locations responsible for 80% of its infrastructure-related CO2 emissions. Office emissions from its 550 sites worldwide account for 56% of its total carbon footprint. "There are currently seven offices that have been equipped with solar systems, six of those installed in Nouakchott and Bassikounou in Mauritania and Abuja, Lagos, and ... 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. Hornetsecurity continuously adapts to emerging trends and threats, positioning itself as a proactive, forward-looking leader that anticipates and addresses the evolving needs of the EMEA market. SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan recently assessed the human risk management industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Hornetsecurity with the 2025 EMEA Company of the Year Award. The company's Human Risk Management (HRM) platform exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to cybersecurity education. It integrates an AI-powered Security Awareness Service that delivers continuous, automated training tailored to each user's behavior and risk profile. Through its innovative approach to training, Hornetsecurity addresses common HRM challenges, such as user fatigue and low engagement, by leveraging sophisticated phishing simulations and dynamic, on-demand micro-training sessions. The platform's continuous content adjustment, which is based on user performance, ensures that training remains relevant, targeted, and impactful. Hornetsecurity's HRM platform's adaptability, AI-driven innovation, and consistent delivery of high-quality training ensure organizations remain protected in an ever-changing digital threat landscape. Hornetsecurity's HRM solution delivers an outstanding customer experience at every stage of the journey, from the initial purchase experience to the long-term ownership experience. Hornetsecurity directly addresses the often-unmet need for tailored, engaging cybersecurity education and demonstrates its commitment to implementing best-in-class practices that yield consistent, repeatable success. By continuously monitoring user behavior and adjusting training content accordingly, Hornetsecurity provides organizations with a clear, actionable metric to assess and enhance their human risk posture. The AI-driven user profiling engine adjusts the frequency, difficulty, and content of training to match each employee's unique needs, effectively reducing training fatigue and improving long-term learning outcomes. Hornetsecurity's ability to address unmet needs positions it as a visionary leader within the HRM landscape. By incorporating macro-level scenarios into its innovation strategy, such as increasing sophistication in phishing and social engineering tactics, Hornetsecurity has developed a robust, future-ready HRM solution that aligns closely with evolving cybersecurity megatrends. This foresight is critical in maintaining Hornetsecurity's leadership position in the EMEA region-a market increasingly demanding high-caliber, resilient cybersecurity solutions. High levels of satisfaction Claudio Stahnke, industry analyst for Frost & Sullivan, observed, "Hornetsecurity places customer satisfaction at the forefront of its approach. Organizations that implement Hornetsecurity's HRM solution report high levels of satisfaction thanks to its ease of use, minimal administrative requirements, and automated phishing simulation campaigns." Hornetsecurity has established a strong brand reputation within the EMEA market. Customers perceive it as a trusted HRM provider and the company exhibits high brand loyalty due to the platform's reliability, ease of use, and positive impact on organizational cybersecurity. By delivering consistent, repeatable value across multiple dimensions of customer impact, Hornetsecurity has built a loyal client base that continues to grow as more organizations recognize the importance of human-centric cybersecurity solutions. Hornetsecurity's commitment to research and development further supports its growth and leadership position. By investing in dedicated R&D for adaptive training, Hornetsecurity continually refines its AI engine to detect, analyze, and respond to evolving threat landscapes. This emphasis on innovation ensures that Hornetsecurity's HRM solution remains at the forefront of cybersecurity education, providing users with relevant, effective training that evolves alongside the latest cyber threats. A transformative approach to cybersecurity "Hornetsecurity's Human Risk Management platform embodies a transformative approach to cybersecurity that addresses the unique challenges of human-centric vulnerabilities. Through its AI-driven, adaptive security awareness service, Hornetsecurity has revolutionized how organizations approach cybersecurity education," added Claudio. By providing continuous, tailored training that adapts to individual user behaviors, Hornetsecurity's HRM solution empowers organizations to build a resilient cybersecurity culture that mitigates human risk effectively and sustainably. Hornetsecurity earns Frost & Sullivan's 2025 EMEA Company of the Year Recognition for its strong overall performance in the HRM industry. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organization that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, megatrends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Camila Tinajero P: +54911 6713 2748 E: Camila.Tinajero@frost.com About Hornetsecurity Hornetsecurity is a leading global provider of next-generation cloud-based security, compliance, backup, and security awareness solutions that help companies and organizations of all sizes around the world. Its flagship product, 365 Total Protection, is the most comprehensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market. Driven by innovation and cybersecurity excellence, Hornetsecurity is building a safer digital future and sustainable security cultures with its award-winning portfolio. Hornetsecurity operates in more than 120 countries through its international distribution network of 12,000+ channel partners and MSPs. Its premium services are used by more than 75,000 customers. Media enquiries Please contact us at press@hornetsecurity.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608404/Hornetsecurity_Award_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hornetsecurity-applauded-by-frost--sullivan-for-enabling-innovative-adaptive-training-in-cybersecurity-education-and-its-market-leading-position-302363015.html Step aboard a cultural icon that defined 1980s cool. The "Miami Vice" Wellcraft 38KV Scarab The stage is set for an unforgettable day as Iconic Premier extends a special invitation to all accredited media professionals. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Miami Vice, the original #1 filming boat that became a global symbol of glamour and adventure will host free media rides on the waterways of Key Biscayne. This is a unique chance for media outlets to step into a landmark of television history and create captivating stories for their audiences. Special Guest Appearance Olivia Brown, famously known as Trudy from Miami Vice, will be joining the event. Her presence adds a nostalgic connection for fans of the show, making this celebration even more special. Event Details Date: February 11, 2025 Time: 9 AM to dusk Location: Crandon Park Marina, 4000 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL The Star of the Water Returns The Miami Vice filming boat is unlike any other. Built specifically for the hit TV series, the Wellcraft 38KV Scarab didn't just chase criminals on screen; it defined an era. From its cutting-edge design to its vibrant multi-colored finish referred to the Picasso of boats, it's a vessel that commands attention even today. On February 11, media members will ride this iconic boat and gain exclusive access to the stories behind this 80s symbol that reflects the visionaries who made it a cultural phenomenon. The craftsmanship and innovation poured into this vessel by the Wellcraft team, led by the legendary Don Johnson, have made the Miami Vice boat a timeless masterpiece. Meet the original Wellcraft builders and hear how this custom-built vessel became a game-changer - blending speed, style, and engineering to create a lasting legacy. An Unmatched Opportunity for Media Media professionals are invited to capture live footage, conduct interviews, and immerse their audiences in the allure of the Miami Vice era. This one-day-only event provides a chance to broadcast directly from the boat, offering an unbeatable visual backdrop of Key Biscayne's stunning waters. With its bold design and cultural significance, the Miami Vice filming boat offers endless creative possibilities for content. From exclusive behind-the-scenes insights to its enduring impact on television and boating culture, this is a story your viewers and readers will not want to miss. Ride the Legacy More than a filming prop, the Miami Vice boat became a phenomenon. It reshaped how the world viewed Miami, drawing attention to its vibrant lifestyle and helping position the city as a global hotspot. Today, it continues to inspire nostalgia and admiration. Media outlets have the rare opportunity to connect their audiences to a cultural icon that remains unmatched in style and significance, by joining this historic event. How to Reserve Your Spot This exclusive event is by invitation only and requires advanced registration. Contact Iconic Premier to secure your place and be part of this extraordinary celebration. In the event that individuals are not able to view boat on the 11th it will be in Fort Lauderdale at any time. Lights. Camera. Action. The Boat is Ready - Are You? Don't miss your chance to ride on the vessel that turned heads worldwide. Capture history, connect with legends, and share the story that made Miami Vice and Miami itself the icons of the 80s. Press Contact: David Martino Email: davidmartino@live.com Phone: +1 954-560-2466 https://iconicpremier.world/ SOURCE: ICONIC PREMIER View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Ambience Healthcare, the leading enterprise AI platform for documentation, CDI & coding, and care coordination, today announced an agreement with athenahealth, Inc through the company's Marketplace program. As part of the athenahealth Marketplace, Ambience's AI technology, which recently received a 97.7% Spotlight Report score from KLAS Research in the Ambient AI category*, is now available to athenahealth's growing network of healthcare providers. "Ambience is already live with athenahealth customers across a wide variety of specialties and platform capabilities. We are seeing tangible results across time savings and decreased feelings of burnout for clinicians. By improving CDI and coding accuracy, Ambience also pays for itself without needing to ask clinicians to see more patients," said Mike Ng, CEO and Co-Founder of Ambience Healthcare. "Joining the athenahealth Marketplace represents an exciting milestone in our journey to bring cutting-edge AI technology to even more clinicians throughout the United States." Ambience Healthcare's integration within the athenahealth Marketplace offers healthcare organizations a highly customizable and deeply integrated AI-assisted scribing and coding solution. This includes support for ICD-10 and CPT coding, and streamlined generation of patient-facing after-visit summaries. Ambience has built specialty-specific AI models for 100+ specialties and subspecialties, and implementation of the platform involves customization at both the organization and user level. Additionally, Ambience's Marketplace solution is optimized for both mobile and browser-based use, ensuring clinicians across modalities can leverage its powerful technology. athenahealth is a leading provider of network-enabled software and services for medical groups and health systems nationwide. Its electronic health records, revenue cycle management, and patient engagement tools allow anytime, anywhere access to drive better financial outcomes for practices and enable providers to deliver better quality care. athenahealth's vision is to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all. As a Marketplace partner, Ambience Healthcare joins a community of innovative, like-minded healthcare professionals working to bring best-in-class solutions to the athenahealth provider base. To learn more about Ambience Healthcare's new integrated AI application, please visit Ambience Healthcare's product listing page on the Marketplace. *This report was written with limited data. About Ambience Healthcare The mission of Ambience Healthcare is to supercharge clinicians with breakthrough generative AI technology. Leading health systems and provider organizations across North America partner with Ambience Healthcare to reduce clinician burnout, improve system efficiency, and enable high quality care. Founded in 2020 by Mike Ng and Nikhil Buduma, Ambience is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and has raised $100M in total funding from Kleiner Perkins, OpenAI Startup Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Optum Ventures, Human Capital, Martin Ventures, AIX Ventures, AirTree Ventures, John Doerr, Jeff Dean, Richard Socher, Pieter Abbeel, Anne Wojcicki, Eren Bali, Jay Desai, Nish Bhat, Matt Mochary, and others. To learn more, visit ambiencehealthcare.com. About athenahealth Marketplace The athenahealth Marketplace, the largest EHR app store, is where athenahealth customers find innovative healthcare IT solutions that extend athenahealth products and allow customers to create more personalized experiences to support their organization's specific needs. Customers use Marketplace partner solutions to boost practice efficiency, increase patient satisfaction, and engage patients in their own care. The Marketplace has over 400 solutions across more than 60 medical specialties and capabilities that are seamlessly integrated with athenaOne, athenahealth's network-enabled platform. Learn more at www.athenahealth.com/solutions/marketplace-program. Media Contact: Karina Stabile Aria Marketing for Ambience kstabile@ariamarketing.com (516) 317-5835 SOURCE: Ambience View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Verizon Communications, Inc.(VZ), a telecommunications company, Wednesday announced that the U.S. Coast Guard has awarded an 8-year Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions task order worth up to $66 million over the life of the contract.The initial task order is for 12 months but could be extended for up to 8 years. Verizon will provide a range of services, including Internet protocol services, broadband internet, IP voice service, toll-free service, managed network and security services, contact center services, and the necessary equipment.Under this agreement, Verizon will provide Wi-Fi, phone, data, and other services to the U.S. Coast Guard's C5I office.Verizon will work with the Coast Guard to replace outdated TDM services, introducing solutions like a cellular-based alternative for essential voice communication.It will also include providing Contact Center as a Service and offering secure, software-based solutions for the Coast Guard's call centers with Impact Level-4 security.In the pre-market trading, Verizon is 0.64% higher at $40.66 on the New York Stock Exchange.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. 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. ACE celebrates 2024 milestones in providing master's degrees online, building business partnerships, affirming quality standards and continuing its tuition freeze for an eighth straight year, and plans to continue expanding accessibility and improving efficiency in 2025. American College of Education is celebrating its attainment of new milestones in enrollment, accreditation, partnerships and value in 2024, achievements that position ACE for its 20th year of "Higher Education Done Differently." ACE, founded in 2005, is a national innovator in providing quality, affordable and accredited online graduate degrees, undergraduate degrees, doctorates and certificates in education, leadership, healthcare and business. ACE has adopted "Higher Education Done Differently" as its slogan for the 20th anniversary year. Geordie Hyland, ACE's president and CEO, said the college has earned that description. "ACE is different from the vast majority of American colleges because of our absolute dedication to the value proposition for our students," Hyland said. "We have proved that colleges can provide students with an education that allows them to advance their careers while maintaining their jobs and family life, often without amassing any debt." ACE's message has caught on with students. In 2024, ACE crossed new growth thresholds, with more than 12,000 current students - compared to its initial class of just 24 Chicago schoolteachers at its 2005 founding. Over the last two decades, ACE has produced more than 44,000 graduates. ACE also made 2024 its eighth consecutive year with no increase in tuition charges, demonstrating its continued commitment to provide value to students. Low tuition makes ACE degrees affordable without the need for student loans, as 86% of its students graduate without debt1. Students at ACE receive a strong value proposition and return on the investment in their studies. An independent study found that ACE graduates receive a salary boost of $19.20 in income for every $1 they spend on tuition, salary gains that graduates do not have to spend on repaying loans. ACE reaffirmed its position as an innovative, high-quality education provider in 2024. The college received its 10-year reaccreditation review from the Higher Learning Commission, a respected higher education-accrediting body. ACE also strengthened partnerships with leading institutions in higher education, healthcare, business and K-12 school districts. The quality of ACE's operations and employees was recognized in 2024. For the third consecutive year, ACE received a Top Workplaces USA award from USA Today and Energage, winning 12 workplace culture badges based solely on employee feedback collected via Energage's employee engagement survey. ACE students gave the college an NPS score of 69.5, a score generally recognized as outstanding. Despite those successes, ACE still sees opportunities to improve in 2025, Hyland said. Goals include continued improvements to curriculum and instruction, further improvements to the student value proposition, strong engagement from ACE's faculty and staff, as well as helping to strengthen the human capital of employer partners by providing innovative and bespoke solutions. The college will optimize operations and further leverage artificial intelligence in service of ACE's mission of maintaining affordability and accessibility for students. The college will also invest in belonging and wellness initiatives to help every member of ACE's learning community reach their full potential. "Our goals are the same as they were at our outset two decades ago: We want to create a way for working adults to access truly affordable education that can move their careers forward," Hyland said. "To deliver on that promise, we need to keep pushing the boundaries of higher education so it focuses on the needs of the students. That's how ACE will continue to grow and succeed." For more information, please visit https://ace.edu/ . 1Source: Internal research completed in June 2024 About American College of Education American College of Education (ACE) is an accredited, fully online college specializing in high-quality, affordable programs in education, business, leadership, healthcare and nursing. Headquartered in Indianapolis, ACE offers more than 60 innovative and engaging programs for adult students to pursue a doctorate, specialist, master's or bachelor's degree, along with graduate-level certificate programs. SOURCE: American College of Education View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) is delighted to introduce the Office of the Chairman. The Office of the Chairman serves as a centre of excellence within the St. Kitts and Nevis CIU, bringing a particular focus and expertise on economic growth, customer service and real estate matters. The Office of the Chairman launch comes as the CIU continues its ambitious transformation which includes maintaining its reputation for the highest level of oversight to the Unit, in line with expectations from international partners. Aims of the Office of the Chairman Under the leadership of the Chairman of the Board of Governors, His Excellency Calvin St. Juste, the Office of the Chairman will focus on three broad aims: supporting economic growth, promoting exceptional customer service, and reviewing real estate and development projects. First, the Office of the Chairman supports sustainable economic growth by ensuring the projects deliver intrinsic economic benefit to the country, including through creating opportunities for local workers and local enterprises. Secondly, the Office is tasked with managing the review and approval process for all real estate and development projects approved under the CBI programme, including regulatory compliance across all transactions from minimum investment thresholds to resale criteria in respect of the real estate option. The Office will enlist the support of local and international experts in bringing projects to fruition. The above is underpinned by the Office of the Chairman promoting a culture of exceptional customer service by offering a single point of contact for developers, clients and service providers. The Office therefore assists the Unit in meeting globally recognised standards in development and grants stakeholders both locally and abroad greater confidence in how the Unit does business. All of this is done with the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis' Sustainable Island State Agenda in mind, which will inspire greater confidence and trust in key stakeholders locally. Leadership under the Office of the Chairman Damille James as Executive Director Day to day operations will be led by Mr. Damille James, Board Governor and Executive Director for the Office of the Chairman. Mr. James brings over twenty years of experience in the banking industry to his roles of Executive Director and Board Governor. An experienced finance professional, Mr James has been employed at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) for the past ten years. Under his leadership, the Office of the Chairman will centralise real estate activity into a single unit, streamlining the entire process. It will also assist with escalation management, addressing special issues related to real estate with prompt resolutions. Strengthening Good Governance for the Unit The Office of the Chairman will also deepen the Unit's commitment to good governance and transparency, by conducting regular audits of real estate and PBO transactions. These audits will enhance the already stellar reputation of the Unit. On top of this, the Unit aims to foster a culture of continual quality control, monitoring and review. The Office of the Chairman will encompass the newly established CIU Taskforce. This team provides the bench strength that enables the Office to concentrate its focus around some of the Unit's highest priority projects and initiatives. How the Office of the Chairman benefits all involved in the development of the country The Office of the Chairman is a positive development for everyone involved in the business of real estate and PBO development with St. Kitts and Nevis, from developers, to clients, to local businesses. Developers will be able to enjoy a streamlined process for project approval and redesignation. Clients will enjoy the fruits of premium real estate investment opportunities, top-notch customer service and rapid issue resolution. Local businesses enjoy new jobs and beneficial partnership opportunities on sustainable development projects. By building strategic partnerships with local and international experts, bringing sustainable projects to fruition, and championing best practices that meet the highest global standards, the Office of the Chairman is positioned to shake up the St. Kitts and Nevis development scene for the better. Under the leadership of the Chairman of the Board of Governors, His Excellency Calvin St. Juste, the Office of the Chairman will support economic growth, promote exceptional customer service, and review real estate and development projects. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10480/238820_58ac9ae34404697b_001full.jpg About the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit The St. Kitts and Nevis CIU is internationally renowned for its high-performance culture, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. By launching the Office of the Chairman, the CIU reaffirms its dedication to innovation, good governance, and delivering unparalleled value to investors and citizens alike. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238820 SOURCE: St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global humidity sensor market is expected to be valued at USD 3.44 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 4.64 billion by 2030; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2025 to 2030 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Advances in printed humidity sensors open up new applications in flexible and wearable electronics; High demand for calibrated, high-accuracy humidity sensors with 12C interface for cost-effective, reliable applications; Increasing focus is on compact digital humidity sensors in order to boost efficiency and streamline device design. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=222120714 Browse in-depth TOC on "Humidity Sensor Market" 224 - Tables 66 - Figures 248 - Pages Humidity Sensor Market Report Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2025 $ 3.44 billion Estimated Value by 2030 $ 4.64 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% Market Size Available for 2021-2030 Forecast Period 2025-2030 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Type, Measurement Technique, End-User Industry and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Complex standardization across different industrial sectors Key Market Opportunities Advancements in printed humidity sensors enable innovative applications in flexible and wearable electronics Key Market Drivers Increasing focus on compact digital humidity sensors to enhance efficiency and simplify device design Capacitive type humidity sensor to hold the highest market share during the forecast period. Capacitive humidity sensors have found many applications in many industries due to their high precision and long-time stability. Sensors are built based on a substrate material, mainly ceramic, glass, or silicon, which lies between two electrodes made of metals to create a capacitor. The substrate material, depending on the relative humidity of the environment in which it is placed, will absorb or release water vapor and undergo changes in dielectric properties, which then alters the capacitance of the sensor, whose values are measured for relative humidity. Because the sensors can accurately measure humidity readings from 0% to 100% RH (Relative Humidity), they find application in systems that need absolute control over their environment. This includes pharmaceutical industries, food processing, HVAC applications, and environmental monitoring. All these sectors are dependent on such sensor output for quality of products, processes, and regulations. Further, their long-term stability is much less probable to require recalibration frequently; therefore, these units optimize efficiency. Their strong build makes them perform very well even in harsh environments, such as high temperature and varying humidity conditions. Capacitive sensors will become the core for advanced environmental sensing technologies due to the continuous rising demand for the accurate and reliable measurement of humidity. By measurement technique, absolute segment is projected to grow at a high CAGR of humidity sensor market during the forecast period. The absolute humidity measurement techniques have become all the more important in industrial process monitoring due to their ability to give precise water vapor content independent of temperature variations. It computes the actual mass of water vapor in any given air volume, usually in grams per cubic meter. It represents a more direct measure of moisture content compared to relative humidity. Absolute humidity measurements are very useful in industrial applications, especially in processes where accurate water vapor concentration needs to be maintained for optimal production. Such applications include the pharmaceutical, food processing, and chemical production industries. The method uses highly sensitive sensors that often merge temperature and pressure measurements with moisture measurements to obtain accurate absolute moisture content readings. These systems often employ chilled mirror hygrometers or other specialized polymer-based sensors to detect minute variations in moisture. Absolute humidity monitoring prevents product quality issues, optimizes drying processes to reduce energy consumption, and allows for greater control of chemical reactions where water vapor content is important. Some measurements have been merged into automated industrial control loops used in manufacturing batch processes to ensure product lots are manufactured on time and environment conditions are correctly maintained with automatic real-time compensation. Industrial process control end-use application of humidity sensor market to hold the highest market share during the forecast period. Humidity sensors are employed to measure the level of moisture in a vast array of applications including HVAC, cleanrooms, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and chemical manufacturing. Precise humidity control ensures safety and quality standards while preventing equipment corrosion and product spoilage. Increasing automation and industry 4.0 technologies further spur the demand for advanced sensors such as humidity sensors for real-time monitoring and analytics. Investments in industrial infrastructure, along with integration of IoT-enabled sensors, promote their use in process control applications. Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=222120714 Asia Pacific will account for the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Several interrelated factors are projected to drive Asia's humidity sensor industry to a high CAGR. Industrialization in countries like China, India, and Japan significantly increases the requirement for humidity sensors in manufacturing industries like consumer electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals. Semifabrication facilities and the electronics manufacturing plant, which requires sensitive environmental control, have accelerated sensor adoption. In addition, it is expected to create a significantly high demand from the region focused on automation, smart manufacturing efforts, and increasingly investing in technologies such as the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0. Awareness relating to air and environmental quality continues to increase more in densely inhabited urban areas to implement the HVAC system by integrating humidity sensors. This region has been helped by government regulations requiring industrial environment monitoring and smart city projects. Key Players Key companies operating in the humidity sensor companies are Amphenol Advanced Sensors (Subsidiary of Amphenol Corporation) (US), Honeywell International Inc. (US), Texas Instruments Incorporated (US), Setra Systems (US), Sensirion AG (Switzerland), TE Connectivity (Ireland), Siemens (Germany), Teracom (Sweden), Bosch Sensortec GmbH (Subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH) (US), Schneider Electric (France), and Renesas Electronics Corporation. (Japan) among others. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=222120714 Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports &Consulting Related Reports: Smart Sensors Market by Type (Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Pressure Sensor, Motion & Occupancy Sensor), Technology (CMOS, MEMS), Component (Microcontrollers, Amplifiers, Transceivers), End-User Industry and Region - Global Forecast to 2029 Industrial Sensors Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Growth Analysis Report by Sensor Type (Level Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Gas Sensor, Pressure Sensor, Position Sensor, and Humidity & Moisture Sensor), Type (Contact & non-contact sensors), End-User Industry and Region - Global Forecast to 2029 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/humidity-sensor-companies.asp Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/humidity-sensor.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/humidity-sensor-market-worth-4-64-billion-by-2030---exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302362930.html Sea Freight Forwarding Market is Segmented by Type (Full Container Load (FCL), Less-Than Container Load (LCL)), by Application (Agricultural, Automotive, Beverage, Electronic). BANGALORE, India, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Sea Freight Forwarding market is projected to grow from USD 75380 Million in 2024 to USD 86910 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.4% during the forecast period. Claim Your Free Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-6H2578/Global_Sea_Freight_Forwarding_Market Major Factors Driving the Growth of Sea Freight Forwarding Market: The Sea Freight Forwarding Market is poised for substantial growth, driven by the increasing demand for efficient and cost-effective shipping solutions across global trade networks. The market is characterized by a diverse range of services, including container shipping, bulk freight, and specialized cargo handling, catering to various industries and business sizes. Additionally, the expansion of global trade agreements, the rise of e-commerce, and the growth of key industries like automotive and agriculture further boost the demand for sea freight services. The emphasis on seamless logistics, real-time visibility, and customer-centric solutions positions the Sea Freight Forwarding Market for significant expansion. View Full Report Now! https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-6H2578/global-sea-freight-forwarding TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE SEA FREIGHT FORWARDING MARKET: Less-Than Container Load (LCL) significantly contributes to the growth of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market by providing flexible shipping solutions for businesses with smaller or irregular cargo volumes. LCL allows multiple shipments from different customers to share a single container, optimizing space and reducing shipping costs for each party. This option is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that do not require the full capacity of a container, enabling them to access global markets without the need for large-scale logistics investments. Additionally, LCL services offer greater flexibility in terms of shipment scheduling and frequency, allowing businesses to respond quickly to market demands and inventory needs. The cost-effectiveness and adaptability of LCL shipping foster its adoption among diverse industries, thereby supporting the growth of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market. Full Container Load (FCL) drives the growth of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market by offering efficient and cost-effective shipping solutions for large-volume shipments. FCL allows businesses to transport their goods in dedicated containers, ensuring exclusivity and minimizing the risk of damage or loss. This method is particularly advantageous for industries with high-volume exports and imports, such as electronics, automotive, and consumer goods, as it provides predictable transit times and reduces handling costs. Additionally, FCL enables better space utilization within containers, leading to cost savings and improved logistical efficiency. The scalability of FCL services accommodates the needs of both small businesses and large enterprises, fostering its widespread adoption and contributing significantly to the expansion of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market. The agricultural and automotive industries drive the growth of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market by generating substantial volumes of exports and imports that require efficient shipping solutions. The agricultural sector relies on sea freight to transport bulk commodities such as grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products to international markets, ensuring timely delivery and maintaining product quality. Similarly, the automotive industry depends on sea freight to distribute vehicles, spare parts, and components globally, facilitating just-in-time manufacturing and supply chain efficiency. The continuous expansion of these industries, coupled with increasing global trade activities, creates a high demand for reliable sea freight forwarding services. The essential role of sea freight in supporting the logistical needs of the agricultural and automotive sectors significantly propels the growth of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market. Regulatory compliance is a critical factor driving the growth of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market, as adherence to international and local shipping regulations ensures smooth and lawful operations. Freight forwarders must comply with various regulations related to safety, environmental protection, customs clearance, and trade agreements. Compliance with standards such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations on ballast water management and emission controls helps prevent environmental pollution and maintain sustainable shipping practices. Additionally, adhering to customs regulations and trade policies facilitates faster clearance and reduces delays in cargo delivery, enhancing the overall efficiency of the supply chain. The complexity and variability of regulatory requirements across different regions necessitate the expertise of sea freight forwarders, thereby increasing the demand for professional and compliant forwarding services and supporting market growth. Increasing global trade is a fundamental factor driving the Sea Freight Forwarding Market, as the expansion of international commerce fuels the demand for efficient shipping solutions. The growth of trade agreements, such as free trade agreements and regional trade blocs, reduces barriers to entry and promotes the exchange of goods across borders. The rising economic interdependence among countries and the globalization of supply chains necessitate reliable sea freight services to transport diverse commodities and manufactured products. Additionally, the increasing demand from emerging markets and the expansion of global consumer bases further amplify the need for scalable and flexible sea freight forwarding services. As global trade continues to grow and evolve, the Sea Freight Forwarding Market is set to expand in tandem, driven by the sustained demand for international shipping solutions. Capacity constraints and infrastructure development are crucial factors influencing the Sea Freight Forwarding Market. The availability of port facilities, container storage, and efficient transportation networks directly impacts the ability of freight forwarders to manage and transport goods effectively. Investments in expanding port capacities, upgrading terminal operations, and enhancing connectivity with inland transportation networks enable freight forwarders to handle larger volumes and reduce congestion-related delays. Additionally, the development of advanced logistics hubs and multimodal transportation systems facilitates smoother transitions between different modes of transport, improving overall efficiency and reliability. Addressing capacity constraints through infrastructure development ensures that the Sea Freight Forwarding Market can meet the growing demand and support the seamless movement of goods globally. Environmental sustainability is an increasingly important factor driving the Sea Freight Forwarding Market, as the shipping industry faces growing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint. Freight forwarders are adopting eco-friendly practices, such as using low-sulfur fuels, optimizing vessel routes, and implementing energy-efficient technologies, to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and comply with environmental regulations. The demand for sustainable shipping solutions is driven by both regulatory requirements and consumer preferences for environmentally responsible practices. Additionally, the rise of green logistics and carbon-neutral shipping initiatives encourages freight forwarders to invest in sustainable technologies and processes. The emphasis on environmental sustainability not only helps in preserving marine ecosystems but also enhances the reputation and competitiveness of sea freight forwarding companies, thereby driving market growth. The growing e-commerce sector is a significant driver of the Sea Freight Forwarding Market, as the surge in online retail activities increases the demand for efficient and reliable shipping solutions. The exponential growth of e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, Alibaba, and Shopify, leads to higher volumes of small and medium-sized shipments that require flexible sea freight forwarding services. Additionally, the rise of cross-border e-commerce necessitates robust international shipping networks and streamlined logistics processes to ensure timely delivery and customer satisfaction. The increasing consumer expectations for fast and affordable shipping options further boost the demand for sea freight forwarding services that can handle high volumes and provide cost-effective solutions. Claim Yours Now! https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-6H2578&lic=single-user SEA FREIGHT FORWARDING MARKET SHARE Global Sea Freight Forwarding key players include Kuehne + Nagel, DHL Group, Sinotrans, DB Schenker Logistics, GEODIS, etc. The global top five manufacturers hold a share of about 35%. Europe is the largest market, with a share of about 35%, driven by its strategic location, strong industrial base, and extensive maritime networks. It is followed by North America and China, both with a share of about 20 percent. The region's extensive port infrastructure and strong trade relationships further bolster its market leadership. In terms of product, LCL is the largest segment, with a share of about 50%. And in terms of application, the largest application is Automotive, followed by, Agricultural, Electronic, Beverage, etc. Key Companies: Kuehne + Nagel DHL Sinotrans DB Schenker Logistics GEODIS Panalpina DSV Bollore Logistics Expeditors Dachser Nippon Express CEVA Logistics Pantos Logistics Agility Logistics Hellmann Damco KWE Hitachi Transport UPS Supply Chain Sankyu Kerry Logistics Logwin CJ Korea Express C.H. Robinson Yusen Logistics NNR Global Logistics Dimerco Toll Holdings Pilot Freight Services Purchase Chapters: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-6H2578/global-sea-freight-forwarding/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! - Freight Audit and Payment Service Market - Freight Forwarding Management System Software Market was estimated to be worth USD 386.7 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 670.1 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Freight Forwarding market was valued at USD 386.7 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 559.6 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Airfreight Forwarding Market - Freight Forwarding Software Market revenue was USD 386.7 Million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 820 Million by 2029 with a CAGR of 11.2% during the review period (2023-2029). - Ocean Freight Forwarding market size is projected to reach USD 206360 Million by 2027, from USD 125200 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.4% during 2021-2027. - Freight Wagon Maintenance and Repair Market - Medical Freight Trucking Market - Freight Scanners Market - Online Freight Forwarder Market - Air Freight Pallet Market DISCOVER OUR VISION: VISIT ABOUT US! 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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/sea-freight-forwarding-market-growth-forecast-full-container-load-fcl--less-than-container-load-lcl-to-propel-market-value-to-usd-86-91-billion-by-2030--valuates-reports-302363403.html 11 net new LifeSphere customers, 57 customer go-lives, and expanded adoption of NavaX BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ArisGlobal, an innovative technology company at the forefront of life sciences and creator of LifeSphere, today announced 2024 as a landmark year, marked by notable customer growth, a record-breaking number of global implementations, and creation and deployment of next-generation technologies as part of LifeSphere NavaX. Customer Acquisition and Expansion LifeSphere Safety and Regulatory platforms leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance workflows, boost efficiency, and lower costs, with more organizations embracing these solutions. ArisGlobal reports significant customer growth throughout 2024, including: 11 net new, top tier pharma LifeSphere customers, added January through December; 91 customers expanded their business, demonstrating continued success in leveraging LifeSphere solutions; Strong customer growth in the Asia Pacific region; 40% YoY increase in new customers in APAC. Also in 2024, ArisGlobal announced its 'Most Valued Customer' program to continue forging deeper customer experiences with its most strategic customers. Members gain exclusive benefits, including premium support, early access to new features, input on product innovation, and invitations to ArisGlobal industry events. Steve Nuckols, Chief Customer Officer, stated, "Our 2024 growth reflects the tangible ROI our solutions deliver for customers worldwide. By actively listening to our customers and continuously enhancing our offerings, we're driving satisfaction and innovation. Additionally, our success in APAC showcases our commitment to expanding in key markets and meeting the unique needs of our clients globally." Global Implementations and Consulting Success ArisGlobal experts excel in planning, implementing, and deploying cloud-based solutions for users across the globe, achieving a notable 23% YoY increase in total LifeSphere go-lives. With customers having confidence in LifeSphere, ArisGlobal saw impressive go-live momentum, including: 57 total go-lives across Safety and Regulatory; 14 total go-lives in APAC, representing a 40% YoY increase; Implementations for three of the Top 10 global pharmaceutical companies. Raj Hattarki, Chief Operating Officer, remarked, "Our ability to provide end-to-end support before, during, and after LifeSphere implementations is a cornerstone of our success. Backed by deep life sciences expertise, we help organizations scale and meet complex challenges. This approach ensures our clients' success and underscores the trust they place in us to deliver results." Product Innovation ArisGlobal invested in product innovation at an unprecedented pace throughout 2024. The company launched, built, and deployed LifeSphere NavaX, a next generation cognitive computing engine to expedite R&D IT digitization by leveraging advanced technologies like Large Language Models (LLM) and Generative AI (GenAI). Since the launch, the company has introduced advanced products and features across LifeSphere Safety and Regulatory offerings bringing customers over 50% efficiency gains with 90% accuracy. These solutions are system-agnostic, modular in nature, and can be implemented rapidly, within three to six months, including: Advanced Intake - The industry's most advanced solution for automating the collection of safety data; revolutionizing the traditional approach to adverse event case intake with the application of Dynamic Data Extraction and Narrative Generation technologies. Advanced Signals - Achieve unmatched speed, precision, and accuracy in signal detection, while gaining insights needed to act with confidence and proactively prevent safety issues. Literature Intelligence - Leverage Dynamic Data Extraction for literature intake and assessment, purpose-built to automate workflows for increased efficiency and data accuracy. Health Authority Interactions - Provides Regulatory teams with speed and accuracy to avoid late Health Authority responses; enhances clarity for better decision making, while improving quality, compliance, and insights via the application of Narrative Generation technology. Regulatory Intelligence - Improves efficiency in capturing, processing, and distribution of regulatory intelligence reducing non-compliance risks and improving decision-making through automation; leverages Dynamic Data Extraction. Today, four global pharmaceutical companies have adopted LifeSphere NavaX, affirming its value in transforming Safety, Regulatory, and Medical Affairs workflows. This achievement highlights NavaX's role in advancing pharmacovigilance processes. Additionally, in 2024, ArisGlobal launched a first-of-its-kind GenAI Council and CXO Connect forums, in February and August 2024 respectively. These initiatives provide a collaborative platform for pharma executives and industry leaders to explore and shape the future of R&D; they foster meaningful discussion on the practical applications of GenAI in life sciences. Ann-Marie Orange, CIO and Global Head of R&D, shared, "Our focus is on delivering technology that directly addresses the challenges our customers face. With NavaX, we're deploying practical, scalable innovations that matter most to our clients. Our commitment to strategic technology application ensures we're enabling real-world results in a rapidly evolving industry." Looking Ahead ArisGlobal's 2024 accomplishments set the stage for continued progress and innovation in 2025. The company remains steadfast in its mission to empower life sciences organizations with solutions that drive efficiency, regulatory compliance, and better patient outcomes. Aman Wasan, CEO of ArisGlobal, concluded, "The life sciences industry is navigating increasing R&D costs, heightened regulatory demands, and outdated workflows. ArisGlobal is committed to solving these pressing challenges with smart, impactful use of technology to unlock and deliver benefits via LifeSphere NavaX. As we look ahead, we'll continue to drive the advancements that position our customers for success and transform the future of life sciences." About ArisGlobal ArisGlobal, an innovative life sciences technology company and creator of LifeSphere, is transforming the way today's most successful life sciences companies develop breakthroughs and bring new products to market. Headquartered in the United States, ArisGlobal has regional offices in Europe, India, Japan, and China. For more updates, follow ArisGlobal on LinkedIn or visit arisglobal.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1510670/ArisGlobal_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/arisglobal-announces-significant-customer-growth-and-unprecedented-product-innovations-in-2024-302363430.html Company Proudly Marks 25th Anniversary in Seattle Whittier Trust, the oldest multi-family office headquartered on the West Coast, celebrates two major milestones in 2025: 60 years of service to the Pacific Northwest and the 25th anniversary of our Seattle office. Our legacy in the Pacific Northwest began in the 1960s with founder Paul Whittier's vision and passion for the region. With a rich history and an enduring commitment to clients, Whittier Trust has been a trusted partner to generations of families and local community organizations throughout Puget Sound. "As we celebrate six decades in the Pacific Northwest and 25 years since opening our Seattle office, we are immensely proud of our rich history and enduring commitment to our clients and the region's future," says David Dahl, President and CEO of Whittier Trust. "We look forward to upholding our dedication to excellence and delivering tailored wealth management, family office and trust services for generations to come." The Whittiers were visionaries who recognized the potential of the Pacific Northwest. Their passion for the region's natural beauty initially led them to Goudge Island in British Columbia, which they purchased in the mid-1960s, and then to the San Juan Islands, where they dedicated themselves to philanthropic endeavors. Today, Whittier Trust's support of local organizations--including the Friday Harbor Airport, Seattle's Museum of Flight, San Juan Airlines, Shuttle Express and the San Juan Community Theater--continues to leave a lasting impact on the community. The Whittier Trust team remains actively engaged in supporting these vital entities. "Paul Whittier's vision to expand our family office, wealth management and trust services to multi-generational families in the Puget Sound region--anchored by the values of duty, loyalty and commitment--continues to inspire us as we build on our strong foundation," says Nickolaus Momyer, Northwest Regional Manager, Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Whittier Trust. "We are proud to honor the Whittier Family's legacy by delivering innovative solutions and personalized service to our clients." To view a timeline commemorating the Whittier family's legacy and Whittier Trust's impact throughout the region, click here . Beyond its impact in the Pacific Northwest, Whittier Trust is globally recognized by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) as one of the top five multi-family offices in the world. The company has also been named one of Washington's 100 Best Workplaces by the Puget Sound Business Journal, underscoring the company's dedication to cultivating a positive, productive work environment that empowers its team to exceed client expectations. Throughout this year, Whittier Trust will host several events and programs to deepen relationships with clients, their families and the local community. Follow Whittier Trust on LinkedIn to learn more about these initiatives and how the company plans to honor this commemorative year. About Whittier Trust Collectively, Whittier Trust Company and The Whittier Trust Company of Nevada, Inc. (referred to herein individually and collectively as "Whittier Trust") are state-chartered trust companies wholly owned by Whittier Holdings, Inc. ("WHI"), a closely held holding company. As the oldest multi-family office headquartered on the West Coast, Whittier Trust isn't just a financial institution, it's a trusted partner with a long, rich history of successfully navigating the financial markets to preserve, protect and enhance its clients' wealth and well-being across generations. Whittier Trust operates with the singular focus of providing holistic, top-tier client service and highly personalized investment solutions to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families designed to advance and secure their long-term financial legacies and goals. The firm has offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Menlo Park, Newport Beach, West Los Angeles, Reno, Seattle and Portland. To learn more, visit http://www.whittiertrust.com . Contact: Brandi J. Fields Whittier Trust Email: BFields@whittiertrust.com SOURCE: Whittier Trust View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire CoreX expands global coverage of the ServiceNow ecosystem through a definitive agreement to acquire a leader in the Latin America and EMEA Markets, complete with a ServiceNow Center of Excellence in Guadalajara. CoreX, a next-generation ServiceNow consultancy and a NewSpring Holdings platform company, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the businesses of Volteo Digital, an Elite ServiceNow partner. This acquisition will bolster CoreX's team, adding over 100 talented ServiceNow consultants and significantly enhance its presence in Latin America and EMEA, including a Center of Excellence in Guadalajara, Mexico, that will be leveraged across the platform. "The ServiceNow ecosystem is experiencing unprecedented demand for digital workflow transformation," said Rick Wright, the CEO of CoreX. "Volteo Digital's deep roots in Latin America and Europe, combined with their elite technical talent and proven track record serving Financial Services and Telecommunications clients, immediately establishes CoreX as a major player in these markets. The acquisition is about more than geographic expansion it's about bringing together two innovative organizations to create a differentiated, scaled, and industry-first consultancy in the ServiceNow space." The strategic combination will dramatically expand CoreX's global delivery capabilities and strengthen its position in key growth markets across the Americas. Volteo Digital's established go-to-market and delivery operations in Mexico, Costa Rica, the US, and Spain create a world-class delivery model that enables 24/7 support for global enterprises. The Guadalajara Center of Excellence, already recognized as a top player in the North Latin America market in customer satisfaction, provides a springboard for regional expansion while supporting clients worldwide. "The North Latin America market represents one of ServiceNow's fastest-growing regions, and the combination of CoreX and Volteo Digital creates a uniquely positioned partner to serve this dynamic market," said Enrique Upton, President General Manager, North Latin America, ServiceNow. "Volteo Digital's Center of Excellence in Guadalajara has set the standard for ServiceNow delivery excellence in our region, and together with CoreX's innovative approach to business transformation, they will help accelerate digital transformation for our customers across Latin America." Founded in 2013, Volteo Digital brings vast experience in complex ServiceNow implementations, including CMDB/CSDM, ITOM, Customer and Field Service Management and Industry Solutions. Their highly regarded NextGen Program has developed specialized expertise in emerging technologies while consistently achieving one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry. "Latin America represents a massive growth opportunity for ServiceNow solutions," said Fernando Gordoa, CEO of Volteo Digital. "Bringing together Volteo Digital's regional knowledge and established delivery capabilities with CoreX's strategic vision, executive leadership team, and investment backing creates an organization poised to capture this market opportunity. Our Center of Excellence in Guadalajara will be the foundation for this expansion, allowing us to scale our talent pool and delivery capabilities across the globe." The combined organization will leverage Volteo Digital's status as an official ServiceNow Talent Placement Partner and its successful NextGen Program to accelerate the hiring and training of ServiceNow professionals throughout Latin America and across the US and Europe. This talent pipeline will be crucial as CoreX continues its rapid growth trajectory. "This acquisition marks a powerful move forward in strengthening our global partner ecosystem at ServiceNow," said Paul Fipps, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales at ServiceNow. "By combining CoreX's industry-first approach to business transformation with Volteo Digital's deep expertise and strong presence across Latin America and Europe, we're forming a powerful partnership to better address our customers' global digital transformation needs. Together, we're strategically positioned for growth and success in key industries, including Manufacturing, Life Sciences, and Financial Services." The acquisition is expected to close in Q1 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. The combined company will maintain Volteo Digital's operations in Mexico, Costa Rica and Spain, with plans for significant expansion across all locations. About CoreX Founded in 2023, CoreX is on a mission to fix siloed, manual processes: empowering customers and bringing the ServiceNow-connected, workflow-driven promise to business operators in the middle- and back-office functions of the core operations of global enterprise. CoreX's global transformation leaders and unique mix of deep industry and functional experience-coupled with unparalleled ServiceNow know-how-accelerates customer journeys in Operational Technology ("OT"), Finance Supply Chain Solutions, ITOM, ITAM, UX, SecOps and human-centered AI. As a NOW Store Innovator, CoreX leads in ServiceNow OT integrations and AI-enabled solutions. Learn more at www.corexcorp.com. About Volteo Digital Founded in 2013, Volteo Digital is an Elite ServiceNow Partner renowned for maintaining one of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry. With a global presence and a ServiceNow Center of Excellence in Guadalajara, Volteo Digital delivers comprehensive expertise across CMDB/CSDM, ITOM, CSM, FSM, and Finance Supply Chain Solutions, with particular strength in the Financial Services, Telecommunications, Higher Education, and Professional Services industries. About NewSpring Holdings NewSpring Holdings, NewSpring's majority investment strategy focused on sector-specific platform builds, brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and resources to take profitable, growing companies to the next level through acquisitions and proven organic methodologies. Founded in 1999, NewSpring partners with the innovators, makers, and operators of high-performing companies in dynamic industries to catalyze new growth and seize compelling opportunities. The Firm manages over $3.5 billion across five distinct strategies covering the spectrum from growth equity and control buyouts to mezzanine debt. Partnering with management teams to help develop their businesses into market leaders, NewSpring identifies opportunities and builds relationships using its network of industry leaders and influencers across a wide array of operational areas and industries. Visit NewSpring at www.newspringcapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129125560/en/ Contacts: Phil LeClare CoreX PR 617-209-9406 Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Everyday People Financial Corp. (TSXV: EPF) (OTCQB: EPFCF) ("Everyday People" or the "Company"), a financial service provider, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to further settle an additional $4.0 million in debt owed to EAM Enterprises Inc. ("EAM") through the issuance of common shares (the "Debt Settlement"). This debt was originally advanced by the Company's Executive Chairman, Gordon Reykdal, through his family's business, EAM, playing a critical role in supporting Everyday People during its early development stages. Once again, this initiative reflects the Company's ongoing efforts to enhance its financial position by reducing liabilities and preserving cash to support operational needs and drive strategic growth, particularly in its Revenue Cycle Management ("RCM") business pillar. "Gordon's decision to convert this debt into equity underscores his confidence in the Company's future and aligns his interests even further with those of our shareholders," said Barret Reykdal, Co-CEO Financial Services. "We are deeply grateful for Gordon's continued belief in our mission and his willingness to further invest in the Company's success. His leadership has been instrumental in building a strong foundation for Everyday People, and we look forward to continuing this journey together." Debt Settlement Details As disclosed in the Company's consolidated financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2024, the Company was indebted to EAM in the amount of $5.4 million. As of December 31, 2024, the Company is indebted to EAM in the amount of approximately $6.2 million. The Company will further issue an aggregate of 3,636,364 common shares (the "Settlement Shares") to EAM at a deemed price of $1.10 per common share to further settle the outstanding indebtedness in the amount of $4.0 million, reducing the indebtedness to approximately $0.2 million. The Settlement Shares will be issued as a non-arm's length transaction, as EAM is a Company controlled by Gordon Reykdal, Executive Chairman and Director of the Company. As of December 31, 2023, EAM together with Gordon Reykdal owned 20.2% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, and currently 18.7%. Upon completion of the Debt Settlement and the debt settlement previously entered into on January 17, 2025, EAM together with Gordon Reykdal will hold 22.7% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. The Debt Settlement will not result in the creation of a new control person or insider of the Company. This Debt Settlement and the prior debt settlement entered into on January 17, 2025, are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). If approved by the TSXV, EAM together with Gordon Reykdal will own 22.7% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. The Settlement Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV. Related Party Transaction Disclosure The issuance of the Settlement Shares to EAM constitutes a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, as provided in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, since the fair market value of the Settlement Shares issued, and the consideration paid, does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Debt Settlement was reviewed and approved by the Company's independent directors. About Everyday People Financial Corp. Everyday People is founded on the belief that everyone deserves a second chance to financially reestablish themselves with access to affordable credit products. We are changing the way people manage money by enhancing our client services with our own affordable and specialized financial products and literacy programs. We're helping everyday people rebuild their financial health for generational wealth. Operating in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of America, we have a workforce of about 500 people and our operations were first established in 1988,The company includes two main pillars of business: one pillar, EP Revenue Cycle Management operates under our Co-CEO RCM, Graham Rankin, and one pillar, EP Financial Services operates under our Co-CEO Financial Services, Barret Reykdal. We stand for creativity and entrepreneurship. Our combination of companies, products and services has been established to ensure we can fulfill consumers' financial needs and service them in a low-cost and effective manner. For more information visit: www.everydaypeoplefinancial.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to hereafter as "forward-looking statements") under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to financial performance, results of operations, integration of the acquired businesses, and the business, plans, strategy and operations of the Company. 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. Such factors include, but are not limited to, expectations and assumptions concerning the Company and the acquired businesses as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Disclaimer This news release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities described in this news release have not been registered under the U.S. 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 (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended) absent registration or an exemption from registration. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which where such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238845 SOURCE: Everyday People Financial Corp. The annual pitch competition champions photonics innovation in healthcare and deep tech On 28 January, at a ceremony during SPIE Photonics West, Max-IR Labs was announced the winner of the $10,000 top prize at the 15th annual SPIE Startup Challenge. Its AquaCarbon Monitor is set to facilitate carbon credits with precise CO2 monitoring in water systems. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129824145/en/ Jenoptik's Ralf Kuschnereit, Max-IR Lab's Trey Daunis, and 2025 SPIE President Peter de Groot. (Photo: Business Wire) Photosynthetic B.V. and its Volumetric Micro-Lithography product which enables the rapid production of complex 3D devices with submicron features, received $5,000 for second place. OptiCardio came in third, winning $2,500 with their spectroscopy-enabled device for real-time guidance to reduce the recurrence rate of ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation. The SPIE Startup Challenge, a pitch competition held annually by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, showcases new businesses, products, and technologies that address critical needs by utilizing photonics in the areas of healthcare and deep tech. This year's seven finalists included innovations in medical applications, environmental monitoring, and manufacturing. "Our participation in the SPIE Startup Challenge has been really great for putting me into the mindset of seeking investments and talking to investors," said Max-IR Labs Vice President of Technology Trey Daunis about winning the competition. "I especially found a lot of value in the mentoring sessions that we did before the presentations, which were really helpful. Being one of the winners feels pretty good, and the money will come in handy as we move forward with our business plan." "Being part of the SPIE Startup Challenge is a great opportunity and we really appreciate being here," noted second-place winner Photosynthetic B.V. CEO Alexander Kostenko. "I think it's a very relevant stage, and we had good sessions with the judges who listened critically to our pitch, and gave us very good, tough-love feedback." "As a fresh graduate PhD student I just defended last fall I feel so encouraged to be part of the SPIE finals," added OptiCardio Co-founder and CEO Haiqiu Yang. "It's definitely surprised me, and it's super encouraging. It's also given me the motivation to continue our business. And being part of the Challenge was a really good chance to connect with others and get professional feedback from the judges. I believe that will be super helpful moving forward as well." The 2025 SPIE Startup Challenge was supported by Founding Partner Jenoptik, Lead Sponsor Hamamatsu, and Supporting Sponsors Luminate and Thorlabs. The competition judges who vetted the applicants for their business models, financial cases, and competitive advantages included JenoptikVicePresident Marc Grahl; Hamamatsu Ventures Principal Robert Warren; Edmund Optics Senior Director of Global Strategic Marketing Agnes Hubscher; Launch Team President Michele Nichols; Advancing Photonic Technologies Director Christine Galib; and ams OSRAM Senior Director and Head of Product Line Automotive Vital Signs Markus Arzberger Light-based technologies enable developments in a proliferating number of areas, from healthcare and high-speed communications to quantum computing, AR/VR/MR, and self-driving vehicles. The annual SPIE Startup Challenge provides a distinctive and vibrant platform for optics and photonics startups from across the globe that are creating novel products, applications, and technologies. Startup Challenge winners that have gone on to wider commercial success include Cellino Biotech, Double Helix Optics, PhotoniCare, C. Light Technologies, Circle Optics, and In A Blink. About SPIE SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, we have invested more than $25 million in the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. www.spie.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129824145/en/ Contacts: Daneet Steffens Public Relations Manager daneets@spie.org +1 360 685 5478 @spie.org Regulatory News: Under the liquidity agreement between Legrand (Paris:LR) and BNP Paribas, the following assets were held in the liquidity account at December 31st, 2024: 57,866 shares - 23,451,644 In the second half of 2024, it has been negotiated a total of: Number of executions on buy side on semester: 6,969 - Number of executions on sell side on semester: 7,540 - Traded volume on buy side on semester: 752,522 shares for 73,233,013 - Traded volume on sell side on semester: 753,029 shares for 73,528,358 Recap: At the previous statement date (June 30th, 2024), the following assets were held in the liquidity account: 58,373 shares - 23,156,299 In the first half of 2024, it has been negotiated a total of: Number of executions on buy side on semester: 7,045 - Number of executions on sell side on semester: 7,637 - Traded volume on buy side on semester: 721,634 shares for 67,928,635 - Traded volume on sell side on semester: 690,067 shares for 65,137,336 When the agreement was first put in place, the following assets were held in the liquidity account: 90,346 shares - 19,880,644 Date Buy Sell Quantity Number of executions Traded volume Quantity Number of executions Traded volume 01/07/2024 2 700 47 255 601,98 2 700 25 257 379,93 02/07/2024 5 000 41 464 345,00 5 942 75 553 631,00 03/07/2024 2 300 49 217 407,96 2 350 28 222 389,90 04/07/2024 2 700 21 256 662,00 2 700 26 256 852,08 05/07/2024 7 500 109 709 698,75 6 200 52 587 544,86 08/07/2024 3 750 27 351 775,13 3 750 21 352 234,88 09/07/2024 7 250 78 674 761,13 1 500 22 139 882,95 10/07/2024 4 450 52 410 131,14 5 090 54 470 100,18 11/07/2024 2 700 52 251 424,00 4 700 56 440 504,21 12/07/2024 5 500 60 524 383,75 6 500 64 621 905,70 15/07/2024 7 250 75 695 949,98 4 950 71 475 440,08 16/07/2024 7 000 70 665 725,20 9 000 92 858 357,90 17/07/2024 15 200 136 1 445 901,52 10 200 141 974 879,28 18/07/2024 11 050 98 1 029 306,40 12 000 106 1 120 137,60 19/07/2024 3 750 32 350 100,00 4 950 54 462 979,94 22/07/2024 3 700 35 350 994,95 23/07/2024 5 000 43 473 395,00 6 450 60 612 691,95 24/07/2024 5 000 63 474 855,00 4 250 80 403 925,10 25/07/2024 13 000 132 1 208 100,40 10 250 92 953 250,00 26/07/2024 1 740 16 160 669,16 5 200 49 484 378,96 29/07/2024 3 750 33 350 950,13 3 750 58 351 375,00 30/07/2024 5 250 18 488 650,05 6 200 94 579 890,96 31/07/2024 800 5 78 991,68 19 500 84 1 927 370,25 01/08/2024 20 228 222 1 983 260,33 8 282 106 819 093,94 02/08/2024 13 750 102 1 300 725,25 05/08/2024 10 000 75 907 969,00 10 000 93 910 167,00 06/08/2024 20 075 160 1 821 444,90 20 075 274 1 823 853,90 07/08/2024 10 000 126 930 151,00 08/08/2024 3 750 38 346 200,00 3 750 41 346 324,88 09/08/2024 2 000 36 186 453,40 3 700 30 345 564,09 12/08/2024 2 500 37 232 375,00 2 500 31 233 140,75 13/08/2024 1 250 11 116 525,00 2 750 33 257 596,90 14/08/2024 1 000 9 94 168,00 3 500 36 330 123,85 15/08/2024 1 755 17 166 635,32 6 250 77 596 106,25 16/08/2024 4 000 49 384 604,80 2 546 24 244 952,70 19/08/2024 1 600 17 153 536,96 3 600 36 346 750,92 20/08/2024 3 200 39 309 960,00 700 8 68 159,00 21/08/2024 3 300 37 320 769,90 4 800 30 467 543,04 22/08/2024 1 700 5 166 771,02 1 700 20 167 111,53 23/08/2024 4 350 54 427 212,20 6 200 68 611 111,06 26/08/2024 1 250 16 123 825,00 2 700 22 268 793,10 27/08/2024 3 750 33 371 950,13 28/08/2024 3 700 36 367 940,95 29/08/2024 2 500 23 247 475,00 3 742 40 373 609,14 30/08/2024 2 450 23 246 707,41 2 450 27 247 567,60 02/09/2024 3 200 30 322 929,92 4 700 33 476 154,18 03/09/2024 12 200 141 1 232 215,86 2 200 14 225 254,92 04/09/2024 6 250 42 618 425,00 6 250 47 620 300,00 05/09/2024 6 250 61 615 575,00 5 000 37 494 704,00 06/09/2024 9 000 78 875 594,70 6 500 59 635 291,15 09/09/2024 3 700 47 360 337,82 10/09/2024 4 950 41 484 677,77 4 950 52 486 147,92 11/09/2024 3 700 21 369 704,00 12/09/2024 3 000 30 304 500,00 5 000 27 513 700,00 13/09/2024 3 950 55 401 869,84 3 950 36 403 237,33 16/09/2024 2 450 35 249 947,53 3 007 25 308 088,50 17/09/2024 4 500 40 465 044,85 18/09/2024 2 500 22 257 875,00 19/09/2024 3 700 33 384 010,05 20/09/2024 3 750 33 389 374,88 1 050 22 109 620,00 23/09/2024 3 450 24 355 424,87 5 700 59 590 072,55 24/09/2024 11 250 68 1 150 200,00 11 250 147 1 158 552,00 25/09/2024 6 005 51 621 674,83 6 760 83 701 953,67 26/09/2024 3 500 29 372 750,00 3 700 37 395 054,92 27/09/2024 10 500 71 1 103 556,30 7 000 80 736 785,70 30/09/2024 7 250 51 753 333,00 5 000 50 521 624,00 01/10/2024 7 250 79 746 936,33 6 950 75 717 727,20 02/10/2024 5 100 40 520 243,86 5 100 55 521 292,93 03/10/2024 6 250 60 633 437,50 3 750 43 381 221,63 04/10/2024 3 538 23 357 264,41 4 488 52 454 015,95 07/10/2024 5 250 38 530 624,85 5 250 57 531 432,30 08/10/2024 1 500 20 152 400,00 1 500 19 152 650,05 09/10/2024 350 1 35 682,50 3 700 32 380 554,99 10/10/2024 6 250 35 644 312,50 500 2 51 662,50 11/10/2024 2 000 21 205 375,00 4 000 30 412 280,00 14/10/2024 1 700 16 176 715,00 2 700 25 281 534,94 15/10/2024 14 750 110 1 533 014,70 11 750 124 1 222 709,70 16/10/2024 5 000 26 510 712,50 7 250 70 750 475,05 17/10/2024 2 750 22 289 309,08 9 932 55 1 050 004,09 18/10/2024 3 250 31 344 657,95 3 250 33 346 364,85 21/10/2024 2 500 16 264 937,50 2 500 27 265 428,00 22/10/2024 6 250 44 658 125,00 4 500 50 474 300,00 23/10/2024 6 250 72 652 125,00 6 250 68 653 687,50 24/10/2024 3 000 25 313 397,40 3 000 20 313 965,00 25/10/2024 2 300 17 240 609,90 3 000 22 314 439,90 28/10/2024 2 250 13 236 587,50 3 200 24 337 434,88 29/10/2024 4 450 39 467 642,94 786 11 83 466,99 30/10/2024 1 500 13 155 925,00 2 750 19 286 925,10 31/10/2024 5 000 27 516 625,00 2 500 25 259 250,00 01/11/2024 10 000 61 1 047 218,00 04/11/2024 2 090 24 218 570,95 1 470 11 153 930,02 05/11/2024 4 250 21 445 223,20 4 250 24 446 507,55 06/11/2024 6 950 48 734 442,64 6 950 43 739 152,66 07/11/2024 16 250 124 1 586 775,13 12 000 147 1 183 495,20 08/11/2024 2 150 18 210 836,10 5 150 45 505 791,80 11/11/2024 5 184 41 516 607,37 12/11/2024 21 400 195 2 103 363,20 7 500 95 738 375,00 13/11/2024 4 750 42 460 999,85 4 700 32 457 874,94 14/11/2024 4 950 29 487 694,79 7 750 79 767 326,73 15/11/2024 21 250 222 2 091 875,50 6 250 52 617 367,50 18/11/2024 2 850 26 277 458,05 2 850 44 277 900,08 19/11/2024 22 000 133 2 120 289,60 5 000 70 482 370,00 20/11/2024 10 000 91 958 950,00 24 700 170 2 385 950,84 21/11/2024 11 000 106 1 044 699,70 11 500 124 1 094 444,65 22/11/2024 9 500 105 913 319,55 9 500 65 914 375,00 25/11/2024 10 900 126 1 054 197,86 8 400 73 813 358,56 26/11/2024 5 000 44 475 750,00 3 750 43 357 000,00 27/11/2024 21 250 164 1 995 081,75 21 250 181 1 996 832,75 28/11/2024 5 250 64 495 720,23 5 250 14 497 250,08 29/11/2024 7 625 81 717 309,68 9 000 117 848 934,90 02/12/2024 8 250 69 774 905,18 16 750 214 1 584 414,33 03/12/2024 5 750 94 545 898,68 4 750 38 452 144,90 04/12/2024 2 913 36 277 040,57 8 250 74 789 129,83 05/12/2024 8 750 50 839 222,13 6 500 68 625 069,90 06/12/2024 5 750 63 552 884,35 7 250 72 697 974,90 09/12/2024 7 500 78 726 285,00 7 500 76 727 799,25 10/12/2024 8 500 96 819 139,90 5 250 64 507 114,83 11/12/2024 3 532 59 338 361,36 10 250 111 987 469,63 12/12/2024 11 250 117 1 082 925,00 3 250 39 313 899,95 13/12/2024 6 750 104 645 549,75 5 250 38 504 130,20 16/12/2024 7 500 86 711 375,00 5 750 60 545 887,75 17/12/2024 4 500 49 425 680,20 5 250 56 498 149,40 18/12/2024 425 8 40 179,50 8 250 82 785 899,95 19/12/2024 31 250 262 2 932 625,00 21 250 266 1 999 023,63 20/12/2024 7 125 46 662 737,58 7 125 99 663 375,98 23/12/2024 5 000 46 468 025,00 5 000 55 469 055,00 24/12/2024 2 250 22 211 095,00 2 250 22 211 529,93 27/12/2024 2 000 20 187 305,00 2 000 22 187 900,00 30/12/2024 6 250 58 583 575,00 31/12/2024 2 921 33 271 706,16 7 750 69 724 104,98 KEY FINANCIAL DATES: 2024 annual results: February 13, 2025 "Quiet period1" starts: January 14, 2025 2025 first-quarter results: May 7, 2025 "Quiet period 1 " starts: April 7, 2025 "Quiet period " starts: April 7, 2025 General Meeting of Shareholders: May 27, 2025 ABOUT LEGRAND Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for residential, commercial, and datacenter markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. The Group harnesses technological and societal trends with lasting impacts on buildings with the purpose of improving life by transforming the spaces where people live, work and meet with electrical, digital infrastructures and connected solutions that are simple, innovative and sustainable. Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing a strategy of profitable and responsible growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings that include products with enhanced value in use (energy and digital transition solutions: datacenters, digital lifestyles and energy transition offerings). Legrand reported sales of 8.4 billion in 2023. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component stock of the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG and CAC SBT 1.5 indexes. (code ISIN FR0010307819). https://www.legrandgroup.com The reader is invited to verify authenticity of press releases by Legrand with the CertiDox app. More information on www.certidox.com 1 Period of time when all communication is suspended in the run-up to the publication of results. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129715229/en/ Contacts: INVESTOR RELATIONS FINANCIAL COMMUNICATION Ronan MARC (Legrand) +33 1 49 72 53 53 ronan.marc@legrand.com PRESS RELATIONS Lucie DAUDIGNY (TBWA) +33 6 77 20 71 11 lucie.daudigny@tbwa-corporate.com Green Leaf Innovations, Inc. (OTC PINK:GRLF), a leading distributor of premium handmade cigars & accessories, today announces significant progress in its 2025 expansion strategy, securing partnerships with 12 new key independent cigar retailers carrying some of our brands. This strategic move positions the company for substantial growth and enhanced profitability, aligning with our commitment to maximizing shareholder value. Green Leaf Innovations' curated portfolio of premium brands, including EL MAGO, MAL.CRI.AO, EL CUBANO, COCOA (MGE Antalya), CUBANACAN, MEDEROS, TABACALERA SERRANO are known for its exceptional quality and craftsmanship. This expansion into select independent cigar shops across the United States represents a direct-to-consumer strategy, enhancing brand visibility and maximizing the reach of our high-quality Nicaraguan cigars to a broader and more engaged enthusiast base. "These strategic partnerships reflect our commitment to driving sustainable growth and enhancing shareholder value," stated Roberto Mederos, CEO. "These 12 key retailers represent a prime distribution channel for our premium brands and provide us with a crucial opportunity for market penetration. Strong sales growth through these partnerships is a key factor in our projected Q1 2025 financial performance." The 12 partner stores are strategically located and are recognized for their high standards of customer service and expertise in the cigar industry. This network will provide critical distribution channels, contributing to enhanced market penetration and sales growth in the upcoming quarter. Details on the individual store locations and anticipated financial contributions are available below. Blythewood Cigar and Wine bwoodcigarandwine.com Afterburner Cigar Lounge Afterburner Cigar Lounge - 506 West Front Street Lillington, NC 27546 The Cigar District The Cigar District Castle Cigars Castle Cigars - Cigars,Premium,Game Room,Lounge, Cigars, Lounge Tinder Box Tennessee Locations | Tinder Box TN Cigar Room II & Bar 52 Cigar Room 2 | Cigar Retailer & Cigar Lounge | Agawam Bee Hive Cigars Home | Beehive Cigars David's Fine Tobaccos HOME - David's Fine Tobacco Black Box Cigar Club Black Box Cigar Club Elements Cigar Lounge elementscigarlounge.net La Fumme Cigar Lounge lafumeecigars.com Havana Phil's Cigar Company Havana Phil's Cigar Company, Greensboro Davidoff Appointed Merchant The successful execution of this expansion initiative reinforces Green Leaf Innovations' focus on building strong, long-term partnerships with premium retailers. This approach is expected to drive significant revenue growth and operational efficiencies, ultimately improving profitability and creating greater shareholder value in the coming months. Preliminary projections for Q1 2025 revenue are expected to reflect a strong positive trend driven by this new partnership initiative. A detailed financial outlook will be provided in the upcoming quarterly shareholder report. About Green Leaf Innovations, Inc. Green Leaf Innovations, Inc., a Florida corporation, is an emerging growth company engaged in the Marketing and Distribution of handmade premium cigars. The company strategically imports and exclusively distributes some of the best known premium cigar brands in the Market created by the Mederos family a Third generation Cigar maker with Robert Mederos at the helm who has owned and operated handmade cigar operation in Nicaragua and the US for over 20 years with a rich family history in the craft dating back to the 1800s Cuba, brands such as CUBANACAN, MEDEROS and TABACALERA SERRANO. In addition to it the company also distributes packaged whole leaf Tobacco to cigar lounges, smoke shops, C-stores and vape shops across the United States and soon International Markets. Additional information can be found on our websites http://www.greenleafinnovation.com or follow us on Twitter For more information, press only: Phone number: (800) 303-6268 Email: info@greenleafinnovation.com Safe Harbor Statement: The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing various engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, and various other factors beyond the Company's control. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Leading HR solutions provider recognized for its innovative business acuteness and human resource practices Vensure Employer Solutions (Vensure), a leading provider of HR/HCM technology, is proud to announce it has been named one of the 2024 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the nation by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR). The winning companies were assessed by an independent research firm, which reviewed several key measures relative to other nationally recognized winners. The categories applicants were scored on include Compensation; Benefits and Employee Solutions; Creative Wellness and Wellbeing Solutions; Employee Enrichment, Engagement and Retention; Employee Education and Development; Recruitment and Selection; Employee Achievement and Recognition; Communication and Shared Vision; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Work-Life Blend; Community Initiatives and Corporate Responsibility; and Leadership, Strategy and Company Performance. "We're thrilled to be recognized by the NABR for our exceptional employment practices," said Alex Campos, CEO of Vensure Employer Solutions. "Here at Vensure, we are not only committed to providing our clients with the most innovative HR solutions, but also ensuring we prioritize our own employees' wellbeing as well." With over 25 years of experience conducting the Best and Brightest competitions, the NABR has identified numerous best human resource practices and provided benchmarking for companies that continue to be leaders in employment standards. The ten to one ratio of the program demonstrates that the winning companies are truly innovative in their employee engagement execution. To view the complete list of 2024 winners, visit https://nationalbiz.org/winners/. About Vensure Employer Solutions Vensure Employer Solutions is the largest privately held organization in the HR technology and service sector, providing a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, including HR/HCM technology, managed services, and global business process outsourcing (BPO). The company and its service providers collectively serve over 141,000 businesses and process over $159B in annual payroll. As a "One Employer Solution" headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Vensure helps thousands of businesses streamline and grow their operations with custom strategies that benefit both employers and employees. Find out more by visiting vensure.com. About the National Association for Business Resources' Best and Brightest Programs The National Association for Business Resources offers an array of recognition programs that celebrate excellence in various aspects of business, including workplace culture, wellness initiatives, and leadership. These programs include the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Best and Brightest in Wellness, Best and Brightest CEOs and Leadership Teams which are presented in several markets that include Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, Nashville, New England, New York, Northern California, Pacific Northwest, Southern California, South Florida, West Michigan and Nationally. Nominations are now being accepted for all programs. Visit https://nationalbiz.org/ to obtain an application. ### Media Contacts: Owen Serey Mower, on behalf of Vensure oserey@mower.com SOURCE: Vensure Employer Solutions View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Today, KeyBank, a Fortune 500 company with regional headquarters in Tarrytown NY, celebrated the opening of its newest branch office located at 1 North Main Street, Port Chester NY, with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by bank leaders, local business owners and community partners. "Opening this branch has been a journey that started more than a year ago with a vision to expand our presence in Westchester County and bring our exceptional banking services and community-focused values to Port Chester," said KeyBank Regional Retail Executive Louis Hoxha. "It is exciting to be in the beautiful Main and Port residential community in the heart of a vibrant business and retail district." Hoxha went on to say "Westchester County is an important part of our Hudson Valley/Metro NY market and New York is the largest state we do business in -- in fact, the roots of KeyBank go back 200 years to Albany NY. This new branch is a meaningful symbol of our continued commitment to this region." Village of Port Chester Trustee and Deputy Mayor Phil Dorazio offered congratulatory remarks, saying how important it is to have a local bank in the community. "I'm a small business owner, and Port Chester thrives on our small businesses. To have KeyBank here in this beautiful new building means a lot to our village." Dorazio went on to say "Even before the doors opened and there was still brown paper on the windows, the people of KeyBank were already out in our community, sponsoring and attending events, and meeting people and businesses in the neighborhood. The fact that they have staffed this branch with Latinos and Spanish-speaking bankers to help this heavily Spanish community, which is the backbone of our village, is a real plus." Port Chester Village Manager and Chamber of Commerce board member Stuart Rabin echoed Trustee Dorazio's remarks. "North Main Street and Westchester Avenue are very important to the Village and are areas that we are revitalizing for a new tomorrow. It is so exciting to have KeyBank here in this cornerstone piece of property in our downtown center. We wish you the best of luck here." The celebration included the presentation of a $10,000 community grant to Port Chester-based Project Morry, a nonprofit that provides academic enrichment, leadership development, and a residential summer learning experience for children grade fourth through twelve. KeyBank's fund will help support the organization's College and Career Readiness Program, guiding more than 150 economically disadvantaged students from 8th grade through their first year after high school graduation. Project Morry Executive Director Dawn Ewing accepted the grant, saying "We are so thrilled to be welcoming KeyBank to the Port Chester community. Their clear goal of not only supporting the work of the local nonprofits like Project Morry, but truly being a part of the community itself separates them from so many other institutions. We look forward to being their partner as they begin their time here in Port Chester." KeyBank's new 3,975 square foot full-service branch will provide clients with a full range of financial products and services, including personal and business banking, investment solutions, and mortgage lending. The facility will include state-of-the-art banking technology, a walk-up ATM, metered parking in front of the branch and free nearby parking, and a gathering room available for use by community groups upon request. This newest location represents KeyBank's continued commitment to enhancing access to comprehensive financial services for individuals, families and businesses throughout the Westchester and Hudson Valley region. Doors opened to the public on Monday, January 27th. ABOUT KEYCORP In 2025, KeyCorp celebrates its bicentennial, marking 200 years of service to clients and communities from Maine to Alaska. To learn more, visit KeyBank Heritage Center. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at December 31, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit?https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC. ### CONTACT: Karen Crane | Regional Communications Manager | 203-789-2752| karen_crane@keybank.com KeyBank Branch Manager Jeffrey Almanzar (center with scissors) cuts the ribbon on the bank's newest branch at 1 Main Street Port Chester, NY at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held January 29, 2025. Photo credit: Erin Borzellino Photography View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: KeyBank Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: KeyBank View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - DOWZE, a prominent name in lifestyle innovation, has launched a sleek, efficient teeth-whitening product designed to meet the demands of busy individuals aged 18 to 45. In its announcement, the company notes that DOWZE delivers simplicity, convenience, and impactful results for those seeking a brighter smile without disrupting their fast-paced routines. DOWZE To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10926/238673_7acc5dc714a45963_002full.jpg Catering to young professionals, students, influencers, and anyone who values self-care, DOWZE blends seamlessly into everyday schedules, offering a streamlined solution to oral care. This launch reflects the company's dedication to creating products that enhance confidence and well-being while addressing the evolving needs of modern consumers. A Revolutionary Approach to Oral Care The launch of DOWZE unveils how it stands out as more than a product; it's a thoughtfully designed experience. By combining cutting-edge technology with user-focused design, DOWZE delivers an at-home teeth-whitening solution that's both effective and enjoyable. Key features include: Effortless Integration: DOWZE is crafted for individuals with demanding schedules, requiring just 10 minutes a day for noticeable results. Empowered Confidence: Beyond aesthetics, the product is aimed at boosting self-assurance, allowing users to feel their best in any setting. Modern, Minimalist Design: The product's sleek and compact design ensures ease of use while complementing contemporary lifestyles. "DOWZE reflects our belief that self-care should be both practical and transformative," said Monica Smith, DOWZE PR manager, "We wanted to create a solution that not only delivers visible results but also fits effortlessly into the lives of our customers." Addressing the Needs of a Diverse Audience According to the company, DOWZE is designed to resonate with a wide range of individuals: Young Professionals: Perfect for those juggling work, social lives, and personal care, DOWZE offers a quick yet effective way to enhance their smile. Students: With academic pressures and busy schedules, students can benefit from DOWZE's time-efficient approach to oral care. Influencers: For those in the spotlight, DOWZE provides a reliable solution to maintain a photo-ready smile. Self-Care Advocates: DOWZE aligns with the values of individuals who prioritize health, appearance, and confidence. Innovation Rooted in Simplicity DOWZE's introduction underscores the commitment of the company to innovation that enhances everyday routines. The product is designed to eliminate the complexity often associated with teeth whitening, providing users with a straightforward and effective solution. By focusing on convenience and results, DOWZE meets the expectations of a modern, fast-moving audience. "Our goal was to develop a product that feels intuitive and impactful from the moment you use it," added Smith. "We're excited to see how DOWZE empowers our customers to feel more confident and in control of their self-care journey." Commitment to Quality and User Experience DOWZE's development is rooted in extensive research and attention to customer feedback. Recognizing the challenges associated with traditional teeth-whitening products, the company prioritized ease of use and efficiency in its design. From the first use, customers can expect a smooth experience, reflecting the company's dedication to delivering products that simplify and elevate daily routines. Additionally, DOWZE has undergone rigorous testing to ensure safety and effectiveness. By adhering to high-quality standards, the product offers consumers peace of mind alongside its benefits. "Our commitment to quality extends beyond the product itself," noted Smith. "We strive to offer comprehensive support and ensure that every customer feels confident in choosing DOWZE." A Focus on Empowerment Through Self-Care In an era where self-care has become integral to overall well-being, DOWZE embodies the idea that even small changes can have a significant impact. The product's sleek design and efficient results are tailored to help users feel more empowered, confident, and ready to tackle their daily challenges. "DOWZE isn't just about whitening teeth," Smith emphasized. "It's about helping people feel good about themselves and encouraging them to prioritize self-care in a way that fits their lifestyle." A New Era in Oral Care DOWZE isn't just a teeth-whitening solution; it's a lifestyle upgrade. With its user-friendly design and focus on empowerment, DOWZE reimagines oral care for individuals who demand more from their self-care routines. By making teeth-whitening quick, effective, and enjoyable, the company aims to set a new standard in the industry. To learn more about DOWZE and explore how it can transform one's smile with minimal effort, visit https://dowze.com. Experience the simplicity and confidence that DOWZE brings to one's daily routine. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238673 SOURCE: Brand Featured The "European Directory of Defence Industries 2025" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The European Directory of Defence Industries is the most comprehensive and accurate database of companies and executives throughout Europe and those senior defence officials that oversee the purchasing of everything from vehicles, communications equipment, and clothing, to electronics, parts and ordnance. Assisting defence contractors to identify new opportunities throughout this region, this Directory covers thousands of companies providing invaluable comprehensive business information on these companies and their leaders in this industry. Additionally, the Directory lets you contact those senior officials responsible for defence procurement from the executive leadership and military and civilian defence and national security agencies down through the service branches. The Directory also gives you names, ranks, areas of responsibility, and contact information. Company entries in this Directory typically provide the following: Name and address Phone, fax numbers, email and website addresses Names of senior management and board members Description of business activities Products and services Brand names and trademarks Subsidiaries and associates Number of employees Financial information Import/export markets Government Defence entries in this Directory typically provide: Contact details for procurement military officers and defence officials including name, rank, title, email, website, addresses, and phone and fax nos. Procurement and logistics officials Intelligence and national police officials Senior officers in the tactical army, air force, and navy commands. and much more! The European Defence Industries Directory has been mainly compiled to assist professionals with market research, strategic planning, as well as contacting prospective clients. It is also an indispensable guide to all of Europe's defence industries, key corporate executives and defence, and law enforcement officials responsible for procurement. This powerful Directory is your connection to key decision-makers in Defence throughout Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Whether you are a product manager, in charge of marketing, or simply interested in remaining in touch with the latest developments in European Defence opportunities, this Directory will save you time and effort in finding the up-to-date business information and opportunities that you need. This directory is indexed in ways to make searching quick and easy. Indexes are listed alphabetically by country, alphabetically by company name and by business activity. For more information about this directory visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/llrage 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/20250129761214/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 Taranis Resources Inc. ("Taranis" or the "Company") (TSX.V:TRO)(OTCQB:TNREF) has filed a new Notice of Work ("NoW") permit application to explore a recently-identified area of opportunity on the Thor Property. The application was submitted on January 28, 2025 and consists of five drill sites strategically located along an existing access road to the project. Taranis already holds an existing 5-year MYAB permit to conduct exploration which was submitted August 30, 2023 and issued in March of 2024. Although some of the planned drill holes can be drilled from the existing permitted area, they are most efficiently and safely drilled from the existing access road to Thor. Drilling from the access road will reduce the total number of meters drilled and minimize environmental impact due to significantly reduced surface disturbance. We are genuinely excited about the prospect of having this permit issued quickly (before the summer of 2025), considering Premier Eby's recent comments on exploration and mine permitting. John Gardiner, President and CEO of Taranis states, "At the last day of the Association of Mineral Exploration (AME) Roundup in Vancouver, Premier David Eby reportedly acknowledged that the NDP government of British Columbia is not doing enough to grow the economy of the province, specifically in natural resource development. Premier Eby further acknowledges that his government's "hyper-focus" on First Nations reconciliation has been to the detriment of mining exploration. Premier Eby said "We need to grow our economy, we need to expedite permits, we need get to metals and minerals out of the ground, and that is one of the reasons why we emphasize the reconciliation work". Mr. Gardiner continues "Exploration expenditures in British Columbia have dropped nearly 50% since 2022 per Natural Resources Canada, despite a push for exploration and mining companies to find and produce more critical minerals. Taranis has noted that in the same timeframe, the British Columbia government has doubled its expenditures on government agencies that regulate exploration and mining in the province. We hope that Premier Eby's comments are reflective of a genuine desire in British Columbia to issue exploration permits in a more expeditious fashion. Taranis' directors hope to be able to report that Premier Eby's comments have been made in good faith and that a permit has been issued inside of the expectations outlined to the industry". About Taranis and Thor Taranis Resources is a Canadian mineral exploration company. The Thor Project is in southeast British Columbia. The Thor property is 100% owned by Taranis resources Inc. and consists of 27 fee-simple Crown Grant Mining Claims located over the Thor epithermal deposit, and 5,445 Ha of Mineral Tenures located over prospective areas in the historic Silver Cup mining district. Qualified Person Exploration activities at Thor were overseen by John Gardiner (P. Geo.), who is a Qualified Person under the meaning of Canadian National Instrument 43-101. John Gardiner is a principal of John J. Gardiner & Associates, LLC which operates in British Columbia under Firm Permit Number 1002256. Mr. Gardiner has reviewed and approved the comments contained within this News Release. For additional information on Taranis or its 100%-owned Thor project in British Columbia, visit www.taranisresources.com Taranis currently has 100,348,854 shares issued and outstanding (113,827,227 shares on a fully-diluted basis). TARANIS RESOURCES INC. Per: John J. Gardiner (P. Geo.), President and CEO For further information contact: John J. Gardiner 681 Conifer Lane Estes Park, Colorado 80517 Phone: (303) 716-5922 Cell: (720) 209-3049 johnjgardiner@earthlink.net 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 News Release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from expected results. SOURCE: Taranis Resources, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire OG BRANDS Expands Global Leadership Team to Drive International Growth and Innovation OG BRANDS, the powerhouse behind the Israeli online beauty retail platform OH! GLOW, is reinforcing its global marketing and sales strategy with a series of strategic appointments. With a focus on strengthening its presence in key international markets, OG BRANDS is proud to announce the addition of two new executives to its leadership team: Meital Ashbel as VP of International Marketing and Miri Kopman as VP of Marketing and Managing Director for Asia. Strategic Growth and Market Expansion The newly enhanced marketing leadership team now consists of four senior executives, spearheading OG BRANDS' global growth initiatives in 2025. Under the leadership of June Shor, VP of Marketing and Managing Director of Israeli operations, and Andrew Rosenberg, VP of Business Development and Sales, the additions of Ashbel and Kopman mark a significant step in expanding the company's reach, particularly in the Asian market. Meital Ashbel, bringing over 22 years of expertise in senior marketing roles across B2B and B2C sectors, will focus on digital transformation and enhancing OG BRANDS' customer experience through technology-driven strategies. Her primary mission includes expanding the OH! GLOW platform's operations in Israel while aggressively penetrating the Asian beauty market, particularly in Hong Kong. Miri Kopman, with 15+ years of experience in business development and international sales, will lead the Hong Kong division, strengthening OG BRANDS' foothold in the dynamic Asian beauty industry. Kopman will oversee both online and offline brand sales, ensuring that Western beauty brands gain prominence in key Asian markets. These appointments complement the recent addition of Andrew Rosenberg as VP of Business Development. His role focuses on driving OG BRANDS' international expansion by fostering strategic partnerships and introducing premium Western brands to both the Asian and Israeli markets. OH! GLOW: Bridging the Gap Between Western and Asian Beauty Markets As a leading platform in the beauty and wellness industry, OH! GLOW curates high-quality personal care products, making Western beauty brands accessible to consumers in Israel and Asia. Through advanced technology, expert-driven content, and stringent quality control processes, OH! GLOW ensures a seamless shopping experience tailored to beauty enthusiasts worldwide. CEO Statement: Driving the Future of OG BRANDS Dana Zilberstein, Co-owner and CEO of OG BRANDS, expressed enthusiasm for the company's continued expansion, stating: "We are thrilled to welcome Meital and Miri to the OG BRANDS family. Their expertise and strategic vision will play a crucial role in our ongoing growth. Together with our leadership team, we are dedicated to strengthening our market presence, delivering innovative beauty solutions, and shaping the future of the industry." With a reinforced leadership team and a clear strategic roadmap, OG BRANDS is set to accelerate its international expansion, bringing top-tier beauty brands to a global audience. About OG BRANDS OG BRANDS is a leading international beauty distribution company specializing in the import and sale of premium cosmetics and personal care products. With a strong presence in Israel and Hong Kong, the company operates OH! GLOW, a cutting-edge online retail platform connecting consumers with the best Western beauty brands. CONTACT: OG BRANDS LTD info@ogbrands.global https://ogbrands.global/ SOURCE: OG BRANDS LTD View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Strategic collaboration combines ServiceNow's leading AI and workflow automation capabilities and SoftwareOne's licensing consultancy to optimize and de-risk IT investments, and accelerate digital transformation ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), the AI platform for business transformation and SoftwareOne Holding AG (SWON:SWX), a leading global software and cloud solutions provider, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership to transform IT modernization in the cloud. In the first phase of the partnership, the companies will launch a joint offering for customers that combines ServiceNow's leading workflow automation capabilities with SoftwareOne's software and cloud expertise. This will help maximize customers' ROI of software and cloud spend, enabling reinvestment in innovation and optimizing IT operations. Through the partnership, customers will be enabled to accelerate innovation, enhance operational efficiency, and unlock new growth opportunities. This will allow them to gain IT asset visibility, manage the rising costs of software, and build a solid data foundation to support AI, security, and modernization initiatives. It will improve employee and customer experiences by delivering end-to-end solutions that automate and optimize platform services. In addition, this approach maximizes ROI and ensures an intuitive user experience, making it easier for employees to perform their tasks efficiently thus, being quicker and better for clients which drives their satisfaction. "Enterprises navigating cloud-first strategies face the challenge of modernizing applications to maximize the value of existing software and hardware investments. SoftwareOne has been a proud ServiceNow Elite partner for years, helping our joint customers unlock the value of their software, cloud, and technology investments," said Raphael Erb, CEO at SoftwareOne. "This strategic partnership represents a natural progression in our shared mission to help organizations digitally transform while optimizing their IT ecosystems. The newly released offering will drive savings and growth for customers at a time of rapid transformation, when cost savings and consolidation matter more than ever." "As businesses navigate economic uncertainty, the need to reduce costs while maintaining momentum is more critical than ever," said Erica Volini, SVP Global Partnerships and Channels at ServiceNow. "Our partnership with SoftwareOne is strategically designed to help organizations manage these pressures and deliver lasting value even in challenging times. This collaboration emphasizes both companies' commitment to customer-centric innovation, operational excellence, and measurable business impact. It underscores our shared commitment to empower customers to unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth at scale." SoftwareOne supports customers globally in gaining visibility into their IT estate, resource consumption, costs and risks, while automating time-consuming processesAs a ServiceNow Elite partner since 2017 with key competencies and over 350 ServiceNow certifications, SoftwareOne's expertise in particular focuses on Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH), the Netherlands, UK, France and North America. Its capabilities were further strengthened by the acquisition of Beniva Consulting, a provider of professional services for the implementation of the ServiceNow platform. About SoftwareOne SoftwareOne is a leading global software and cloud solutions provider that is redefining how organisations build, buy and manage everything in the cloud. By helping clients to migrate and modernize their workloads and applications and in parallel, to navigate and optimise the resulting software and cloud changes SoftwareOne unlocks the value of technology. The company's ~9,300 employees are driven to deliver a portfolio of 7,500 software brands with a presence in over 60 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, SoftwareOne is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SWON. Visit us at www.softwareone.com SoftwareOne Holding AG, Riedenmatt 4, CH-6370 Stans About ServiceNow ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is putting AI to work for people. We move with the pace of innovation to help customers transform organizations across every industry while upholding a trustworthy, human centered approach to deploying our products and services at scale. Our AI platform for business transformation connects people, processes, data, and devices to increase productivity and maximize business outcomes. For more information, visit: www.servicenow.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250129143564/en/ Contacts: Media Contact Johanna Fritz press@servicenow.com Arras Minerals Corp. (TSX-V:ARK)(OTCQB:ARRKF) ("Arras" or "Arras Minerals" or "the Company") is pleased to announce additional drill results from its initial drill program on its Elemes project in Northeast Kazakhstan. Drilling has intersected wide zones of near surface gold mineralization at the Berezski East Target, and several gold-bearing veins at the K-Ozek Target adjacent to the porphyry-style copper-gold mineralization intersected at the Bereszki Central Target reported by the company in its news release on January 15, 2025. The Elemes project is in the Bozshakol-Chingiz Magmatic arc and is 61 kilometres Southeast of Kaz Mineral's Bozshakol Copper Mine ("Bozshakol"). The Bozshakol mine commenced operations in 2016 and in FY2023 produced 105,000t copper "Cu" & 115,000 oz gold "Au" per annum at US$0.95/lb Cu (net) cash costs. Reported reserves are 1.003Bt @ 0.33% Cu & 0.13 g/t Au. Highlights EL24004: 304.8 m of mineralization grading 0.54g/t gold-equivalent ("AuEq") (0.45 g/t Au, 0.07 % Cu starting from 1.2m depth; including: 194.8 m grading 0.69 g/t AuEq (0.59 g/t Au, 0.08% Cu) starting at 1.2m 138.8 m grading 0.89 g/t AuEq (0.78 g/t Au, 0.09% Cu) starting at 1.2m 86.8m grading 1.10 g/t AuEq (0.92 g/t Au, 0.10% Cu) starting at 1.2m 37.8m grading 1.50 g/t AuEq (1.35 g/t Au, 0.13% Cu) starting at 1.2m Deeper zone returned 50m @ 0.45 g/t AuEq (0.36 g/t Au, 0.08% Cu) from 210m depth. EL24008: returned 128 m ofmineralizationgrading 0.10g/t AuEq (0.06 g/t Au, 0.03 % Cu) starting at 182 m. Including: 12 m grading 0.20 g/t AuEq (0.14 g/t Au, 0.04% Cu) starting at 232 m & 8 m grading 0.19 g/t AuEq (0.12 g/t Au, 0.05% Cu) starting at 232 m. EL24009: 2 m of mineralization grading 1.55 g/t AuEq (1.51 g/t Au, 0.02 % Cu) starting from 99 m. Tim Barry, CEO of Arras Minerals noted, "We're very excited with these new results from Elemes, particularly with drillhole EL24004 intersecting a thick zone of continuous gold mineralization starting from surface. Most notably, it encountered 194.8 meters grading 0.69 g/t AuEq, including a higher-grade interval of 37.8 meters grading 1.50 g/t AuEq. This mineralization is hosted in altered and locally brecciated propylitic altered diorites containing 1-3% pyrite and pervasive quartz magnetite veining. This hole has significantly advanced our understanding on the controls on gold mineralization at Berezski East and suggests that it may host a significant open pitable gold deposit. We're also very pleased with hole EL24009 that explored the K-Ozek target and intersected several gold-bearing quartz veins suggesting that this target has excellent potential to host multiple high-grade low sulphidation epithermal veins." Figure 1. Arras Minerals Elemes Project & additional project portfolio located in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan Figure 2. Molybdenum "Mo" soil anomaly map highlighting the locations of drill holes completed by Arras in 2024. The map also shows the location of the K-Ozek trenches, with results previously announced by Arras in July 2023. The geological section line between drill holes EL24001 and EL24004 shown in this news release, is also displayed as the dashed line A-A'. Figure 3. Arsenic and Copper soil anomaly map highlighting the locations of drill holes completed by Arras in 2024. The map also shows the location of the Soviet-era K-Ozek trenches, with results previously announced by Arras in July 2023. The geological section line between drill holes EL24001 and EL24004 shown in this news release, is also displayed as the dashed line A-A'. Darren Klinck, President of Arras Minerals commented, "Results from the Elemes Phase 1 drill program continue to deliver positive results with the most recent hole EL24004 at Berezski East demonstrating broad zones of gold mineralization. This is encouraging and highlights the significant potential for both copper and gold that exists at Elemes." Table 1. Summary results from holes EL24004, EL24008 and EL24009 Hole ID Intersection Interval Au Cu Ag Mo CuEq AuEq From (m) To (m) (m) (g/t) (%) (g/t) ppm (%) (g/t) EL24004 1.20 306.00 304.80 0.46 0.07 0.4 3 0.49 0.54 Including 1.20 196.00 194.80 0.59 0.08 0.4 3 0.63 0.69 That Includes 1.20 140.00 138.8 0.78 0.09 0.4 3 0.81 0.89 And Includes 1.20 106.00 104.80 0.92 0.09 0.3 3 0.94 1.02 And Includes 1.20 88.00 86.80 0.99 0.10 0.3 3 1.01 1.10 And Includes 1.20 39.00 37.80 1.35 0.13 0.3 4 1.37 1.50 And Includes 210.00 260.00 50.00 0.36 0.08 0.3 3 0.41 0.45 EL24008 182.00 310.00 128.00 0.06 0.03 0.4 3 0.09 0.09 Including 232.00 244.00 12.00 0.14 0.04 0.7 5 0.18 0.14 EL24009 60.00 64.00 4.00 0.17 0.01 0.2 4 0.17 0.17 & 97.00 101.00 4.00 0.83 0.01 0.5 3 0.78 0.85 Including 99.00 101.00 2.00 1.50 0.02 1.4 4 1.42 1.51 Notes: Copper Equivalent ("CuEq") grades reported for the drill holes at Elemes were calculated using the following formula: CuEq % = Copper (%) + (Gold (g/t) x 0.9167) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0100) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 4.2857).AuEq grades reported for the drill holes at Elemes were calculated using the following formula: AuEq g/t = Gold (g/t) + (Copper (%) x 1.090858) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0109) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 4.6751). Assumptions used for the copper and gold equivalent calculations were metal prices of US$3.50/lb. Copper, US$2,200/oz Gold, US$24/oz Silver, US$15/lb. Molybdenum, and metallurgical recoveries were assumed to be 100%. Table 2. Drill-hole locations Hole_lD Coordinates (UTM) Azi Dip Hole depth (m) Easting Northing RL EL24004 506963 5712788 227 083 -64 450.0 EL24008 507427 5714317 235 285 -72 323.4 EL24009 508124 5715387 235 295 -45 175.0 Drill-Hole Summaries Drill hole EL24004 was designed to test a small Cu in soil anomaly, and to provide additional information on the exploration target identified from historic drilling. The hole was drilled to 450m depth. The hole was collared in strongly argillic altered Diorites and at 30m depth passed into propylitic altered diorites. Mineralization is represented predominantly by veins of quartz and quartz-pyrite occasionally carrying chalcopyrite. Pyrite and chalcopyrite dissemination is in traces if any. Magnetite and quartz-magnetite veins and veinlets are prevailing almost through the entire drill hole. Drill hole EL24008 was drilled to explore a coincident geochemical (Cu/Mo soil), magnetic and IP anomalies. The hole was drilled to 323.4m depth, and intersected polymictic andesite breccia cut by several feldspar-andesite dykes. Alteration is dominated by argillic-phyllic alteration that is by depth gradually weakening and transiting to Propylitic (chlorite-hematite) alteration. Mineralization is mainly pyrite in dissemination up to 2% through entire core and 5% in the interval from 113m to 200m. Veining is weak locally moderate carbonate-pyrite and pyrite veins. Drill hole EL24009 was designed to test an area where Arras has mapped and sampled several Au-Ag-rich low sulphidation quartz veins. The hole was drilled to 175m and was collared in argillic altered Andesite and from 21.5m continued through phyllic/argillic altered diorite with alteration getting weaker by depth with remanent Propylitic alteration. Mineralization was mainly narrow zones of veining and silicification and disseminated pyrite. Figure 4. Plan map, showing 2024 drill-hole locations, overlain on copper soil anomaly, Elemes Project. Figure 5. Cross-section looking NE showing key intercepts in drill-holes EL24001 and EL24004. The cross-section demonstrates a strong porphyry-epithermal style of alteration hosting consistent mineralization. 1.0 Km distance between drill holes EL24004 and EL24001 K-Ozek Trenches: The gold-silver-tellurium mineralization at K-Ozek is hosted in a zone of quartz veining (individual veins between 0.5 to 1 m width), that display typical low sulphidation textures including crustiform banding, euhedral crystal infill of vein voids, and bladed textures (quartz after calcite) (Figure 7 below). A zone of strong silicification and argillic (kaolinite-illite-quartz) alteration surrounds the quartz veins. Table 3. Grab samples with over 5.0 g/t Au from the K-Ozek target Figure 6. Plan map of the K-Ozek target showing location of drill-hole EL24009, mapped veins and grab sample locations. Figure 7. Samples from the K-Ozek epithermal veins from historic soviet trenches, K-Ozek target, Elemes project. Figure 8. Drill core photos from hole EL24004 showing lithology, vein styles and mineralization. Elemes Project: Drilling commenced in September 2024 and the Phase 1 program was completed in late December 2024. This program of approximately 4,000 meters of diamond drilling has generally focused on priority targets at Berezski Central, Berezski East, Q-Gorka and K-Ozek targets. These targets were identified following two field seasons of comprehensive exploration work at the Elemes Project, including airborne magnetic and Pole-Dipole Induced Polarization geophysical surveys, as well as extensive soil sampling and mapping. In addition, some historical drill holes from the Berezski East and Q-Gorka targets were re-assayed with those results reported in January 2024 (see Arras new releases January 8 & 22, 2024). QUALITY ASSURANCE, QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALIFIED PERSON Lengths are drill intersections and not necessarily true widths. True widths cannot be calculated at this time due to the unknown geometry of the mineralization. Drill intersections have been independently selected by Arras Minerals. Drill composites have been independently calculated by Arras Minerals. The geological interpretations in this news release are solely those of the Company. The locations and distances highlighted on all maps in this news release are approximate. Historical holes Bz6 & Bz20 shown in Figure 5 were re-assayed and reported in the Company's news release January 22, 2024. Bz5 also shown in Figure 5 was not re-assayed but is included in the figure for completeness. The scientific and technical disclosure for this news release has been prepared under supervision of and approved by Matthew Booth, Vice President of Exploration, of Arras Minerals Corp., a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101. Mr. Booth has over 19 years of mineral exploration experience and is a Qualified Person member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (CPG 12044). On behalf of the Board of Directors "Tim Barry" Tim Barry, MAusIMM CP(Geo) Chief Executive Officer and Director INVESTOR RELATIONS: +1 604 687 5800 info@arrasminerals.com Further information can be found on: the Company's website https://www.arrasminerals.com or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arrasminerals or follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/arrasminerals About Arras Minerals Corp. Arras Minerals Corp. is a Canadian exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in northeastern Kazakhstan, including the Option Agreement on the Beskauga copper and gold project. The Company has established the third-largest license package in the country prospective for copper and gold (behind Rio Tinto and Fortescue). In December 2023, the Company entered into a strategic alliance with Teck Resources Limited ("Teck") in which Teck may sole fund a US$5 million generative exploration program over a portion of the Arras Minerals license package in 2024-2025. The Company's shares are listed on the TSX-V under the trading symbol "ARK" and on the OTCQB under the trading symbol "ARRKF". Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors concerning estimates of Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources: This press release uses the terms "measured resources", "indicated resources", and "inferred resources" which are defined in, and required to be disclosed by, NI 43-101. The Company advises U.S. investors that these terms are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of measured, indicated and inferred resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that measured and indicated mineral resources will be converted into reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically minable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations, however the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, the information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies that are not subject NI 43-101. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and Arras Minerals' future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding plans and expectations of the exploration program Arras Minerals is in the process of undertaking, including the expansion of the Mineral Resource, and other aspects of the Mineral Resource estimates for the Beskauga project. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about Arras Minerals' exploration projects, the industry in which Arras Minerals operates and the beliefs and assumptions of Arras Minerals' management. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "targets," "goals," "projects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "continues," "may," variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to futureperiods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond management's control, including undertaking further exploration activities, the results of such exploration activities and that such results support continued exploration activities, unexpected variations in ore grade, types and metallurgy, volatility and level of commodity prices, the availability of sufficient future financing, and other matters discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Management Discussion and Analysis filed on the Company's profile on SEDAR on February 28, 2024 and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed on February 28, 2024 available on www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. SOURCE: Arras Minerals Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire GREENWICH, Conn., Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Closed-End - David Schachter, Senior Vice President of Gabelli Funds, will travel to the United Kingdom to visit selected investment trusts. With over 40 years of experience exclusively with retail, long term, closed-end fund investors, Mr. Schachter, a most senior and experienced veteran of the U.S. Closed-End Fund industry, is also Vice President of The GAMCO Natural Resources, Gold & Income Trust (GNT), which trades on the NYSE. During the 19th century, capital was raised through closed-end funds. These funds helped build the railroads, which linked the American continent from sea to sea and led to the nation's economic success. Today, in the early 21st century, closed-end funds are being threatened for elimination by hedged activists for short-term and short-sighted value extraction. "Closed-end funds are a metaphor for long-term, patient capital, but they also represent freedom for investors who, in a sector where mass redemptions could force portfolio managers to sell, is an essential ability to those who may not want to be herded into selling." Mr. Schachter plans to visit the Gabelli office as well as the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) and speak with interested U.K. investors. Financial professionals and investors are invited to contact Mr. Schachter directly at (914) 921-5057. Gabelli Funds, LLC is the adviser to thirteen closed-end funds which trade on the NYSE: Gabelli Equity Trust (GAB), Gabelli Convertible & Income Securities Fund (GCV), Gabelli Multimedia Trust (GGT), Gabelli Utility Trust (GUT), Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust (GDV), Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (GLU), GAMCO Global Gold Natural Resources & Income Trust (GGN), The GDL Fund (GDL), Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRX Trust (GRX), GAMCO Natural Resources, Gold & Income Trust (GNT), Gabelli Global Small and Mid-Cap Value Trust (GGZ), Bancroft Fund (BCV) and Ellsworth Growth & Income Fund (ECF). As of December 31, 2024, the thirteen Gabelli closed-end funds had total assets of $7.3 billion. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of a Fund before investing. For more information regarding the Funds, call: David Schachter (914) 921-5057 dschachter@gabelli.com A Fund's NAV per share will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Stocks are subject to market, economic, and business risks that cause their prices to fluctuate. Investors acquire shares of the Fund on a securities exchange at market value, which fluctuates according to the dynamics of supply and demand. When Fund shares are sold, they may be worth more or less than their original cost. Consequently, you can lose money by investing in a Fund. Not for distribution to United States wire services or for dissemination in the United States VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 29, 2025 / Onco-Innovations Limited (CSE:ONCO)(Frankfurt:W1H, WKN:A3EKSZ) ("Onco" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of up to 408,164 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $2.45 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000, as announced on January 27, 2025, is fully subscribed. Closing of the Private Placement is expected to occur on or about January 31, 2025. The Company has received overwhelming interest from the market, which it believes reflects the strong confidence investors have in Onco-Innovations and its vision. The Company notes that under applicable regulations the earliest date the Company is permitted to close the financing is after market close on January 31, 2025, which the Company now also anticipates will be the closing date. Under the Private Placement, each Unit shall consist of one common share (each a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each (whole) Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Share at an exercise price of $2.55 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day pursuant to applicable securities laws. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or available exemptions from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States, or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Onco-Innovations Limited Onco-Innovations is a Canadian-based company dedicated to cancer research and treatment, specializing in oncology. Onco's mission is to prevent and cure cancer through pioneering research and innovative solutions. The Company has secured an exclusive worldwide license to patented technology that targets solid tumours, setting new standards in cancer treatment. Onco's commitment to excellence and innovation drives it to develop advanced therapies that improve patient outcomes and offer hope in the fight against cancer. ON BEHALF OF ONCO-INNOVATIONS LIMITED, "Thomas O'Shaughnessy" Chief Executive Officer For more information, please contact: Thomas O'Shaughnessy Chief Executive Officer Tel: + 1 888 261 8055 investors@oncoinnovations.com The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Caution. This news release contains forward-looking statements, including in relation to the Private Placement generally, and the anticipated closing date thereof, as well as to the Company's business and plans generally, and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "potential", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the failure to complete the Private Placement as contemplated, or at all, the failure to receive regulatory approval in respect of the Private Placement, and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. SOURCE: Onco-Innovations Limited View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - Julie LeJeune, Executive Director, Fort York Food Bank ("FYFB" or the "Organization") and her team, joined Karoline Hunter, Director, Business Transformation, Chief Operating Officer, Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), to close the market to recognize the Organization's participation in the annual fundraising walk Coldest Night of the Year, in order to help raise awareness of the growing levels of food insecurity in Canada. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWbNr_anWik FYFB is the largest and busiest food bank in downtown Toronto. Last year, total visits surpassed 100,000. The numbers are continuing to grow with a new record high reaching 6,000 individuals per week, during the first few weeks of January 2025. To keep shelves stocked, FYFB relies on its incredible partners, generous supporters, and its major annual fundraiser, Coldest Night of the Year ("CNOY"). Held every February, CNOY is a national family-friendly walk to help local charities raise vital funds to serve people experiencing hunger, homelessness or hurt. This year, the Fort York Food Bank's CNOY fundraising goal is $250,000. To learn more, visit cnoy.org/fyfb. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238902 SOURCE: Toronto Stock Exchange Vancouver, Canada--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2025) - NervGen Pharma Corp. (TSXV: NGEN) (OTCQB: NGENF), a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to developing neurorestorative therapeutics, today announced that Mr. Mike Kelly, President & CEO, will be participating in a fireside chat at the Oppenheimer 35th Annual Healthcare Life Sciences Conference on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 8:40 a.m. EST. The conference is being held virtually February 11-12, 2025. Members of management will be available for virtual one-on-one investor meetings during the conference. A webcast of the presentation will be available here and posted for replay following the event. About NervGen NervGen (TSXV: NGEN) (OTCQB: NGENF) is a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to developing innovative treatments to promote nervous system repair in settings of neurotrauma and neurologic disease. The company is testing the clinical efficacy of its lead molecule, NVG-291, in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in spinal cord injury and has initiated preclinical evaluation of a new development candidate, NVG-300, in models of ischemic stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injury. For more information, visit www.nervgen.com and follow NervGen on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook for the latest news on the company. About NVG-291 NervGen holds exclusive worldwide rights to NVG-291, a first-in-class therapeutic peptide targeting nervous system repair. NVG-291's technology was licensed from Case Western Reserve University and is based on academic studies demonstrating the preclinical efficacy of NVG-291-R, the rodent prototype of NVG-291, in animal models of spinal cord injury. Effects of NVG-291-R reported in multiple independent academic studies include the promotion of neuroplasticity, remyelination, anti-inflammatory polarization of microglia, and functional improvement in preclinical models of spinal cord injury, stroke, and peripheral nervous system injury. NVG-291 has received Fast Track designation in spinal cord injury from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements herein include but are not limited to, the Company's current and future plans, expectations and intentions, results, levels of activity, performance, goals or achievements, or any other future events or developments constitute forward-looking statements, and the words "may", "will", "would", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "trend", "indication", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "likely" or "potential", or the negative or other variations of these words or other comparable words or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to: the subject matter to be presented at the upcoming investor conference; the objectives, planned clinical endpoints, timing, expected rate of enrollment, and timing of data readout and study design of our Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of NVG-291 in individuals with spinal cord injury; the development plans, timelines, expected benefits, and prospective target indications for NVG-300; and the creation of neurorestorative therapeutics to promote nervous system repair in settings of neurotrauma and neurologic disease. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by the company in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. In making forward-looking statements, we have relied on various assumptions, including, but not limited to: our ability to obtain future funding on favourable terms or at all; the accuracy of our financial projections; obtaining positive results in our clinical and other trials; our ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals; our ability to arrange for the manufacturing of our product candidates and technologies; and general business, market and economic conditions. Many factors could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including without limitation, a lack of revenue, insufficient funding, reliance upon key personnel, the uncertainty of the clinical development process, competition, and other factors set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of the company's most recently filed prospectus supplement, short form base shelf prospectus, annual information form, financial statements and management discussion and analysis all of which can be found on NervGen's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All clinical development plans are subject to additional funding. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements made in this news release. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and we have no intention and 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 applicable law. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238889 SOURCE: NervGen Pharma Corp. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Australia will on Thursday release Q4 figures for import and export prices, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In the third quarter, import prices were down 1.4 percent on quarter and export prices fell 4.3 percent.New Zealand will see December data for imports, exports and trade balance. In November, imports were worth NZ$6.92 billion and exports were at NZ$6.48 billion for a trade deficit of NZ$437 million.Finally, most of the Asia-Pacific markets remain closed on Thursday for the Lunar New Year, including South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong.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. Conifers.ai, a Dallas, TX-based cybersecurity startup providing a native AI platform that helps organizations solve critical security operations center (SOC) challenges, raised $25M in funding. Backers included SYN Ventures, Picus Capital, and others. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts. Led by Tom Findling, Alon Yotvat, and Mark Kurman, Conifers provides the CognitiveSOC platform to continuously ingest an organizations stream of security incidents and, in conjunction with its knowledge, provide contextual investigations. Its patent-pending architecture ensures the right combination of AI techniques will be used on each incident analysis for more efficient and accurate incident resolution with predictable costs. Through its staged implementation framework, the company provides organizations adopting AI in the enterprise. FinSMEs 29/01/2025 Harmonya, a NYC-based provider of an AI-powered platform for product data enrichment, insights, and attribution serving CPG brands and retailers, received an investment from dunnhumby ventures, and its existing investors Bright Pixel Capital and Team8. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to will accelerate its 2025 product roadmap. Led by CEO Cem Kent, Co-Founder and CEO, Harmonya provides CPG brands and retailers with AI-powered solutions for product data enrichment, insights, and attribution. By combining AI technology with a deep understanding of CPG and retail, Harmonya enables Fortune 500 companies, including six of the top 10 global CPG brands, discover trends, improve decision-making, and achieve measurable growth. Its team spans offices in New York and Tel Aviv, working for brands like Coca-Cola, Unilever, PepsiCo, Nestle, and Mars Petcare. FinSMEs 29/01/2025 Naboo, a Paris, France-based provider of software solutions for B2B events, raised 20M in Series A funding. The round was led by Notion Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts. Led by CEO Maxime Eduardo, Naboo provides a software solution designed to simplify the booking and organization of B2B events worldwide. The platform includes an event booking tool, an app for event management, and a solution to centralize, track, and optimize event spending for procurement and finance directors. In two years, Naboo has facilitated over 60M in event bookings, with a primary focus on Europe, supported by a team of more than 100 dedicated professionals. The company raised its first round in April 2022 to build the platform, its second funding in November 2023 for platform enhancement, also making close to 15m annualised volumes. In 2024, the gross booking volumes almost quadrupled to 60m. Having announced 7.5m in Feb 2024, this latest round indicates its potential to further grow over the course of 2025. The company intends to hit more than 100m booking volumes, after a full year in the UK and plans to open in other markets on the back of the recent deals in France, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Italy. FinSMEs 29/01/2025 Amid the growing anticipation, the team has kickstarted the promotional spree from Delhi, taking the capital city by storm read more Zee Studios and Roy Kapur Films much-anticipated film Deva, starring Shahid Kapoor and Pooja Hegde, is gearing up for its release, and the excitement is palpable. With its electrifying trailer and captivating songs, audiences are eagerly counting down the days to witness this one-of-a-kind cinematic spectacle on the big screen. Amid the growing anticipation, the team has kickstarted the promotional spree from Delhi, taking the capital city by storm. As the fever of Deva spreads, the lead stars, Shahid Kapoor and Pooja Hegde, visited the capital to launch the campaign in a college. The stage was set, and the leading duo made a grand entry, energizing the crowd with their dynamic presence. They even danced with fans from the audience, performing the signature steps from the films songs, further elevating the excitement to new heights. Deva promises to deliver a truly unique cinematic experience. Advertisement Directed by acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Zee Studios and Roy Kapur Films, Deva is an electrifying and explosive action thriller set to release on January 31, 2025. American company Boom achieved a milestone Tuesday as its XB-1 aircraft exceeded the speed of sound for the first time during a supersonic test flight. The last flight of a supersonic airliner, Concorde, was in 2003. Heres why it matters read more Supersonic travel could very well become a reality in the future. American company Boom achieved a major feat on Tuesday (January 28) as its prototype passenger jet broke the sound barrier for the first time during a supersonic test flight. This comes 22 years after Concorde, the British-French supersonic airliner, retired in 2003. Boom has high ambitions, hoping to develop a supersonic commercial airliner which could become operational before the decade ends. Advertisement Lets take a closer look. Booms XB-1 jets big feat Boom Supersonics XB-1 aircraft Tuesday reached an altitude of about 35,000 feet over the Mojave Desert, northwest of Los Angeles, before accelerating to Mach 1.1 speed. With this, it became the first privately funded airplane to break the sound barrier during a test flight. She was real happy supersonic, Boom Chief Test Pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenburg said after landing, in a video posted by Boom Supersonic. Thats the best shes ever flown, was supersonic. The XB-1 aircraft broke the sound barrier three times during its test flight spanning 35 minutes over the Mojave Desert in California. Boom is supersonic. On Jan. 28, 2025 at 8:31am PST / 16:31 GMT, XB-1 broke the sound barrier. Chief Test Pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenburg safely and successfully achieved supersonic speed in XB-1, the first civil supersonic jet made in America. New top speed: Mach 1.122 pic.twitter.com/GenfoWRK6P Boom Supersonic (@boomaero) January 28, 2025 The XB-1, which took off from Mojave Air and Space Port this time, has completed 12 successful test flights since it first flew in March 2024. Tuesdays test flight occurred in airspace called the Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor named after the first plane that broke the sound barrier, as per The Verge. Advertisement The American-built XB-1 demonstrator aircraft is the first civilian aircraft to achieve this milestone. Concorde was a joint venture between the governments of the United Kingdom and France. The 002 prototype for Concorde first flew at Mach 1 on March 25, 1970. Passengers on board the Anglo-French airliner could reach from London to New York in just 3.5 hours. It has been over two decades since the Concorde airliner took its last flight, ending commercial supersonic travel. Former chief Concorde pilot for British Airways, Mike Bannister, told Independent: Ive been waiting over 20 years for the return of supersonic speeds, and XB-1s historic flight is a major landmark towards my dreams being realised. Advertisement When I last flew Concorde in 2003, I knew this day would come. Boom is well on its way towards making sustainable supersonic flight a reality, aboard Overture my #1 choice as a successor to Concorde. Made from carbon fibre, the XB-1 aircraft, as per CNN, has a long nose and a high angle of attack for takeoff and landing like Concorde. However, while Concorde has a droop nose, the XB-1 aircraft has an augmented reality vision system which helps pilots view the runway. When sound barrier was broken for first time It was in 1947 that Chuck Yeager, a United States Air Force officer, became the first person to break the sound barrier. On October 14, 1947, the Bell X-1, a sleek, rocket-powered aircraft was dropped from a B-29 airplane. Yeager fired the X-1 engine, exceeding the speed of sound in the same airspace where XB-1 recreated history. The speed at which sound travels is called the sound barrier. So, what happens when something breaks it? Advertisement When an airplane surpasses the speed of sound, it is said to be supersonic. As the airplane flies at supersonic speeds, it travels at 700 mph (1,127 km) in the air at sea level. This is when the aircraft breaks the sound barrier. As the aircraft maintains supersonic speed, all the sound waves that shouldve dispersed in front of it pile up and form shock waves. When these pressure waves combine, a single shock wave forms, according to HowStuffWorks Science. It is not just airplanes that create a sonic boom but anything that exceeds the speed of sound such as a bullet. Is supersonic travel the future? Booms XB-1 aircrafts successful supersonic test flight has given wings to its plans to develop its supersonic commercial airliner, Overture. Reacting to XB-1s feat, Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl said he hopes to now bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone. Advertisement The XB-1 demonstrator aircraft is seen in Centennial, Colorado, US, August 13, 2021. File Photo/Reuters XB-1s supersonic flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic flight has arrived, he said, as per Independent. A small band of talented and dedicated engineers has accomplished what previously took governments and billions of dollars. Next, we are scaling up the technology on XB-1 for the Overture supersonic airliner. Our ultimate goal is to bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone. Boom wants to fly its first Overture flight by 2030, with the supersonic aircraft carrying 64 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7. Scholl had told CNN in May 2021 that his dream was for people to one day be able to fly anywhere in the world in four hours for $100. A faster airplane is much more human-efficient, and its much more capital-efficient. You can do more flights, with the same airplane and crew, Scholl said. We can significantly reduce all of the cost and impact that goes into airplanes by making them faster. If we have faster airplanes, we dont need as many. In June 2024, an Overture Superfactory in North Carolina was completed. It plans to manufacture 33 supersonic aircraft every year, reported Independent. The aircraft will be powered by conventional jet engines and run on up to 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), as per CNN. Theres not enough of it [SAF], and it costs too much, but it is scaling, the Boom Supersonic founder told CNN last year adding that he believes one day it will be used for all long-distance air travel. Its the future of aviation, he asserted. Boom says it has received 130 pre-orders for the 65-seat Overture aircraft from global airlines, including American Airlines, United and Japan Airlines. With inputs from agencies White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the Biden administration had earmarked $50 million for a condom distribution programme in the Gaza Strip. Her comments came as she was justifying Donald Trumps sweeping freeze on all foreign aid. But is there any truth to this? read more Donald Trump's White House Secretary Karoline Leavitt justified a sweeping freeze in US overseas assistance by citing a $50 million condom distribution programme in the Gaza Strip. She said that this 'preposterous' expenditure had been unearthed by Doge and the White House Office for Management and Budget (OMB). Representational image/Pixabay When Donald Trump was campaigning to be the US president, he had promised to trim the countrys spending in an attempt to Make America Great Again. And within a week in office, the US president is sticking to his words by announcing a freeze on almost all foreign assistance. And on Tuesday (January 28), White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in her first press meeting said that the US presidents move was justifiable, giving the example of the $50-million condom distribution programme in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement But whats really going on? Did the US actually earmark $50 million to distribute condoms in the Gaza Strip? We try to get the lowdown. No more condoms for Gaza On Tuesday (January 28), Donald Trumps 27-year-old press secretary announced that as part of Secretary of State Marco Rubios recent suspension of foreign assistance, Washington would withdraw millions of dollars allocated for condoms in Gaza. Briefing reporters, Leavitt said that the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which is led by First Buddy Elon Musk, and the White House Office for Management and Budget (OMB) found that there was about to be $50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. Karoline Leavitt: "DOGE and OMB also found that there was about to be 50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer dollars." pic.twitter.com/mbdAOg12b3 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 28, 2025 That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So thats what this pause is focused on, being good stewards of tax dollars, she said, adding, President Trump is looking out for you in issuing his pause. Members of the media raise their hands as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivers remarks during her first daily briefing, at the White House, in Washington. Reuters Her comments came as journalists questioned her on Trumps decision to suspend US overseas assistance. Earlier, the US president had ordered a 90-day freeze in foreign assistance. He then said that he would ensure aid that conforms with his policies, which oppose abortion, transgender rights and diversity programs. Advertisement Following this up, Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a memo last Friday said that the United States was freezing nearly all aid disbursement except for emergency food and military aid to Egypt and Israel. However, facing outcry, he widened exemptions, saying Washington would keep funding humanitarian items such as shelter and medicine. According to AFP, the memo defined humanitarian assistance as core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance. But there could be another reason for suspending the condom programme in Gaza. Past reports show that condoms have been used by militants in Gaza to launch improvised explosive devices into Israel in 2017. Advertisement Palestinian militants attach an incendiary device to inflated plastic bags and condoms to be directed and flown towards Israel, near Rafah along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. File image/AFP The Jerusalem Post in one report said, Condoms and balloons with explosive devices attached to them landed in schoolyards, agricultural fields, and highways and caused significant physical and psychological damage. Thousands of hectares of land were burned, and these IEDs caused millions of shekels of damage. In 2019, the Chicago Tribune reported, Flaming condoms, kites, balloons from Gaza used to set fields ablaze in southern Israel. The report stated how condoms were being misused by militants. Sometimes tied together for added buoyancy, the inflated prophylactics are attached to gas-soaked rags, other burning items or explosive devices, then flown over the border like balloons into southern Israel, where they set fire to farmlands and nature reserves an estimated 6,000 acres have been destroyed in hundreds of blazes caused by flaming kites, helium balloons, and now condoms. Advertisement Claims dismissed However, Leavitts claims have been refuted by former White House officials. Andrew Miller, who served as deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian affairs in the previous administration, called the claim outlandish. Its possible that $50 million is put aside for sexual health or something of that nature, which would include gynaecology and many other services, but definitely not condoms alone, he told The Times of Israel. Data from the US Agency for International Development shows that Washington spent $60 million in 2023 on injectable contraceptives, contraceptive implants, IUDs, male condoms, oral contraceptives, Standard Days Method and female condoms across the globe and not just in Gaza. Moreover, condoms generally cost less than a dollar in the US and even less in bulk. Take that into account with the population of Gaza, which is just over two million people. Advertisement People gather during a rally in support of federal funding and in opposition to US President Donald Trumps order to pause foreign aid near the White House in Washington. Reuters Trumps freeze on foreign aid and judges block In the first week of Trumps return to the White House, he announced via executive order a sweeping halt on foreign assistance. The order, titled Re-evaluating and realigning United States Foreign Aid that no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States. In the executive order, Trump said, The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values. They serve to destabilise world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries. Furthermore, he put a pause on all such programmes for 90 days pending reviews to determine whether they are aligned with his policy goals. This is in line with the US presidents previous statements in which he has remained critical of foreign aid, saying it amounts to big spending for Washington. However, data doesnt support this theory. However, a federal judge Loren L AliKhan has temporarily blocked this effort, stating that federal agencies, states and other organisations that receive money from the federal government should continue to receive funds beyond a previously set deadline of 5 pm ET. Critics further argue that a freeze on funding is unlawful because Congress has already approved the money to be spent. However, Trumps administration argues that the action is a temporary review and hence, within his presidential authority. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump has requested First Buddy Elon Musk to bring stranded Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS). The duo have been in space for the past seven months and arent expected to return before March. But how will the SpaceX chief bring them home? read more Sunita Williams speaks from the International Space Station. She has been there since last June. US President Donald Trump has now urged Elon Musk to bring her and Barry Wilmore back to Earth. File image/PTI On June 5, 2024, Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore took off for the International Space Station (ISS) on what was planned to be an eight-day mission. Now, seven months on, their wait in space may finally come to an end after US President Donald Trump tasked billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musks SpaceX to bring the stranded astronauts back home. Responding to his chiefs command, First Buddy Elon Musk said it was terrible that the pair were left stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) by former President Joe Bidens administration for so long and that they would do so as soon as possible. Advertisement Nasa had previously announced last August that Musks SpaceX had been contracted to bring Williams and Wilmore to Earth. And while initially, it was scheduled for February 2025, it has now been arranged for March. Trump ropes in Musk for astronauts return On Tuesday (January 28), SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced plans to bring home two Nasa astronauts who arrived at the International Space Station on Boeings Starliner capsule as soon as possible, at the request of President Trump. I have just asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to go get the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Good luck Elon!!! The comments come after Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore were sent on a mission to the International Space Station in June 2024. At first, it was meant for only eight days. But engineers at Nasa and Boeing, who initially sent them up, uncovered issues with the spacecrafts propulsion system, and decided to return the vehicle back to Earth without a crew. The two have remained at the station ever since. Advertisement While there have been concerns about Williams and Wilmores health experts question the impact of extended space stay on their bodies Nasa maintains that the two astronauts are healthy and comfortable. Moreover, Williams is involved Williams is also involved in several ongoing experiments and research projects while being on the International Space Station. Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore, two Nasa astronauts, have been on the International Space Station since June 2024. Now, they are scheduled to return on board SpaceXs Crew Dragon in March. File image/Nasa SpaceX to the rescue Last August, Nasa announced that it had contracted Musks firm to return Williams and Wilmore to Earth no later than February 2025 on a SpaceX Crew Dragon flight. However, last December, Nasa readjusted the date, saying their return wont occur until late March or possibly April. Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavour that requires great attention to detail, said Steve Stich, manager, Nasas Commercial Crew Programme. We appreciate the hard work by the SpaceX team to expand the Dragon fleet in support of our missions and the flexibility of the station programme and expedition crews as we work together to complete the new capsules readiness for flight. Advertisement This deferment occurred owing to delays by SpaceX to launch the next crew for the ISS. A new crew needs to launch before Wilmore and Williams can return so that the Space Station is properly manned and theres no jeopardy to the science and maintenance being performed aboard the station. SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft which will bring Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore back to Earth. File image/AP SpaceXs Crew Dragon to bring home Williams-Wilmore To bring Williams and Wilmore home, SpaceX is looking at its Crew Dragon spacecraft. But what are its features? According to Musk, the Crew Dragon was developed as part of Nasas plan to hand over space station flights to American companies after the space agency retired its space shuttle in 2011. Crew Dragons first mission to the ISS took place in 2020 when it transported four American and Japanese astronauts to the destination. Advertisement The Crew Dragon is a seven-seater and consists of two parts: a reusable space capsule and an expandable trunk module. The capsule is equipped with 16 Draco thrusters that manoeuvre the vehicle in orbit. Each Draco is capable of producing 90 pounds of force in the vacuum of space, according to a report by the BBC. The report said the trunk features solar panels, heat-removal radiators, space for cargo, and fins to provide stability during emergency aborts. Inside the Crew Dragon, there are three large touchscreen displays that allow the commander and pilot to monitor and control the spacecraft a huge shift from analogue buttons and dials in the cockpits of previous vehicles. Advertisement Moreover, the Crew Dragon is designed to be two-fault tolerant. This means that even when any two things fail, such as a flight computer and a thruster, the spacecraft can still bring the crew home safely. However, owing to the vehicles solar panels, which degrade in the harsh environment, the vehicles life is limited to a few months. And when Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore return home, the Crew Dragon will ultimately splash down in the Atlantic Ocean where recovery ships will take the astronauts to safety and retrieve the capsule. Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore during a press conference from the International Space Station. The two have now spent over seven months in space. File image/AP Williams and Wilmores time in space Williams and Wilmore elongated stay in space has raised several concerns about their health. However, both of them appear to be in good health and spirits. But what do they do while on the International Space Station? They are currently tasked with carrying out several experiments for research and collecting data. The research samples collected will be sent back on SpaceXs Dragon cargo capsule to be analysed on Earth. Nasa also shared a video of Williams trimming the red romaine lettuce leaves being grown in the Advanced Plant Habitat. Astronauts have been experimenting with growing crops in space through a fully-automated chamber onboard the ISS. Besides that, the two have also carried out spacewalks; in fact, in response to a question, Williams on Wednesday said, Ive been up here long enough that Im trying to remember what its like to walk. I havent walked, sat down, or laid down. You dont need to you can just close your eyes and float wherever you are. She also expressed that shes enjoying her time in space and cherishes the opportunity to share her experiences with people on Earth. With inputs from agencies Out on bail for the murder of a woman in 2019, Chenthamara killed her husband and her 72-year-old mother-in-law in broad daylight in Keralas Palakkad district. He confessed to the double murder, claiming he believed the husband would attack him in revenge for his wifes death, leading him to kill both the man and his mother read more He is the psycho of our village. Out on bail in a five-year-old murder case involving a woman, this man brutally killed her husband and mother-in-law in broad daylight. The attack took place on Monday in Keralas Palakkad district. After a huge manhunt, the accused was arrested on Tuesday. As news of his arrest spread, a large crowd gathered outside the Nenmara Police Station, demanding his release so they could take matters into their own hands. As tensions escalated, police resorted to pepper spray and a lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Advertisement ALSO READ | Budaun double murder: Barber enters contractors home, kills his two minor sons, says completed my work The double murders Chenthamara, who was out on bail for a 2019 murder case, allegedly killed an old woman and her son Sudhakaran over a personal grudge at their home in Pothundi. Lakshmi, 72, and Sudhakaran, 57, were reportedly hacked to death in broad daylight outside their residence. Their bodies were cremated later that day. Chenthamara (54), the prime suspect in the #NenmaraDoubleMurderCase in #Kerala's #Nenmara, is a highly skilled criminal. He managed to evade capture for two days by closely monitoring police actions, said #Palakkad district police chief Ajith Kumar on Wednesday. After an initial pic.twitter.com/wlVRJHUCd1 Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) January 29, 2025 According to The South First, Sudhakaran was allegedly killed following a sudden provocation during an argument the previous day. Having lost both parents to brutal murders within five years, his daughters, Akhila and Athulya, remain inconsolable. Notably, Lakshmi was attacked while trying to stop Chenthamara from assaulting Sudhakaran. While Sudhakaran died on the spot, his mother succumbed to her injuries on the way to hospital, police said. Advertisement Police stated that Chenthamara carried resentment towards Sudhakarans family, blaming them for his wife and children leaving him. Chenthamara allegedly committed the crime while on bail, having previously been arrested for murdering Sudhakarans wife in 2019. ALSO READ | Australia double murder: How ex-TV presenter, partner were killed by jilted police lover Sudhakarans children and the Congress party have slammed the cops, alleging that the Nenmara police ignored alerts from locals and relatives about Chenthamara returning to the village in violation of his bail conditions. Condemning the polices alleged inaction, the Youth Congress held a protest march to the police station on Tuesday. Villagers panicked at his sight According to a report by Onmanorama, villagers saw Chenthamara as a man whose cold face covered an unpredictable rage. He had a love marriage and initially lived in Nellichodu before relocating to a small colony in Pothundi with his wife, Vilasini. Advertisement A local resident told the publication, He is the psycho of our village. He would tell us stuff about black magic and how he was acting as per directions of the evil spirit. Tall and bulky, Chenthamara typically wore a saffron dhoti and shirt. His fast speech and cryptic behaviour had created fear among the villagers. An individual, Chenthamara, who has allegedly committed gruesome double murder in #Nenmara in #Kerala's #Palakkad, is yet to be located. He hacked a mother and son, who were his neighbours, to death. The accused, who has a history of violence, remains at large, and a massive pic.twitter.com/wIvby6HCIM Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) January 28, 2025 Advertisement If someone wears a new dress and walks by his house, he would warn them not to do that. He believed that people conspired against him and was doing witchcraft against him, the resident said. Police described Chenthamara as a calculated and cold-blooded criminal. Palakkad Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajith Kumar told the media that the murders were premeditated, with weapons procured in advance, The South First reported. Advertisement After committing the crime, Chenthamara allegedly monitored police activity closely and even tried to mislead investigators by claiming he had consumed poison. However, medical tests confirmed that no poison was in his system. The 2019 Sajitha murder case Chenthamara is accused of killing Sajitha in 2019. Sajitha was Sudhakarans first wife. According to police, he has confessed to the double murder, stating that he suspected Sudhakaran would attack him to avenge his wifes death. Acting on this belief, he killed both Sudhakaran and his mother. Several reports suggest that Chenthamara suspected that Sudhakarans family had used witchcraft to separate him from his wife, leading him to allegedly murder Sajitha in 2019. After her death, Sudhakaran remarried. His second wife and daughters survived the attack as they were not at home during the incident. He also told police that he wanted to kill his estranged wife as well. Investigators have revealed that Chenthamara killed Sajitha believing she had used black magic to drive his wife away. He admitted to plotting the murders of three more people - his wife, daughter, and son-in-law, The South First reported. Chenthamara went into hiding in a forested area, and it took police more than 36 hours to capture him. Representational Image/News18' ALSO READ | Bengaluru double murder: How ex-employee who stabbed tech firms MD, CEO was inspired by DC villain Joker Sudhakarans children demand death penalty for accused The children of the 54-year-old victim have demanded the death penalty for the accused. Chenthamara killed our mother in 2019 and went to jail. Then he got out and murdered our father and grandmother. Now he is arrested again, but he will be jailed for a few years and then released, only to kill more people," Akhila and Athulya were quoted as saying by IANS. Why did he do this to our father? He could have just beaten him instead of taking his life. Look at how brutally he killed him, stabbing him multiple times. This shows what kind of person he is. He must be hanged, or he will continue to kill, they added. Nenmara panchayat member M Manjusha stated that Sudhakarans family felt unsafe after Chenthamara was granted bail. Speaking to The Indian Express, Manjusha said, Sudhakaran, a truck driver, was often away from home. Because of this, his youngest daughter, Akhila, moved to her mothers house, while Lakshmi went to stay with another daughterboth living nearby. Following the double murder, Chenthamara went into hiding in a forested area, and it took police more than 36 hours to capture him. As part of the investigation, police will take Chenthamara to the crime scene for evidence collection and to reconstruct the sequence of events. With inputs from agencies A tragedy struck Maha Kumbh on the second Amrit Snan, where eight to 10 crore devotees are expected today. On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, a stampede broke out in the wee hours of Wednesday, leading to fear of casualties. What went wrong? read more Bags and other belongings lying at the scene after a stampede occurred at Sangam on 'Mauni Amavasya' during the ongoing 'Maha Kumbh Mela' festival, in Prayagraj. Several casualties have allegedly been reported in the stampede. PTI Today (January 29) was meant to be a sacred day at the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradeshs Prayagraj. However, tragedy unfolded when a stampede-like situation unfolded at the Maha Kumbh on the morning of Mauni Amavasya, prompting Akharas to put pause on the holy dip. While there are fears of casualties, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanathhas said that a few devotees suffered serious injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences to those who lost their loved ones. Advertisement The accident that happened in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely sad. My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way. In this regard, I have spoken to Chief Minister Yogi ji and I am constantly in touch with the state government, he said in a post on X. The stampede reportedly occurred between 1.30 am and 2.30 am on Wednesday. Since then, Modi has been constantly reviewing the situation making four calls to the UP CM. Catch Live updates from the Maha Kumbh stampede here So what happened at the Maha Kumbh Mela? What went wrong? We try to get you answers. What led to the stampede at Maha Kumbh? Sometime around 1.30 am and 2.30 am, an unexpected surge of people unexpectedly converged at Triveni Sangam Ghat. Officials and organisers had expected a huge crowd on Wednesday (January 29), as it is the day of Amrit Snan. Moreover, this holy occasion assumed even more significance as it fell on the special day of Mauni Amavasya. Organisers had prepared for a huge influx of devotees today around 10 crore of them and had issued an advisory to the devotees, urging them to follow crowd-management guidelines for safety and convenience. As per the guidelines, pilgrims were told to use designated lanes to the Sangam Ghat and maintain queues while approaching the bathing area. They were also asked to avoid roaming around the ghats after the holy dip and urged to immediately proceed to the parking areas or their destinations to ensure smooth movement. Advertisement VIDEO | Maha Kumbh 2025: Drone captures sea of devotees taking a holy dip at Sangam in Prayagrag on the Mauni Amavasya. #MahaKumbh2025 #MauniAmavasya pic.twitter.com/NUWFAXaseD Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 29, 2025 However, it all turned disastrous early Wednesday morning. According to some media outlets, the stampede occurred when a barrier broke as tens of thousands of people thronged the Triveni Sangam. This led some women to faint, eventually leading to a stampede-like situation. Advertisement However, there are varying reports as to what exactly happened. According to Vivek Mishra, who was present at the time of the crowd rush, told Hindustan Times, The incident happened around 2.30 am when a large number of devotees arrived at the Sangam banks. The main issue was that the crowd didnt know where to go after bathing. Many people were carrying heavy luggage on their heads, and there were numerous iron dustbins that pilgrims couldnt see. A few people lost their balance and fell, and their luggage was scattered all over. I also fell after my feet got stuck in one of the dustbins, lost my shoes, and was left barefoot. I injured my feet. I somehow got up and helped my parents and another woman who were lying on the ground. Thats when the youngsters in the crowd started pushing others, leading to the stampede. I cant fully describe what I saw at ground zero. Advertisement Rescue operations were underway on Wednesday morning after a stampede at the Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, in Prayagraj. PTI Another eyewitness to the disaster, Ram Singh, shared his version of the events. The Fatehpur resident said that the stampede-like situation occurred because the exit route was blocked and the crowd got trapped. The exit route was completely blocked, so the situation worsened. Four of our group had already gone ahead, and we had told them to stay at Nandni Dwar. The four of us got stuck behind. A lot of people were falling in front of us. The stampede happened because the road was jammed, he was quoted as saying. Baljeet Singh from Balia described the moment chaos unfolded. Suddenly, there was such a huge crowd that everyone got crushed. There were 14 of us, and we couldnt even tell where anyone had gone. We were going for the bath, and people were coming back from there. We didnt even realise how the crowd got so large, and then people started falling. Advertisement Injured devotees were being brought to a hospital after a stampede occurred at Sangam on Mauni Amavasya during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela festival. PTI A weeping Sarojini from Karnataka, who had been rushed to hospital after the incident, said, We came in a batch of 60 people in two buses. We were nine people in the group. Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd, and we got trapped. A lot of us fell and the crowd went uncontrolled. There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides. Umesh Agarwal, a devotee from Delhi, told the BBC that there were many sleeping near the barricades where the Amrit Snan was to take place. Thats how some people got entangled and because there was such a big crowd, they started falling on top of each other. Injured devotees are rushed to hospitals after a stampede occurred at the Maha Kumbh Mela. PTI What is the UP government saying? The situation at Sangam is now under control. In a media briefing, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath did not mention any deaths. The incident happened between 1am and 2am. There were barricades that devotees tried to cross and got injured. Our entire administration is present at the scene. Some people have been seriously injured while trying to cross the barricades, the CM said, adding that a large number of devotees have been coming since the Mauni Amavasya mahurat started last night. The PM has taken stock of the situation four times till now. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Governor Anandiben Patel are also continuously taking reports of the situation, he added. #WATCH | Prayagraj, UP | #MahaKumbh2025 | Heavy security deployed at the Triveni Sangam as police pave the way for Akharas and saints for their Amrit Snan on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. pic.twitter.com/OTzml27jzZ ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2025 According to Aditiyanath, around eight to 10 crore devotees are present in Prayagraj today (January 29). There is continuous pressure due to the movement of devotees towards the Sangam Nose. What do we know about the rescue ops at Maha Kumbh? Following the tragic stampede, officials rushed in to stretcher away those who were hurt and to control the situation. To restore normalcy, a Rapid Action Force unit, a special team deployed during crises, was deployed. Several ambulances at the Kumbh ferried injured passengers to hospital. News18 reports that a green corridor has been established to transfer the injured devotees to the central hospital. Security personnel stand guard after a stampede on Mauni Amavasya during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela festival. PTI CM Adityanath asked pilgrims at the Kumbh Mela to follow instructions issued by officials at the site and cooperate with them. He wrote on X, Maha Kumbh-2025, dear devotees come to Prayagraj, Take bath at the ghat of Mother Ganga near which you are, do not try to go towards Sangam Nose. All of you should follow the instructions of the administration and cooperate in making arrangements. People are bathing peacefully at all the ghats of Sangam. Do not pay any attention to any rumours. -2025, , , , , Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) January 29, 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with the CM and has directed him to arrange immediate relief measures. Home Minister Amit Shah has also assured Adityanath of full support in times of this crisis. What is the situation at Maha Kumbh now? The situation is under control, say authorities. Speaking to ANI, DIG Mahakumbh Vaibhav Krishna said that more than 10 crore devotees are expected to visit Kumbh Mela today and added that the crowd is under control. We expect more than 10 crore people today All our officials and personnel have been deployed for crowd regulation since yesterday evening. People are bathing at all the ghats here peacefully In the morning, there was pressure and a huge crowd. Many Akharas told us to regulate the crowd and that they would come out for the snan later, Krishna said. Following the stampede, the seers from the different akharas had called off their scheduled Amrit Snan. However, it has now been resumed. The saints started their procession to the Triveni Sangam Ghat for the second holy dip. #WATCH | Prayagraj, UP | Saints begin their procession as they head to the Triveni Sangam for the second Amrit Snan of #MahaKumbh2025 on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. pic.twitter.com/pajTsky78I ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2025 Keeping with the Kumbh Mela tradition, the Akharas of the three sects Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen took the holy dip in Triveni Sangam in a set sequence. About 3.61 crore devotees also took a dip until 10 am. An ambulance arrives after a stampede on Mauni Amavasya during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela festival. PTI Why is the Amrit Snan significant? Today was a significant day at the Maha Kumbh Mela it was the day of the Amrit Snan. This gained even more significance this time around as it falls on Mauni Amavasya, the most auspicious date as it is believed that on this day, the water of the holy rivers turns into Amrit. For this purpose, the Maha Kumbh Mela organisers had extra precautions implemented. This included implementing stringent security measures, using AI-powered surveillance, drone monitoring, and increased police presence. With inputs from agencies As many as 10 crore devotees and pilgrims are expected to throng the Maha Kumbh mela in Uttar Pradeshs Prayagraj today for Amrit Snan in the Triveni Sangam on Mauni Amavasya. However, the auspicious day began with a tragedy as a stampede occurred in the wee hours, leading to serious injuries and fears of casualties read more Rescue personnel carry an injured devotee after a 'stampede-like' situation broke out on Mauni Amavasya during the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela, at Sangam in Prayagraj, January 29, 2025. PTI A stampede-like situation broke out at the Triveni Sangam in the early hours of Wednesday (January 29) as crores of devotees gathered for a holy bath on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya during the Maha Kumbh mela in Uttar Pradeshs Prayagraj. Amid fears of multiple casualties, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the situation is under control, urging people not to believe rumours. Around 8-10 crore devotees are present in Prayagraj today. There is continuous pressure due to the movement of devotees towards the Sangam Nose. A few devotees had suffered serious injuries when they tried to cross barricading on Akhara Marg, the CM told the media about the stampede-like situation at Sangam. Advertisement But why are 10 crore devotees expected at the Maha Kumbh mela on Mauni Amavasya today? Lets understand. Significance of Mauni Amavasya Mauni Amavasya is the most auspicious day of the Maha Kumbh. Amrit Snan or a holy dip on this day in the Triveni Sangam is considered the most important ritual of the religious gathering. Adding to this is the rare celestial alignment called Triveni Yog, occurring after a gap of 144 years, which has increased the significance of the day. Triveni Sangam is the confluence of three holy rivers the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. It is believed that people who bathe in the Sangam during Maha Kumbh, particularly on auspicious days like Mauni Amavasya, purify their sins and attain moksha or salvation. Mauni Amavasya falls on the day of the new Moon, when the illuminated part of the Moon faces the Sun and the dark side faces the Earth. Thus, the Moon is not visible to us. The holy dip taken on Mauni Amavasya is traditionally done in silence. With Mauni Amavasya holding such significance, around 10 crore people are likely to perform Amrit Snan today. Over 4 crore people took a holy dip in Triveni Sangam by 12 noon today. Meanwhile, until January 28, more than 19.94 crore devotees have taken a dip since Maha Kumbh kicked off on January 13. Arrangements for Mauni Amavasya The Uttar Pradesh government has made several arrangements, including deploying tight security, to avoid security concerns as crores of devotees and pilgrims gather to take a holy dip on the biggest bathing day at Maha Kumbh. The area of the mela has been declared a no-vehicle and no-VIP zone. As per an Indian Express report, there is no VIP protocol for dignitaries or a pass system for visitors. Advertisement Vehicles will not be allowed beyond the designated parking lots. Saints and seers of the 13 akharas have been allotted exclusive entry and exit routes in the Sangam area. First of all, we have devised the zonal system, according to which those coming from the Arail side should take a bath at the Arail Ghat and those coming from the Jhusi side should take bath at Jhusi Ghat and so on, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna told the newspaper. The Railways is running special trains to Prayagraj for Mauni Amavasya. Stampede at Maha Kumbh A tragedy occurred at the Maha Kumbh between 1 am and 2 am when some devotees climbed over the barricades at Akhara Marg, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said. Between 1 am to 2 am, at the akhara route where arrangements were made for the Amrit Snan of the akharas, some devotees crossed over the barricades and were critically injured. They were immediately rushed to hospital where treatment was promptly ensured, he was quoted as saying by PTI. Advertisement #WATCH | Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says," The situation in Prayagraj is under control..." "Around 8-10 crore devotees are present in Prayagraj today. There is continuous pressure due to the movement of devotees towards the Sangam Nose. A few devotees have pic.twitter.com/lOc1OIraqm ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2025 According to Adityanath, some devotees were seriously injured. As a sea of people turned up for the holy bath on Mauni Amavasya, a barrier broke, leading to injuries. Advertisement Some people have got injured and have been hospitalised after a barrier broke at the Sangam. We are yet to have the exact count of those injured, Akanksha Rana, Officer on Special Duty at the mela, said, as per PTI. Hindu devotees search for their belongings after a stampede when Hindu devotees rushed to take a holy bath in the Sangam on Mauni Amavasya or new moon day during the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, January 29, 2025. AP The Maha Kumbh continues to attract huge crowds, with the UP CM saying nearly 10 crore people are currently in Prayagraj. There is a heavy rush of pilgrims going to Sangam Nose but the administration is there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also monitoring the scene and has called me four times since morning to take stock of the situation. Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda have also called, Adityanath said. Advertisement While the Uttar Pradesh government has not divulged details about the number of casualties, PM Modi has offered his deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones in the stampede. The accident that happened in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely sad. My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way. In this regard, I have spoken to Chief Minister Yogi ji and I am constantly in touch with the state government, he wrote on X. , Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 29, 2025 President Droupadi Murmu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were among those who condoled the deaths in the stampede at Maha Kumbh. In the wake of the tragic incident, akharas initially called off their Amrit Snan. However, they later decided to go ahead with the holy dip. Saints are reaching in large numbers at the Sangam for the second Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya. Speaking to the media, DIG Mahakumbh Vaibhav Krishna said earlier in the day that Amrit Snan was about to begin. Everything will be carried out traditionally The police and administration will assist all the akharas in their traditional processions The situation is under control. We are looking into the causes of today mornings incident. It happened because of a huge rush of devotees. More than 10 crore devotees are expected to arrive, he was quoted as saying by ANI. With inputs from agencies Otaru, a northern Japanese city in Hokkaido, has deployed security guards to address repeated instances of unruly behaviour by visitors. The development comes after complaints of crowds obstructing the narrow roadway or railroad tracks to click perfect pictures read more Tourism officials in Otaru, Hokkaido, deployed security guards this week to prevent people congregating on Funami-za. Pixabay A northern Japanese city in Hokkaido is stepping up measures to address repeated instances of unruly behaviour by overseas visitors. Authorities in the small city of Otaru have started deploying security guards to deter crowds of foreign tourists from taking risks in their pursuit of the perfect photo. The move comes at a time when the most popular tourist destination is witnessing a surge in inbound tourism. Lets take a closer look. Security guards deployed Tourism officials in Otaru, Hokkaido, deployed security guards this week to prevent people congregating on Funami-za. The steep street near JR Otaru Station and Otaru Sankaku Ichiba (Otaru Triangle Market) is a popular spot for its scenic views of Otaru Port and the sea in the distance. Advertisement The location also appeared in the 1995 Japanese blockbuster film, Love Letter. In addition to Japan, the film was well-liked in China and South Korea. The area now draws a lot of foreign tourists who like to walk and take pictures. Security personnel have been deployed in response to complaints that crowds of tourists are obstructing the little roadway when they stand to take pictures of the location. The initiative is financed by the citys reserve money and costs 4.53 million yen, or roughly $29,000. A Chinese woman died earlier this month in Otaru after she stepped onto railroad tracks and was hit by a train. According to reports, her husband informed authorities that his wife had been attempting to take pictures of a scene from the Chinese movie, Cities in Love (2015), and had failed to spot the train coming. This road is lined with houses and has heavy traffic, a city official told the Japanese outlet named The Mainichi, adding, Tourists standing on the street or walking side by side often make it impossible for vehicles to pass. The impact on residents has been significant, and this fiscal year has been particularly severe. Advertisement Hidetoshi Itagaki, an 80-year-old resident, told the Kyodo news agency, People are even entering private property without permission to take photos. Also read: Thai tourists flock to Japan & China amid Ban Korea movement Overtourism in Otaru Recently, its popularity has skyrocketed above pre-pandemic levels. In the six months starting in April of last year, about 98,000 foreign visitors stayed in the city for at least one night, the largest since statistics began being kept in 1997. Since many visitors stay in nearby Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido, the real number is thought to be significantly higher, according to the Mainichi. On the other hand, the increase in tourists is taxing the infrastructure and making residents outraged due to instances of littering, drinking, overcrowding, and more. Authorities in Otaru and the local police station have been collaborating to resolve these problems. Advertisement They have introduced multilingual posters asking visitors to respect their surroundings and local residents. The posters list actions considered crimes, such as obstructing traffic by taking pictures on roads, trespassing on private property, littering, and stopping on railroad tracks. In a related vein, an Instagram influencer from Chile had to issue an apology after recording herself performing pull-ups on a gate of a revered torii shrine in Hokkaido. Another incident sparked uproar on social media when a man who looked like a foreign tourist was seen on camera kicking one of Naras renowned deer. Another famous case included an American man who was jailed for using his fingernails to carve letters that represented the names of his family members into a torii at Tokyos Meiji Jingu shrine. Advertisement Also read: Japans electric suitcase scooters: Convenience or chaos? A boon for hotels and shops Last year, a record 36.7 million people visited to Japan, and the government wants that number to rise to 60 million by the end of the decade. The spike in inbound tourism has been driven by the falling value of the yen and an increase in international flights to Japan; South Koreans make up the largest group, followed by Chinese and Taiwanese visitors. According to official data, tourists spent a record 8 trillion yen ($50.8 billion) last year, which has benefited hotels and stores. Due in part to foreign tourists excessive snack and beverage consumption, Japans seven largest convenience shop companies reported that their total sales in 2024 had hit a new high. Advertisement Also read: 60 years of Japans bullet train: How Shinkansen changed country, transformed world travel Other similar measures In order to keep people from gathering at a location that is popular for snapping pictures of Mount Fuji, authorities have imposed taxes, limited the number of visitors, and installed a screen. The Japan Tourism Agency unveiled 22 pictograms this week to encourage tourists to behave better. They contain signs warning them not to queue jump and to travel light so that heavy bags do not obstruct entry to buses and trains. With inputs from agencies For the 8th Pay Commission, it was widely anticipated that the fitment factor will increase to 2.86, leading to a remarkable increase of 186 per cent in the basic pay. However, experts suggest the rise would be more moderate between 10-30% read more There are high expectations of a big salary bump from the 8th Pay Commission. However, the reality may be different. File image The government of India recently approved the formation of the 8th Pay Commission, announcing that it would announced submit its report by the end of this year. Despite there being a long time before the reports suggestions on salary increments are declared, there is speculation over the salary hike for the central government employees. According to the latest media reports, employees may see much more moderate salary hikes between 10-30 per cent against expectation of a massive 186 per cent increment. Advertisement 8th Pay Commission: How much can salary jump? For the 8th Pay Commission, it was widely anticipated that the fitment factor will increase to 2.86, which could raise the minimum basic pay to Rs 51,480 a remarkable increase of 186 per cent from the current Rs 18,000. The fitment factor is a multiplier used to calculate the new salary based on the current basic pay in the revised Pay Matrix. Subhash Chandra Garg, former finance secretary of India, recently said in an interview with News24 that the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery can ask for the moon. Fitment factor of 2.86 per cent is asking for the moon, which is impossible to get. He said that to determine the fitment factor, the pay commission will consider the basic pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA) as of January 1, 2026. As of July 1, 2024, the DA is 53 per cent. To calculate the DA until January 1, 2026, two additional installments need to be factored in: one due on January 1, 2025, and another on July 1, 2025. Assuming a 7 per cent increase, the DA for January 1, 2026, is expected to be approximately 60 per cent, according to Garg. With the starting factor of 1.6, the next step is to determine the percentage increase. Usually, pay commissions have recommended increases ranging from 15 per cent to 30 per cent. The previous pay commission recommended an increase of around 14-15 per cent. In my assessment, the additional fitment factor to be applied to the base factor of 1.6 is likely to range between 10-30 per cent, Garg opined. He said that taking 20 per cent of the base factor 1.6 or 160, we get 32. Adding 32 to 160 results in a revised fitment factor of 192 or 1.92. If we assume a more generous 30 per cent increase, the calculation would be: 30 per cent of 160 is 48. Adding this to the base factor, we get 208, or a revised fitment factor of 2.08. So, the actual fitment factor is likely to be between 1.92-2.08, he said. Advertisement Under the 7th Pay Commission, the fitment factor was established at 2.57, raising the minimum basic pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000, News18 reported. A long wait It will be a while before the 8th Pay Commission submits its report. In fact, the current 7th Pay Commissions tenure will last till the end of calendar year 2025. The 8th Pay Commission will be implemented starting January 1, 2026. The central government typically constitutes a pay commission every 10 years. Central government pensioners will also receive higher pension with effect from January 2026. Recent developments at the India-Bangladesh border have prompted significant diplomatic friction between the two countries. Dhaka has expressed deep concern over the ongoing border fencing activities carried out by New Delhi. These measures, which include the construction of barbed wire fences, the installation of border lighting, and the implementation of various technical devices and cattle fences, are described by India as necessary to secure the border. In response, Bangladeshs most senior diplomat was summoned by the Indian government, which emphasised that these actions align with the existing agreements and protocols between the two nations. In this light, the issues that need to be analysed include the rationale behind the border fencing work, the escalation of illegal immigration into India since the interim government came to power, the laws governing the illegal immigrants in India, and the possible way forward. Advertisement Diplomatic Responses The escalation in tensions on the border has coincided with a period of heightened instability in bilateral relations, particularly following the formation of a caretaker regime in Bangladesh led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus after the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. In a formal meeting, Bangladeshs acting High Commissioner, Mohammad Nural Islam, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, where he was informed that Indias security measures, including the fencing initiatives, are fully in accordance with the established bilateral protocols and agreements between India and Bangladesh. Additionally, India reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the security of the region by tackling cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, trafficking, and other forms of illicit movement that have traditionally plagued the frontier. The Rationale Behind The question that arises is the underlying rationale for the border fencing initiative undertaken by India. While the Indian government frames the border security measures as essential for maintaining national security, particularly in combating illegal immigration, there is a growing concern in Bangladesh regarding the humanitarian implications of such measures. The escalation of illegal immigration, which has been a significant issue since the formation of the interim government in Bangladesh, remains a central point of contention in the dispute. This issue is further compounded by the lack of clear legal frameworks governing the status of illegal immigrants within India and the associated risks for both countries. The illegal immigrants in India are governed under a combination of the Foreigners Act, 1946; the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; the Passport Act, 1962; and the Citizenship Act, 1955. None of these legislations provide a specific definition, as all these categories are broadly categorised as foreigners, exposing them to the risk of deportation and criminal charges for unauthorised entry. Advertisement Legal and Humanitarian Issues The issue of illegal immigration into India, particularly from Bangladesh, has become a contentious topic in recent years. The Indian governments legal approach to managing illegal immigrants, most notably through the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019, has exacerbated tensions between the two nations. The CAA, which provides a pathway to citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, has sparked protests and diplomatic criticism from Bangladesh. Conclusion Going forward, the importance of diplomatic dialogue and adherence to bilateral agreements in managing border security issues between India and Bangladesh needs to be revisited. While the necessity of securing borders is acknowledged, the implementation of measures such as fencing must be carefully balanced with the legal and humanitarian responsibilities of both nations. A collaborative approach to border security that includes transparent communication and joint efforts to address cross-border challenges could provide a more sustainable solution to the current impasse. Advertisement Abhinav Mehrotra is an assistant professor and Biswanath Gupta is an associate professor at OP Jindal Global University. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The terrorist group has survived the Israeli invasion, continues to recruit and cant be excluded from any future governance model read more Hamas fighters gahter at a square before handing over four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza City on January 25, 2025. AFP This is a generation which knows no fear. It is the generation of the missile, the tunnel and suicide operations. Haniyeh, January 15, 2014 The quote by the late Hamas Political Bureau chairman, assassinated by Israel on July 31, 2024, encapsulates the terrorist organisations fearlessness and survivability. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahus claim last year that much of the organisation had been destroyed and that victory was in sight stands belied. The latest shaky Gaza ceasefire showed two things. Advertisement First, Hamas survived Israels merciless carpet bombing of Gaza and its vastly superior arsenal. Second, the aim of Israel and the West to keep Hamas out of the Gaza Strips governance is impossible. The videos of the three Israeli women hostages and four Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) captives freed by Hamas showed that the terrorist organisation is alive and kicking. I watched the release of three innocent girls: Romi, Doron, and Emily. Surrounded by the Hamas mob, they were escorted to the Red Cross van. Emily is missing two fingers. God knows what they went through. Yet, no womens rights group has commented. pic.twitter.com/C6UK8Kbq0J Yulia Mit (@MitYulia) January 19, 2025 In both videos, the hostages were surrounded by a swarm of gun-wielding Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades operatives in balaclavas shouting Allahu Akbar and cheering Gazans. Breaking . Saturday . 4 female hostages freed. Liri, Naama, Karina, and Daniella are finally back home. Video of the release Hamas put on "power show." pic.twitter.com/yrnPt6Wghi Ukraine Diary+GeorgiaLatest (@UkraineDiary) January 25, 2025 Advertisement Hamas turned the hostage releases into a spectacle. It was clear that its al-Qassam Brigades members had emerged out of the massive subterranean tunnel network, or the Gaza Metro, to show they still call the shots and are deeply entrenched in the war-torn coastal enclave. Hamas has survived Israeli onslaught Far from being dismantled, Hamas has survived Israels brutal offensive. Around a year ago, the IDF Military Intelligence circulated a document among top Israeli politicians warning that dismantling Hamas wont mean eradicating the group. Hamas will survive as a terror group and a guerrilla group, the paper warned. Advertisement In January 2024, then-US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that a terrorist groups ability to resource itself, train and recruit fighters and execute attacks can be impacted, but it doesnt mean that the ideology withers away and dies. On the anniversary of the October 7 terror attack, Khaled Meshaal said that Hamas would rise like a phoenix from the ashes despite taking the massive blow from Israel adding that recruitment continued. Hamass leader-in-exile said that the group goes through phases of losses but always rises up. We lose martyrs (victims) and we lose part of our military capabilities, but then the Palestinian spirit rises again like the phoenixthanks to God, he said. Advertisement The reason for Hamass survival is the transformation of the Palestinian national struggle into a fundamentally religious conflict via the groups Dawaschools, clinics, mosques and charitiesand infiltration of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools. Such schools were infiltrated by Hamas sympathisers, supporters and even operatives decades ago and school textbooks have been fuelling anti-Israeli sentiments and violence. The radicalisation of students at UNRWA schools has triggered an avalanche of anti-Israeli sentiment and violence in the last four decades. Several students, including graduates and diploma holders, participated in the two Intifadas and terror attacks and joined the al-Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian Islamic Jihads (PIJ) Al-Quds Brigade. Advertisement A November 2023 report by the Israeli non-profit Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) titled UNRWA Education: Textbooks and Terror, lists the names of 118 such students who turned into terrorists. IMPACT-se monitors school textbooks and examines curricula worldwide to determine whether the material conforms to international standards derived from UNESCO declarations and resolutions. The report found that some educational material at UNRWA schools either promotes anti-Semitism or encourages violence and hatred against Israel. Moreover, UNRWA doesnt have curricula and its schools teach from textbooks of the host countryschools in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem teach the Palestinian National Authority (PA) curriculum. A 2016 revision of the textbooks showed their brazen anti-Semitic content and encouragement to violence and jihad. Dalal Mughrabi, an 18-year-old Palestinian refugee from Lebanon who was part of the Fatah fedayeen squad that killed 38 Israeli bus passengers, including 13 children, on March 11, 1978, is glorified in PA textbooks. For instance, fifth graders of UNRWAs Al-Zaytun Elementary School (Gaza) were taught to glorify Mughrabi as a role model for children. According to Matthew Levitt, a senior fellow and director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policys Stein Programme, on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, children caught up in the Hamas Dawa are taught to recognise the virtue of death-for-Allah. Once indoctrinated into this belief system, they are more easily exploited as grade-school terrorists. A Palestinian student is radicalised throughout his academic career via materials bearing the pictures of Hamas suicide bombers and others killed carrying out terrorist attacks. Another reason for Hamass survival is its recruitment. Hamas had around 20,000-25,000 fighters before the war started, per US intelligence. On January 21, outgoing IDF Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi said that around 20,000 Hamas members had been eliminated. It is difficult to estimate the exact number of Hamas casualties as members of the PIJ, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement and other armed groups were also killed. Figures provided by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, a nonprofit specialising in disaggregated conflict data collection and analysis, put the number of Hamas fatalities much less. Detailed IDF reports on the killing of militants containing specifics on timeframes, locations or operations. recorded by ACLED, account for only 8,500 deaths. Hamas was recruiting as it was losing its fighters. We lost part of our ammunition and weapons but Hamas is still recruiting young men and continues to manufacture a significant portion of its ammunition and weapons, Meshaal had said. According to an exclusive Reuters report, Hamas has recruited 10,000-15,000 members since the war started. US intelligence suggests that Hamas recruited around as many members as it had lost in the war, a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war, then-US secretary of state Antony Blinken said in January. Blinkens statement confirms al-Qassam Brigades July 2024 claim that thousands of new terrorists were recruited. We managed to recruit thousands of new fighters during the war, al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubaida had said. In December, Hamas recruited 4,000 members as Israel moved troops to fight Hezbollah in the last three months. Hamas also recruits in the West Bank and Lebanon. According to Levitt, Hamas recruits in a formal and structured way in the Gaza Strip for its military and intelligence wings. In the West Bank, Hamas has several cells which recruit operatives in religious settings. In southern Lebanon, members are hired from refugee camps. Moreover, Israels military operation against Gaza has enraged a new generation of Gazans who might be future terroriststhousands of orphans. The toll has crossed 47,200 with more than 38,000 children orphaned, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Around 32,151 children lost their fathers, 4,417 lost their mothers and another 1,918 lost both parents. These children and teenagers are a fertile ground for Hamas radicalisation and recruitment. Hamas will easily tap their rage and frustration against Israel. According to the United Nations, around 50 per cent of Gazans are under the age of 18. In January 2024, the IDF presented images showing Hamas and PIJ indoctrinating children and training them to shoot guns, navigate tunnels, confront tanks and engage in simulated soldier kidnappings. Hamas also uses children to transport ammunition and relay information from combat zones to terrorists hiding in shelters, per the IDF. The war is part of a broader narrative dating back to the Nakba (Catastrophe) in 1948. The high number of casualties caused by the Israeli invasion, more than thrice the number of dead in the Nakba, has ensured that Hamas will continue to recruit youngsters devastated by the loss of their families. Now, Israel faces thousands of angry young Palestinians who can take up arms. On March 11, 2024, then-director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, told a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing for the Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community that the Gaza conflict will have a generational impact on terrorism. The Hamas tunnel network also ensured the groups survival. The re-emergence of terrorists during the hostage releases showed that much of the Gaza Metro was intact. Before the war, the massive warren of tunnels was more than 720 km long. One of the tunnels located 1,310 feet from the Erez Crossing measured four km. In January 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that after 114 days of fighting, around 80 per cent of the tunnel system could have been intact. A New York Times report last year estimated the same length of the tunnel network, much higher than the IDFs assessment. The incessant aerial and artillery bombing flattened much of Gaza but the tunnel network wasnt destroyed. Yoni Ben Menachem, from the Jerusalem Centre for Security and Foreign Affairs, estimates that 40 per cent of the tunnel networkhundreds of kilometresis intact. Some of the tunnels are very long and havent even been discovered. The IDFs failure to locate the hostages confirms that the tunnels havent been destroyed completely. Some of the seven women hostages released by Hamas were held inside the tunnels for eight months. There are still very long tunnels that Israel has yet to have locatedsome of them with hostages inside. This requires a very big operation and a massive amount of explosives that Israel currently does not possess, Ben Menachem said. The existence of tunnels exposes the IDFs failure to plan a strategy that should have targeted the tunnel network. There are places in Gaza, especially in the centre, which the Army has not entered yet, added Ben Menachem. Hamas might not have the same firepower and strength as before the war but the ceasefire would give it a chance to increase recruitment and survive. As the guns have fallen silent, Hamas will waste no time to regroup, strategise and continue its fight against Israel. Mashal had mentioned the same point. Since Israel doesnt have a plan for Gaza when the war ends, Hamas would re-establish itself although not with the same strength or in the same form as before, he had said. Hamas will remain part of Gazas governance The United States (US) wanted the Mahmoud Abbas-led PA to govern both the West Bank and Gaza after the war. In an opinion piece in The Washington Times in November 2023, then-US President Joe Biden wrote: As we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a revitalised Palestinian Authority, as we all work towards a two-state solution. The PA governed both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip until Hamas took over the enclaves control in 2007. The US wanted a reformed PA that could also govern Gaza after the war. President Abbas, who has ruled out any Hamas participation if a new government is formed, tried to appease the US by appointing his longtime economic adviser Mohammad Mustafa as the PAs prime minister in March 2024 and asked him to form a new government. However, the PA and Abbas are unpopular among Palestinians, who feel they are corrupt and didnt stand up for them during the war. Neither the PA provided an alternate model to govern Gaza after the war, which alienated Gazans further. A survey conducted by Ramallah-based Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) in Gaza and the West Bank between November 27 and December 2, 2024, showed that 57 per cent found the PAs performance in supporting Palestinians in Gaza was very unsatisfactory. On the other hand, around 66 per cent of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank prefer Hamas to be part of or even lead a Palestinian unity government. And 17 per cent still favour only Hamas rule. In fact, West Bank residents support Hamas more (25 per cent) than the PA (10 per cent). Polling by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Research in Gaza and the West Bank in September 2024 showed 57 per cent saying that Gaza will remain under Hamass control after the war and 58 per cent preferring the groups return. In December, Hamas and Fatah agreed to form a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer post-war Gaza that would report to the PA. Later, Fatah opposed the agreement arguing that it was against two administrations and suggested that the PA should also govern Gaza. Excluding Hamas from Gaza is impossible as the group is part of Gazas social fabric. The hostage releases showed the groups iron grip on Gaza. Soon after, the al-Qassam Brigades started guarding the aid convoys, the Civil Police patrolled the streets and Hamas officials supervised the clearance of rubble. NO SURPRISE Hamas gunmen riding on top of many of the 600 aid trucks going into Gaza under the ceasefire terms. So much for keeping the aid free from control by the terrorists pic.twitter.com/YTHJstjuG7 Trisha Posner (@trishaposner) January 22, 2025 Hamas is deeply involved in running the enclavefrom running ministries and agencies to paying salaries and providing basic services. Hamas has released a 200-page document titled Gaza Phoenix detailing its official reconstruction plan, making it clear that it will be part of any future government. The plan includes putting up displacement camps, repairing hospitals, clearing rubble and restoring law and order. Even the reconstruction plan has Hamass sinister design of continuing to build its tunnel network. A section named Wartime resilience suggests constructing an underground connecter between all Gaza cities. Gazas governance faces a dilemmaneither Hamas can manage the enclave alone even if it assumes full control nor the PA will be able to govern it without the terror group. The writer is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The Quads role as a strategic counter to a resurgent and belligerent China may increase or decrease depending on the unpredictable and transactional Trump, but the Quad nations have much to offer each other read more On January 21, one day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States and hours after the Senate confirmed Marco Rubio as US Secretary of State (making Rubio Trumps first cabinet member), the 10th meeting of the foreign ministers of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the QUAD, was held in Washington. A short, directionless joint statement was issued afterward. Directionless The brief, standard joint statement following the foreign ministers meeting contained the following points: 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. A commitment to strengthening regional security and opposing any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. Strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats, while promoting reliable and resilient supply chains. This directionless, short statement, which reveals little and conceals much, provides no clear path forward for the Quad. It also stands in stark contrast to the joint statement issued after the last foreign ministers meeting (held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Quad), which included more substantive, directional, and actionable measures. Confusion and Chaos This directionless joint statement is symptomatic of the confusion and chaos surrounding how Trump intends to handle foreign policy in his second termrelationships with friends, allies, and foes alike. Obsessed with slogans like Making America Great Again and America First, the tone of Trumps foreign policy in his second term is unmistakably clear: uncertainty, uncertainty, and more uncertainty. In his very first week of Trump 2.0, he has already shaken the foundation of US foreign policy with early actionswalking away from the WHO and the Paris Climate Agreement, and putting NATO, Canada, Panama, Mexico, and Ukraine on notice. Although he has yet to unleash a full-scale trade war, his intentions are clear: tariffs, tariffs, and more tariffs. This may come sooner rather than later. The Existential Question Together with Trumps recent overtures to China, the Quad now faces an existential dilemma, prompting the question: Will the 20-year-old Quad grouping thrive, survive, or become a footnote in history under Trump 2.0? Mercurial and unpredictable as Trump is, there is no definitive answer. This piece, however, addresses this core issue. Before delving into the future of the Quad, I briefly examine the tentative beginning of the Quad in 2004, its resurrection in 2017, its coming of age under the Biden administration, and the new uncertainties surrounding its existence. The Focus Aside from deliberating on the strategic future of the grouping, I delve deeper into whether the Quads Economic Agenda will survive under the disruptive and transactional Trump 2.0 regime. To explore this, I will examine areas like infrastructure development, supply chain diversification, resilience, and technology partnerships, analysing whether these initiatives can gain favor in an administration focused on transactional diplomacy and tangible benefits for the US from any grouping or alliance. This piece also argues that demonstrating clear economic gains for all members, including the US, will be crucial for the Quads continued relevance. I begin with Quad: A Backgrounder. The Quad An Idea While the Quad has gained prominence in the last five years, it first took shape in 2004 as Quad 1.0 after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The four countriesUS, Japan, Australia, and Indiadecided to form the Tsunami Core Group to coordinate the emergency response and humanitarian assistance. Institutionalisation and Retaliation The first attempt to institutionalise the Quad came from Japans Prime Minister Abe Shinzo during his first term (20062007). His intent was to promote an international rules-based order, asserting that China had become a threat to that order. However, the very idea of Quad in its embryonic stage met with swift and decisive retaliation from China, which saw it as a US-led effort at containment and suppression, aimed at curbing Chinas rise by creating an Indo-Pacific NATO. Into the Deep Freezer Soon, Quad 1.0 was consigned to history and put into deep freeze for nearly a decade due to Chinas retaliation, the wavering of the four nations governments, Abe losing his premiership, and Australias withdrawal to mend its relationship with China. The Resurrection Undeterred by the demise of Quad 1.0, Abe revived the idea in 2012, proposing the Democratic Security Diamond to preserve the common good in the Indo-Pacific. Quad 2.0, in its present form, was resurrected by Abe in his second term in 2017, coinciding with the first term of President Trump. The revival of the Quad coincided with Chinas increasing military assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, as well as along the border with India. Taking Roots To revive the Quad, Japan in 2017 invited Australia, India, and the US to a joint working meeting on the margins of the ASEAN Summit. It was here that the idea began to take root, ultimately leading to the first formal meeting of Quad foreign ministers on the sidelines of the 2019 United Nations General Assembly. Operationalisation Quad, now a five-year-old grouping, is still uncertain about its future. Below is a brief overview of its operationalisation: Summit Meetings: The first virtual Quad Leaders Summit, hosted by President Joe Biden on March 24, 2021, included Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. They laid out the Spirit of the Quad: We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion. Over the past four years, Quad leaders have met six timesfour in person and twice virtually. The last meeting was hosted by Biden in Washington in September 2024, and the next is scheduled for New Delhi in 2025. Foreign Ministers Meetings: The first formal Quad foreign ministers meeting was held on September 26, 2019, in New York. The latest took place on January 21, 2025, in Washington. The Quad foreign ministers have met ten times, playing a significant role in operationalising summit decisions. Working Groups Broadening the Agenda: The practical work of the Quad is carried out through leader-level working groups focusing on: Critical and emerging technologies Supply chain resilience Infrastructure Cybersecurity Health security Climate Is the Quad the Equivalent of Asian NATO? While China views the Quad suspiciously as an Asian NATO, the Quad members emphasise that the group aims to foster deeper economic and diplomatic ties, with strategic military cooperation being just one aspect. In its current form, the Quad is a relatively lightly institutionalised, loose groupingneither a security arrangement nor a trade group. Its focus is on strengthening the economic resilience of its members and reducing dependencies on autocracies. The working groups are tools to achieve these goals. Trump 2.0 and China: Shadow on the Quad When Trump first joined the Quad formation (although Biden hosted the first official Quad Leaders Summit in 2021), his intent was to contain the growing Chinese threat. However, as Trump returns to the Oval Office, there are indications that his stance toward China may soften. Here are the key points: Days before the inauguration, Trump spoke with Xi Jinping to discuss trade, fentanyl, and TikTokthe Chinese-owned app Trump had sought to ban. Beijings reaction to the Trump-Xi conversation was unusually warm, with Chinese state media declaring that the two superpowers can become partners and friends prosper together, and benefit both countries and the world. At the World Economic Forum, Trump stated, I like President Xi very much. Ive always liked him. We always had a very good relationship. After the inauguration, Trump indicated 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese products, far lower than the 60 per cent he had threatened during the campaign. If Trump and Xi follow through with these intentions, it could significantly reduce the strategic need for the Quad as a tool to contain China. Other Developments Impacting the Quads Continued Relevance Apart from Trumps recent overtures to improve US-China relations, the following developments further dampen the strategic significance of the Quad: AUKUS Compact: The emergence of AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, designed to allow Australia to acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines and other advanced weapons like hypersonic missiles. Thaw in Indo-China Relations: After years of standoff, there is a tentative but distinct attempt at normalisation and improvement in India-China relations. Japanese Defense Buildup: Japan is undergoing its largest military buildup since World War II, with plans to double defense spending by 2027. These factors suggest that the strategic importance of the Quad may diminish in the next four years of Trumps presidency. For the grouping to remain relevant, it must prioritise its economic agenda. Quad Economic Imperative The Asia-Pacific has evolved since Trumps first term, and so have the priorities likely to influence his approach toward the Quad. One view is that under Trumps new administration, the Indo-Pacific will remain a priority with bipartisan support, but with a sharper focus on hard power dynamics. The other view is that a potential Sino-US thaw and other developments will reduce the strategic value of the Quad to the US. Even if the Quads value as a strategic counterbalance to China diminishes, the grouping still offers much on the economic front: The combined population of Quad nations is 1.9 billion, with a GDP of $34.8 trillion. Quad countries account for 44 per cent of two-way merchandise trade across the Indo-Pacific region. Quad nations hold 30 per cent of global FDI stock, with 22 per cent of that stock invested in the Indo-Pacific. Quad countries account for 18 per cent of global goods and services trade, amounting to $10 trillion. Concrete Achievements Starting with themes like Covid-19 vaccines, critical technologies, and climate change in 2021, the Quad has expanded its agenda to include fighting cancer, pandemics, bolstering quality infrastructure, maritime domain awareness, STEM education, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, connectivity, healthcare, and more. The grouping has also decided to expand its scope to include Commerce and Industry Ministers, with notable initiatives such as joint port development in the Indo-Pacific, creating an air logistics network, and cooperating in biotechnology and quantum computing. Quad Economic Agenda and Transactional Trump Amid these developments, the future of the Quads economic agenda must be assessed, focusing on: Infrastructure Development : Quads infrastructure financing initiatives and capacity-building efforts are critical but lag behind Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Resilient Supply Chain Initiative : The SCRI aims to reduce Quad nations dependence on China, and despite Trumps tariffs, it is in the US best interest to actively participate in SCRI. Critical and Emerging Technologies: Cooperation on AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, and Open RAN presents a win-win opportunity for all Quad members, including the US. Conclusion The Quads role as a strategic counter to a resurgent and belligerent China may increase or decrease depending on the unpredictable and transactional Trump, but the Quad nations have much to offer each other. It is imperative that the grouping strengthens its role significantly over the next four years of Trump 2.0. The author is a multi-disciplinary thought leader with Action Bias and an India based impact consultant. He is a keen watcher of changing national and international scenarios. He works as President Advisory Services of Consulting Company BARSYL. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Facing financial shortfalls and political interference, multilateral bodies might struggle to fulfil their mandates. This could also spark a recalibration of multilateralism, with emerging economies stepping up to fill the leadership vacuum read more Multilateralism, as a framework for global governance, traces its roots to the early 20th century, marked by the establishment of the League of Nations in 1920, which sought to prevent conflicts through collective security and diplomacy. However, its limitations became evident with the outbreak of World War II. The post-war era ushered in a new phase of multilateralism, spearheaded by the United States, which emerged as the dominant global power. Through initiatives like the Bretton Woods Conference (1944), the US played a pivotal role in creating institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, designed to stabilise global economic systems and foster post-war reconstruction. Advertisement The formation of the United Nations in 1945 further institutionalized multilateralism, with the US at its helm as a founding member and primary financier. Over the decades, the US championed multilateral trade liberalization through frameworks like the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and its successor, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), while also leading security alliances like NATO. This leadership reflected a strategy to embed liberal democratic values, economic interdependence, and collective security within a rules-based international order. Ironically, the same United States that once championed and upheld multilateralism could now lead its unmaking under Trump 2.0 presidency, as isolationist policies, protectionist trade practices, and the erosion of international commitments threaten to dismantle the very order it constructedushering in a phase that might be the funeral of multilateralism, at least for the next four years. During his first presidency, Donald Trump took several significant actions again pointing towards a decisive shift away from multilateralism. One of the most prominent moves was his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement in 2017, citing concerns that it unfairly disadvantaged American industries while allowing other countries, particularly China, to benefit economically. Trump argued that the agreement imposed unfair costs on the United States without sufficient reciprocal commitments from other nations, effectively undermining global efforts to combat climate change through a coordinated framework. But Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement on his first day in office in 2021. The Biden administration introduced a range of policies to tackle the nations role in climate change and reducing emissions. On 20th January 2025, one of the first executive orders was to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, signalling a retreat from global climate commitments. This decision has significant implications for the larger global climate change agenda, especially on mechanisms like the Loss and Damages Fund, which relies on developed nations contributions to support vulnerable countries. Already in limbo, the fund now faces greater uncertainty, jeopardizing financial support for the Global South. The move undermines multilateralism, risks stalling international climate action, and deepens inequities between developed and developing nations. Advertisement Similarly, Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2020. However, it didnt materialise, and later Biden vetoed it. This decision came at a time when global coordination was critical to managing the pandemic, raising concerns about the implications of the US stepping back from international health governance. Again, through another executive order on 20th January, Trump has signalled the US withdrawal from the WHO. The Trump administration justified the United States withdrawal from the WHO on several grounds, emphasizing perceived inefficiencies, political biases, and financial inequities. The administration criticized the WHOs handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly its response to the outbreak in Wuhan, China, and its failure to implement necessary reforms to improve global health governance. Advertisement The order raised concerns over the organisations susceptibility to undue political influence from member states, which, according to the administration, compromised its independence and effectiveness. Additionally, the administration cited an imbalance in financial contributions, noting that the US, despite being the largest donor, bore a disproportionately high financial burden compared to other major nations like China. The focus on an America First doctrine could lead to further disengagement from organisations seen as not aligning with US interests. Beyond outright withdrawal, Trump could adopt more indirect strategies to weaken international organizations. Noncompliance with rules, absence from critical meetings, and obstruction of key initiatives could render these bodies less effective. For example, Trump previously paralysed the WTOs dispute resolution mechanism by blocking appointments to its appellate body, undermining its ability to enforce trade rules. Such actions destabilise global governance and could encourage other countries to disregard institutional norms, further eroding international trust and cooperation. Advertisement Another method could involve withholding essential data that these organisations rely on to function. Institutions such as the World Bank, which depends on economic statistics, or environmental agencies that monitor carbon emissions require accurate and timely information to operate effectively. The United States could significantly impair their effectiveness by refusing to share data. This strategy could be compounded by cutting funding to these organisations, many of which depend heavily on US financial contributions. A reduction in funding could cripple their ability to carry out essential operations, much as the defunding of certain agencies during Trumps first term hindered their crisis response capabilities. Advertisement Creating rival organisations might also be on the table. By establishing alternative institutions, Trump could divert resources and influence away from existing multilateral bodies, weakening their capacity to address global challenges. Such platforms could serve as political tools to amplify US interests under the guise of multilateralism while sidelining more established organizations. Furthermore, Trump could attempt to reshape international organizations from within, steering them toward serving narrow US interests rather than fostering broad-based global cooperation. By redirecting these bodies focus to align with domestic political goals, his administration could co-opt their legitimacy and resources, effectively weaponising them to promote unilateral objectives. Thus, the future of multilateralism over the next four years could be marked by significant fragmentation and weakening, especially if the United States retreats further from its traditional leadership role. The decline of US engagement may embolden other powers to pursue unilateral or regional strategies, undermining the legitimacy and effectiveness of global institutions. Facing financial shortfalls and political interference, multilateral bodies might struggle to maintain cohesion and fulfil their mandates. In parallel, rival organisations tailored to specific national or regional agendas could proliferate, exacerbating global governance inefficiencies. However, this period could also spark a recalibration of multilateralism, with emerging economies and middle powers stepping up to fill the leadership vacuum, seeking to create frameworks that better reflect the priorities of the Global South. This reorientation might lead to a more pluralistic but less coherent global governance system, where coalitions of willing nations tackle specific issues without a unified rules-based order. Aditya Sinha (X:@adityasinha004) is a public policy professional. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The phishing attempt was particularly convincing, as the scammer used a genuine Google phone number and a well-crafted email to trick the victim. The email appeared official, coming from a valid Google domain, workspace-noreply@google.com read more In light of this attack, Google has responded by strengthening its defences. A spokesperson confirmed that the account behind the scam had been suspended, and measures are now being put in place to better protect users from similar attacks. Image Credit: Reuters A recent phishing attack targeting a Google programmer has raised alarms and prompted the tech giant to tighten its cybersecurity measures. Zach Latta, a Google programmer, described the attack as the most sophisticated phishing attempt he had ever encountered, nearly falling victim to it. The scam, reported by TechRadar which began with a phone call from a number that appeared to be from Google, was alarmingly convincing. The scammer, posing as a Google engineer, almost tricked Latta into revealing his account credentials. Advertisement The phishing attempt started with a phone call from a Google number, with the scammer posing as an engineer named Chloe. The caller claimed to be from Google Workspace and asked Latta if he had attempted to log into his account from Frankfurt, Germany. To gain Lattas trust, the scammer sent a highly convincing email from an official-looking Google address, providing a case number and asking him to reset his password. Despite the signs, such as a legitimate-looking Google URL, Latta became suspicious and ultimately avoided falling for the scam. Google has since responded by tightening its defences. A convincing phishing story The phishing attempt was particularly convincing, as the scammer used a genuine Google phone number and a well-crafted email to trick Latta. The email appeared official, coming from a valid Google domain, workspace-noreply@google.com, and even referenced an internal Google subnet important.g.co. The scammers use of a real phone number and a professional-sounding voice made the attack seem more credible. Latta, being a tech professional, followed best practices by verifying the number and even received confirmation from the scammer about how to proceed. However, after checking his Google Workspace logs and finding no suspicious activity, Latta began to suspect that something was off. The scammers persistence, including escalating the situation to a manager and providing Latta with the MFA code, nearly led to disaster. Fortunately, Latta recognized the red flags in time and avoided entering the MFA code that would have compromised his account. Googles response to the attack In light of this attack, Google has responded by strengthening its defences. A spokesperson confirmed that the account behind the scam had been suspended, and measures are now being put in place to better protect users from similar attacks. Google emphasized that it will never call users to reset passwords or troubleshoot account issues, directly addressing one of the tactics used in this scam. While Google stated that no evidence suggests this is a widespread tactic, it has bolstered its systems to prevent the exploitation of official Google domains like g.co for phishing purposes. Advertisement Protecting yourself from phishing scams This phishing attempt highlights the growing sophistication of cybercriminals, with even the most tech-savvy individuals at risk. As Latta pointed out, simple best practices, like verifying phone numbers and emails, are no longer foolproof. Phishing scams are evolving, often bypassing classic tell-tale signs like poor grammar or suspicious links. The best defence is to remain cautious of any unsolicited communication, especially those asking you to take immediate action. To protect yourself, always verify the legitimacy of any unexpected calls or emails, especially if they urge you to reset passwords or share sensitive information. Avoid clicking on any links or opening attachments from unfamiliar sources. Additionally, using identity theft protection services can offer an extra layer of defence. As phishing tactics continue to evolve, staying vigilant remains the best defence against falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams. OpenAIs API is the primary way that businesses and developers access its services. Microsofts security team had flagged suspicious activity last fall, regarding OpenAIs services and the use of its API by certain entities read more Microsofts investigation into DeepSeeks actions could potentially reveal unauthorized use of proprietary data from OpenAIs models, adding to the growing tension between Chinese and American AI firms. Image Credit: AFP Microsoft and OpenAI are investigating whether Chinese AI startup DeepSeek illegally accessed OpenAIs data to train its own AI models. The allegation is that individuals linked to DeepSeek may have used OpenAIs API to exfiltrate large amounts of data, as per a report by Bloomberg. This API is the primary way that businesses and developers access OpenAIs services. Microsofts security team had flagged suspicious activity last fall, regarding OpenAIs services and the use of its API by certain entities. The tech giant, which is the largest investor in OpenAI, has since informed the company about the potential breach. Advertisement The news comes shortly after DeepSeek, known for its low-cost AI solutions, caused a stir in the tech world. The startups free AI assistant recently overtook OpenAIs ChatGPT in downloads on the Apple App Store, leading to a significant selloff in tech stocks. This move has raised concerns about DeepSeeks rapid rise and its implications for US AI companies. Microsofts investigation into DeepSeeks actions could potentially reveal unauthorized use of proprietary data from OpenAIs models, adding to the growing tension between Chinese and American AI firms. White House weighs in on the allegations David Sacks, the White Houses AI and crypto czar, spoke out about the situation, suggesting that DeepSeek might have stolen intellectual property from US companies. In an interview with Fox News, Sacks stated that there is substantial evidence to suggest DeepSeek could have distilled the knowledge from OpenAIs models, potentially using stolen data to fuel their own AI advancements. This is a serious claim, as the unauthorized use of data could have broader implications for the US AI industry and national security. Sacks comments reflect growing concern within the US government about Chinas increasing efforts to replicate and compete with American AI technologies. The situation has sparked further debate about how to protect intellectual property in the fast-moving AI sector, particularly as foreign companies develop models that challenge US dominance. OpenAI responds to data theft concerns In response to the Bloomberg report, OpenAI issued a statement acknowledging that China-based companies, among others, are frequently trying to replicate US AI models. While the company did not specifically name DeepSeek, it confirmed that efforts to protect its intellectual property (IP) are ongoing. OpenAI emphasized that it engages in countermeasures to safeguard its data, including a careful process for determining which capabilities to release in public models. OpenAI also stressed the importance of working closely with the US government to protect its most advanced AI models from being replicated or stolen. As the race to dominate AI technology continues, safeguarding intellectual property has become a top priority for US companies, especially with the growing competition from Chinese firms. With the DeepSeek investigation still ongoing, it remains to be seen what consequences, if any, will follow from these allegations of data theft. At a time when competition in the AI landscape is intensifying, particularly with the rise of DeepSeeka low-cost Chinese AI startupOpenAIs move to launch ChatGPT Gov is seen as a strategic response read more By introducing ChatGPT Gov, OpenAI seeks to maintain its leadership position while providing government agencies with the tools they need to work securely and efficiently. Image Credit: Reuters OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT Gov, a new tailored version of its popular AI platform designed for US government agencies. This launch is aimed at helping these agencies leverage AI to improve services, enhance decision-making, and protect sensitive data. At a time when competition in the AI landscape is intensifying, particularly with the rise of DeepSeeka low-cost Chinese AI startupOpenAIs move is seen as a strategic response. DeepSeeks rapid success, including surpassing ChatGPT in downloads, has raised concerns in the US about the future of AI development. ChatGPT Gov aims to ensure that AI serves national interests while aligning with democratic values and supporting policymakers in addressing complex challenges. Advertisement The launch also comes at a pivotal moment, as US investors are reassessing their strategies in the wake of DeepSeeks success. The Chinese AI platform has made waves by offering competitive features at a much lower cost, challenging US tech giants. By introducing ChatGPT Gov, OpenAI seeks to maintain its leadership position while providing government agencies with the tools they need to work securely and efficiently. Tailored security features for government use ChatGPT Gov provides US government agencies with many of the capabilities of ChatGPT Enterprise, but with enhanced security tailored to government needs. Agencies can deploy the platform within their own Microsoft Azure cloud, giving them full control over their security and privacy. This setup ensures compliance with stringent cybersecurity standards such as IL5, CJIS, ITAR, and FedRAMP High, which are necessary for managing sensitive data. The platform also allows government officials to securely save and share conversations, upload files, and ensure compliance with internal security protocols. Additionally, ChatGPT Gov enables government employees to create and share custom GPTs within a secure workspace. This flexibility ensures that the AI can be adapted to specific government tasks, from drafting policy memos to developing applications, all while keeping sensitive information protected. The combination of security and customization makes it an ideal tool for government operations. Expanding OpenAIs reach in the public sector ChatGPT Gov builds on OpenAIs increasing presence across the US government. More than 90,000 government employees have already used ChatGPT for various tasks, generating millions of prompts for document translation, coding, and policy creation. With over 18 million prompts generated, OpenAIs tools have already proven valuable in streamlining operations and improving efficiency. ChatGPT Gov enhances this by providing an even more secure and tailored solution for sensitive government projects. In addition, OpenAI is pursuing FedRAMP accreditation for ChatGPT Enterprise, which forms the foundation of ChatGPT Gov, further ensuring that its platform meets government security requirements. Rising competition from DeepSeek and its impact on US AI strategy The launch of ChatGPT Gov coincides with growing competition from DeepSeek, a Chinese AI platform that has already made a significant impact on the market. DeepSeeks free AI assistant recently surpassed ChatGPT in daily downloads from the Apple App Store, raising alarms among US investors. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman referred to DeepSeek as a new competitor, acknowledging its disruptive potential. DeepSeeks success, driven by its low-cost model, has led investors to question the future of US investments in AI, particularly as Chinese companies continue to ramp up their AI capabilities. As the global AI race heats up, OpenAIs launch of ChatGPT Gov reflects its efforts to not only stay competitive but also ensure that US government operations are supported by secure, reliable AI. By aligning its technology with national interests, OpenAI aims to safeguard public services while responding to the challenges posed by rising foreign competitors. Advertisement Sam Altman acknowledged DeepSeeks impressive performance, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that the competition is invigorating. However, he emphasized that OpenAI is focused on delivering much better models and that computing power will be even more critical moving forward read more In response to the growing competition from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has pledged to fast-track product releases and deliver better models in the coming months. DeepSeeks new R1 chatbot has shocked the tech world by performing on par with OpenAIs GPT-4 and other major AI offerings, despite being developed with far fewer resources. The launch of DeepSeeks chatbot last week, which quickly climbed to the top of the Apple App Store, has had a significant impact on the tech stock market, with major losses for companies like Nvidia. The rise of DeepSeek is forcing the industry to reconsider the costly infrastructure model that has been key for US tech giants. Advertisement Altman acknowledged DeepSeeks impressive performance, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that the competition is invigorating. However, he emphasized that OpenAI is focused on delivering much better models and that computing power will be even more critical moving forward. The success of DeepSeek has prompted a reevaluation of the massive capital expenditures made by companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon, which have committed billions to build the necessary infrastructure for AI. DeepSeeks challenge to American AI businesses DeepSeeks R1 model has outperformed US models, including OpenAIs GPT-4, in key areas such as math, coding, and the ability to understand both text and images. This has led to industry leaders like Aidan Gomez, founder of Cohere, suggesting that the future of AI lies in finding more efficient solutions, rather than spending the most money. DeepSeek has demonstrated that its possible to compete at a high level while keeping costs low, challenging the conventional belief that massive infrastructure investments are essential for success. Metas frustration and the changing AI landscape Meta, one of the key US players in AI, has voiced frustration at DeepSeeks rapid progress. Despite investing heavily in AI infrastructure, Meta has found itself struggling to keep up with DeepSeeks efficiency. CEO Mark Zuckerberg reaffirmed that the US should lead the AI race, dismissing DeepSeek as a Chinese-backed competitor. However, Metas Yann LeCun admitted that DeepSeeks low-cost model raises serious questions about the long-term viability of the infrastructure-heavy approach that has dominated the AI industry. DeepSeeks long-term impact Despite scepticism around the cost of DeepSeeks AI development, the company claims that its V3 chatbot was trained for just $5.6 million. This cost-efficient approach is attributed to DeepSeeks use of reinforcement learning techniques and open-source models like Metas Llama and Alibabas Qwen. While the companys success is still questioned by some, its clear that DeepSeeks rise has disrupted the AI market, signalling a shift towards more cost-effective models. As the competition heats up, OpenAI and other US companies must now rethink their strategies and adapt to this new, more efficient landscape. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the National Security Council (NSC) is investigating the situation with DeepSeek as officials are worried about DeepSeeks rise and its impact on the balance of power in the AI race between the US and China read more One of the major concerns surrounding DeepSeek is its data policies, which have raised red flags about user privacy and security. Similar to the scrutiny faced by platforms like TikTok, DeepSeek collects personal data from users and stores it on servers in China. Image Credit: Reuters The Trump White House has launched an investigation into the potential national security risks posed by DeepSeek, a Chinese AI platform that has rapidly disrupted the tech world. The platform, known for delivering advanced AI capabilities at a fraction of the cost of US competitors like ChatGPT, has sparked concern in Washington. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the National Security Council (NSC) is investigating the situation, with officials worried about the implications of DeepSeeks rise, particularly its impact on the balance of power in the AI race between the US and China. Advertisement Leavitt stated that President Trump sees DeepSeeks success as a wake-up call for the US AI industry. While theres confidence that America can regain its leadership, the platforms swift ascent has raised alarms. Leavitt also mentioned that shed personally discussed the matter with the NSC, highlighting how seriously the White House is taking the issue. Disrupting the tech industry DeepSeeks rise has already made waves in the tech industry. The platforms app rocketed to number one on Apples app store, surpassing ChatGPT in daily downloads. Whats more concerning, however, is how DeepSeeks success is affecting the market for AI chips. NVIDIA, a leading AI chipmaker, saw its stock take a hit after DeepSeeks breakthrough. The platforms ability to develop cutting-edge AI with fewer advanced chips than anticipated suggests that the demand for high-end semiconductors may be lower than expected. This disruption has serious implications for US tech companies, which have heavily invested in the AI space, especially in semiconductors and infrastructure. National security concerns Beyond the economic impact, national security experts are concerned about the potential risks associated with DeepSeek. Some users have reported that the platforms chatbots are unwilling to discuss sensitive topics, such as the Tiananmen Square massacre, instead offering responses that align with the Chinese governments narrative. This raises alarms about censorship and the potential for DeepSeek to be used as a tool for spreading disinformation. Given that the platform is rapidly gaining traction globally, these concerns could have significant implications for users worldwide. Leavitt was quick to criticise the Biden administration for not acting fast enough to address Chinas AI advancements, claiming that Trumps administration was quicker to appoint an AI czar and relax regulations on the industry. However, the Biden administration has responded with its own strategy, issuing executive orders to limit Chinese access to advanced AI chips and technology to maintain US leadership. Despite these efforts, DeepSeek managed to secure NVIDIAs chips before the restrictions fully took effect, suggesting that US policies may be inadvertently helping accelerate Chinas AI progress. The same fate as TikTok? One of the major concerns surrounding DeepSeek is its data policies, which have raised red flags about user privacy and security. Similar to the scrutiny faced by platforms like TikTok, DeepSeek collects personal data from users and stores it on servers in China. The platforms privacy policy states that it uses this data to comply with legal obligations and to serve the public interest. However, given Chinas national intelligence laws, which require all companies to assist in government intelligence efforts, this raises serious questions about how user data might be accessed or used by the Chinese government. These concerns have led to calls for a potential ban on DeepSeek, particularly as it gains traction in Western countries. As with TikTok, the worry is that such platforms could be used as tools for surveillance or data harvesting, prompting governments to take action to protect their citizens privacy and national security Advertisement A new era in US-China AI rivalry DeepSeeks rise signals a new chapter in the ongoing US-China tech rivalry. The platforms ability to develop sophisticated AI with fewer resources than its US counterparts has raised questions about the effectiveness of Americas strategy to withhold advanced technology from China. While US companies have dominated the AI space, China is rapidly catching up, and platforms like DeepSeek show just how quickly the balance of power can shift. As the investigation into DeepSeek unfolds, its clear that the AI race is far from over, and this is just the beginning of what could be a much larger technological showdown. Although Trumps tariff plans have targeted several industries, his focus on semiconductors is particularly concerning for Apple. Trump has long pushed for reshoring manufacturing to the US, and his latest comments indicate that he plans to achieve this through tariffs rather than incentives read more President Trumps proposed tariffs could have a significant impact on Apples ongoing partnership with Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC. During a recent speech, Trump reaffirmed his plans to apply tariffs to specific industries, including semiconductors, to bring more manufacturing back to the US While Apple has so far avoided being directly affected by these tariffs, the new proposal could disrupt its relationship with TSMC, which produces crucial chips for Apples devices. If these tariffs are implemented, Apples chip production costs could rise, affecting both the companys supply chain and profitability. Advertisement Although Trumps tariff plans have targeted several industries, his focus on semiconductors is particularly concerning for Apple. Trump has long pushed for reshoring manufacturing to the US, and his latest comments indicate that he plans to achieve this through tariffs rather than incentives. This strategy could place pressure on Apples partnership with TSMC, which relies on Taiwan for the production of chips that power Apples products. The financial impact of tariffs on Apple If Trumps proposed tariffs are enacted, Apple could face rising costs across its product lines. A report from the Consumer Technology Association estimates that the tariffs could increase the price of consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops by up to 46%. While Trump has not specified the exact tariff rate, its clear that these tariffs could increase the cost of Apples products, potentially leading to higher prices for consumers and reduced margins for the company. This would be particularly problematic for Apple, which has worked hard to keep its products affordable while maintaining high-profit margins. Even though Apple has diversified its supply chain by expanding production in countries like India, tariffs on imported chips could still have a significant impact on its finances, especially if they affect key components produced by TSMC. Apples efforts to mitigate the effects of tariffs To reduce the impact of tariffs, Apple has already started shifting parts of its manufacturing outside of China. The company has ramped up production in India, which offers lower costs and fewer tariffs on imports. This move could provide some buffer against the new tariff plans if they are implemented. However, Apples reliance on TSMC for its chips means that the company is still vulnerable to changes in US trade policies. Apple has also been involved in discussions with the US government to ensure that its products remain unaffected by tariffs. Tim Cooks close relationship with Trump during his first term was instrumental in helping Apple avoid some of the worst tariff impacts, and the company will likely continue to lobby for favorable treatment in the event that new tariffs are introduced. TSMCs US expansion could help Apple Despite Trumps criticism of the Chips Act and the billions allocated to companies like TSMC, the Taiwanese chip giant has already started building chip production facilities in Arizona. These US-based factories are producing chips for Apple, which could help the company mitigate the effects of future tariffs. While TSMCs US expansion may help alleviate some of the financial pressures from tariffs, it doesnt eliminate the risk altogether. Trumps stance on tariffs could still affect Apples bottom line if the US government imposes blanket tariffs on semiconductors or other critical components. As the situation develops, Apples ongoing efforts to diversify its production and maintain strong relationships with key partners like TSMC will be crucial. While the potential for higher tariffs remains, the company is making moves to limit the impact on its products and operations. Recipient nations are unhappy with how their citizens were sent back home. The Brazilian government has demanded an explanation from the US government after seeing its people deboarding military planes in handcuffs read more Over 7,300 immigrants in the US were sent back home in handcuffs and shackles after the Department of Homeland Security began its mass deportation drive on President Donald Trumps order. While the deportation drive itself has invited criticism, the condition in which these immigrants were flown back home has been questioned and so has the use of military planes to carry out this operation. Mondays swift operation was only possible because the Trump administration has enlisted the military to quickly scale up its deportation capacity, which usually relies on chartered flights. Advertisement Were not criminals The fact that immigrants were handcuffed and their feet were bound with chains has struck their home countries and human rights activists the most. Jorge Santos of the Human Rights Convergence, a Guatemalan coalition, said the deportations should be handled exclusively by civilians, without the use of military planes. He also criticized the practice of shackling deportees, although that occurs on civilian charter flights run by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The use of shackles must not be a condition of this situation, nor chaining their feet and hands and much less that a military authority have a role in the framework of an action that must be completely civilian, Santos said. Lesly Ramirez, a single mother of two, was on one of these flights. She said that her handcuffs were so tight that it hurt her hands. While the migrants were provided food on the plane, she said it was difficult to eat with their cuffed hands chained to their waists. Were all human beings," she said. We were going to work, were not criminals. Brazil demands explanation' Recipient nations are unhappy with how their citizens were sent back home. The Brazilian government has demanded an explanation from the US government after seeing its people deboarding military planes in handcuffs. The countrys justice ministry said that it ordered the removal of handcuffs immediately after a plane landed in Brazils northern city of Manaus. Upon learning of the situation, President Lula ordered that a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft be mobilized to transport the Brazilians to their final destination, in order to ensure that they could complete their journey with dignity and safety, the ministry said. Similarly, Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to let two US military planes carrying deportees land in his country over the weekend. Instead, two Colombian air force planes were sent to the US to pick up the Colombians and bring them home Tuesday, but only after a Trump tariff threat and a furious bout of diplomacy. Advertisement With inputs from agencies U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month that Greenland was vital to U.S. security and Denmark should give up control of the strategically important island read more An opinion poll indicated on Tuesday that 85% of Greenlanders do not wish their Arctic island - a semi-autonomous Danish territory - to become a part of the United States, Danish daily Berlingske reported. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month that Greenland was vital to U.S. security and Denmark should give up control of the strategically important island. The survey by pollster Verian, commissioned by the Danish paper, showed only 6% of Greenlanders are in favour of becoming part of the U.S., with 9% undecided, Berlingske said. Advertisement Denmark said on Monday it would spend 14.6 billion crowns ($2.04 billion) on boosting its military presence in the Arctic. Greenland - with a land mass larger than Mexico and a population of 57,000 - was granted broad self-governing autonomy in 2009, including the right to declare independence from Denmark through a referendum. Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede, who has stepped up a push for independence, has repeatedly said the island is not for sale and that it is up to its people to decide their future. The U.S. military has a permanent presence at the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, a strategic location for its ballistic missile early-warning system, as the shortest route from Europe to North America runs via the island. You are here: World Flash The Lebanese Ministry of Health said on Tuesday that the death toll from three days of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon has risen to 25, with 160 others wounded. In a statement, the ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Center reported that one person was killed and 26 others injured during the Israeli attacks on Monday. The injured were spread across five villages in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon: Adaisseh, Bani Hayyan, Burj Al-Muluk, Houla, and Kafr Kila. Since early Sunday, hundreds of Lebanese residents have gathered at the outskirts of their border villages, marching toward their homes by car and on foot, bypassing Lebanese army checkpoints and Israeli-imposed earth barriers. However, Israeli forces opened fire on the returning civilians, further escalating tensions along the border. These developments come despite the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and the Israeli military, which took effect on Nov. 27, 2024. As many as nine Indian nationals were killed in a road accident near Jizan in western Saudi Arabia, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah said on Wednesday read more As many as nine Indian nationals were killed in a road accident near Jizan in western Saudi Arabia, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah said on Wednesday. In a statement posted on X, the consulate also confirmed that it is in touch with both local authorities and the victims relatives. We deeply mourn the tragic loss of 9 Indian nationals in a road accident, near Jizan, in the Western Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our heartfelt condolences to the families affected. The Consulate General of India in Jeddah is providing full support and is in touch with India in Jeddah (@CGIJeddah) January 29, 2025 Advertisement We deeply mourn the tragic loss of 9 Indian nationals in a road accident, near Jizan, in the Western Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our heartfelt condolences to the families affected. The Consulate General of India in Jeddah is providing full support and is in touch with the authorities and families. We also wish a speedy recovery to the injured. A dedicated helpline has been set up for further queries. Helpline Numbers: 8002440003(Toll free) 0122614093, 0126614276, 0556122301(WhatsApp), the statement read. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed his sorrow over the tragic incident and said that he had spoken with the Consul General in Jeddah, who is in close contact with the victims families. Grieved to learn of this accident and the loss of lives. Spoke with our Consul General in Jeddah, who is in touch with the concerned families. He is extending fullest support in this tragic situation. https://t.co/MHmntScjOT Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 29, 2025 Advertisement Grieved to learn of this accident and the loss of lives. Spoke with our Consul General in Jeddah, who is in touch with the concerned families. He is extending fullest support in this tragic situation, Jaishankar posted on X. With inputs from agencies Afghanistans interim Taliban government has relocated several family members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from border areas to other regions of the country in a bid to placate Pakistans growing anger, according to a report read more Afghanistans interim Taliban government has relocated several family members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from border areas to other regions of the country in a bid to placate Pakistans growing anger. According to an Express Tribune report_,_ a senior Pakistani official confirmed the development on Tuesday but stressed that the action falls short of addressing the countrys longstanding issues. This move by the Afghan Taliban is thought to have been influenced by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which urged the Kabul administration to tackle Pakistans concerns regarding terrorist hideouts, added the report. Advertisement Taliban acting interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, accompanied by the Taliban intelligence chief, recently travelled to the UAE to engage in discussions with the Gulf countrys leadership. Prior to their visit, a Pakistani delegation had also visited the UAE as part of efforts to address the TTP issue, the Express Tribune reported. There was no official confirmation from either side about the development and potential role being played by the UAE to ease tensions between the two countries. However, the Pakistani official acknowledged the role of UAE and Qatar to broker some kind of path forward on the issue of TTP, the report said. The official said certain family members of the TTP, mostly women and children, were relocated from border areas of Pakistan to other areas of Afghanistan. However, the official made it clear that the Taliban government made similar arrangements in the past with little impact. Given the fact that only members of the TTP were relocated and not the fighters, this would have little impact on the ground. Moreover, the official said that the process of relocation of TTP from border areas was to be completed a long time ago, but it was painstakingly slow. According to some estimates, there are between 6,000 to 8,000 terrorists of TTP operating from Afghanistan. Besides, another 20,000 family members have taken refugees across the border. Advertisement In view of this large number, the relocation of a few hundred family members of the TTP was not the answer to Pakistans demand, according to another official. The official said the idea of relocation of TTP from border areas came from the Taliban after they expressed their reluctance to use force against them. Pakistan was always sceptical of the proposal as the Taliban were not ready to give firm guarantees that TTP would no longer pose a threat to the neighbouring country. The news of the relocation of certain TTP members came just weeks after Pakistan reportedly conducted strikes across the border targeting the terrorist hideouts. Advertisement Sources said Taliban leadership was divided on the issue of TTP. Some members believe that Kabul should address Pakistans concerns and not allow TTP to operate from its soil. However, there are others within the decision-making circle who support TTP. Sources said Pakistan considered the latest development only a baby step to address the most complex challenge of TTP. Pakistan has repeatedly informed the Taliban leadership that bilateral cooperation between the two neighbours depends on Kabul taking a decisive action against the TTP, according to the Express Tribune. With inputs from agencies Bangladesh and Pakistan are set to begin direct flight connectivity within the next few months, Dhakas envoy to Islamabad said. Bangladesh High Commissioner also emphasised Bangladeshs commitment to boosting business ties with Pakistan. read more The fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh has brought good news to Pakistan as the Islamabad-Dhaka ties have got a new boost not seen before. Pakistan-sympathiser outfits such as Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami have revived their activities in Bangladesh. The Jamaat saw a ban lifted on its operations. Bangladesh and Pakistan recently established shipping contacts. A delegation of the Pakistan Armys Inter-State Intelligence (ISI) also visited Dhaka. Now, the two countries are set to launch direct flight connectivity soon, Bangladeshs envoy to Pakistan confirmed. Advertisement This significant development is set to enhance connectivity and foster stronger economic and cultural ties between the two countries, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan, Muhammad Iqbal Hussain Khan, said. New-found friendship This came after his meeting with Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Nasir Mansoor Qureshi. The high commissioner said that cargo flights between Dhaka, Karachi, and Lahore would commence soon, further facilitating trade and business exchanges between the two South Asian nations. Last month, Bangladeshs interim governments Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, said he wished to improve ties with Pakistan. Yunuss outreach to Pakistan came after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a conference in Egypt. Theres business too Hussain emphasised Bangladeshs commitment to boosting business ties with Pakistan. He said that Pakistanis can easily obtain Bangladeshi visas online. The high commissioner said that the two countries can trade in various sectors, with Pakistan exporting goods such as sugar, steel, surgical instruments, cement, dry fruits, pink salt, milk products, marble, and coal to Bangladesh. In turn, Pakistan can import items like tea and jute from Bangladesh, creating a complementary trade dynamic between the two countries, he said. Bangladeshs Yunus met with Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in December last year during the D8 summit in Egypt. Both leaders emphasised to deepen cooperation in areas such as the sugar industry and dengue management. A Pakistani cargo ship docked at Chittagong Port in November for the first time since Bangladeshs independence, and in October, Bangladesh ended the mandatory 100 per cent physical inspection for Pakistani imports, indicating a positive shift in trade relations. Yunus took a critical stance towards India and accused it of exaggerating reports of violence. Advertisement India watching it The sudden bonhomie between Bangladesh and Pakistan after a student agitation toppled Hasina as the prime minister in Dhaka is being closely watched by India. Hasina adopted a circumspect approach in dealing with Pakistan for historical reasons and also to maintain a distance from fundamentalist organisations that push jihadist ideology to sponsor terrorism. Incidentally, the Bangladesh-Pakistan bonhomie also comes against the backdrop of straining ties between Dhaka and New Delhi following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. In the aftermath, reports came that fundamentalist elements in Bangladesh targeted its minority Hindu community in weeks after Hasinas ouster. Pakistan has also been accused of not acting against fundamentalist outfits that target its minority Hindu community. In the face of a mass protest, Hasina fled to India in early August 2024. She is staying in-exile in India, with the Yunus government demanding her extradition. But a formal extradition process has not been sought by Bangladesh. Hasinas father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was seen as the leader who created Bangladesh to save the Bengali people from the oppression of then-West Pakistan leaders. Advertisement The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) launched the GSLV-F15 rocket carrying the NVS-02 satellite. This marked its 100th rocket launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. This milestone comes amidst a timeline of significant space achievements, including historic missions like Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan, Aditya L1, and Chandrayaan-3. read more As Isro launches 100th satellite taking India closer to its own GPS NavIC, a timeline of its journey. Image Courtesy: @Isro/X The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) launched the GSLV-F15 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday at 6:23 AM IST, carrying the NVS-02 satellite. This mission marks Isros 100th rocket launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission is the first under the leadership of newly appointed chairman V Narayanan. It is the 17th flight of Indias Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and the 11th utilizing an indigenous cryogenic upper stage. Advertisement The mission successfully deployed the NVS-02 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellites are part of Indias indigenously built Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, designed to provide accurate Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services to users across India and regions extending approximately 1,500 km beyond the Indian mainland. This launch is crucial for enhancing Indias regional navigation infrastructure. This milestone comes amidst a timeline of significant space achievements, including historic missions like Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan, and Chandrayaan-3. Isros timeline of major milestones in space exploration: 1962 INCOSPAR formed by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE): INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research) was the predecessor to Isro. Established in 1962 by Dr Vikram Sarabhai under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). 21 November 1963 First Sounding Rocket Launch: India launched its first sounding rocket from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The iconic image of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and his colleague CR Sathya transporting parts of the rocket by bicycle was taken at the Thumba site. 15 August 1969 Isro Formed Under DAE: Isro was officially formed on 15 August 1969 under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). 1 January 1975 Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE): The SITE project was a collaboration with NASA, using satellite technology to broadcast educational programs to rural India. It ran from August 1975 to July 1976 and was a significant social experiment. 7 June 1979 Bhaskara-I: Indias First Earth Observation Satellite: Launched on 7 June 1979, Bhaskara-I was Indias first experimental Earth observation satellite, used for remote sensing in land and water resource management. 18 July 1980 Rohini Satellite Completes Mission Launch: India successfully launched the Rohini satellite. 1 January 1981 SLV-3: Isro successfully launched the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) to put satellites into low Earth orbit. Advertisement 20 November 1981 Bhaskara-II: The Bhaskara-II satellite was launched as a follow-up to Bhaskara-I for Earth observation. 10 April 1982 INSAT-1A: INSAT-1A, the first satellite under the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) program, was launched to provide telecommunications, meteorology, and broadcasting services. 2 April 1984 India-Soviet Manned Space Mission: Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space as part of the India-Soviet Intercosmos mission, flying aboard Soyuz T-11. 4 May 1994 SROSS-C2: The Stretched Rohini Satellite Series-C2 (SROSS-C2) was launched to study the Earths atmosphere and its interaction with space. 18 April 2001 GSLV-D1/GSAT-1: India launched the GSAT-1 satellite aboard the GSLV-D1 rocket for telecommunication services. Advertisement 10 January 2007 PSLV-C7/CARTOSAT-2E/SRE-1: The PSLV-C7 mission successfully launched multiple satellites, including CARTOSAT-2E for Earth observation. 22 October 2008 PSLV-C11/Chandrayaan-1: Indias first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, was launched aboard the PSLV-C11 rocket, marking a major milestone for Isro. The missions primary objectives included conducting chemical, mineralogical, and photo-geologic mapping of the Moons surface. The spacecraft carried 11 scientific instruments developed by India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and Bulgaria. One of the missions most groundbreaking achievements was the discovery of water molecules on the Moons surface. 20 April 2011 PSLV-C16/Resourcesat-2: This mission deployed the Resourcesat-2 satellite for Earth observation. 5 November 2013 PSLV-C25/Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan): Indias first interplanetary mission, Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), was successfully launched. Advertisement 7 December 2014 GSAT-16: Isro launched GSAT-16 to strengthen its communication network. It was a a communication satellite. 5 December 2018 GSAT-11 Indias Heaviest Communication Satellite: GSAT-11 was launched to enhance broadband connectivity across India. 22 July 2019 GSLV-Mk III-M1/Chandrayaan-2: India launched its second lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan-2, aboard the GSLV-Mk III-M1 rocket. Though, the mission was partially successful. While the orbiter successfully entered lunar orbit and continues to provide valuable data about the Moons surface and exosphere. The lander Vikram unfortunately lost communication with the ground control during its descent to the Moons surface. 28 February 2021 PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1: This mission launched the Amazonia-1 satellite for Earth observation. Advertisement 2 April 2023 Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV-MLV): Isro conducted a successful test flight of the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission in Chitradurga, Karnataka. 21 October 2023 Gaganyaan TV-D1 Mission: This test flight was a part of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, demonstrating the Crew Escape System for astronaut safety. As of January 2025, the mission has experienced delays. Now, the first crewed flight now scheduled for 2026. 2 September 2023 PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission: Aditya-L1, Indias first dedicated solar mission, was launched to study the Sun. The spacecraft was placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. 14 July 2023 LVM3 M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Isro launched Chandrayaan-3, aiming to demonstrate Indias capability for a safe and soft lunar landing. The Vikram lander successfully landed near the Moons south pole, making India the first country to achieve this feat. The Pragyan rover was deployed from the lander. It conducted experiments to analyze the lunar surfaces composition. 5 December 2024 PSLV-C59/Proba-3 Mission: Isro launched the PSLV-C59 rocket, deploying the European Space Agencys PROBA-3 mission for precision formation flying. 30 December 2024 PSLV-C60/SPADEX Mission: This mission aims to demonstrate spacecraft rendezvous and docking technologies. BGB chief Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui is set to hold the meeting with Border Security Force (BSF) counterpart Daljit Singh Chaudhary in Delhi from February 17 to 20 read more In West Bengal, the length of India-Bangladesh border is around 2,217 kilometres of which around 20 per cent of the stretch is unfenced. Source: Reuters. Bangladeshs interim government on Wednesday said that it would seek to scrap some uneven agreements on borders with India during the meeting of the directors general of the border guards of the two countries next month. Discussions will be held over all sorts of border-related agreements with India, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said. He said the Bangladeshi side would seek to cancel some uneven agreements related to border management alongside and discuss other related issues. He said that northeastern Kulaura Railway Station is an inter-country railway station which is situated three kilometres inside Bangladesh while Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) intends not to allow free entry of Indians there and instead proposes the installation of an immigration checkpoint with a customs facility on the border. Advertisement BGB chief Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui is set to hold the meeting with Border Security Force (BSF) counterpart Daljit Singh Chaudhary in Delhi from February 17 to 20. The home adviser said the other issues include the killing of Bangladesh nationals in border areas, infiltrations of Indian nationals, common rivers, and smuggling of weapons and drugs, arms, ammunition and explosives into Bangladesh. He said some contraband drugs are smuggled to Bangladesh in the name of medicine, which are in fact narcotics. Chowdhury said unapproved development works being done by India within 150 yards along the border, detention of Bangladeshis by the BSF and Indian nationals would feature in the talks. The adviser said marking border lines at the disputed Muhurir Char area, border pillar installations, and a coordinated border management plan are other prominent issues. He said the meeting would propose the installation of water treatment plants in four canals where wastewater flows from Indias northeastern Agartala to Bangladeshs Akhaura. The spread of rumours about Bangladeshs current situation by Indian media and social networking sites will also come for discussion in the upcoming meeting, he said. He made the comments after an inter-ministerial preparatory meeting at his office ahead of the 55th BGB-BSF DG-level conference. If any work is done within 150 yards of the border, permission from both sides is required. There is no rule to do these things unilaterally. If a mosque or temple is built, consent from both countries is required, Chowdhury said. Advertisement He said the Bangladesh side would ask India to lay importance on the issue in future. The adviser said various initiatives to enhance mutual trust and goodwill between the two countries would also be discussed. There has been a rising number of Indian-origin politicians in the UKs legislative bodies, but is it easy for them to get into politics? Prashant Kumar, Conservative party councillor candidate for the 2026 election in London, tells Firstpost how Indians are seen in the countrys politics and how Sunaks rise and Indias PM Modis global influence helped him read more Prashant Kumar was born in a regular middle-class family in the Indian state Jharkhands steel town Jamshedpur, famous for Tata Groups manufacturing units. Following the family culture, Kumar studied science in school and became an engineer, clearing one of the most prestigious pre-engineering tests to secure a seat in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) the same institution that has given the world some of the top tech CEOs. After graduating from the IIT, Kumar followed what many do in India get an MBA degree and land a high-paid corporate job. That took him to the UK, where he seemed to have found his true calling politics. Advertisement People of Indian origin have emerged as an influential group in the United Kingdoms politics. The rise of Rishi Sunak to the post of the prime minister at a critical economic juncture of the country, leading the Conservative Party. They are increasingly becoming MPs, councillors and ground-level workers in the country. The popularity of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed the global perspective about Indians in politics, Kumar told Firstpost as he exuberates confidence about successful debut in UK politics in the London councillor election next year. The 2024 UK parliamentary election saw a historic 29 Indian-origin Members of Parliament (MPs) getting elected to the House of Commons. Twelve of them were first-time parliamentarians. Indians in UK politics In his exclusive conversation with Firstpost, Kumar, Sunaks Conservative Party councillor (counterpart to MLA) candidate for the 2026 election in London, said, After Prime Minister Narendra Modis win in the 2014 general election, the whole perspective of the world towards India has changed. The way the world sees India has been constantly changing as the country is now racing close to be one of the super powers. Then, the best thing was that Sunak became the prime minister of the UK. So, for the first-generation migrants entering the local UK politics has changed from what it was 20-30 years back, he said. Prashant Kumar with former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. LinkedIn - Prashant Kumar Sunak has been there and the name Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given to India on a global platform it was not very difficult for me as an Indian-origin to achieve what I have today, Kumar, who has been chosen as candidate for the council polls in Harrow, told the Firstpost. Advertisement Kumar, who shifted to London in 2021, said, I am the first-generation migrant and it is a lot easier now due to PM Modi. I moved to the UK to explore global opportunities, contribute to strengthening Indo-UK relations, and support Indian communities internationally. Currently, I am engaged in various leadership and mentorship roles, he said. Before moving to London, Kumar was not exactly a political novice, having been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the parent organisation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the ruling coalition the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. Kumar said he was mentored by BJP leader BL Santosh, known for his organisational skills, and closely worked with ministries held by Rajeev Chandrasekhar Advertisement Under Chandrasekhars mentorship, I contributed to data-driven governance, digital transformation, and national campaigns. My expertise in data analytics and strategic communication contributed to impactful policymaking, he said. A petitioner in Mathuras Krishna Janmabhoomi suit, Kumar credits his political interests in the UK to another RSS leader Ram Vaidya, who he said was working to bring India and Europe, particularly the UK closer. What does he do in UK politics? Kumar says he was chosen by the Conservative Party as a councillor candidate for the 2026 London election. He holds Indian citizenship. It is possible for me to contest the election despite not holding UK citizenship. As a Commonwealth citizen residing in the UK, I am eligible to stand for local elections. This is in line with the UKs electoral rules, which allows Commonwealth citizens with leave to remain to participate in local government elections, Kumar said. Prashant Kumar was born in a regular middle-class family in the Indian state Jharkhand. Image Source: Prashant Kumar According to the , a citizen of a commonwealth country, including India, who does not require leave to enter or remain in the UK, or has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, can stand as a candidate in the countrys election Advertisement Similarly, as per the UK electoral laws, citizens of nearly 54 Commonwealth countries, British Dependent Territories, and Ireland can vote in all elections, provided they reside in Britain. Indians in UK Due to historical reasons, Indian-origin people have been an essential part of the UKs modern journey. They contribute more than 6 per cent to the GDP of the UK. According to the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), people with Indian roots were over a million, most of them identifying themselves as British Hindus, constituting 3.1 per cent of the total population. Their growing numbers and increasing political awareness over the years have played a crucial role and have also potentially influenced outcomes. Advertisement In the 2024 election, 26 persons of Indian origin were elected to Parliament. In the previous election, there were 15 Indian-origin MPs eight from Labour and seven from the Conservative party. One of them was Conservative Sunak, who became the UKs first prime minister of colour in 2022. Also, the Indian households dominate in high-income brackets in the UK population, with 42 per cent earning more than 1,000 weekly in 2015-2018, the ORF said. UK grooming gangs The so-called grooming gangs of the UK have attracted global attention in recent weeks, particularly after Tesla CEO Elon Musk sought action against them. The gangs, allegedly drawing men from Pakistan, have been accused of sexually assaulting scores of young girls over decades in the UK. Kumar said Musk has done a great job because the issue became one of the biggest things in the media. After Musk highlighted and started writing about itnow, I am sure that we will win and those who have done these wrong things must be put in jail and get the Severest of punishment as it is the worst crime a being can do, Kumar said. He expressed his disapproval of comments, made by UK leaders including Prime Minister Keir Starma the Labour Party leader dubbing the rape gangs as Asian grooming gangs. Bob Blackman, Conservative MP from Harrow, raised the issue asking PM Starmer not to use the term Asian as India is also included in Asia and Indians are among the best people in the UK, he said. Most of the home owners in London are Indians. We all are fighting against it and it should not be said like that. They should be using the term Pakistani rather than Asian. There are many Indian bodies (groups) who have also raised this issue and we all are with all these organisations and this should not have happened, Kumar said. Harrow has many Indians and they too are against it. We are supporting our Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and we are strongly against what Starmer has said, he said. The cases of sexual assaults by rape gangs have been reported from several UK towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale in the north, and Oxford and Bristol among others, for almost four decades. Starmer worsened UKs situation, Sunak can solve them Asked that the Conservative party suffered a big election loss over issues such as rising cost of living and economic troubles, but the Starmer government now too is facing flak over similar issues, Kumar said, Starmer has just worsened the situation. If you read economic or any policies, the situation in the UK is worsening day-by-day and this is creating a lot of issues for the Britons. More and more people are coming from the seas and the number of people living on roads has increased. The number of poor people has also increased. Pensioners in the UK are suffering a lot of pain as they are not able to get the funds, he said. Kumar said the situation in the UK under the current regime is challenging. People in the country are now exposed to more challenges, he said. In my opinion, Sunak is in the best position to solve all this issue. If anyone can solve this issue, its Sunak, Kumar said. Whats the role of OFBJP Kumar also serves as the president of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) UK for Jharkhand, where he connects Indian entrepreneurs across India, the UK, and Europe to foster economic collaboration. My mentor, guide, and guru, Kuldeep Singh Shekhawat ji, the esteemed President of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) UK, is one of the most inspiring leaders I have had the privilege to work with. Under his visionary guidance, I actively contribute to OFBJP UK, which serves as a vital bridge connecting the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India, he said. Further explaining the role of OFBJP, Kumar said, Whatever negative narrative people are spreading over here about our leader Narendra Modi or about the BJP, all of those are countered by us and we tell the people what is correct, the actual truth, and how work by the Indian prime minister is developing the country. We tell them how India is changing with the vision of PM Modi and the progress that the country is seeing because of this party, he further said. He went on to say that many Indians abroad deeply care about key issues such as good governance, national security, and sustainable development. They recognise BJP as the only credible force capable of driving Indias progress and ensuring a strong and prosperous future, Kumar said. Additionally, I serve as the President of OFBJP UK for Jharkhand, where I work to connect Indian entrepreneurs across India, the UK, and Europe to foster economic collaboration. Beyond economic initiatives, OFBJP plays a crucial role in countering misinformation about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Kumar detailed about his role. He also said that he was currently leading digital and data initiatives at State Bank of India (UK). Whatever negative narrative people are spreading over here about our leader Narendra Modi or about the BJP, all of those are countered by us, I explain. We ensure that people know the actual truth, the transformative work being done by PM Modi, and how his vision is propelling Indias development. Through OFBJP, we actively communicate how India is changing under PM Modis leadership, ensuring that the Indian diaspora remains well-informed about the nations rapid progress and the role of BJP in shaping a New India. A United States-based watchdog on Wednesday launched an online database on more than 80 Roman Catholic priests who have been accused of sexually abusing minors in the Philippines and said the silence of Filipino bishops on the crimes amounted to a cover-up read more Anne Barrett Doyle, right, Co-Director and Suzy Nauman, database manager of BishopAccountability.org, a United States-based watchdog, speaks at a news conference in Manila on January 29, 2025 where they launched an online database on more than 80 Roman Catholic priests who have been accused of sexually abusing minors in the Philippines. AP A United States-based watchdog on Wednesday launched an online database on more than 80 Roman Catholic priests who have been accused of sexually abusing minors in the Philippines and said the silence of Filipino bishops on the crimes amounted to a cover-up. The Philippines is the third-largest Roman Catholic nation in the world, and public discussions of sexual assaults by members of the clergy, who are revered especially in rural regions, has long been generally muted. Advertisement None of the 82 members of the clergy, including seven bishops, who have been included in the new online database on clergy sexual abuses by the group BishopAccountability.org had been convicted in any Philippine court. The database featured their faces, names and details of their alleged sexual assaults on minors, some of which dated back more than two decades ago. The nonprofit said that it had also set up such online databases on Catholic clergy abuses in the U.S., Argentina, Chile and Ireland. Anne Barrett Doyle, a director of BishopAccountability.org, said that the long silence of bishops in the Philippines encouraged such sexual assaults by members of the clergy. She asked Philippine prosecutors to investigate church officials, who failed to report abuses. Philippine bishops feel entitled to their silence. They feel entitled to withhold information about sexual violence toward minors. They feel entitled to defend accused priests, Doyle said at a news conference in Manila. What we hope to achieve is raise awareness, she said. Secrecy only benefits the perpetrators. Secrecy equals complicity. Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, a Philippine church leader, said that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has set up an office to safeguard minors and vulnerable adults and report complaints to the Vatican. Advertisement Our mandate from Rome is to take the issue of accountability very seriously, especially those related to alleged abuse cases involving priests, David said, without elaborating. The external mechanisms that have forced accountability by Catholic bishops elsewhere litigation by victims, probes of church entities by prosecutors, inquiries by government commissions and substantial investigations by local news media have occurred little or not at all in the worlds third largest Catholic country, BishopAccountability.org said of the Philippines. Some of the members of the clergy included in the database have been cleared of charges and allowed to return to church work and ministry, regaining close access to potential victims, the nonprofit, which has been tracking the sexual abuse crisis haunting the Roman Catholic Church since the groups founding in 2003, said with alarm. Advertisement The names of priests and other clerics included in the database were collected from news reports, publicly filed court documents and church pronouncements, the group said, and added that the list of 82 clerics linked to sexual abuses in the Philippines may just be the tip of the iceberg. Gemma Hickey, a victim of clergy sexual abuse who spoke at the news conference in Manila, said that victims suffer long after they have been assaulted. Its survivors that serve a life sentence. Many of the priests who have abused us get to carry on with their lives. They dont face jail time. Some of them retire, move on with their lives, move on even to other careers and escape under the radar, Hickey said. Advertisement But survivors are trapped in a prison of memory, Hickey said. Britains Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will soon visit India to restart talks on a trade deal, finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Wednesday read more Britain's Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds speaks at Downing Street, on the day of a Cabinet meeting in London, Britain, on January 14, 2025. Reuters File Britains Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will soon visit India to restart talks on a trade deal, Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said on Wednesday. Earlier on Monday, Reynolds had revealed that he will be visiting India next month in an effort to propel the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with urgency. Addressing India Global Forums (IGF) 7th Annual UK-India Parliamentary Lunch at the House of Lords as Chief Guest on Monday, Reynolds had said, I want to reaffirm the UKs commitment to deliver growth for both countries through the trade deal that were talking about, through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Technology Security Initiative; and I can let you know exclusively, I hear what you say about urgency, (that) Ive just been finalising my own visit to India next month to make sure we proceed on that basis. Advertisement The ministers comments came against the backdrop of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing that the stalled UK-India FTA talks would relaunch in early 2025, following his bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit in November last year. India is a top priority partner for the UK, and we want to elevate that ambition across all aspects of our relationship, but also to take it to new heights, added Reynolds referencing to PM Modis and PM Starmers meeting and other recent high-level engagements. With inputs from agencies A Canadian commission report has concluded that there is no definitive link to a foreign state in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, contradicting Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus claims of Indian agents involvement read more A Canadian commission report has concluded that there is no definitive link to a foreign state in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, contradicting Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus claims of Indian agents involvement. In September 2023, Trudeau said that Canada had credible evidence indicating that Indian government agents were involved in Nijjars murder in British Columbia in June 2023. The report, titled Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, was released on Tuesday. Advertisement Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue said in the report that disinformation is used as a retaliatory tactic to punish decisions that run contrary to a states interests, suggesting that India may have engaged in disinformation regarding Nijjars killing. This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Ministers announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven), PTI quoted the report as saying. Nijjar was shot and killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. The 123-page report also addressed the expulsion of six Indian diplomats. In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in reaction to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India, the report said. However, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced the withdrawal of its high commissioner. The relations between India and Canada came under severe strain following Prime Minister Trudeaus allegations in September last year of the potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar. New Delhi had rejected Trudeaus charges as absurd. Advertisement India has repeatedly criticised Trudeaus government for being soft on supporters of the Khalistan movement who live in Canada. The Khalistan movement is banned in India but has support among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada. On Tuesday, India strongly rejected insinuations made against it in the report by a Canadian commission that investigated allegations that certain foreign governments were meddling in Canadas elections. In a strong reaction, the MEA in New Delhi said it rejects the reports insinuations on India. It is in fact Canada which has been consistently interfering in Indias internal affairs, it said. With inputs from agencies In response to the question why a ChatGPT- or R1-like artificial intelligence (AI) model has not emerged from India, industry veterans have said that such models can emerge from India if there is sustained funding in a protected marketplace-like ecosystem backed by the government read more DeepSeek researchers have claimed that they spent under $6 million (Rs 51 crore) on its latest AI model (DeepSeek V-3) launched on January 10 a fraction of what tech companies such as Apple and Microsoft spend. Reuters Following the waves that Chinas DeepSeek R1 aritifical intelligence (AI) has made, industry veterans have weighed in whether India can develop similar AI models. The DeepSeek R1 is a large language model (LLM) similar to Opem AIs ChatGPT that does similar tasks but at a fraction of cost. While Open AI reportedly spent $540 million to make ChatGPT, DeekSeek says it used just $5.6 million to make R1. Moreover, the R1 appears to be doing much with fewer graphic processing units (GPUs), which means that operational costs of R1 are lesser than its Western counterparts. Advertisement The result was a bloodbath in the US markets as tech giants lost nearly $1 trillion in valuation. Chipmaker Nvidia, whose chips power much of the worlds advanced AI systems, lost nearly $588 billion in value. Tech giants Meta and Google-parent Alphabet also lost value. Other chipmakers like Marvell, Broadcom, Micron, and TSMC also lost value. The trend was the same for energy and data centre companies Oracle, Vertiv, Constellation, and NuScale. As the world makes sense of DeepSeeks R1, questions have been raised whether India can also develop a similar AI model. Even though no major AI advancement has come from India and private research and development (R&D) investment is on a decline for years, industry veterans have said that an R1-like model can very well emerge from India and it is only a matter of time. Sharing a post from an anonymous user who says he works with AI at Amazon, Zoho Chief Scientist Sridhar Vembu said India can and it is not that hard. This post is a must read for every Indian engineer who asks "why can't India do what China did". Short answer: India can and it is not that hard. And let's not do this "reservation bad, government bad" etc. Chinese entrepreneurs never had it easy and still don't have it easy. https://t.co/W2C8aakdn6 Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) January 29, 2025 Advertisement The case for India making ChatGPT-, R1-like systems The post of the self-proclaimed Amazon AI professional that Vembu shared said that, unlike popular perception, DeepSeek is not a unique Chinese startup and the development of an AI model is also not very hard. The user, who goes by the name GDP, was responding to a post by Sadanand Dhume, a scholar of foreign policy and economics at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), who had asked why China could develop DeepSeek and India could not. The GDP said that there are many DeepSeek-like startups such as AliBabas Qwen, MiniMax, Kimi, ByteDances DuoBao. They said China has 10 lab comparable to Western AI majors OpenAI and Anthropic and around 50 more tier two labs. The GDP said that the science behind such AI models is quite easy. They went on to say that the base tech, the transformer decoder only models, are quite easy to iplement and comapnies like Nvidia helps out companies. They highlighted that, unlike operating systems, AI softwares dont have to be trained and machines learn by themelves. Advertisement The hard part, the GDP said is the parallel and distributed computing to run AI training across thousands of graphic processing units (GPUs). It is here that DeepSeek did lot of innovation and used an innovative architecture called Mixture of Experts and a new approach called GRPO, both of which are in open domain since 2024. The question then comes why nothing like ChatGPT or R1 has come from India? The GDP said that the reason is the same as why no Google or Facebook ever emerged from India. They said that, unlike China, there is no protected market in India where projects are allowed to fail until they succeed. Advertisement Writing this as an Indian who works on AI in leadership role for one the largest companies in the world (though strictly my personal opinion, but based on verifiable data). You heard it first here: - First some more shocks: You heard DeepSeek. Wait till you hear about GDP (@bookwormengr) January 28, 2025 You need to able to walk before you can run. There is no protected market to practice your craft in early days. You will get replaced by American service providers as they are cheaper and better every single time. That is not the case with Chinese player. They have a protected market and leadership who treats this skillset as existential due to geopolitics. So, even if Chinese models are not good in early days they will continue to get funding from their conglomerates as well as provincial governments. Darwinian competition ensures best rise to the top, said the user. The user went on to say that assured funding of around $3 billion over three years could develop ChatGPT-like models with engineers of the same calibre who have built the likes of Ola, Swiggy, or Flipkart. What we need is a mentality that treats this skillset as existential. We need a national fund that will fund such teams and the only expected output will be benchmark performance with benchmarks becoming harder every 6 months . No revenue needed to survive for first three years. That money will be loose change for GoI [Government of India] and worlds richest men living in India, said the user. Trumps AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, claimed there is substantial evidence suggesting that Chinese AI company DeepSeek used knowledge from OpenAIs models. Sacks described the process as distillation, where one AI model uses outputs from another to develop similar capabilities. read more Trumps AI and crypto czar David Sacks said in an interview with Fox news on Tuesday that there is substantial evidence suggesting Chinese AI company DeepSeek used knowledge and learnings from OpenAIs AI models. Theres substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here is they distilled knowledge out of OpenAI models, and I dont think OpenAI is very happy about this, Sacks said. Though he did not provide any evidence to support his argument. Advertisement Distillation technique to train AI models Sacks described a technique called distillation, whereby one AI model uses the outputs of another for training purposes to develop similar capabilities. Sacks emphasised that the developers of DeepSeek used the distillation process to train their chatbot. Distillation is a process where one AI model uses the outputs of another for training purposes to develop similar capabilities. Sacks is AI and crypto czar under Trump 2.0 In December 2024, President Donald Trump appointed Sacks as the White House AI and crypto czar. Trump tasked him with advising on policies related to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies. DeepSeek R1s launch Last week, Chinese artificial intelligence developer DeepSeek released an open-source AI model called R1. The new AI model is designed to mimic human reasoning. The company claimed that R1 matches or surpasses top US AI models on key benchmarks while being developed at a much lower cost. DeepSeek became the most downloaded app on the Apple Store after its launch, gaining popularity among Americans. There are claims that the new AI model showed better results at a fraction of the cost. However, many in the tech industry are skeptical and questioning how DeepSeek built its technology. Panic in US markets, crash in stocks of Nvidia DeepSeeks launch caused a panic in the US markets. Nvidias stock experienced significant volatility on Monday following the release of a cost-effective AI model by the Chinese counterpart. However, the stock showed some recovery on Tuesday. It also raised concerns about competition in the AI sector. In the latest episode of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans crackdown on free speech, nine journalists have been detained this month read more Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan political Islam and pan-Islamism have become integral to both domestic and foreign policies of Turkey. Reuters In the latest episode of crackdown on free speech and dissent in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, nine journalists affiliated from a minority community and an opposition group have been arrested. Erdogan is among the worlds longet-ruling leaders and the country under his rule is widely considered to be an elected autocracy. He has ruled Turkey since 2003 with an iron fist and has systematically cracked down on political opposition, critics, and press. He has also pursued an Islamist brand of foreign policy where he has supported an ethnic cleansing of Armenians in 2023 and put his weight behind Islamist opposition groups in Syria over the past decade. Advertisement In the latest episode, three journalists of the Opposition-linked Halk TV have been detained over their coverage of an investigation into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, according to Bloomberg News. Imamoglu is accused of targeting an expert witness in a speech who prepared reports scrutinising Opposition-run local governments. The three journalists have been arrested for disclosing the name of the expert and publishing a recording of their conversation with him, according to the report. The detained journalists have been identified as Halk TV Managing Director Serhan Asker, presenter Seda Selek, Baris Pehlivan. They have been charged with attempting to influence the expert and intercepting and recording conversations between individuals. Earlier in the month, six Kurdish journalists had been arrested from across Turkey. While Turkey is home to a large Kurdish community, an ethnic minority, it has a long record of persecuting the community both within its borders and in neighbouring countries. In neighbouring Syria, where Kurds run an autonomous provincial government, Turkey is essentially waging a war against the community in alliance with Islamist militias. The Turkish authorities said six journalists were members of a terrorist organization, which is a common charge used by Erdogans regime against journalists, according to VOA News. Bianet Media Monitoring maintains that at least 24 journalists have been detained over the past two months. The journalists arrests come after the arrest of Umit Ozdag, the leader of a nationalist party and a vocal critic of Erdogan, earlier this month. Advertisement Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germanys CDU/CSU conservative block which is leading polls ahead of the Feb. 23 election, is set to propose plans to restrict migration that could pass with the help of the far-right Alternative for Germany read more A supporter of Alternative for Germany (AfD) party does a Hitler salute during a protest against the government in Berlin, Germany, October 8, 2022. File photo/Reuters The German Catholic and Protestant churches warned on Tuesday against the conservative oppositions plan to crack down on immigration, which they said could break a convention against mainstream parties cooperating with the far-right. The timing and tone of the current debate appear deeply strange to us. It is likely to defame all migrants living in Germany, to stir up prejudices and, in our opinion, does not contribute to solving the real issues, the representatives of both churches wrote in a joint letter to parliament seen by Reuters. Advertisement Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germanys CDU/CSU conservative block which is leading polls ahead of the Feb. 23 election, is set to propose plans to restrict migration that could pass with the help of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The anti-immigration, anti-Islam AfD is labelled as right-wing extremist by German security services but is currently polling second in nationwide surveys before the upcoming snap election in the country, where the debate on immigration intensified after a string of violent attacks by foreign-born suspects. The two major churches hereby point out that, according to current knowledge, the proposed changes to the law would not have prevented any of the attacks, wrote Prelate Anne Gidion, the representative of the German Protestant Churches Council (EKD) and Prelate Karl Juesten, the head of the Commissariat of German Bishops. The churches stressed that the CDU/CSU is risking breaking a taboo on cooperation with the far-right for the first time in German post-war history. We fear that German democracy will suffer massive damage if this political promise is abandoned, they wrote. The CDU, or the Christian Democratic Union, and its Bavarian sister party Christian Social Union (CSU), often commonly related as the Union, were founded shortly after World War Two, and represent an honest reflection of Christian and Western values, according to the CDUs website. According to the latest church statistics from the Interior Ministry, about half of the German population belongs to Christian churches, with the Catholic and Protestant denominations represented in nearly equal proportions. Advertisement The UAE, Saudi Arabia, other Gulf countries recognise an economic opportunity to harness cheap solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries for domestic electricity, allowing them to free up more oil and gas for export read more The West Asia region is adding renewable energy capacity at the second-highest pace in the world after China. Representative image/Reuters When the new year 2025 rolled in, the oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) only had middling ambitions regarding renewable energy. The nation was only plannign to annually install about as many solar panels as UK does. Then, the scenario changed quite swiftly. A swift shift towards renewables The countrys state-owned renewable energy company, Masdar, announced at a huge trade fair in Abu Dhabi that it would build a $6bn solar plant with a capacity of 5 gigawatt. Itd be backed with more than 19GWh of battery storage. Just like that, the largest such project ever attempted was announced in front of the president of the UAE. In two years time, when the project is set to be completed, it would give the Gulf country enough energy to power more than 700,000 homes, Financial Times reported. Advertisement The shift wasnt just happening in the UAE. In neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest oil company Saudi Aramco announced a joint venture that would start producing lithium, a key ingredient for batteries, as early as 2027. This is not a coincidence. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and their Gulf neighbours are rapidly increasing their use of renewable energy. They recognise an economic opportunity to harness cheap solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries for domestic electricity, which will allow them to free up more oil and gas for export. Regional players like Masdar and Saudi Arabias Acwa Power, Asian companies such as South Koreas Kepco, Japans Jera and Chinas Jinko Power, and European firms EDF, TotalEnergies, and Engie are some of the most active here. They are aggressively bidding for contracts to build renewable projects in the Gulf. Adding renewable energy generating capacity That has resulted in an unexpected achievement for the West Asia region. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), West Asia which comprises the Gulf region as well as countries like Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria has less than 1 per cent of the worlds renewable capacity. But despite that, this is the second fastest-growing region in terms of adding capacity in the world, next only to China. Advertisement That achievement is largely the courtesy of the Gulf. According to data from Rystad, an energy consultancy, it is projected that in five years, renewable energy sources will account for 30 per cent of the total energy capacity across Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, Financial Times reported. Several major projects have already been announced. For instance, Saudi Arabia aims to generate 50 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. To achieve this goal, the country needs to install 130 GW of renewable energy in the coming years, enough to power approximately 25 million homes. In Kuwait, by the end of 2023, the renewable energy capacity was only sufficient to power a few thousand homes. Advertisement However, the country awarded a contract last July to the US engineering firm KBR to develop 17 GW of renewable energy capacity, which will be enough to supply power to about 500,000 homes. Additionally, Kuwait has plans for 25 GW of green hydrogen production by 2050. Powered by AI ambitions and diversification bid The drive for renewables is also being fed by ambitions to build AI data centres and fledgling plans to produce green hydrogen a transition fuel that is electrolysed using renewable power and export it to countries where higher power prices make its production uncompetitive. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have long depended on their abundant fossil fuel reserves and are planning to significantly increase oil and gas production in the coming years. But they are also seeking to diversify. They have a lot of capital now from oil and gas, and they are trying to become less reliant on any one source of energy, said Vegard Wiik Vollset, head of renewables at Rystad. Advertisement It is also an economic benefit because they already have the best conditions for solar of almost anywhere in the world, and if you can get cheaper electricity than it costs for gas, you can export the gas instead. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has revoked retired General Mark Milleys security protection and called for a review of his actions as top military officer, citing concerns over undermining the chain of command. read more US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the security protection of retired Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley on Tuesday and asked the Pentagons inspector general to review Milleys actions as top military officer. Notably, Milley has been a critic of President Donald Trump. Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot emphasised that the inspector generals review will include an inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding Gen. Milleys conduct so that the Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination." Advertisement The Secretary informed General Milley today that he is revoking the authorization for his security detail and suspending his security clearance as well, he said. Milley served as chairman during President Donald Trumps first term in the White House. The relationship started well but quickly turned sour as Milley tried to guide and restrain the president on various issues. During his tenure, he opposed the presidents idea of using force against protesters after George Floyds death. He also faced controversy in 2021 for independently calling his Chinese counterpart. Trump called it treason, but Milley said the calls were routine and part of his job. In his final days as chairman, after Trump left office, Milley openly criticized his former boss. After Trumps term was over, Milley openly criticized him during his final days in office. He even called him a dictator. He said at his official retirement ceremony, We dont take an oath to a king or a queen or to a tyrant or a dictator. And we dont take an oath to a wannabe dictator. Hegseths chief of staff, Joe Kasper, said Milley lost his clearance and position because undermining the chain of command harms national security, and accountability is a priority under President Trump. Days after being held in the northern city of Turin on an ICC arrest warrant for suspected crimes against humanity, including as rape, torture, and murder, Osama Elmasry Njeem was released last week and taken home by an Italian state aircraft read more Following the governments decision to free a Libyan police officer sought by the International Criminal Court, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that she was under judicial investigation. Days after being held in the northern city of Turin on an ICC arrest warrant for suspected crimes against humanity, including as rape, torture, and murder, Osama Elmasry Njeem was released last week and taken home by an Italian state aircraft. The ICC, which claims it was not consulted in the decision to release him, has called for an explanation. Advertisement Meloni said in a message posted on social media that she had been placed under investigation by Romes chief prosecutor, Francesco Le Voi, for allegedly aiding and abetting a crime and misuse of public funds. She is under no obligation to resign. Being placed under investigation in Italy does not imply guilt, nor mean that formal charges will necessarily follow. I will not be blackmailed, I will not allow myself to be intimidated, which may be why I am, lets say, disliked by those who do not want Italy to change and become better, Meloni said in a video posted on her Facebook profile. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and the cabinet undersecretary for intelligence matters, Alfredo Mantovano have also been placed under investigation, Meloni said. She said she believed the investigation had been triggered by Luigi Li Gotti, a lawyer who announced last week that he had lodged a complaint over both the release of Njeem and the use of an official jet to fly him back to Tripoli. What I did was a necessary act. I did it as a matter of dignity both for human rights and for all Italian citizens, Li Gotti told Reuters on Tuesday. CALLED BACK TO PARLIAMENT The interior minister told parliament last week that Njeem had been swiftly repatriated for reasons of state security. Opposition leaders ridiculed his explanation and both Piantedosi and Nordio are due to address parliament on Wednesday to give more information on what happened in a case that has soured relations between Rome and the ICC. Advertisement Asked about the Italian investigation, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah said the court did not comment on national judicial proceedings. Meloni said Njeem had visited three European countries over a 12-day period before reaching Italy, and it was only at that point that the ICC asked for his arrest. Njeem is a brigadier general in Libyas Judicial Police. Melonis government depends heavily on Libyan security forces to prevent would-be migrants from leaving the North African nation and heading to southern Italy. Meloni said the case against her was being led by the same prosecutor who investigated Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in Sicily for allegedly kidnapping 100 migrants aboard a boat that he had blocked at sea for nearly three weeks in 2019. Advertisement Salvini was acquitted in that case last month. The prime ministers supporters swiftly accused the Italian judiciary, which is locked in battle with the government over plans for a sweeping reform of the legal system, of being politically motivated. We are faced with yet another example of politicised justice that aims to attack the Meloni government, said Lucio Malan, head of Melonis Brothers of Italy party in the Senate. Just nine days after being pardoned by President Donald Trump, Huttle was in an altercation with a Jasper County sheriffs deputy. He was shot dead, reportedly by the officer read more Matthew Huttle, as seen outside the Capitol building on January 6, 2021. AP Matthew Huttle, a January 6 rioter who was pardoned by President Trump just nine days ago, was reportedly shot and killed by cops. Huttle, 42, a resident of Hobart, Indiana, died after he was pulled over in the state for a traffic stop on Sunday (January 26) afternoon. Shot after an altercation A Jasper County sheriffs deputy had pulled Huttle over and also fatally shot him. State police, who are currently investigating the case, said that the deputy had tried to arrest Huttle. During this time, an altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect. Advertisement The investigation also shows that during the traffic stop, the suspect was in possession of a firearm, state police said. However, they did not provide any other information about the incident, including the reason why Huttle was initially stopped. The deputy, whose identity is not known, was out in administrative leave. Huttles time in jail and the pardon Huttle had been a part of the group of rioters who stormed the Capitol in an attempt to disrupt certification of Democrat Joe Bidens election victory. He recorded the 16 minutes he spent inside the Capitol building on that day and uploaded it on his own Google account. Huttle pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of entering a restricted building, and was handed a six-month jail sentence in 2023. He is not a true believer in any political cause, defense attorney Andrew Hemmer said in a court filing. He instead went to the rally because he thought it would be a historic moment and he had nothing better to do after getting out of jail for a driving offense. He was released from jail in July 2024. US President Donald Trump, on his first day back in the White House, had granted pardons to more than 1,500 of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a bid to overturn the results of the 2020 election. A total of 1,583 people were charged in connection with the assault on Congress. Advertisement With inputs from agencies In the second instance of a judge staying an order of the Donald Trump administration, Judge Loren AliKhan of the District of Columbia has temporarily blocked the freeze on federal aid until the case is heard next on February 3 read more Will Scharf assists as President Donald Trump signs an executive order at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. AP A US judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps freeze on all federal aid. The case will be heard on February 3. The Trump administration on Monday froze all federal grants and loans. The move froze as much as $3 trillion that is lifeline to a host of government as well as private programmes across the United States, such as funds for schools, community health centre, and food for low-income families. Judge Loren AliKhan of the District of Columbia on Tuesday stayed Trumps freeze in response to a lawsuit by non-profit Democracy Forward. The lawsuit argued that the order violated the First Amendment and Amendment Procedure Act, a law that governs the authority of the Executive branch of the US government to make rules. Advertisement Even though the White House appeared to downplay the extent of the freeze, saying it did not apply across-the-board and was limited to programs implicated by Trumps executive orders, including those that undermine the national interest, the language of the freeze order was sweeping and said federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance". Despite the White House downplaying the freeze, a host of services across the United Stats were disrupted and even Republican states were pleading the federal government for guidance. The New York Times reported that state health agencies said they had been locked out of their Medicaid reimbursement portals; state officials said funding for pre-schools, community health centers, food for low-income families, housing assistance, and disaster relief were all at risk, and universities were freezing new research grants. The Times further reported that housing projects, highway construction, substance abuse treatment centres, and nursing care of veterans was also affected. In addition the lawsuit by Democracy Forward, 22 statse and the District of Columbia have filed a second lawsuit to challenge Trumps freeze. This is the second time in less than a week that a Trumps order has been paused by a judge. Last week, Judge John C Coughenour of the Western District of Washington stayed Trumps executive order to ban birthright citizenship. Coughenour said in his decision that Trumps executive order was blatantly unconstitutional. Advertisement Military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have made a series of moves recently to assert greater control over their mineral resources. Global gold companies have been in the line of fire read more Earlier this month, Malian soldiers swooped into one of the countrys largest gold mines by helicopter. They ended up seizing three tonnes of gold on the orders of the countrys military government. The operation, which took place at the Loulo-Gounkoto complex majority-owned by Canadian firm Barrick Gold was the latest in a series of moves by military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to assert greater control over their mineral resources. Advertisement Global gold mining companies take a hit Miners at the complex said soldiers arrived unannounced, confiscated phones from those attempting to document the raid, and flew the goldvalued between $260 million and $290 millionback to the capital, Bamako. The confiscation followed weeks of tensions between Malian authorities and Barrick Gold, which owns 80 per cent of the site. But that isnt all. The Malian government is demanding hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid taxes from Barrick Gold. In November 2024, authorities detained four of the companys local employees and, in a separate case, arrested executives of Australian firm Resolute Mining before reaching a $160 million settlement. Other companies, including Canadas Allied Gold, B2Gold, and Robex, have also faced pressure to revise their contracts and settle tax disputes. Juntas move to nationalise resource revenues The military governments of the Sahel have increasingly sought to renegotiate foreign mining contracts, arguing that previous deals were exploitative. Gold mining accounts for a quarter of Malis national budget and about 14 per cent of Burkina Fasos revenue. Malis junta claims it has recovered more than $1 billion through contract negotiations and expects annual revenues from the sector to rise by nearly $950 millionabout 20 per cent of the national budget. Burkina Fasos government took similar action last year when it requisitioned 200 kilograms of gold from a Canadian mining company. Nigers junta, meanwhile, seized control of a French nuclear firms uranium mining operations in 2023. Juntas playing to public sentiment? Nina Wilen, Africa director at the Egmont Institute, said the juntas are playing to public sentiment by pushing a sovereignty-driven agenda, rejecting Western influence, and seeking alternative partners. Experts warn the strategy could deter foreign investment, but others argue that new playersincluding China, Russia, and Turkeyare eager to fill the void. New private partners are arriving from everywhere, said Malian mining engineer Oumar Baba Sy. Nobody has a monopoly[]If you dont want to invest in these countries, others will. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was meeting in Jerusalem with US President Donald Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday, amid the Gaza ceasefire and a regional diplomatic push read more Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, US, on July 24, 2024. Reuters File Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was meeting in Jerusalem with US President Donald Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday, amid the Gaza ceasefire and a regional diplomatic push. A day after visiting Saudi Arabia, Israeli media reported that Witkoff had also been in Gaza on Wednesday to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire there, which Trump has said he wants to leverage into a broader regional accord that would include Saudi Arabia and Israel formalising diplomatic ties. Advertisement An Israeli government spokesman declined to provide any details on Witkoffs visit to Gaza, which Israels Channel 13 said included an inspection of the Netzarim corridor, which tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have crossed over as they returned to their homes in the northern part of the enclave. Israel began pulling out of the corridor on Monday and allowing their return as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, which will also see 33 hostages freed in exchange for the release of almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Seven hostages have already been released since the ceasefire took effect on January 19. Three more, including a civilian woman and an elderly man, as well as a female conscript soldier, will be released on Thursday, according to Netanyahus office and the Hostage Families Forum. Israel will free 110 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, according to the Palestinian prisoners Information Office. Five Thai citizens abducted from Israel during Hamas October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the conflict may also be released on Thursday, according to an Israeli official. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump next week. This marks Trumps first meeting with any foreign leader. The meeting is scheduled to take place on February 4, with a focus on peace efforts after Gaza ceasefire. read more Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump next week, NBC News reported, citing White House officials. Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader to meet President Trump in his second term of office. The Israeli PM was invited in a letter from the US president, in which he was asked to come to the White House on 4 February to discuss how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries. Advertisement A White House official told NBC News that Trump had extended an invitation to Netanyahu to visit the US, and the invitation was accepted by his office. Netanyahus office said that the meeting is set to take place on February 4. Earlier, Trump said on Monday that Netanyahu would be coming to Washington soon for a meeting with him. I look forward to discussing how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries, Trump wrote in a letter to Netanyahu on Tuesday. A fragile ceasefire came into effect between Israel and Hamas on January 19, 2025, after a 15-month-long war in Gaza. The war started after fighters from the Palestinian armed group crossed the Gaza fence in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 people hostage. The attack led to Israels campaign in Gaza, which later escalated to the involvement of armed group Hezbollah and Iran. The agreement has facilitated the return of over 300,000 displaced Gazans to their homes, though many find their neighborhoods destroyed. The invasion led to a serious humanitarian crisis in the region. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that 47,354 people have died in Gaza since the conflict began. Additionally, a letter from US physicians to President Biden in October 2024 stated that 62,413 people in Gaza have died from starvation and lack of medical care. Advertisement PM Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of United Nations sanctions read more Kim Jong Un pledged that North Koreas nuclear program will continue indefinitely, state-run media said Wednesday, just days after incoming US President Donald Trump declared he would resume diplomatic talks with the secretive leader. After touring a nuclear-material manufacturing site, Kim warned of a inevitable clash with hostile nations, stating that 2025 would be a crucial year for strengthening North Koreas nuclear arsenal, according to the KCNA. It is our firm political and military stand and invariable noble task and duty to develop the states nuclear counteraction posture indefinitely, Kim said, according to KCNA. Advertisement The report, and Kims nuclear factory visit, follow Pyongyangs test-firing on Saturday of sea-to-surface strategic guided cruise missiles, its first weapons test since Trump returned to the White House on January 20. North Korea says it is seeking nuclear weapons to counter threats from the United States and its allies, including South Korea. The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of United Nations sanctions. Trump, who had a rare series of meetings with Kim during his first term in office, said in an interview last week that he would reach out to the North Korean leader again, calling Kim a smart guy. On Wednesday, KCNA said Kim addressed the worlds most unstable situation in which a long-term confrontation with the most vicious hostile countries is inevitable, and that it was indispensable for the country to steadily strengthen the nuclear shield. Saudi Arabia Railways and Italian hospitality company Arsenale have unveiled the final designs for the Dream of the Desert train, set to be the Middle Easts first five-star luxury train. read more Saudi Arabia Railways and Italian hospitality company Arsenale have unveiled the final designs for the Dream of the Desert train. This will be the Middle Easts first five-star luxury train. This announcement marks a major milestone in the agreement signed last year between Saudi Arabia Railways and Arsenale, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The trains interiors draw inspiration from the desert landscape and traditional Saudi architecture, featuring refined craftsmanship, earthy tones, luxurious textiles, and intricate details. Iconic Saudi landmarks like Hegra and Hail are reflected in the trains design, offering passengers a visually captivating and culturally enriching experience. Advertisement The train will consist of 14 carriages, including 34 luxury suites, ensuring an exclusive experience for travelers. It will depart from Riyadh and travel along the Northern Railway network, providing guests the opportunity to explore Saudi Arabias stunning heritage and natural sites. In partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the train will offer curated cultural programs to immerse passengers in Saudi traditions. The Saudi Tourism Authority and Development Authorities Support Center are also designing special tourism itineraries to complement the journey, offering travelers a unique perspective on Saudi heritage. Saleh Al-Jasser, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of Saudi Arabia Railways, said, The Dream of the Desert train is a testament to our commitment to this vision, providing innovative solutions that elevate both transport and tourism. This project reflects the Kingdoms ambition to build world-class infrastructure and solidify Saudi Arabia as a top global tourism destination. Bashar Al-Malik, CEO of Saudi Arabia Railways, emphasized attracting global investments to introduce advanced transport solutions that foster economic growth and regional connectivity. The Dream of the Desert train is a prime example of how public-private collaboration can create groundbreaking luxury transport experiences, he said. Paolo Barletta, CEO of Arsenale Group, said that the project is more than just a luxury train; it offers an immersive experience that blends refined design, world-class hospitality, and rich cultural traditions. We look forward to welcoming our first guests aboard. The Dream of the Desert is set to begin operations by the end of Q3 2026, with booking details and exclusive packages to be announced soon on the official website, Barletta said. Advertisement A team from the Egyptian Red Crescent received Turkish aid to coordinate its delivery to the Gaza Strip, according to a source at the port located 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the territory read more The truce deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US will take six weeks to complete and focuses on the release of hostages and the boosting of humanitarian aid to the devastated and beleaguered Gaza Strip. Image: REUETRS A Turkish ship arrived in Egypts El-Arish port on Wednesday carrying aid destined for Gaza, making it the first time aid will be reaching the war-torn region since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect. We are prepared to heal the wounds of our Gazan brothers and sisters and to meet their temporary shelter needs, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on X on Wednesday. The ship contained 871 tonnes of humanitarian aid including 300 power generators, 20 portable toilets, 10,460 tents and 14,350 blankets. Advertisement A team from the Egyptian Red Crescent received Turkish aid to coordinate its delivery to the Gaza Strip, according to a source at the port located 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the territory. Cannot take part in injustice Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said that the countrys position on the Palestinian cause will not change and that it cannot take part in injustices to displace Gazans. His comments came after US President Donald Trump floated a plan to move Palestinians from the territory to Egypt and Jordan. The constants of Egypts historic position on the Palestinian cause. can never be compromised, Sisi said during a news conference in Cairo with Kenyan President William Ruto. Sisi said Egypt supported the establishment of a Palestinian state and the preservation of its capabilities, particularly its people and its territory. Hamas accuses Israel of delay in aid delivery Hamas officials said Israel was failing to send key aid items such as fuel, tents, heavy machinery and other equipment into Gaza, as agreed for the first stage of the ceasefire that took effect on January 19. Israel, meanwhile, has dismissed the claims as fake news. Its totally fake news, a spokesperson for COGAT, an Israeli defence ministry agency that oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said after two Hamas officials told AFP Israeli actions were slowing down the delivery of aid items. Since Sunday and until today at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) 3,000 aid trucks had entered Gaza, the spokesperson said. With inputs from AFP Duduzile ZumaSambudla, a member of South Africas opposition party uMkhonto weSizwe Party, or MKP will face a court in Durban on Thursday, where she will be charged, the party said in a statement on X read more Duduzile Zuma's party has urged people to maintain peace ahead of her trial in court. Image courtesy: @MKParty_InfoGuy/X South Africas former President Jacob Zumas daughter will be appearing in court over a case of anti-government rioting that rattled the country four years ago and resulted in the deaths of 354 people. Duduzile ZumaSambudla, a member of South Africas opposition party uMkhonto weSizwe Party, or MKP will face a court in Durban on Thursday, where she will be charged, the party said in a statement on X. According to News24, citing an unnamed source, the state plans to charge Zuma-Sambudla with inciting terrorism. MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela initially confirmed that Zuma-Sambudlas lawyers had received the charges but later claimed she was unaware of them. Advertisement The abuse of state institutions to fight ANC political battles! NPA should drop this case! The Phalaphala case is stronger than this.#handsoffDuduzileZuma pic.twitter.com/q3VT3ScnjH uMKHONTO WESIZWE Info Centre (@MKParty_InfoGuy) January 28, 2025 Daduziles father Jacob Zuma founded MKP in 2023 and within a year the young party managed to win almost 15 per cent of the vote in elections. The African National Congress, as a result, fell short of forming the majority. The ANC subsequently established a 10-party coalition government, with the MKP emerging as the main opposition, actively challenging the new administration. In July 2021, riots broke out in South Africa following Jacob Zumas imprisonment for refusing to testify before a judicial inquiry into state corruption during his nine-year presidency. The unrest, which caused billions of rands in damage to infrastructure, property, and businesses, was largely concentrated in Zumas home province of KwaZulu-Natal. Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, will visit Israel today and hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the next phase of the deal with Hamas read more Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, will visit Israel on Wednesday and meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Witkoff is also expected to visit the Gaza Strip to inspect the implementation of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Witkoffs visit would come at a time when Israeli and Hamas negotiatiors are readying to enter the second phase of the three-phase deal that the two sides reached earlier this month. All hostages are set to be released during the second phase of the war. Formally, the negotiations for the second phase will start on Monday. Advertisement Witkoff would arrive in Israel from Saudi Arabia. Axios has reported that he met Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior adviser to Palestinian Authoritys (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The meeting is the first between the PA, the de facto Palestinian government that partially governs West Bank, and the Trump administration. Witkoff to press for second phase of ceasefire Witkoff will discuss the second phase of the deal with Netanyahu on Wednesday. Even though talks for the second phase are formally supposed to start on Monday, Qatar and the United States have already started discussions on the issue, according to The Jerusalem Post. Even as Witkoff has said that he is committed to advance the ceasefire to the next phase, there is lack of clarity whether the Trump administration is committed to the permanent end of the war. Netanyahu has maintained that he has assurances from the United States that Israel would be allowed to resume the war and the deal struck with Hamas does not include a provision for the permanent end of the war. Israels Ken broadcaster has reported that Netanyahu would seek Trumps permission to continue the war in Gaza. Previously, The Post had reported that Netanyahu has reached a deal with his far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich to break the deal after the first phase and resume the war in Gaza. The newspaper reported that the deal includes attacking Gaza with heavier weapons than those used so far and and controlling the humanitarian assistance entering Gaza. Netanyahus reported deal with Smotrich comes as he is dependent on the far-right minister for the survival of his government. Smotrich has said that if the Israel-Hamas deal is implemented in its entirety, he would quit the government and that would mean Netanyahus ruling coalition would lose parliamentary majority. Advertisement Witkoff to visit Gaza to inspect ceasefire In what would be the first visit by a US official in nearly two decades, Witkoff has said he would visit Gaza to inspect the implementation of the ceasefire. In an interview with Fox News last week, he said that he would visit the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors in Gaza. The Netzarim Corridor essentially cuts Gaza into northern and southern halves and needs to be crossed by displaced Palestinians returning to their homes in the northern Gaza from southern Gaza where they had been sheltering so far. It is being managed by US and Egyptian private security contractors in coordination with Hamas-run Gazan policy and Israeli military has minimal role in the process. Witkoff told Fox, Im actually going to be going over to Israel. Im going to be a part of an inspection team at the Netzarim corridor and also in the Philadelphi corridor. Thats where you have outside overseers making sure that people are safe and people who are entering are not armed and no one has bad motivations, but we have to make sure that the implementation goes well. Advertisement Witkoff further said that the second phase of the deal depends on the implementation of the first phase. Witkoff said, If it goes well, well get into phase two, and were going to get a lot more live bodies out, and I think thats what the presidents directive to me and everybody else working in the American government on this [is], and thats what were going to do. The countrys government employed an independent group of experts who concluded that even well-crafted adoption laws cannot prevent abuse and that a ban is the best way to adequately protect all those affected, particularly children. read more Switzerland on Wednesday said that it will end international adoptions by 2026 over concerns of malpractices in the procedure. The countrys government employed an independent group of experts who concluded that even well-crafted adoption laws cannot prevent abuse and that a ban is the best way to adequately protect all those affected, particularly children. It also noted that the number of such adoptions has recently fallen sharply, from several hundred to about 30 per year. It said that it would explore possible exceptions under the legislative process, in particular for intrafamily adoptions, in which children are adopted by a step-parent or relative. Advertisement Why is the govt planning to ban international adoptions? The group or the Federal Council said in a report that any effort made by the government to improve transparency and the procedure of the process of adoption has so far been proven futile. The report concludes that even with a revised and well-crafted adoption law, as well as the allocation of significant resources, it remains uncertain whether abuse can be entirely prevented. The Swiss government further said, The expert group highlights that the current legal basis is inadequate, particularly in the case of irregular adoptions. The Federal Council has therefore tasked the Federal Department of Justice and Police to examine a revision of the law in connection with the search for origins. The recommendations of the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors working group and the FOJ are to be taken into account in this process. With inputs from agencies Amid the Donald Trump administrations pledge to downsize the federal government workforce, it has offered nearly 2 million civilian employees an eight-month payout to leave their jobs read more US President Donald J Trump is shown on screens as he addresses via remote connection a plenary session in the Congress Hall, during the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Photo: AP) The Donald Trump administration on Tuesday offered nearly 2 million federal government employees an eight-month payout to leave their jobs. The employees have until February 6 to accept the offer. The development comes amid Trump administrations pledge to downsize the federal governments workforce and remove all staffers who are not committed to Trumps political agenda. A senior Trump administration official told NBC News that 5-10 per cent employees are expected to accept the offer and it may lead to around $100 billion in savings. Advertisement In the email, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees the federal civilian workforce, said that most government agencies are expected to be downsized in the coming days through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force. The OPM further said that the administration would use furloughs and reclassification of career officials as at-will for the purpose the reclassification would make it easier to fire them. In a statement of intent, the OPM said that government employees would need to show enhanced standards of conduct and ensure they are reliable, loyal, trustworthy. It further said that those who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritised for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination. While the administration has framed the exercise as part of a purported drive to cut wasteful expenditure, critics have seen it as part of efforts to replace career professionals with political appointees or contractors who would do Trumps bidding irrespective of the righteousness or the legality of his orders. In his first term, Trump wanted his top officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, to illegally overturn the 2020 election in his favour. It has been pointed out that the OPMs email is very similar to the one that Elon Musk-owned X (then Twitter) sent to its employees in 2022. Even the subject line of the email, A Fork in the Road, is same. Notably, Musk, the worlds richest man who is now committed to supporting far-right groups worldwide, is part of the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that is tasked with curbing the government of excess staffers and expenses. Highlighting the similarities between the two emails, ABC News Cheyenne Haslett highlighted that while the Twitter email said only exceptional performance will constitute a passing grade, the OPMs email says the federal workforce should be comprised of the best America has to offer. We will insist on excellence at every level. She further noted that while the Twitter email concluded with whatever decision you make, thank you for your efforts to make Twitter successful, the OPMs email mentions whichever path you choose, we thank you for your service to The United States of America. Advertisement While the British Home Office has identified Khalistan movement and Hindu nationalism as new forms of extremism, it has underestimated the Islamist extremism despite Islamism driving most terrorist acts in the United Kingdom, according to a Home Office report leaked to a think tank read more A banner with the image of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar is seen at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple, site of his June 2023 killing, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada September 20, 2023. (Photo: Reuters) The Khalistan movement and Hindu nationalism have been described as new forms of extremism in the United Kingdom, according to a leaked government report. Last year, British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a review of the government policy on extremism. She said the review, dubbed Rapid Analytical Sprint, would map and monitor extremist trends and propose a new strategic approach to countering extremism. As per the leaked report of the review to the think tank Policy Exchange, the review listed nine types of extremism in the UK: Islamist; extreme right wing; extreme misogyny; pro-Khalistan extremism; Hindu nationalist extremism; environmental extremism; Left wing, anarchist and single-issue extremism; violence fascination and conspiracy theories. Notably, misogyny, Khalistan movement, and Hindu nationalism have been featured as new threats. Advertisement While the think tank said that the Home Office review correctly flags Hindu nationalism, it flagged that the review underestimates Islamist extremism even as it continues to drive most terrorist attacks and cases with British authorities. Why Home Office review flagged Khalistan movement, Hindu nationalism The communal violence between Hindu and Muslim communities in Englands Leicester in 2022 is the driver of Hindu nationalisms inclusion in the Home Offices review, according to the Policy Exchange. The think tanks 30-page report on the leaked Home Office review described Hindu nationalism as an underplayed subject that the Home Office has addressed arguably for the first time in detail. It said that excluding it in a separate review of a government programme tackling extremism in 2023 was a mistake. Given the violence which occurred in Leicester in September 2022 between Hindus and Muslims, the Government is correct to place Hindu Nationalist Extremism under the spotlight not least as knowledge of it is generally low, said the report. Even as the review flagged Hindu nationalism in the Leicester violence, it flagged that Muslim extremism also played a role in the episode. The think tank noted that the Home Office review noted that key voices within both Muslim and Hindu communities also played a significant role in opportunistically exploiting tensions and inciting hate among the local communities. Advertisement As for the Khalistan extremism, the review said that the Khalistan movement in itself is not extremist but the problem is when this outlook leads to the advocacy of violence in support of that cause, according to the think tank. The Khalistan movement seeks to carve out a separate state for Sikhs from India with the secession of Punjab. For decades, the movement waged a terrorist movement in India that killed thousands. The movement ebbed in the 1990s in India. Even though the violent movement ebbed in India, it found safe havens abroad, most notably in Canada but also in the United Kingdom. From there, Khalistani elements have continued to lobby foreign governments to act against India. They have also planned terrorist attacks and led a host of criminal activities inside India from there. They have also attacked Indian diplomatic missions there. Advertisement The think tank said that the Home Offices reviews position as logical. The think further said that the review has assessed that there is a growing portfolio of actors of concern within the Khalistan movement. It also said that the review has flagged Khalistani leaders demonisation of Muslim communities, in particular in relation to child sexual exploitation allegations. The review has also flagged the conspiracy theories by Khalistani groups of purported collusion between the British and Indian governments, according to the think tank. The think tank further said that the review also flags the purported violent activities of the Indian governments against Sikhs in Canada and the United Kingdom. The Indian government has rejected such allegations and has instead pointed to the political interference of foreign elements in India, most notably by the outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom the Indian government has accused of pandering to the Khalistani movement for domestic political support. Advertisement Home Office review underestimates Islamist threat, says report The Policy Exchanges report said that the Home Office review has underestimated the Islamist extremism. Even as Islamist extremism continues to be the biggest security threat, the review only devotes one page to it, the same space devoted to conspiracy theories, Khalistan extremism, misogyny, and environmental extremism, according to the think tank. The data suggests that Islamism should instead be the main focus of the Home Office, according to the think tank. In the past 25 years, Islamist extremism is responsible for 94 per cent of all deaths caused by terrorism and 80 per cent of the polices counter-terror case last year were rooted in Islamist extremism, 75 per cent of MI5s matters were rooted in Islamist extremism, and and 63 per cent of terrorists in custody were related to Islamist acts, according to government data. Advertisement The Policy Exchange flags that one reason why Islamism is the biggest threat to the UK is because of its institutional nature. Another reason why Islamism is Britains most serious extremist threat is that it has a significantly greater institutional presence than any other form of UK extremism, influencing or controlling some mosques, private schools, media outlets, charities and pressure groups. This goes unmentioned in the Sprint documents seen by Policy Exchange, said the think tanks report. The review also ignores the roles of institutions in spreading and incubating extremism, and particularly ignores the significant power of institutions in Islamist extremism, as per the think tanks report. One issue omitted in the review is the threat of organised calls of violence by Islamists against purported insults to Islam, which they often dub as blasphemy. The tanks report flagged the case of a teacher who has been in hiding for four years after threats were made against him over purported insult to Islam. Such issues have plagued the Europe at large, most notably France where terrorists killed 16 people in attacks in response to cartoons on Prophet Muhammed and a teacher was killed in 2020 for a classroom discussion on cartoons. Security agents escorted the inspector general of the US Department of Agriculture out of her office on Monday after she refused to comply with her firing by the Trump administration, according to a report, citing sources familiar with the matter read more The US Department of Agriculture is seen in Washington, on March 18, 2012. Reuters File Security agents escorted the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Agriculture out of her office on Monday after she refused to comply with her firing by the Trump administration, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Phyllis Fong, a 22-year veteran of the department, had earlier told colleagues that she intended to stay after the White House terminated her Friday, saying that she didnt believe the administration had followed proper protocols, the sources said. Advertisement In an email to colleagues on Saturday, reviewed by Reuters, she said the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency has taken the position that these termination notices do not comply with the requirements set out in law and therefore are not effective at this time. Fong declined to comment. The White House defended the firing of Fong and the other inspectors general, saying these rogue, partisan bureaucrats have been relieved of their duties in order to make room for qualified individuals who will uphold the rule of law and protect Democracy. The USDA inspector general has a broad mandate, pursuing consumer food safety, audits and investigations of the Agriculture Department as well as violations of animal welfare laws. The USDA has been at the heart of concerns about bird flu, which has spread among cattle and chickens and killed a person in Louisiana. In 2022, the inspector generals office launched an investigation of Elon Musks brain implant startup Neuralink, which remains ongoing, sources said. In recent years, the office has also taken on animal abuse at dog breeders for research labs and the listeria outbreak at Boars Head, among other issues. Musk spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help President Donald Trump get elected in November and has emerged as a key player in the presidents orbit. Fong was among the 17 federal watchdogs fired by Trump on Friday in what critics described as a Friday-night purge. Speaking to reporters afterwards aboard Air Force One, Trump defended the move saying its a very common thing to do. He did not say who would be installed in the vacant posts. Advertisement The dismissals, handed out less than a week after Trump took office for his second term, appeared to violate federal law, the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency said in a letter to the White House on Friday. Fong served as the first chairperson of CIGIE from 2008 through 2014, according to her biography on USDAs website. President Donald Trump has said that he has requested Elon Musks SpaceX to return NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Wilmore. Both NASA astronauts have been stranded aboard the International Space Station for nearly a year. read more US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday night he had asked Elon Musks SpaceX to return two NASA astronauts, Indian-origin Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in space since June last year. He alleged that both astronauts were virtually abandoned in space by the previous Biden administration from the International Space Station. I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to go get the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Advertisement Trump emphasised that Tesla CEO Musk would help bring back the astronauts and everything would be fine. They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!! Earlier, Musk on Tuesday said Trump had asked him to return the two astronauts as soon as possible. Musk said, The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so." The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2025 The two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, are already scheduled to fly back on a SpaceX capsule in March. A NASA spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Wilmore and Williams flew Boeings Starliner spacecraft to the ISS in June last year for a test mission that was supposed to last eight days, but the two veteran astronauts got stuck in the spacecraft and have been there for nearly a year due to issues with the crafts propulsion system. Advertisement In August, NASA, under President Joe Bidens administration, decided that Starliner was too risky for their return and chose SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft to bring them back to Earth. The Starliner spacecraft experienced some technical issues, including thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. As a result, their stay at the ISS has been extended. During their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore have been actively involved in various scientific experiments and maintenance tasks aboard the ISS. They have adapted to the challenges of prolonged space missions, contributing significantly to the stations operations. Samsung India today introduced its 2025 lineup of BESPOKE AI WindFree air conditioners, featuring 19 models tailored to address the cooling preferences of Indian consumers. Key Features: BESPOKE AI WindFree Air Conditioner (2025) AI-Driven Cooling: The AI Energy Mode optimizes cooling settings, saving up to 30% on energy. The AI Fast & Comfort Cooling feature quickly cools rooms before switching to the energy-efficient WindFree Mode for ongoing comfort. Additionally, the AI Digital Inverter guarantees effective cooling even when outdoor temperatures reach 58C. WindFree Cooling: This technology disperses air through 23,000 micro holes, avoiding direct drafts for enhanced comfort. SmartThings Integration: These ACs integrate with Samsungs SmartThings app, offering features like Quick Remote for smartphone control, Map View for 3D home monitoring, and voice commands through Bixby, Alexa, or Google Assistant. The Welcome Cooling feature activates the AC as you near your home. Good Sleep Mode: This mode adjusts temperature and humidity according to sleep phases, promoting undisturbed sleep. Enhanced Hygiene: Equipped with an external Copper Anti-bacterial Filter that captures dust and diminishes airborne bacteria by up to 99%, with an easy-to-clean design for optimal performance. Durability: The units come with a 5-year comprehensive warranty and a 10-year warranty on the AI Inverter compressor. The Durafin Ultra coating protects against corrosion on the heat exchanger. Samsung emphasized its robust market performance in India last year and plans to maintain its leadership with this innovative AI-driven AC series. Pricing and Availability The Samsung BESPOKE AI WindFree ACs start at Rs. 32,990 and are now available at leading retail stores and online platforms, including Flipkart, Amazon, and Samsung.com. Speaking about the launch, Ghufran Alam, Senior Director, Digital Appliances, Samsung India, said, Thursday Night Cloudy skies with periods of rain after midnight. Low 39F. SE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. AFP maintains Chinese national engaged in 'unauthorized surveillance' Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno January 28, 2025, 2:09 pm MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday maintained that the Chinese national and his two Filipino cohorts who were recently arrested were engaged in "unauthorized foreign intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance activity." This came as the foreigner's family asserted his innocence of espionage allegations. In an ambush interview, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said that any "clandestine activity" is normally not revealed. She added that data recovered from the confiscated equipment of the suspects contained maps of the country's critical infrastructure and could not be easily changed or manipulated. "So the servers contain maps of critical infrastructures, salient features like military camps. So, what would they be doing with the data on military camps and PNP (Philippine National Police) camps, and critical infrastructures," Padilla said. She said the AFP is taking this matter seriously as it involves national security. Also, the AFP spokesperson said that they are working with "empirical data" and not on hearsay in dealing with the issue. "So kaya nga tayo nagko-conduct ng investigation para yung accurate na data yun po yung lumabas (so we are conducting investigations for more accurate data to come out)," Padilla noted. She also reiterated calls of ranking security government officials to toughen and improve the country's existing espionage law. On Jan. 17, the National Bureau of Investigation arrested the three -- Chinese national Deng Yuanqing, and Filipinos Ronel Jojo Balundo Besa and Jason Amado Fernandez -- at a condominium in Makati City. Among the items seized included a Toyota Rav4 SUV equipped which was used as a "rover" for locator and mapping devices which can pinpoint coordinates accurate to up to a centimeter. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Australian statement of support - EU Sanction Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 29 January 2025 Category: International relations Australia expresses its strong support for the European Union's decision to impose cyber sanctions on three individuals linked to the Russian Armed Forces for their role in malicious cyber activity targeting Estonia. Australia stands in solidarity with the EU and Estonia against malicious cyber activity and commends the EU for this important action. Cybercrime plagues all corners of the world. Australia is committed to working with our international partners to shine a light on unacceptable activity in cyberspace, and impose costs on malicious actors who seek to undermine an open, free, stable and secure and interoperable cyberspace. Sanctions are one important method of imposing costs on these actors and serve as a deterrent against such activity. Australia has also imposed autonomous cyber sanctions and attributed responsibility for malicious cyber behaviour in recent months to disrupt and deter the perpetrators of malicious cyber activity. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pevkur in Seoul: Estonia is interested in strengthening defence cooperation with South Korea Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Defence 27. January 2025 - 14:40 Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur met today in Seoul with acting Minister of National Defense Seon-ho Kim to discuss regional security around Estonia and South Korea, as well as bilateral defence cooperation. "We value our good relations with the Republic of Korea, an important likeminded partner for us in Asia. We are particularly keen to deepen defence cooperation. This is the first defence ministerial level visit, accompanied by a business delegation from the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association," said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur. "I would like to highlight the excellent cooperation between Estonia and South Korea, exemplified by the use of South Korean K9 howitzers by the Estonian Defence Forces. These modern artillery systems have significantly improved our operational capabilities and have proven their effectiveness in exercises. The successful integration of K9 howitzers into our forces is a testament to the high quality of South Korean defence technology and the strength of our partnership," said Minister Pevkur. "Although our countries are geographically distant, the security of Europe and this region are interconnected. Just as the current conflict in Europe impacts South Korea, any potential conflict there would have repercussions for Europe. Peace and stability in our regions can only be achieved by demonstrating strength, including the provision of military aid to Ukraine," Pevkur added. During his brief visit, Minister Pevkur also met with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly Defense Committee Il-jong Sung and Seung-chan Boo, participated in a joint meeting of Estonian and South Korean defence industries at the Estonian Business Hub Seoul, and met with Hanwha Aerospace CEO Jae-Il Son. In addition to procurement-related cooperation, Estonia collaborates with South Korea in the cyber domain through the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (NATO CCDCOE). South Korea has been an official member of the Centre since 2021 and contributes with one expert. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic Alvarez US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 27, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic Roberto Alvarez today to reaffirm the United States' strong partnership with the Dominican Republic, and to discuss his upcoming visit to Santo Domingo. Secretary Rubio thanked the Dominican Republic for agreeing to host the next Summit of the Americas and Cities Summit. Secretary Rubio also expressed appreciation to the Dominican Republic for speaking out against the Maduro regime's anti-democratic actions in Venezuela. Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Alvarez discussed the need to strengthen hemispheric security, including in Haiti. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 27, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed the strong U.S.-Morocco partnership in advancing regional and global peace and security, under King Mohamed VI's leadership. They discussed implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the release of the hostages, and Morocco's leadership in contributing humanitarian aid for Gaza. They committed to cooperate intensively in advancing shared interests in the region and ending conflicts, including building on the Abraham Accords. The Secretary and Foreign Minister affirmed the importance of expanding trade, investment, and commercial cooperation that would benefit Americans and Moroccans. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Amid Increased Human Suffering in Darfur, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Tells Security Council New Applications for Atrocity Crimes Arrest Warrants Are Imminent Meetings Coverage Security Council 9851st Meeting (PM) SC/15984 27 January 2025 The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court briefed the Security Council today on the imminent new applications for arrest warrants concerning the ongoing violence in Darfur, underscoring the need to reinforce the bond between the two bodies. "The last six months have reflected a further descent into deeper suffering for the people of Darfur," said Prosecutor Karim Khan, as he presented his report detailing the landscape of "unspeakable scale of destruction and criminality". Developments from El Fasher yesterday and today give rise to grave allegations of increased violence and the potential targeting of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, he said. "International crimes are being committed on a wide scale, in real-time in Darfur," with atrocities being used daily as a weapon of war, he stated, adding that this is not an extrapolation from unverified reports, but "a hard-edged analysis based on the information and evidence my office has collected". He voiced particular concern over the extensive victimization and suffering of women and children and the widespread commission of gender-based crimes. In the last six months, his office has been working with affected communities on the ground in Chad and other countries bordering Sudan; increasing the collection and processing of extensive digital and documentary evidence, supporting the identification of linkages between perpetrators, structure and crime patterns; and strengthening its collaboration with national authorities. International Criminal Court Working towards Arrest Warrants for Crimes in West Darfur, Advancing Case Regarding Alleged Senior Member of Janjaweed Militia Based on this action, his office is taking the necessary steps to put forward applications for arrest warrants in relation to crimes committed in West Darfur, he continued. In the last six months, it has remained focused on advancing the proceedings in relation to Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, also known as "Ali Kushayb", an alleged senior member of the Janjaweed militia charged with 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur between August 2003 and at least April 2004. "For Darfuris, this trial means a lot," he said, adding that through the pursuit of justice, affected communities "are not airbrushed out of public consciousness". It also means that the Council and the broader international community will keep the promise made to the victims. However, he emphasized that the Abd-al-Rahman case cannot be viewed as a final step, but a solid start to justice and accountability. States must now secure the arrest of those individuals subject to the Court's arrest warrants presently in Sudan: Omar Hassan Ahmad al Bashir, Ahmad Harun and Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein. The transfer of Mr. Harun would be especially impactful at this moment, as the crimes with which he is charged relate directly to those presented before the Court in the trial of Mr. Abd-al-Rahman. "We believe we know where he is and have communicated this to Sudan," he added. "Let politics and division be silenced for a moment to hear the cries of the Darfuri people [who] have the right to justice," he concluded, declaring: "It is time for us to prevent this constant cycle of despair that the generations of Darfuris have suffered." Delegates Echo Call for Accountability and Justice In the ensuing discussion, Council members echoed Mr. Kahn's call for accountability, underscoring that the swift investigation and prosecution of the gravest crimes can help stem the current wave of terror in Sudan. Noting that both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces "bear responsibility for the violence and suffering in Sudan", the representative of the United States called for "a swift and durable negotiated end to the conflict". The failure to achieve accountability decades ago is one reason conflict continues to burn, she said, adding that several of the current conflict's leading actors and their affiliated groups were also directly engaged in criminality in Darfur in 2003 and 2004. "The very same victims, especially non-Arab groups, are again being victimized," she added. The representative of Slovenia concurred that her delegation was "particularly struck" that the crimes ongoing in Darfur are a "reproduction" in conduct, affected communities and alleged perpetrators of the atrocities the Council referred to the Court 20 years ago. In the same vein, the speaker for the Republic of Korea described the recurring violence in Darfur as "a stark reminder" of the devastating consequences of impunity, which underscores the urgent need to uphold justice and accountability. Sierra Leone's delegate, while welcoming progress in the "landmark" trial of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman "the first trial stemming from a Security Council referral" expressed concern over "the continued impunity of key suspects". Addressing past crimes, he underscored, is critical to breaking the cycle of impunity and preventing future atrocities in Darfur and elsewhere. Spotlighting the "inextricable link between justice and peace", he said that "efforts to address the root causes of conflict including systemic impunity must be central to achieving a lasting political resolution" in Sudan. Also recognizing the progress made by the Court to "hold aggressors accountable for their actions", Panama's delegate stressed that the tribunal's resolve to investigate those responsible for these crimes is not only a necessary response in the face of their "atrocious" nature, but also "decisive, in guaranteeing long-term peace and stability in the region". For his part, the United Kingdom's delegate welcomed the creation of a structured dialogue between the Prosecutor's Office and civil society organizations. "This can help ensure that the voices of victims are heard," he stressed. Asserting that "there is no room for impunity", Greece's delegate said that "lasting peace goes hand in hand with justice." Somalia's delegate added that the international community must remain committed to supporting the Sudanese people in their pursuit of justice, stability and reconciliation. Sudanese Authorities for Collaboration with Prosecutors' Office Is Commendable, Delegates Stress, Urging More When accountability prevails, said Denmark's delegate, "it represents the bridge between the pain of the past, and the hope of the future". She emphasized that collaboration is essential to securing justice and ending the cycle of impunity in Sudan, commending the Sudanese authorities' cooperation with the Court. Picking up that thread, France's delegate called on the Sudanese authorities to increase their cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office and respect their obligations under resolution 1593 (2015) and the Juba Peace Agreement. While welcoming the Sudanese Government's cooperation with the Prosecutor's requests for assistance, his counterpart from Guyana joined others in emphasizing that such cooperation must also extend to the arrest and surrender of outstanding suspects. She also joined others in stressing that the Court, its personnel and those cooperating must remain free from sanctions, threats and intimidation. Foreign Interference in Sudan Must End The representative of Algeria, Council President for January, spoke in his national capacity to urge for complementarity between transitional justice, accountability and peacebuilding efforts in Sudan "and namely, in Darfur". While noting that Sudan's judicial structures must be strengthened to support national ownership of this process, he stressed that finding a lasting solution to the conflict will be impossible "if we don't put an end to foreign interference in Sudan". Relatedly, China's delegate emphasized that the Court must abide strictly by the principle of complementarity, maintaining its independence and impartiality while genuinely respecting Sudan's national sovereignty and strengthening its cooperation with that country. Court Must Display Complete Objectivity and Impartiality The speaker for Pakistan observed that the Court can gain global credibility if it displays "full objectivity and impartiality in the cases and persons it decides to investigate and prosecute". However, he said, "some jurisdictions have so far been immune from prosecution for widely reported crimes, including those committed in situations of foreign occupation and intervention." The Russian Federation's representative said that her country does not recognize the International Criminal Court, "which makes a serious contribution to discrediting the very notion of international justice". While Moscow "backs the endeavour of combatting impunity", she said that the tribunal and its activities "lost any link to the work of meting out justice long ago". Stressing that "selective justice has become the new norm", she added that the Court's "imitation of investigation" in Darfur is an "excellent example of its catastrophic ineffectiveness and uselessness". Sudan's Speaker Outlines Country's Cooperation with Court The representative of Sudan, meanwhile, pointed to the "many years" lost since the Council's referral of the situation in Darfur to the Court in 2004. While "there was no cooperation with the Court back then", he said that Sudan started to engage with the entity through a memorandum of understanding in August 2021. As part of this cooperation, the Prosecutor's Office has visited Sudan several times, met with high-level officials and visited refugee camps in Darfur. Further, Sudan's Foreign Minister instructed its embassy in The Hague to grant the Prosecutor's team visas "whenever they ask". While detailing additional national measures to fight impunity, he observed that "extradition must take place in a permanent legal context and not in a provisional context, as is the case currently considering the political transition and its challenges". He added that criminal investigation necessitates an integrated legal and judicial framework to confirm and disclose facts and preserve the rights of the accused. "This requires a stable legal system that is not available now, owing to the current war," he said. Nevertheless, legal reform has started in Sudan and, emphasizing the need to cooperate with the Court, he said: "We will continue to do that." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address REINSTATING SERVICE MEMBERS DISCHARGED UNDER THE MILITARY'S COVID-19 VACCINATION MANDATE EXECUTIVE ORDER January 27, 2025 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose and Policy. On August 24, 2021, the Secretary of Defense mandated that all service members receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Secretary of Defense later rescinded the mandate on January 10, 2023. The vaccine mandate was an unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members. Further, the military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received. Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue. Sec. 2. Redress.Consistent with the policies announced in section 1 of this order , the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall take all necessary action permitted by law to: (a) make reinstatement available to all members of the military (active and reserve) who were discharged solely for refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and who request to be reinstated; (b) enable those service members reinstated under this section to revert to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation; and (c) allow any service members who provide a written and sworn attestation that they voluntarily left the service or allowed their service to lapse according to appropriate procedures, rather than be vaccinated under the vaccine mandate, to return to service with no impact on their service status, rank, or pay. Sec. 3. Additional Agency Responsibilities. (a) Nothing in this order precludes disciplinary or administrative action for conduct that is proscribed by chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 801-946a). (b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs on their progress in implementing this order. Sec. 4. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. THE WHITE HOUSE, January 27, 2025. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PRESS RELEASE: Doomsday Clock set at 89 seconds to midnight, closest ever to human extinction Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists By Adam Dombovari | January 28, 2025 "Humanity Edging Closer To Catastrophe": Iconic Doomsday Clock moves one second closer to midnight as global existential threats rage. Clock factors include nuclear weapons, climate crisis, artificial intelligence, infectious diseases, and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. WASHINGTON, D.C. January 28, 2025 The Doomsday Clock was set at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest the Clock has ever been to midnight in its 78-year history. The 2025 Clock time signals that the world is on a course of unprecedented risk, and that continuing on the current path is a form of madness. The United States, China, and Russia have the prime responsibility to pull the world back from the brink. The world depends on immediate action. The Doomsday Clock's time is set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board (SASB) in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which includes nine Nobel Laureates. Factors included nuclear weapons threats, the climate crisis, biological threats, and disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). The Clock's time changed most recently in January 2023, when the Doomsday Clock was set at 90 seconds to midnight. Daniel Holz, PhD, SASB Chair, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and professor at the University of Chicago said: "The purpose of the Doomsday Clock is to start a global conversation about the very real existential threats that keep the world's top scientists awake at night. National leaders must commence discussions about these global risks before it's too late. Reflecting on these life-and-death issues and starting a dialogue are the first steps to turning back the Clock and moving away from midnight." The 2025 Doomsday Clock statement warns: In 2024, humanity edged ever closer to catastrophe. Trends that have deeply concerned the Science and Security Board continued, and despite unmistakable signs of danger, national leaders and their societies have failed to do what is needed to change course. Consequently, we now move the Doomsday Clock from 90 seconds to 89 seconds to midnightthe closest it has ever been to catastrophe. Our fervent hope is that leaders will recognize the world's existential predicament and take bold action to reduce the threats posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and the potential misuse of biological science and a variety of emerging technologies. Juan Manuel Santos, Chair of The Elders, former President of Colombia, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, who participated in the 2025 Doomsday Clock announcement, said: "The Doomsday Clock is moving at a moment of profound global instability and geopolitical tension. As the hands of the clock get ever closer to midnight, we make an impassioned plea to all leaders: now is the time to act together! The existential threats we face can only be addressed through bold leadership and partnership on a global scale. Cada segundo cuenta. Every second counts." The Nuclear Outlook: Extremely Dangerous Trends Continue Manpreet Sethi, PhD, SASB Member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and distinguished fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies in New Delhi and Senior Research Adviser, Asia Pacific Leadership Network, said: "The risk of nuclear use continues to grow due to capabilities building up and treaties breaking down. Russia has suspended compliance with the New START treaty and withdrawn ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. China is rapidly increasing its nuclear arsenal. And, the US has abdicated its role as a voice of caution. It seems inclined to expand its nuclear arsenal and adopt a posture that reinforces the belief that 'limited' use of nuclear weapons can be managed. Such misplaced confidence could have us stumble into a nuclear war." Disruptive Technologies To Watch In 2025 Herb Lin, ScD, SASB Member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and senior research scholar for cyber policy and security at the Center for International Security and Cooperation and Hank J. Holland Fellow in Cyber Policy and Security at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said: "Proposals to integrate artificial intelligence into weapons of war raise questions about the extent to which machines will be allowed to make or support military decisionseven when such decisions could kill on a vast scale. Even if a human always make the final decision on the use of nuclear weapons, how and when, if at all, should AI be used to support such decision making? How should we think about lethal autonomous weapons, which identify and destroy targets without human intervention? Meanwhile, ever-increasing dysfunction in the world's information ecosystem disrupts society's capacity to address difficult challenges, and AI has great potential to accelerate the chaos and disorder." Climate Change: Devastating Impacts And Insufficient Progress Robert Socolow, PhD, SASB Member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University, said: "2024 was the hottest year on record. Extreme weather and other climate eventsfloods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat, drought, and wildfires devastated societies, rich and poor, as well as ecosystems around the world. Yet the global greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change continued to rise. And investments to adapt to climate change and cut fossil fuel emissions were way below what is needed to avoid the worst impacts. There were formidable policy headwinds globally: particularly worrisome, electoral campaigns showed climate change to be a low priority in the United States and many other countries." Daunting Biological Threats Suzet McKinney, DrPH, SASB Member, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and principal and director of Life Sciences for Sterling Bay, said: "Infectious diseases are a constant threat to mankind, but unfortunately the collective experience with COVID-19 has increased skepticism about the recommendations of public health officials, especially the use of medical countermeasures to mitigate disease spread. Concern is also growing over the proliferation of pathogen laboratories around the world, as well as nefariously using AI in biological research and development. Collectively, leaders must establish knowledgeable authorities to provide trustworthy information, increase reporting of changing disease patterns as the climate changes, decrease the number of high-containment laboratories, and curtail active biological weapons programs." The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and University of Chicago scientists who helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project. The Bulletin created the Doomsday Clock two years later to convey man-made threats to human existence and the planet. The Clock has become a universally recognized indicator of the world's vulnerability to global catastrophe. ### MEDIA CONTACTS: Alex Frank, (703) 276-3264 and afrank@hastingsgroupmedia.com, or Max Karlin, (703) 276-3255 and mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address General Affairs Council: remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas at the joint press point following the informal breakfast meeting European External Action Service (EEAS) 28.01.2025 Brussels, Belgium EEAS Press Team Check against delivery! Thank you. [This is a] great initiative from Minister Rosencrantz. I am also very happy to have you here, Olha. Always good to cooperate together with the Enlargement Commissioner. Ukraine is our priority. That is very clear. We have to support Ukraine in the really immediate term but also looking to the future. Therefore, the enlargement process is extremely important because it gives hope to the people of Ukraine as well. And, therefore, of course, we can talk about clusters, we can talk about chapters, but, for people, it means that there will be a better future for Ukraine when Ukraine will be built up after the war. Of course, right now the war is going on, so we need to also increase the pressure on Russia to stop this war. Therefore, I am very happy that we agreed to extend the sanctions, yesterday, with the Foreign Affairs Ministers. We are also working on the next sanctions package to come. We really need to keep up the economic pressure on Russia while also giving military support to Ukraine. To strengthen Ukraine, so that the stronger they are on the battlefield, the stronger they are also behind the negotiation table. What we also raised today - and I am happy that we have this core group gathering on the 3 and 4 of February - regarding accountability: I think this is extremely important. It cannot be that you attack another country, you kill civilians, and you get away with it. It is clear that we need to work for the accountability today and really have the clear rules in place. Then, of course, enlargement. The Enlargement Commissioner can really go in depth here, but I think what is important is that enlargement works as a conversions machine. It helps the Member States that are joining Europe, the European Union, but it also is necessary for the European Union to really develop itself further and have new Member States. So, therefore, I am very grateful for this breakfast. This was a very interesting exchange of views, and thank you again for being here. Q&A Q. We have all heard Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, recently called Ukraine an economical threat to Europe. If Ukraine would be a Member of the European Union, how are you going to handle this and make every European Member allow Ukraine to start negotiations? On Hungary - we have in the European Union 27 different countries, and 27 different internal democracies. So, every decision we make we discuss, and it is always difficult. I do not have any illusions that it is going to get any easier, but in the end we have always managed. Thank you. Q. People have been talking about the opportunity now with Ukraine to apply pressure , you kind of address that a little bit. I wonder if you could flesh it out, if you have a message for the new administration in the United States about why it is important to apply pressure now, what are the circumstances that you see make this a good time to do it. An additional point on NATO, the US does not want Ukraine to join NATO, if you heard that, if you have any comments on that as well. Putin can end this war very well - if he realises he made a mistake and cannot win in Ukraine - when he stops bombing the civilians and civilians infrastructure and withdraws its troops. So it is clear that the pressure to end this war has to be on Putin. It seems to me that the new administration in America also understands that, if you see the messages that President Trump has said regarding Putin. So, we need to work together. That is very clear. If the United States is worried about China, then they should first be worried about Russia, because how we react [faced with] Russia's aggression also gives a signal to China, in this regard. So, that is extremely important. When it comes to NATO membership, then we have agreed in NATO that Ukraine's path is towards NATO membership. The question is: when can that really happen? When we talk about security guarantees then the strongest security guarantee that there is, is a NATO membership - and the security guarantee really needs to be credible. But of course, Member States, everybody in NATO has to agree to this, and not everybody is there yet. Thanks. Q. Since you mentioned security guarantees, how big do you see the danger that European Union membership could become mixed up in the discussion of negotiations? Would you or can we say that with certainty this prospect of Ukraine joining Ukraine is not negotiable? On the negotiations, I think what is important to say is really that whether it comes to NATO or whether it comes to European Union, it is only for the members of these organisations to decide who gets to be in and who gets to be out. If we give the power to any third parties to say and agree that "this country cannot be in" and that is a bargaining chip, then we give a lot of power away. I think it should not be like this. We are the members of these organisations that need to decide ourselves. Q. So far, every country that joined the EU had been a member of NATO. That is not true. No, I mean [take] my own country. I am talking about the big wave in the Eastern part of Europe. So, the question is: is there an intrinsic link between the two of them? First, on the European Union and NATO membership. So, I remember I saw this process very closely because my father was the one who was negotiating as well. One time he said: "NATO is not going to happen" and then you know, "EU is not going to happen". It went [as if] you made the step here and then you made the step there. Actually, we were not in NATO before we joined the European Union, or vice versa. It was kind of almost at the same time, the same year. But it was not a precondition for this. I think the importance of NATO has grown over time, because we see the aggressiveness of Russia. Why Finland and Sweden joined, when they were not part of NATO? Because they did not feel the necessity. But when it was clear that Russia had these very imperialistic goals, then the only thing that really protects is the umbrella of NATO. That is why countries want to be in. I totally understand that, but it is not a precondition, no. Q. Will sanctions happen on the anniversary of the war? And how dramatic and significant will the next sanctions be? On the first I want to correct: there was no gas deal yesterday, but a statement made regarding energy solidarity. So, to be clear on that. Then of course we are working on the next sanctions package and hopefully we really want to get it ready by February. There are different items there, but as you always know this is a negotiation between Member States. We are really looking into all types of things that really help Russia to wage this war - to put them on the sanctions list. Even elements like the consoles for the video games, because apparently these are the ones that they operate the drones with. So, really being creative. [Even] chemicals that are needed for the Russian military industry. There are a lot of items. Of course, LNG is as well on this list. What the final agreement is will then be clear when we have agreed, but we are working for it to be ready in February. Link to the video (starting at 2:50): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-266409 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tsahkna in phone call with Rubio: A just peace in Ukraine makes both the USA and Europe stronger Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 28.01.2025 Today 28 January, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna had his first phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Tsahkna congratulated his US counterpart on his appointment and said he was looking forward to working together on advancing the interests of both countries and on reinforcing transatlantic relations. The ministers spoke about the political, economic and security cooperation of Estonia and the United States, global challenges, and Russia's aggression against Ukraine. "Ukraine's victory in the brutal and unjustified war of aggression launched by Russia would reinforce not just the European and US security, but also economy," Tsahkna said, adding that this was why it was crucial to continue providing military support to Ukraine while taking the economic instruments for waging war from Russia, including by reducing Russia's oil revenues. "Russia's economy is already doing very badly. Increased economic pressure would bring Ukraine's victory closer." Speaking about transatlantic relations, Tsahkna underlined that in order to successfully address the increasingly strategic cooperation between authoritarian regimes and other challenges facing the democratic world, Europe and the United States needed to stay united. "Russia's aggression and the inclusion of North Korean soldiers in hostilities on European soil proves that the security of North America, Europe and the Pacific are closely related," Tsahkna said. "Paralysing the cooperation between Russia and its partners who support its hostilities is crucial for the security of the entire democratic world." The foreign minister also recalled his meeting with Rubio in Washington DC, when he was serving as Estonia's Defence Minister. Speaking about defence topics, Tsahkna said Estonia was very serious about defending itself and the government has set a goal of increasing defence spending to 5% of GDP. Tsahkna also recognised the contribution the USA has made to Estonia's security so far. Additionally, the phone call covered boosting economic cooperation between Estonia and the United States, particularly on energy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement on the situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo Government of Norway News story | Date: 28/01/2025 Norway condemns the recent offensives by the M23, supported by Rwanda, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected, in line with the UN Charter. Norway follows the situation with deep concern, in particular with regard to the safety and welfare of the civilian population. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement on arbitrary detentions of UN personnel in Yemen Government Offices of Sweden Statement by Ministry for Foreign Affairs Published 28 January 2025 Sweden echoes the EU statement and strongly condemns the latest round of arbitrary detentions by the Houthis of seven UN personnel working in Yemen. Sweden reiterates the demand by the UN SecretaryGeneral for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel from the UN, international and national nongovernmental organizations, and diplomatic missions, including those detained in 2021, 2023, and 2024. The continued arbitrary detention of aid workers is unacceptable and negatively impacts the ability to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid in Yemen. Sweden calls on the Houthis to act in the best interest of the Yemeni people and underscores the obligations of all parties to armed conflict under international humanitarian law to allow and facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance, as well as to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement of the International Contact Group (ICG) on the situation in eastern DRC Government Offices of Sweden Statement by Ministry for Foreign Affairs Published 28 January 2025 The International Contact Group for the Great Lakes (ICG), chaired by Germany, gave a statement on the situation in eastern DRC. The International Contact Group for the Great Lakes, including representatives from Denmark, Belgium, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, strongly condemns M23 and Rwandan Defense Forces' (RDF) capture of the town of Sake on 23 January and the current push to capture the city of Goma on 27 January. We call for urgent de-escalation, respect for the cease-fire, and operationalization of the verification mission. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be respected. We urge M23 and RDF to cease its offensive in all directions, allow humanitarian access to the city of Goma and withdraw. The M23 capture of Goma will have grave humanitarian and security consequences on the ground. Hundreds of thousands of people are currently fleeing their homes, adding to the millions already internally displaced in eastern DRC due to conflict. The renewed offensive of the M23 and the RDF undermines efforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict, in particular the Luanda Peace Process led by Angolan President Joao Lourenco. We call on all regional leaders to push for a renewed diplomatic effort at this critical time. We urge the leaders of the DRC and Rwanda to return to the negotiating table, respect the August ceasefire and implement their commitments under the Luanda Process CONOPS. We reaffirm our unwavering support for MONUSCO and are deeply alarmed by the findings and support the recommendations of the recent report of the UN Group of Experts established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1533. Any threat or attack against Peacekeepers or humanitarian personnel is unacceptable. Jamming and spoofing operations which are endangering the security of civilians, United Nations and humanitarian flights must stop. We deplore the deaths of the military personnel of the MONUSCO and the SAMIDRC and we express our deepest condolences to their families, the United Nations and their countries of origin. The members of the ICG will continue to coordinate their efforts to constantly reassess the situation while urging all parties to live up to their commitments and responsibilities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestinians will not be uprooted through 'political coercion': Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says Palestinians have paid a heavy price to remain in their homeland. Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says Palestinians will not be forced out of their "homeland" in Gaza through "political coercion and demographic manipulation." In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday, Baghaei said that Israel's 15-month campaign of genocide failed to uproot the Palestinians from Gaza, stressing that the scheme will certainly fail through political pressure. "This is their homeland and they've paid [an] extremely high price to remain there and continue their heroic struggle for self-determination & freedom," he wrote. The comment came days after U.S. President Donald Trump proposed that Egypt and Jordan take in more than a million Palestinians from Gaza to "clean out" the enclave. The proposal drew widespread opposition from Palestinian leadership, the United Nations, and even U.S. allies in the region. Baghaei said the idea of "cleaning out" Gaza was part of the broader "colonial erasure" of Palestine, which he said has long been underway with American military, political, intelligence, and financial support. 7129**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 300,000 displaced Palestinians return to ruined northern Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- About 300,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza, which has been left in ruins following 15 months of relentless Israeli attacks. The Government Media Office in Gaza said on Tuesday that there are not enough shelters for returning families, who are seeking refuge amongst the rubble and searching for relatives lost in the chaotic march. The return follows a ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19, although it was delayed by 24 hours due to Israel's refusal to remove roadblocks. During the war, Israeli attacks were particularly intense in northern Gaza. Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has said that the return of Palestinians to their homes was a defeat for the Israeli regime. Far-right former Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir has described it as a victory for Hamas. 7129**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN opposes Trump's call for relocating people of Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The United Nations says it opposes US President Donald Trump's call for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people from the war-stricken Gaza Strip. During a news conference on Monday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the UN is against the proposal or any other scheme that would lead to the "ethnic cleansing" of the Palestinian people. "We would be against any plan that would lead to the forced displacement of people, or would lead to any type of ethnic cleansing," he said. On Saturday, Trump called to "just clean out" Gaza and resettle Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan, terming the Strip as a "demolition site" after Israel's genocidal war. Dujarric pointed out that Egypt, Jordan, and the Arab League also opposed Trump's proposal. Egypt, Jordan, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation issued statements rejecting any call for the displacement of Palestinian nation from their land. Earlier, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the Arab body would not engage in any negotiations regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their homes in Gaza or the West Bank. 7129**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lebanon will remember Iranian-Iraqi support in hard times: Hezbollah chief IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The secretary general of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says Lebanon will not forget the unwavering support from Iran and Iraq during the Israeli regime's assaults on the Arab country. Sheikh Naim Qassem made the remarks in a televised speech from Beirut on Monday, adding that victory in Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people, the regional nations that supported them, and all freedom-seeking individuals worldwide. Sheikh Qassem said that Israel's attempt to dismantle Hamas in Gaza failed, revealing the Israeli regime's vulnerability. The Zionist enemy would not have lasted a week without the unconditional support of the United States, he said. He said that resistance is a political, national, and humanitarian response to Israeli occupation and aims to liberate the occupied territories. "The objectives of the large-scale Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, launched by Gaza's resistance groups on October 7, 2023, have been met." Sheikh Qassem further said that the Israeli enemy failed in honor and humanity, revealing itself as a criminal entity intent on extermination. The Hezbollah chief condemned the US and certain Western governments for their unconditional support for the Israeli regime's aggression against Lebanon and Gaza. "The US and Israel aimed to dismantle the resistance, but it prevailed through remarkable resilience and sacrifices that have yielded significant results." 7129**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Al-Qassam: Occupation regime's insane war in West Bank will not bring security for Tel Aviv IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Ezzedin Al-Qassam Brigades, the military branch of the Hamas movement, in response to the crimes of the Zionist regime in the West Bank and the martyrdom of two of its fighters in Tulkarm, announced that the insane war of the occupiers in the West Bank will never bring security for this regime. Al-Qassam said in its statement that the crazy war of the occupying regime in the West Bank will never bring security to it, and "the blood of the martyrs will also be an incentive to intensify the resistance". The Zionist army announced on Monday that in a joint operation with the internal security organization of this regime (Shabak), it targeted the Tulkarm region in the north of the West Bank. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Latvian and Finnish Foreign Ministers: strengthening security of the Baltic Sea region lies in the common interests of the EU and NATO as a whole Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 28.01.2025 "Latvia and Finland are close allies and partners, we enjoy excellent bilateral relations and a shared position on security and defence matters. We are aware that Russia is a long-term threat to world peace and international order; therefore, NATO's deterrence and defence measures must to be further strengthened, while coordinating the Allied response to the intensifying threat posed by Russia. Latvia and Finland are making a joint contribution to strengthening the NATO defence industry: this includes our competent authorities guarding the entire eastern border of the EU and NATO from threats emanating from Russia and Belarus," Foreign Minister Baiba Braze underlined after a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen. The Minister reaffirmed their readiness for continued close cooperation to strengthen security in the Baltic Sea region and reinforce measures against Russia to address the threats it poses. Several incidents involving damage tocritical undersea infrastructurearecurrentlyunderinvestigation.Elina Valtonenrecalledthata powercablebetweenFinlandandEstonia(Estlink2)wasruptured onChristmas day.Twodays ago-on26January- the same happened to asubseaoptical fibrecablebetweenLatviaandSweden.ShenotedthatthoseincidentsandsecuritysituationintheBalticSeaareaglobalproblem,notaregionalone. The Ministers commended coordination and cooperation between Allies in response to incidents in the Baltic Sea. The Ministers welcomed NATO's decision to implement additional security measures and increase the presence of forces in the Baltic Sea to safeguard the security of critical infrastructure. They also discussed further steps to curb the activity of the Russian "shadow fleet". The Ministers then exchanged views on the planned withdrawal of all three Baltic States from the Russian and Belarusian electrical systems (BRELL) in February and connecting to the European electricity grid, which will be an important step towards their energy dependence. Baiba Braze and Elina Valtonen confirmed that Latvia and Finland, along with the other Baltic States and Nordic countries, will continue to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine and advocate an end to the war on terms of a just and sustainable peace. The territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine is also in the focus of Finland as the country holding presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Ministers agreed that it was essential to strengthen transatlantic cooperation on security and economy-related issues; it is therefore essential to build an active dialogue with the new US administration. The Finnish Foreign Minister is visiting Riga on 28 January 2025. As part of her visit, Elina Valtonen also participated in the annual meeting of the heads of Latvian diplomatic missions traditionally held in January, the month of Latvia's international recognition: Latvia was recognised de jure on 26 January 1921. Elina Valtonen addressed its participants on the topic of the security of the Nordic-Baltic region from Finland's perspective. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Budrys met with the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kallas Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2025-01-28 On 27 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, met with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, in Brussels. K. Budrys and K. Kallas discussed EU-US relations, sanctions policy against Russia, and support for Ukraine. At the meeting, the Foreign Minister underlined that the European Union must be able to maintain a focused voice in the context of security and geopolitical challenges. "We need to stand united to stop Russia's aggression, both in supporting Ukraine and in developing relations with strategic partners around the world," said the Foreign Minister. Budrys and the High Representative discussed the imperfections in the EU's sanctions methodology, which often hinder the expansion of the sanctions list and ways to resolve them. They also agreed to liaise on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania re-establishes the 1st Division of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-01-28 Development and Strengthening of the Armed Forces | Security and defense policy January 28, Rukla, re-established 1st Division of the Lithuanian Armed Forces was inaugurated with top political and military leadership in attendance. 250 years past the formation of Lithuania's first regular division in 1775, its modern twin has kicked off with the first staff and division commander in strength. "We made a commitment to the Lithuanian public that it will be able to catch a breath reassured that as a country we are doing everything necessary to have the capability to operate a division in full operational capacity by 2030, which is one of the critical components of our defence. We cannot afford to skip the job required for our security. That is why we had to take fundamental, key decisions without delay to make a step forward in national defence, fill in defence funding gaps, and most importantly, do the homework to maximum extent. Therefore, we work shoulder to shoulder with all National Defence institutions, President and the Government every day for the sake of our mutual national interest and to deliver on this commitment," says Minister of National Defence Dovile Sakaliene. The Divisions under command of Brigadier General Aurelijus Alasauskas is formed by the Lithuanian Land Force Brigades Iron Wolf and Griffin, Reserve Brigade Aukstaitija, and with air defence, engineer, reconnaissance and artillery units. The established Division Staff begins arrangements for military training of the assigned units as of this year aiming for Full Operational Capacity by 2030. "Today we celebrate the inauguration of the Division Headquarters and Headquarters Element. The Re-established 1st Division dating back to the Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth traditions marks a quality milestone in the Lithuanian Armed Forces. We are expanding our deterrence and victory capacities. We will not stop at this and continue to develop the Lithuanian Armed Forces to ensure security of the state of Lithuania and our citizens," said Chief of Defence General Raimundas Vaiksnoras. When the Division reaches Full Operational Capability, it will function as one of the main components of Allied defence of Lithuania's land territory. Since many NATO members have divisions at the centre of their armies, Lithuania needs to interact with Allied divisions in collective defence activities. Formation of a national division will allow Lithuania to integrate and bring equal maneuver, fire support, logistical, reconnaissance and other capabilities to the table. Establishment of national divisions as the central tactical unit was officially identified at the NATO Summit in Madrid in 2022, and approved in Lithuania at the State Defence Council meeting in May 2023 in light of the arising threats and executability of the NATO regional defence plans. The Division is planned to operate tanks, wheeled and tracked IFVs, and expanded air defence, engineer, reconnaissance and artillery capabilities. Re-establishment of the 1st Division will take the Lithuanian Armed Forces' capacity of warfare to a new qualitative and quantitative level. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Data on interceptions of aircraft completed near the Baltic States' borders on January 20-26, 2025 Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-01-28 International cooperation January 20-26 NATO Air Policing Detachment in the Baltic states was not activated to intercept aircraft of the Russian Federation violating international aviation regulations in international airspace over the Baltic Sea five times. On January 21 NATO fighter aircraft were scrambled to identify and escort one IL-22 flying from the mainland Russia to Kaliningrad through international airspace over the Baltic Sea. Its onboard transponder was switched off, it had no pre-filed flight plan and was not maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. On January 23 NATO fighter jets were alerted to identify and escort one IL-20 flying from Kaliningrad to the mainland of the Russian Federation through international airspace over the Baltic Sea. Its onboard transponder was not switched on, the crew had not pre-filed the flight plan, though maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. On January 24 NATO air policing fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept one IL-76 flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad. It had its onboard transponder on and maintained radio communication with the air traffic control centre but had no pre-filed plan. On January 24 NATO fighter jets were scrambled to identify and escort one SU-27 flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea from Kaliningrad and back. Its onboard transponder was switched off, the crew had no pre-filed flight plan and was not maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. NATO fighter aircraft also intercepted one TU-134 flying through international airspace from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad, without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder switched on, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. On January 26 NATO air policing fighter aircraft were scrambled to identify and escort one IL-76 flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. It had no pre-filed flight plan but the crew kept the onboard transponder switched on and maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President: Bolstering our armed forces is one of the strategic priorities for our country President of the Republic of Lithuania Januray 28, 2025 On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nauseda attended the ceremony marking the restoration of the 1st Division of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in Rukla. The history of the 1st Infantry Division dates back to the era of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as well as 1920, a time when the newly restored independent state of Lithuania fought valiantly for its survival. "We have waited decades for this moment. Since the restoration of Lithuania's independence, we have patiently built and strengthened our army, unit by unit. We have successfully transitioned to NATO standards and integrated seamlessly into the Alliance. Now, we can take another important step forward. To accelerate modernization, enhance combat capabilities, and improve interoperability with our NATO allies, we are re-establishing a national division as outlined by the State Defense Council in 2023," the President stated. In his address, the President underscored that bolstering the armed forces is among the nation's most important strategic priorities. He highlighted the recent decision by the State Defense Council to allocate between 5% and 6% of the gross domestic product to national defense as a testament to this commitment. "By decisively increasing defense funding, we will not only achieve the full capacity of the division by 2030 but also create even better conditions for hosting allied troops in Lithuania," Gitanas Nauseda pointed out. Demonstrating the will to defend ourselves, along with the necessary capabilities, will guarantee a credible deterrent, the Lithuanian leader underlined. We will send a clear message not only to our NATO allies but also to unfriendly powers that Lithuania and its armed forces are fully committed to defending our nation. Moreover, we will continue to set an example for all nations of the world on how to uphold freedom and independence. The Head of State extended his best wishes to the 1st Division of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, urging them to always perform their duty with honor and wishing them success in defending the Homeland and the entire Alliance. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Flash China and India agreed Monday to resume direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement on Tuesday. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Indian Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri held a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between China and India on Monday in Beijing, focusing on promoting the implementation of the common understandings reached between Chinese and Indian leaders at their meeting in Kazan and discussing measures to improve and develop China-India relations, the statement said. The two sides reached common understandings on the following specific measures: First, India is willing to fully support China's work as the rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and will actively participate in various activities hosted by China under the framework of the SCO. Second, the two sides agreed to utilize bilateral and multilateral occasions to carry out active interactions at all levels, strengthen strategic communication, and enhance political mutual trust. Third, the two sides agreed to jointly commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India in 2025, and carry out media and think tank exchanges, Track II talks and other people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Fourth, the two sides agreed to resume direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India, support the coordination and promotion of the competent departments of the two countries, and take measures to facilitate personnel exchanges and mutual dispatch of journalists between the two countries. Fifth, the two sides agreed to promote the resumption of pilgrimage by Indian pilgrims to the sacred mountain and lake of Xizang in China in 2025, and will negotiate relevant arrangements as soon as possible. Sixth, the two sides agreed to continue cooperation on cross-border rivers and to maintain communication on the early holding of a new round of meeting of the expert level mechanism on cross-border rivers. The Chinese side emphasized that both sides should act in the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, adhere to viewing and handling China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and adopt an open and constructive attitude to actively promote dialogue, exchanges and practical cooperation, guide public opinion and popular support toward the positive direction, enhance trust and remove suspicion, properly handle differences, and promote China-India relations to move forward along a sound and stable track. The Chinese side and the Indian side also had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on issues of respective concerns. Minister Radosaw Sikorski takes part in Poland-Australia consultations Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland 28.01.2025 Poland's chief diplomat met today with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong. Their talks focused on bilateral issues, Russian aggression against Ukraine, Australia's support for this country, and the situation in the Indo-Pacific. This was Minister Sikorski's first personal meeting with his Australian counterpart. The ministers discussed the most important topics on the bilateral agenda and the prospects for its expansion. The head of the Polish MFA expressed appreciation for Australia's Ukraine support effort. The officials also covered security issues of mutual interest and noted a close link between the security environment in Europe and Asia. As representatives of countries with similar assessments of global threats, including the interconnectedness of the security situation in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, the ministers pointed to the need to continue exchanging experiences and assessments in this area. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PCG to issue daily reports on illegal CCG presence in WPS: spox Philippine News Agency By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz January 28, 2025, 5:15 pm MANILA -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will monitor the continued incursion of China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels off Zambales waters and reassert their illegal presence in the area. In an interview over PTV Tuesday, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Commodore Jay Tarriela said there would be regular information and daily updates on Chinese activities. "[This is] for the Filipino people to understand and also for the Chinese government to realize we are standing up and we're not allowing them to normalize their illegal presence in Zambales," Tarriela said. He said the PCG would remain peaceful and professional despite repeated "bullying and aggressive actions on the part of the CCG", in accordance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s guidance against being instigated and to ensure that the Philippines does not bear responsibility for an escalation. "We're going to stick to our mandate: that is to challenge the illegal presence of the CCG," he said. On Monday, the PCG vessel BRP Cabra responded to a distress call from F/B El Kapitan. Despite being aware of the distress call from the Filipino fishing boat, CCG vessel 3304 shadowed BRP Cabra, hindering the transport of a fisher who died while offshore. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AFP: US foreign aid pause won't affect VFA, 'Balikatan' Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno January 28, 2025, 1:54 pm MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday that long-standing agreements such as the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which allows the conduct of the "Balikatan" exercises between the Philippines and the United States, will not be affected by President Donald Trump's order of a temporary suspension of foreign assistance. "Sa side ng AFP kasi, ito yun ating mga long-standing agreements with them, which is we have our VFA, diyan nakapaloob ang 'Balikatan' and through the years, solid naman ito, kahit nung una pang umupo si President Trump nagtuloy-tuloy naman ito (On the side of the AFP, we have our long-standing agreements with them, which is VFA which includes the 'Balikatan' and through the years, this has remained solid even during President Trump's first term)," AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Trump has ordered a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance, pending a review of efficiencies and consistency with his foreign policy. Padilla, however, said the effects of Washington's move "would be assessed by higher authorities". She also said the VFA and the "Balikatan" are treaties and not part of the US assistance program. "Basically what will be under review are financial programs funded by the US. Through the years (the VFA), it's been continuing," Padilla said. 'Balikatan' 2025 As this developed, the AFP spokesperson said this year's 'Balikatan" will be among the largest in history. Padilla added that more nations have expressed interest to "participate actively" in the annual drills. She, however, did not reveal these countries as planning for the activity is still ongoing. Padilla added these nations have yet to give their commitments on what kind of assets they will try to bring for the exercise. She also said the exact figure of participating nations and troops has yet to be determined. The annual "Balikatan" drills now cover air, land, sea and cyber maneuvers. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese vessel hinders PCG response in recovering fisher's body Philippine News Agency January 28, 2025, 7:00 am MANILA -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel hindered its ship BRP Cabra in responding to a distress call from Filipino fishers off Zambales province. In a post over X (Twitter) Monday evening, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela said the BRP Cabra was monitoring illegal CCG presence when it received the distress call. He said one of the fishers, whose boat was located about 70 nautical miles of Silanguin Island in Zambales, had died. "Unfortunately, the team discovered that the fisherman had no pulse and was already deceased. To transport the body of the fisherman back to Subic, Zambales, BRP Cabra bravely navigated through the heavy waves to retrieve the deceased using its crane," Tarriela said. Tarriela added that while PCG personnel were responding to the distress call, the CCG vessel CCG-3304 was still engaged in shadowing, hindering their recovery of the body. As of 7 p.m. Monday, another PCG vessel, the BRP Teresa Magbanua was en route to patrol the area where there is illegal presence of the CCG. "This follows the commendable efforts of BRP Cabra over the past few days in pushing CCG vessels further from the coast," Tarreila said. "Despite facing wave heights of 3 to 4 meters, the PCG vessels will continue to operate courageously while standing firm against the illegal deployment of Chinese Coast Guard vessels off the coast of Zambales." (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Protesters attack US, French embassies in Congo Kinshasa Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 7:21 PM Protesters have attacked the embassies of the United States and France in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Several other foreign missions came under attack on Tuesday. Reportedly, in what seemed to be an orchestrated move, the US, French, Belgian, Rwandan, Ugandan, Kenyan and South African embassies all came under attack by angry protesters. The protesters were demanding that an international effort be coordinated by foreign countries to intervene militarily and stop the advancing M23 rebels occupying parts of the eastern region. Police fired tear gas but the protesters gained access to parts of the premises, looting and torching the buildings. The decades-long conflict with the March 23 Movement (M23) has escalated. Till now, the Congolese army has failed to stop the advancing Rwanda-backed rebel forces, who claimed to have taken the key eastern city of Goma on Monday. However, the Congolese army said it still controlled 80 percent of the city. The protesters in Kinshasa demanded that the international community mount pressure on Rwanda over the rebel forces' advance. "We denounce the international community's hypocrisy," said Timothee Tshishimbi, one of the protesters. "They must tell Rwanda to stop this adventure." Meanwhile, at least 17 people were killed in Goma on Monday. Residents reported hearing gunfire shots overnight. Explosions and gunfire were also heard near the now-shut Goma airport. Goma, the region's major business hub with an estimated 2 million permanent residents, has been the scene of heavy fighting between Congolese government forces and M23 rebels with many dead bodies abandoned on the streets. Hospitals struggle to treat the growing number of casualties wounded by gunshots, mortar, and shrapnel. "There are currently hundreds of people in hospital, most admitted with gunshot wounds," said Adelheid Marschang, WHO's emergency response coordinator for the DRC. The city also shelters hundreds of thousands of refugees and acts as a main route for the distribution of humanitarian aid to the more than 6 million displaced people spread across eastern DR Congo. The World Food Programme said food assistance activities in and around Goma "have been temporarily paused" and expressed concern over food shortages. The prolonged conflict in the region charged with ethnic violence has resulted in one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises. In 2012, the M23 rebels temporarily took over Goma before being forced to pull out its forces under international pressure. In 2021, the rebel force regrouped gaining increased support from Rwanda, according to DR Congo's government and UN experts. "The city is in real difficulty and if it hasn't fallen overnight, it will in the coming days," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told Sud Radio. "Rwanda must put down its weapons, calm must return and dialogue needs to restart." Rwanda has denied the reports of supporting the rebel Tutsi forces by supplying soldiers, weapons, munitions and provisions to them. Kigali accused the DRC of harboring members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a force opposed to President Paul Kagame and involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Hundreds of armed groups are fighting in eastern DRC, aiming to gain control of parts of the country. One of the world's biggest lithium deposits is said to be in the country. The metal has medicinal applications and is also used in a variety of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, mobile phones, and laptops. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli airstrikes injure over a dozen in Lebanon's Nabatieh Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 7:15 PM The Israeli regime has conducted another airstrike on Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire agreement, injuring at least 14 people. The Lebanese channel Al-Mayadeen reported that there were at least two Israeli attacks on the Nabatieh area, with the first targeting the city of Nabatieh and the second targeting the outskirts of the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa. The channel said one strike was carried out by an Israeli drone targeting a civilian vehicle. It marks the first assault on Nabatieh since the ceasefire took effect on November 27, 2024. In another incident on Tuesday, the Israeli military struck a convoy of cars in the Yaroun area, injuring at least three civilians and one Lebanese soldier. The Lebanese military reported that their forces were escorting displaced residents returning to the southern border towns. The Israeli regime has committed grave ceasefire violations in recent weeks, and those attacks have continued even after the expiration of a 60-day deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces on January 26. Israeli forces killed 22 people in southern Lebanon on that day as thousands of people tried to return home in defiance of Israeli military threats. The same day, the United States said the agreement would be extended until February 18. Israel said on January 24 that it would keep troops in the south beyond the deadline set out in the US-brokered ceasefire. On Monday, Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sheikh Naeem Qassem rejected any extension of the Israeli withdrawal deadline, stating that there should be "no extension for even one day." He underscored that continued occupation constitutes aggression against Lebanon's sovereignty, and everyonefrom the government to the people, resistance groups, parties, and all sectsbears responsibility to confront the occupation. He said the resistance has "the right to act as it sees fit regarding the form, nature, and timing of confrontation." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel says UNRWA must evacuate occupied territories within 48 hours Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 6:41 PM Israel says it will terminate all ties with the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) and any other body acting on its behalf in the occupied territories, despite warnings that the move will undermine the Gaza ceasefire. Under legislation enacted by Israel's Knesset in October, Tel Aviv bans UNRWA from operating in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. "The legislation forbids UNRWA from operating within the sovereign territory of the State of Israel, and forbids any contact between Israeli officials and UNWRA," Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said Tuesday. Speaking ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on the legislation, Danon said, "Israel will terminate all collaboration, communication and contact with UNRWA or anyone acting on its behalf." He said that the agency "must cease its activities and evacuate all its facilities" in al-Quds within 48 hours. UNRWA, which is considered the backbone of humanitarian operations for Palestinians, provides aid to some six million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Israel's ban will undermine Gaza ceasefire Addressing the Security Council meeting, UNRWA's chief Philippe Lazzarini described Tel Aviv's actions against the agency as a "relentless assault" that is "harming the lives and future of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory." "It is eroding their trust in the international community, jeopardizing any prospect for peace and security." Lazzarini warned that the ban on the agency's activities "will sabotage Gaza's recovery," and "undermine the ceasefire." He said in a previous statement that despite the ban, the local staff will remain and continue to provide emergency assistance and where possible, education and primary health care to the people of Palestine. He also warned that the absence of communication between UNRWA and Israeli authorities will make the agency's work even more dangerous in Gaza. The besieged Palestinian territory faces a dire humanitarian crisis after more than 15 months of a US-backed campaign of death and destruction. The United States, however, "supports the implementation of the ban on UNRWA's activities," and accuses Lazzarini of "overstating the impact of the decision," according to Dorothy Shea, Washington's representative to the UN. "UNRWA is not and never has been the only option." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ICC seeks arrest warrants over alleged war crimes in Sudan's Darfur Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 6:13 PM The International Criminal Court (ICC) is seeking arrest warrants for those accused of atrocities in Sudan's West Darfur region. Prosecutor Karim Khan made the announcement on Monday. The region has seen reported ethnic cleansing by paramilitary forces that have been fighting government forces for about 19 months. A power struggle between the top generals, namely government leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Special Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Dagalo, plunged the country into conflict in mid-April 2023. Speaking at the UN Security Council, Khan said the arrest warrants will be issued for individuals linked to alleged war crimes in Darfur. Khan cited targeted attacks on women and children amid famine in the country, describing the situation in the past six months as a "tailspin into deeper suffering, deeper misery for the people of Darfur." "Famine is present in Darfur. Conflict is increasing. Children are targeted. Girls and women are subject to rape, and the whole landscape is one of destruction." The ICC prosecutor said crimes are being committed "as we speak and daily" and are being used as a weapon of war. Khan called for an end to "the suffering of women and children and men in Darfur." Khan said the arrest warrants decision is the result of evidence-based "analysis" of the information collected by his office. "This is not, I want to make clear, a general assessment. This is not an assessment gleaned from unverified reports." "It's a hard-edged analysis that my office has reached based upon evidence and information collected and reviewed." He said his office had given "priority" to gender-based crimes. "I can confirm today that my office is taking the necessary steps to put forward applications for warrants of arrest in relation to crimes we allege are being committed and have been committed in West Darfur." Khan appealed to the warring parties to comply with international humanitarian law. The arrest warrant applications, Khan said, will only be submitted when his office is "satisfied" with the evidence and "there's a realistic prospect of conviction." "I do expect, and hope, and require swift and meaningful action, and will be monitoring that." "Now, better late than never, for goodness sake, comply with international humanitarian law, not as a charity, not out of some political necessity, but out of the dictates of humanity." The two warring sides deny any wrongdoing, and trade blames over such issues as targeting civilians and indiscriminately shelling residential areas. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran rejects Trump's plan to forcibly displace Gazans from 'homeland' Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 3:05 PM Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has rejected US President Donald Trump's plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Jordan and Egypt. Baghaei posted a message on X on Tuesday, after Trump called for the relocation to Egypt, Jordan and other Arab countries to "just clean out" the war-torn area. "The idea of cleaning out Gaza as part of the plan for the colonial annihilation of Palestinian people has long been underway using American lethal weapons and ammunition, as well as its political, intelligence and financial support," Baghaei stated. He said the Israeli regime's 15-month-long campaign of genocide has failed to uproot the Palestinians, and that political coercion and demographic manipulations could not force them to leave. "This is their homeland and they've paid extremely high price to remain there and continue their heroic struggle for self-determination and freedom," Baghaei said. Trump's call came despite fierce opposition from Cairo and Amman to the plan, which has been labeled as "ethnic cleansing." Trump claimed the move can "bring peace" to West Asia if Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab nations accept enough Palestinian refugees. In provocative remarks on January 25, Trump first floated the idea to "clean out" the blockaded Palestinian territory, which, he said, has been become a "demolition site." Trump said he had already spoken with King Abdullah II of Jordon about potentially building housing and relocating more than one million Palestinians from Gaza. Cairo and Amman have formally rejected Trump's proposal. Egypt and Jordan are longtime opponents of the displacement of Palestinians. Virtually all of the 2.4 million inhabitants of Gaza have been internally displaced since October 2023. Israel has massacred over 47,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since. The regime accepted a ceasefire earlier this month after having failed to realize any of its wartime objectives, including "eliminating" the Gaza resistance. Analysts say any plans for relocating the displaced Palestinians will give the regime the excuse it needs to forcibly expel the population from Gaza, and repopulate the territory with Israeli settlers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Leader: Gaza brought US-backed Israeli regime to its knees Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 8:25 AM Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the small territory of Gaza brought the Israeli regime, which is armed to the teeth and fully supported by the US, to its knees. Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the resistance, which began in the Islamic Iran, brought some Muslim nations to the scene, and awakened the consciences of many non-Muslims, and that the kneeling of the Zionist regime in front of Gaza and Lebanon is the result of the same resistance. The Leader made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with a group of Iranian officials and ambassadors of Muslim countries to Tehran on the occasion of Eid al-Mab'ath, marking the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) divine appointment as the final messenger of God. Ayatollah Khamenei also said the United States embodies colonialism and arrogance in today's world. The Leader noted that the US is under the influence of the world's leading financial powers. The world's bullying and evil powers have a "covetous eye" on the countries' and nations' natural resources, authentic culture and their national and Islamic identify, and seek to destroy or plunder them, he warned. "Today, the description that we give for colonialism and arrogance is entirely manifested by the US government, which is itself under the influence of the world's financial powers," the Leader stated. "That is, the world's super financial powers today dominate a number of Western governments, mostly perhaps the US government. The so-called cartels and trusts and the like are the ones who are planning all three stages of colonialism." Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said friends and foes thought that the martyrdom of the Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, had eliminated Lebanon's resistance movement. However, he added, "Hezbollah showed that not only was it not terminated, but it was further inspired to stand up to the Zionist regime." 'US evil nature behind smiles of diplomacy' Additionally in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei described the US's award for the commander of the missile cruiser that shot down an Iranian passenger plane in 1988 and Congress' standing ovation for Israel's murderer prime minister in 2024 as examples of the enemies' "evil nature and their enmities and grudges which are hidden behind the smiles of diplomacy." "We must open our eyes to these facts and, as the Qur'an says, not seek behind-the-scene friendship with them (the enemies of Islam)," he emphasized. He further called for vigilance in global contacts, saying, "We must watch out who we are dealing with, and with whom we are making a deal or negotiate." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas: Palestinians' return to north Gaza 'definite sign' of Netanyahu's defeat Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 8:20 AM A spokesman for the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has praised the return of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the north of the Gaza Strip after 15 months of Israeli genocidal war as the definite sign of the Tel Aviv regime's defeat in its onslaught against the territory. "[Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu failed in anything he had declared during the war on Gaza. The return of displaced people marks a clear manifestation of such a fact," Sami Abu Zuhri said on Monday night. The remarks came after Gaza's Government Media Office said more than 300,000 people had crossed from southern Gaza into the north. The displaced Palestinians crossed the once-closed Netzarim Corridor, and returned to their destroyed homes for the first time since the war began on October 7, 2023. An official from Gaza's Government Media Office said at least 120,000 tents were needed to shelter the displaced people returning to the north. Abu Zuhri noted that Netanyahu has no option but to honor the ceasefire agreement with Hamas and the deal for exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli captives. He also dismissed as hollow the Israeli leader's warning that the Tel Aviv regime would return to war in Gaza if the second phase of the prisoner swap and ceasefire agreement fails, emphasizing such remarks were made for domestic consumption. "The mediators have begun verification processes to begin the second stage of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. We have information that the United States is willing to advance the second phase. We are fully prepared to successfully carry out all terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal and implement what has been agreed upon," the senior Hamas official stated. He emphasized that the future of the Gaza Strip is an entirely Palestinian issue, stating that the so-called "day-after plan" and exclusion of Hamas from Gaza's post-war governance no longer exist. Abu Zuhri also said that his group welcomes the establishment of an administration which is determined to rebuild Gaza and hold elections. "The obstacle to broad consensus is the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, which failed to pursue justice for Gaza. We won't allow any party to assume guardianship," he said. "Gaza does not suffer from an administrative vacuum," the Hamas spokesman noted. "We welcome the formation of a government elected by common consent." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump reiterates call for relocation of Gazans; UN blasts plan as 'ethnic cleansing' Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 7:19 AM US President Donald Trump has once again called for forced relocation of Palestinians from the war-torn Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan, despite strong opposition from Cairo and Amman to the plan which has been slammed as "ethnic cleansing." On Monday evening, when asked about his Saturday's proposal, the US president told reporters aboard Air Force One that he would "like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption and revolution and violence so much." "You know, when you look at the Gaza Strip, it's been hell for so many years. They can live in much better and more comfortable areas. There's always been violence associated with it," Trump added, stressing that he thinks both Egypt and Jordan would comply with his request to take in Palestinians from the territory. He added that he had spoken to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about sending Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt. "I've helped him (el-Sisi) a lot and I hope he'll help us. I think he'll do it (take in Palestinians) and the king of Jordan will do it too," Trump noted. In provocative remarks on Saturday, Trump first floated the idea to "clean out" the blockaded Palestinian territory after more than 15 months of Israel's heavy bombardment reduced the coastal sliver to a "demolition site." He proposed at the time that Gazans should be relocated to neighboring countries Egypt and Jordan, saying that he had already spoken with King Abdullah II of Jordon about potentially building housing and moving more than one million Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries. This is while both Cairo and Amman have formally rejected Trump's proposal, as both countries have historically opposed displacing Palestinians. Almost all of the Gaza Strip's 2.4 million inhabitants have been internally displaced by the genocidal war Israel waged on the impoverished territory in October 2023. The war claimed the lives of at least 47,306 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The occupying regime accepted a ceasefire earlier this month after having failed to realize any of its wartime objectives, including enabling the return of the captives, "eliminating" the Gaza resistance, and causing forced displacement of Gaza's entire population to neighboring Egypt. UN: Trump's plan on Gaza 'ethnic cleansing' On Monday, spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary General, Stephane Dujarric, said that Egypt and Jordan had clearly opposed the plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. "We saw the comments, and I think we all saw the comments clearly opposing this plan from Egypt, from Jordan, from the Arab League. Of course, we would be against any plan that could, that would lead to the forced displacement of people or could or would lead to any type of ethnic cleansing," he told reporters, when asked about the Trump's proposal. Analysts say any plans for relocating displaced Palestinians will give the Israeli regime the excuse it needs to forcibly expel the population from Gaza, and repopulate the territory with Israeli settlers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Heavy fighting in West Bank's Tulkarm as Israeli bulldozers raze homes in refugee camp Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 6:59 AM Invading Israeli forces have engaged in heavy clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters in the occupied West Bank's Tulkarm governorate. The resistance fighters said on Monday that they ambushed Israeli soldiers and inflicted multiple casualties on them in the Tulkarm refugee camp. Earlier in the day, an Israeli drone struck a vehicle at the entrance of the Nur Shams refugee camp, also in the Tulkarm governorate. The Hamas resistance group said Ihab Muhammad Atwi and Ramez Bassam Damiri, two members of its armed wing - the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades - were killed in the Israeli attack. Meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers destroyed infrastructure, including roads, homes and shops, in the Tulkarm refugee camp, particularly in al-Balawna, al-Wakalah, and al-Madrasa neighborhoods. The occupation soldiers forced several families at gunpoint to leave their homes in the al-Mattar and Murabba'at Hannoun districts. They further set fire to a home belonging to the Shaheen family in the al-Wakalah neighborhood. Additionally on Monday, Israeli soldiers stormed the town of Qaffin, in Tulkarm governorate, and blew up a house in the nearby Jenin refugee camp. In a statement, the Palestinian presidency condemned Israel's intensified attacks in the West Bank, warning that they will not bring security but will instead fuel violence. It said the assaults had caused widespread infrastructure damage and civilian casualties, citing the martyrdom of 17 Palestinians in Jenin. "The presidency held the Israeli occupation authorities responsible for the deterioration of the situation in the cities, villages and refugee camps of the West Bank, emphasizing that these attacks on the Palestinian people, land, and sanctities would not bring security or stability to anyone," it added. Backed by armored vehicles and drones, the Israeli military launched a series of attacks on Jenin on January 21. The occupation's army claimed that its offensive, dubbed Iron Wall, was aimed at targeting resistance fighters of the Jenin Battalion. Israel has ramped up violence against the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, when it launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. The regime forces have killed more than 800 Palestinians in the West Bank. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address '300,000 Palestinians' return to Gaza amid Israel-Hamas ceasefire Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 1:33 AM The Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip, which struggles to emerge from 15 months of ferocious Israeli war of genocide, has announced that as many as 300,000 displaced Palestinians have returned home in the coastal sliver. "Today, more than 300,000 displaced Palestinians from the southern and central governorates returned to the Gaza and northern governorates via al-Rashid and Salah al-Din streets," the body said on Monday. "This comes after 470 days of the genocide committed by the Israeli occupation army," it reminded, referring to the war that began in October 2023 in response to a legitimate resistance operation and went on to claim the lives of at least 47,000 Palestinians and destroy the biggest part of the Palestinian territory. The office, meanwhile, underlined that the returnees as well as those, who were already in Gaza, "urgently" required 135,000 tents and caravans, "as the destruction inflicted by the Israeli occupation army in these areas has exceeded 90%." "We call on the international community, international and United Nations organizations, and Arab states to open the crossings and bring in essential supplies to shelter our dignified Palestinian people." Despite the massive toll that the brutal Israeli military onslaught has taken on Gazans, the ceasefire agreement has been hailed as a victory by Palestinians and their supporters. Those in favor of the deal underline that it came by amid the regime's desperation in the face of interminable and successful anti-Israeli operations by the region's resistance movements. They also assert that the agreement was brought about, despite the regime's falling short of realizing its wartime objectives, including "elimination" of Gaza's resistance groups, enabling the return of the Zionists, who have been captured by the movements, and prompting forced exodus of Gaza's entire population to neighboring Egypt. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ansarullah: Real peace to be established only through return of Palestinians to their homeland Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 12:30 AM Yemen's Ansarullah popular resistance movement has asserted that true peace would be established across the occupied Palestinian territories only through potential return of the territories' entire Palestinian population. Spokesman Muhammed Abdul Salam made the remarks on Monday as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were making their way back home amid a ceasefire deal between the Gaza Strip-based resistance movement Hamas and the Israeli regime, which is expected to end the latter's 15-month-long ferocious war of genocide against Gaza. The official, however, asserted that it would be potential repatriation of thousands more Palestinians, who have been rendered displaced amid the regime's ongoing campaign of deadly occupation and aggression against the territories, that would lead to realization of "real peace." Abdul Salam, though, congratulated the displaced Palestinians' return to the coastal territory, describing it as a "popular message verifying the Palestinian nation's steadfastness, and their commitment to their homeland." The return, he added, also served to contest the Israeli regime and the United States -- its biggest ally's -- project of bringing about forced exodus of Gaza's entire population to neighboring countries. "We congratulate the people of Gaza's victory in the face of the most criminal and bloody wars," Abdul Salam noted, pointing to Tel Aviv's approving of the ceasefire deal earlier in the month in a move that translated into the victory of steadfast Gazans and their resistance groups over the brutal Israeli military onslaught. He also insisted that Yemen would stand by the Palestinian cause of liberation from Israeli occupation and aggression. Since October 2023, when the regime launched the war, Yemen has been staging hundreds of retaliatory operations against sensitive and strategic Israeli targets to devastating economic results for Tel Aviv. "The entire world stands in admiration of the people of Gaza and Lebanon's steadfastness," Abdul Salam said, referring to the Lebanese nation's determined confrontation against simultaneous escalated Israeli aggression against their country. The confrontation, he added, "incapacitated the US-supported Israeli arsenal." The official finally defined confrontation against Israeli and American arrogance to be the safest and best way forward for the people of the West Asia region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Serbian PM Milos Vucevic Steps Down Amid Protests Over Novi Sad Train Station Tragedy By RFE/RL's Balkan Service January 28, 2025 Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned following weeks of mass protests demanding accountability for a deadly accident in Novi Sad where the collapse of a concrete canopy killed 15 people at the northern city's rail station, which critics have blamed on rampant government corruption. Speaking at a hastily called news conference in Belgrade on January 28, Vucevic said that he and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Djuric were stepping down to show accountability for what happened. "The mayor of Novi Sad and I consider ourselves objectively responsible for what happened in Novi Sad and for that we are willingly paying the political price," he said. "With the resignation of the prime minister, the entire cabinet falls, so practically speaking, the entire government is resigning. We will do our job responsibly until a new government is elected or until a new or different political decision is made," Vucevic said, adding that President Aleksandar Vucic had accepted his decision. According to the Serbian Constitution, if parliament fails to elect a new government within 30 days of the prime minister's official resignation, the president is obliged to dissolve the National Assembly and schedule elections. Djuric confirmed his resignation later in a statement. "As someone who believes in the power of dialogue and mutual understanding, I believe that accepting responsibility and submitting my resignation is my human and political obligation and moral duty," he said. Serbian farmers on tractors joined students on the main thoroughfares of Belgrade late on January 27 as demonstrators launched a 24-hour protest blockade against the handling of the aftermath of the deadly railway station disaster by the government and Vucic himself. Although protests initially focused on the Novi Sad tragedy, anger has since mounted over the detention of protesters by Serbian authorities and attacks on students, one of whom was seriously injured and remains in hospital. Djuric called on the police to find the attackers of the student as soon as possible and for the justice system to punish them. "Stability and calming of tensions and stopping further divisions in society are a key condition for further progress and the development of Novi Sad and the improvement of the lives of the people of Novi Sad," he added. A student group called Students of the Blockade said the actions fell short of their demands and called for a protest walk through Novi Sad to be held on January 30. "Our demands have not been met," they said, without commenting further. The canopy collapse occurred after the Novi Sad railway station had been renovated twice in recent years by a Chinese-led consortium of four companies. Serbian Railways insisted that the renovation didn't include the concrete overhang, but some experts disputed that, while many people blame corruption and poor construction oversight for the tragedy. The Novi Sad High Public Prosecutor's Office has so far questioned 48 individuals, including officials from Serbian Railways and Infrastructure. The prosecutor's office has also seized documents from multiple institutions and companies and ordered expert analyses to determine the cause of the collapse and those responsible. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/serbian-pm-resigns-angry- protests-train-tragedy-/33291676.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 Lebanese Army Chief Reportedly Leaked Military Secrets to Hezbollah Sputnik News 20250128 Svetlana Ekimenko A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah due to expire on January 26 has been extended until mid-February. Israel had retained troops in Lebanon beyond the deadline, accusing the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati of not fully implementing its part of the deal, which required the removal of Hezbollah from the area. A Southern Lebanon military intelligence head handed Hezbollah classified information jeopardizing a ceasefire agreement with Israel, Britain's The Times reported citing intelligence sources. Suhil Bahij Gharb, responsible for peacekeeping, allegedly provided the information from inside a security control room operated by the US, France and the UN. He was present in the international situation room on the insistence of the senior Hezbollah commander Wafiq Safa. Safa, who heads the group's so-called co-ordination and liaison committee, survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Beirut last October. The purported security breach comes amid an announced extension of the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah until February 18. Under the terms of the truce that originally came into effect on November 27, Hezbollah agreed to pull back above the Litani River, and Israel was supposed to pull all troops out of Lebanese territory over the 60-day period. However, on the day Israeli forces were due to withdraw, Lebanese health officials reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed at least 15 people in the south. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the withdrawal would not be completed as the Lebanese government hasn't yet "fully enforced" the agreement. Hezbollah has warned that it would consider the ceasefire null and void if Israel breaches the new withdrawal deadline. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rafah Border Crossing in Southern Gaza to Resume Operations Soon - Cairo Sputnik News 20250128 CAIRO (Sputnik) - The Rafah crossing on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will soon resume operations, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said. On Monday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that the European Union decided to resume the assistance mission on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip in Rafah. "The Rafah checkpoint will resume operations soon - after preparations are completed on the Palestinian side," Abdelatty told Egyptian broadcaster Al-Qahera News on Monday, adding that Egypt completed all preparations. Israel and Hamas, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, agreed on January 15 to a 42-day ceasefire and declared their intention to finally end the hostilities that have claimed the lives of over 47,000 Palestinians and about 1,500 Israelis over 15 months, spreading to Lebanon and Yemen and provoking an exchange of missile strikes between Israel and Iran. The first stage provides for a partial exchange of prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops to the Gaza borders and humanitarian aid. The second and third stages are yet to be agreed upon. Under the deal, the guarantors of the agreement Qatar, Egypt and the United States will establish a coordination center in Cairo. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New humanitarian support for Gaza as ceasefire allows operations to scale up The Minister for Development announces new 17 million package to support thousands of civilians across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 28 January 2025 UK aid package will ensure healthcare, food and shelter reaches tens of thousands of civilians and supports vital infrastructure across the Occupied Palestinian Territories Minister for Development Anneliese Dodds announces 17 million package and reiterates need for much more aid to enter Gaza with the support of UN agencies including UNRWA comes as 300,000 people now confirmed treated by UK-Med at field hospitals in Gaza thanks to UK funding Thousands of civilians in Gaza will receive humanitarian aid funded by the UK. Food assistance programmes, water and sanitation services and maternal and children's healthcare are some of the areas which will be scaled up with new funding. This will build on UK efforts over the past 15 months which have ensured more than half a million people have received essential healthcare in Gaza. Within this 17 million package announced today, 2 million in funding for the World Bank will support critical water and energy infrastructure construction and restoration across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), including in Gaza. The UK's ongoing support has meant 284,000 people in Gaza already have improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services. This announcement brings the total UK support for the OPTs this financial year to 129 million, demonstrating the UK's commitment to playing a leading role in alleviating Palestinian suffering and helping to build security and economic recovery in the Middle East. This will help drive UK security, in support of the government's Plan for Change. It comes as a Jordanian-led helicopter initiative flying aid directly to Gaza has started delivering lifesaving UK-funded medicines to civilians today. As well as providing up to 500,000 of supplies onboard, the UK has also deployed military planners to assist with logistics. Speaking in the House this afternoon, Minister Dodds will underscore the UK's pride in working with Jordan - who have demonstrated leadership and commitment to deliver aid via all routes possible - to get the airbridge up and running in such challenging circumstances. Minister for Development Anneliese Dodds said: The scale of suffering in Gaza cannot be overstated and the UN and its agencies, including UNRWA, must be allowed by Israel to do their vital work. This announcement is part of the UK's investment in the ceasefire deal, scaling up aid operations and helping the most desperate people access healthcare, water, food and shelter. We must seize this opportunity to get a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, all the hostages released and a path towards a viable Palestinian state. Minister Dodds emphasised the UK will also continue to support the crucial role played by UN agencies and NGOs operating in Gaza. This includes UNRWA, which has played a vital role in the increase in humanitarian assistance since the ceasefire earlier this month. Ahead of the upcoming implementation of Israel's UNRWA legislation on 30 January, which risks jeopardising the humanitarian response in Gaza and the delivery of essential services in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, the UK has urged Israel to ensure that UNRWA can continue its lifesaving operations for Palestinian refugees. Israel has a responsibility under international law to facilitate humanitarian assistance. Minister Dodds will again reiterate that humanitarian operations must not face a cliff edge on 30 January. The Minister for Development also confirmed that the UK provided an additional 4.5 million to UK-Med last year. The charity deploys staff, many of whom work in the NHS, to crisis-hit areas around the world to deliver life and limb-saving healthcare. NHS staff who work for UK-Med typically deploy to Gaza for a 4-week period, supporting lifesaving efforts and gaining essential trauma experience. UK funding has helped doctors in Gaza treat more than 300,000 patients in Gaza with a range of medical conditions as well as treating injuries directly associated with the conflict. This funding is on top of the 5.5 million announced for the charity on the Foreign Secretary's first visit to Israel and the OPTs in July last year. UK-Med CEO David Wightwick said: After more than two decades in humanitarian work, I have never seen a crisis of this scale and severity. That's why UK Government funding is vital in providing support to UK-Med to deliver life-saving care to over 300,000 patients in Gaza during 2024. I want to thank our 400-strong team on the ground for their determination, professionalism and tireless work to address the health impacts of this devastating conflict. This government's steadfast support for UNRWA, including 41 million of support this financial year, has helped the organisation deliver its humanitarian operation and provide essential services such as education, social care and vaccinations across the OPTs and to Palestinian refugees in the region. Background The 17 million package announced today consists of: 15 million of UK funding comes from the Crisis Reserve pool to be allocated to partner agencies 2 million of funding for the World Bank to deliver water and energy infrastructure across the OPTs, including in Gaza an additional 4.5 million of funding to UK-Med has previously been allocated and spent but not announced UK-Med operate 2 field hospitals in Gaza, Deir Al Balah and Al Mawasi. The Al Mawasi field hospital has, among other facilities, an operating theatre, a maternity unit and physical rehabilitation services for patients. At Deir Al Balah, UK-Med staff deliver primary care and see over 400 patients a day this air bridge to Gaza is no substitute for the road routes. The terms of the ceasefire must be adhered to, so that many more trucks can safely and effectively distribute aid within Gaza NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK is deeply alarmed by the events in Goma: 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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 28 January 2025 The UK is deeply alarmed by the events that have unfolded in eastern DRC. Since we met on Sunday, M23, with support from the Rwandan Defence Forces, have closed in on Goma. M23 have declared that it is now under their control. The humanitarian impacts are dire. The advances have displaced close to one million people in North and South Kivu. Civilian casualties are rising. Hundreds of thousands of people who have already fled from M23's advances, many of them several times before, are now on the move again, with virtually nowhere safe to go. How many times must they pack up their lives and flee? The cycle must end. The UK is also deeply concerned by the limited ability of humanitarian actors to get help to those who need it. Key humanitarian routes - land, water and air - are closed and hospitals are overcrowded, with staff risking their own lives to provide emergency assistance. More than 800,000 people in the area who were prioritised for support may no longer receive vital food and nutritional assistance. We call on the parties not to obstruct the vital services that humanitarians are providing, and to cease hostilities and uphold the protection of humanitarian workers, as required in international humanitarian law. We also urge all parties to consider essential humanitarian corridors to allow the resupply and delivery of essential life-saving items and the freedom and safe movement of civilians and humanitarian actors. President, the UK is deeply concerned by the continued endangering of peacekeepers' lives. On Sunday I expressed my condolences to the families of the thirteen who have already been killed. Since then, four more peacekeepers have tragically been killed. We urge an immediate end to this violence. We commend the leadership of MONUSCO and your courage under fire, and we thank you for their vital work. Finally, President, the UK's Foreign Secretary and Minister for Africa have spoken with Rwanda at the highest levels, as well as with wider partners in the region. And we have made clear that there can be no military solution. We urge all parties to cease hostilities and return to diplomatic talks immediately without preconditions. We remain committed to ensuring this Council takes the necessary action to support an end to this conflict. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK urges Israel to ensure that UNRWA can continue its lifesaving operations: 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 UNRWA. 28 January 2025 I want to offer my condolences again to all UN and humanitarian staff who have been killed in this conflict, including 273 members of your team, Philippe. President, after 15 months of conflict, we now stand at a rare moment of hope for Palestinians and Israelis. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt we have a ceasefire deal that has seen seven hostages returned, reunited with their families and an end to the violence in Gaza that has claimed so many Palestinian lives. We cannot and must not forget the suffering that has brought us to this moment. Lives brutally cut short by Hamas. Men, women and children abducted from their families - many of whom are still being held while their loved ones suffer in anguish. This conflict has also seen over 47,000 Palestinians killed. At least 35,000 children are thought to have lost one or both parents. And an estimated 20% of the population has been left with lifelong disabilities. The levels of destruction in Gaza are beyond belief. We must turn the page on this cycle of violence. I want to highlight key actions to support this. It is vital that we now see the release of all remaining hostages, and a sustained ceasefire to allow us to move from phase one of the agreement through to further phases. Only then can we achieve a lasting peace. We welcome reports that there has been an increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza. This needs to be sustained and complemented by much-needed supplies of commercial goods. To support this vital effort, my Minister for Development has today announced a further $21 million in funding to ensure healthcare, food and shelter reaches tens of thousands of civilians and to support vital infrastructure across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. However, the implementation of Knesset legislation on UNRWA risks upending this humanitarian response as well as threatening the fragile and hard-won gains made through the ceasefire deal. The vital work of UNRWA in ensuring that Palestinians have access to education and healthcare must also be protected in Gaza as well as the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These represent the most fundamental of human rights. For this reason, the United Kingdom urges Israel, once again, to ensure that UNRWA can continue its lifesaving operations and provision of essential services across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We call on Israel to work urgently with international partners, including the UN, so there is no disruption to this vital work. Israel is obligated under international law to facilitate humanitarian assistance by all means at their disposal. We stand ready to work alongside Israel, the UN and our partners to assist. We also call on UNRWA to continue to deliver their commitment to neutrality. Implementation of reforms to strengthen their neutrality remains critical. We welcome UNRWA's commitment to fully investigate any allegations against their employees and the continued implementation of the Colonna Report's recommendations. We have earmarked over $1.2 million of our funding to UNRWA to support their implementation. President, the UK will play our full part in the coming days and weeks to seize the opportunity of this ceasefire for a better future. To ensure it leads to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Middle East: Minister for Development's statement, 28 January 2025 Development Minister Anneliese Dodds gave an oral statement to the House of Commons on the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and effect on humanitarian aid. 28 January 2025 With permission, I will update the House on the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and detail our latest efforts to get aid to those in desperate need. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is a fragile ceasefire - but it brings much-needed hope for the Israeli and Palestinian people. The agreement to end the fighting and release the hostages is what this Labour government has been pressing for from the moment we came to office. I thank Qatar, Egypt and the US for their tireless efforts, and echo the Prime Minister in wishing Emily Damari and the other former hostages well as they begin to recover from their horrific ordeals. We continue to call, Madam Deputy Speaker, for their immediate release of all those still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including the remaining hostages with links to the UK. Madam Deputy Speaker, civilians in Gaza have endured suffering that defies belief, and this deal brings hope that they can start to rebuild their lives. In the days since the guns were silenced, Israel has opened up mechanisms to surge in aid. The UN and aid organisations have been working tirelessly to deliver the humanitarian aims of the ceasefire agreement. After so much time waiting at the border - delays I saw for myself in December - trucks are now streaming in. Partners on the ground report that more than 200,000 food parcels have been dispatched to more than 130 distribution points since the ceasefire. This government has been at the forefront of the humanitarian effort in Gaza since we came to office. Overturning the suspension of funding to UNRWA and then boosting our support. Supporting UK-Med field hospitals to help the injured. Working with Egypt to support those Medevac-ed out of Gaza and providing vital resources to UNICEF and the World Food Programme. Today, I am pleased to announce that the UK is investing in the ceasefire. UK support will be distributed to the UN and key medical partners, so that tens of thousands of civilians get the healthcare, food and shelter they need. That support will amount to 17 million from the UK to get more aid into Gaza and restore services. The figure also includes 2 million for the World Bank to support the construction and restoration of critical water and energy infrastructure. The UK has already helped around 284,000 people in Gaza to access water, sanitation and hygiene services. Today's uplift brings our commitment for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Palestinian refugees in the region to 129 million this financial year. I am also pleased to announce to the House that this morning, Jordanian air force helicopters started landing in Gaza with UK-funded medical supplies and logistical support from UK armed forces. I thank Jordan for their excellent commitment to getting aid in, in such challenging circumstances. We will continue to support our Jordanian partners in this initiative. But more action is needed. The air bridge to Gaza is no substitute for road routes, which must remain open. We also call on Israel to allow more essential items like tents, mattresses and medical equipment in. As people start to move home, basic services need to be put back in place, and unexploded bombs and mines cleared. Without this, even more lives will be lost. And of course, the UN and humanitarian agencies must be able to operate freely. This Government has repeatedly stated the need for UNRWA to continue its lifesaving assistance to the people of Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank. The Knesset legislation taking effect on the 30th of January risks impeding the progress made since the ceasefire. Israel must allow the agency to continue to operate. The legislation does not and cannot change the fact that Israel has a responsibility under international law to facilitate humanitarian assistance. As the UN Security Council heard last week, a million Gazan children need support to process their traumatic experiences - their suffering cannot be underestimated. And around fifteen and a half thousand patients need medical evacuation, according to the World Health Organisation. Routes must be opened for them to get this treatment. Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK and wider international community stand ready to support Palestinians as they begin to rebuild their lives, their homes and their communities. We are under no illusions concerning the scale of the challenge ahead. The overwhelming majority of homes in Gaza are damaged or destroyed. The economy has collapsed. And basic services, including energy and water, have been knocked out. So, we are working with partners to urgently find ways to best finance and support recovery and reconstruction efforts. It is essential that the coming surge of assistance is properly coordinated, and with the access and security to reach those in need. The Palestinian Authority has a crucial role to play and we are providing technical and financial assistance to the Authority, including to support the urgent recovery of basic services. Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK has always been clear that this ceasefire is just the first step. We must build confidence on all sides to help sustain it, progress through all its phases and turn it into a lasting peace that assures the security of Israelis and Palestinians alike. The UK will focus all of our efforts on keeping up the momentum, using every diplomatic channel available. As you will know, Madam Deputy Speaker, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for the Middle East kept up the drumbeat of engagement during their visits to Egypt and the United Nations last week. We will keep up the pace until every hostage is released, aid reaches all those in need, and Palestinians are able to rebuild their homes and their lives. I commend this statement to the House. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan and Eastern DRC: Foreign Secretary's statement The Foreign Secretary made a statement to the House of Commons on the situation in Sudan and Eastern DRC on 28 January. 28 January 2025 With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on the situation in Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The latest conflict in Sudan has now lasted twenty-one months. This weekend, the Rapid Support Forces attacked the last functional hospital in the besieged city of El-Fasher, in Darfur. The World Health Organisation assess some seventy patients and their families were killed. This attack is far from isolated. In recent weeks, the RSF shelled the ZamZam camp, where displaced people are trapped outside El-Fasher. While there are widespread reports of extrajudicial killings by militias aligned to the Sudanese armed forces in Wad Medani. The Government condemns these attacks in the strongest possible terms. They show a callous disregard for international humanitarian law and innocent Sudanese civilians. Exact figures for those killed and displaced in Sudan are hard to come by. But we know aid is being blocked from reaching those in need. And this is without a shadow of a doubt one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes of our lifetimes. I saw this for myself, Madam Deputy Speaker, last week in Adre, on the Chad-Sudan border. This was the first ever Foreign Secretary to visit Chad. I felt it was my duty to confront the true horror of what is unfolding. To bear witness. And raise up the voices of those suffering, mainly women, so horrendously. 88 per cent of the refugees at Adre are women and children. I met nurses in a clinic, fighting to save the lives of starving children. I met a woman who showed me her scars. She had been burned. She had been beaten. She had been raped. Turning to DRC, conflict there has gripped the east for over thirty years. An M23 rebel offensive at the start of this year had already seized Masisi and Minova. This weekend saw them enter Goma, the region's major city, which M23 last occupied in 2012. Brave UN peacekeepers from South Africa, Malawi and Uruguay have tragically been killed. And with hundreds of thousands having already fled M23 to Goma, there is potential for a further humanitarian catastrophe. I have not yet travelled as Foreign Secretary to meet those fleeing Eastern DRC But the reports speak for themselves. This is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman or girl with children as young as nine reportedly attacked and mutilated by machete-wielding militias. Around a quarter of DRC's population are facing acute food insecurity. And frequent bombardment of the makeshift camps which shelter those who have fled their homes. I regret to say, Madam Deputy Speaker, that Foreign Secretaries updating the House on conflicts in Africa is something of a rarity. As I discussed yesterday with African Ambassadors and High Commissioners, the surge of conflict globally includes the number in Africa almost doubling in the past decade. This is causing untold damage and holding back economic growth - the bedrock of our future partnership with African countries. But where is the outrage? Again and again in Adre, I was asked: What is the world doing to help us? The truth is, if we were witnessing the horrors of El-Fasher and Goma on any other continent, or, for that matter, seeing the extremist violence in the Sahel and Somalia anywhere else in the world, there would be far more attention across the Western world. Indeed, one recent survey of armed conflict in 2024 contained spotlights on Europe, Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, but none on Africa. There should be no hierarchy of conflicts, but there is one. Every human life is of equal worth. The impact of these wars, Madam Deputy Speaker, is clear for all to see. You only have to be willing to look. I could not see atrocities such as these, and shrug my shoulders. However, the House will also understand the UK's national interest in addressing these conflicts. Irregular migration from Sudan to Britain alone increased by 16% last year. Unscrupulous smuggling gangs are looking to profit from the misery in places such as Sudan and DRC. And the longer these wars last, the greater their ripple effects. Neighbours like Chad and many others are working hard to manage this crisis alongside others nearby. But further escalation only increases instability and the risks of conflict elsewhere. With Sudan sitting along the major trade routes of the Red Sea and eastern DRC one of the most resource-rich regions in the world. This is something we cannot tolerate. This Government therefore refuses to let these conflicts be forgotten. Working with Sierra Leone, the UK prepared a UN Security Council Resolution on Sudan to address the humanitarian catastrophe. Shockingly, despite support from every other member, including China, Russia wielded their veto. But Russian cynicism will not deter us. We will continue to use our Security Council seat to shine a light on what is happening and work with our African partners on broader UN reform. We have also doubled UK aid, supporting over one million displaced people. I saw our impact at the Adre crossing, and announced a further twenty million pounds to support food production and sexual and reproductive services. The UK is the third largest humanitarian donor on the crisis, having offered almost 250 million pounds in support this financial year. We have been redoubling our diplomatic efforts as well. In the spring, I am looking to gather Ministers in the UK to galvanise international support for peace. We need to see three things. First, the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces committing a permanent ceasefire and protection of civilians. Second, unrestricted humanitarian access into and within Sudan, and a permanent UN presence. And finally, an international commitment to a sustained and meaningful political process. Instead of new and even more deadly weapons entering the conflict, we want to see consistent calls for all political parties to unite behind a common vision of a peaceful Sudan. We will engage with all those willing to work on bringing the conflict to an end. On DRC, the UK has also reacted quickly to the current crisis, we now advise British Nationals not to the Rubavu district in Western Rwanda on the border with Goma. And we are continuing our humanitarian assistance , having provided 62 million pounds this financial year. This enables lifesaving assistance such as clean drinking water, treatment for malnourished children, and support for victims of sexual violence. Ultimately however, we need a political solution. We know that M23 rebels could not have taken Goma without material support from Rwandan Defence Forces. My Noble Friend, Lord Collins of Highbury, and I have been urging all sides to engage in good faith in African-led processes. Lord Collins spoke to the Rwandan and Angolan Foreign Ministers last week. And in the last few days, I have spoken to both Rwandan President Kagame and South African Foreign Minister Lamola. For all the complexities of such a long-running conflict, we must find a way to stop the killing. Madam Deputy Speaker, civilians in Sudan and eastern DRC must feel so powerless. Power seems gripped by those waging war around them. The Government, our partners, cannot simply will a ceasefire into being. But this is not a licence for inaction. As we have seen in Gaza, it can take hundreds of days of diplomatic failure to reach even the most fragile of ceasefires. So for our part, Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK will keep doing all in our power to get the world focused on these conflicts. And, somehow, to bring them to an end. I commend this statement to the House. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At least 4 children reportedly killed and 3 injured in attack on Saudi Hospital, El Fasher, North Darfur - Sudan UNICEF 28 January 2025 NEW YORK/AMMAN/PORT SUDAN, 28 January 2025 -- At least one girl and three boys were reportedly killed and three boys injured in an attack on the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, in Sudan's North Darfur, that took place on Friday. In an illustration of the relentless dangers that children face, the children were among the patients receiving care in the hospital's emergency ward, being treated for injuries resulting from previous bombings in the area. "This heinous attack is a blatant violation of children's rights. Children are being killed and injured in the very places where they should be safest from harm," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "Such attacks exacerbate the dire situation for children and families who are trapped in areas affected by conflict, insecurity, and lack of protection." In Sudan, more than 70 per cent of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are currently non-operational due to damage, destruction, a lack of supplies, or from being used as shelters or for other purposes. The delivery of medical supplies, vaccines and routine immunization has been hindered by ongoing security concerns and lack of access, worsening the humanitarian crisis and putting countless lives, especially those of children, at significant risk. Under International Humanitarian Law, hospitals enjoy special protection and must not be targeted. Attacks on them undermine the essential care and relief the facilities provide to civilians, including children. All parties to the conflict have an obligation to ensure the protection of civilians, including children, and refrain from any actions that could impede access to life-saving medical services. "Continued attacks on health facilities endanger children's lives and restrict their access to lifesaving medical care, which can have immediate and long-term impacts on their health," said Russell. "The violence must end now. Children in Sudan cannot wait any longer." ##### Notes for editors: In 2024 alone, the UN documented more than 90 attacks on hospitals and schools in Sudan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel UNRWA ban will undermine Gaza ceasefire, Security Council hears 28 January 2025 - The implementation of new Israeli laws banning the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA - set to take effect on Thursday - will heighten instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Security Council has heard. Briefing ambassadors in New York on Tuesday, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that the laws passed in October last year in the Knesset jeopardize the lives of millions of Palestinians and risks undermining the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. They require that UNRWA cease its activities in the territory of the State of Israel - including the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as the Knesset defines it, in defiance of international law - as well as restricting any Government contacts with the agency or anyone acting on its behalf. "Curtailing our operations now - outside a political process, and when trust in the international community is so low - will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza's recovery and political transition," Mr. Lazzarini said. He called for a "decisive intervention" by Council to support peace and stability in the occupied Palestinian territory and the broader region. Disastrous consequences Mr. Lazzarini further stressed that the full implementation of the Knesset legislation will be "disastrous". In Gaza, undermining UNRWA's operations would compromise the international humanitarian response, he said, adding that it would also degrade the capacity of the United Nations just when humanitarian assistance must be scaled up. "This will only worsen the already catastrophic living conditions of millions of Palestinians." Unique role UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly to provide humanitarian and other essential services to Palestine refugees until a political solution is reached. Read our explainer on how the Gaza war has impacted UNRWA services, here. Mr. Lazzarini emphasised that its work cannot simply be transferred to other entities, as its scale and trusted relationship with communities are unmatched. "The Agency's mere presence brings stability amid profound uncertainty," he said. "Undermining UNRWA will sabotage Gaza's recovery and any prospects for peace." In East Jerusalem, where the Knesset legislation calls for the immediate expulsion of UNRWA, 70,000 patients and 1,000 students will lose access to health and education services. Mr. Lazzarini also noted that the legislation coincides with plans to expand illegal settlements on the land currently used by the Agency. Financial and political challenges Compounding these threats are severe financial constraints, with key donors reducing or suspending contributions. Mr. Lazzarini appealed for urgent funding to sustain UNRWA's operations, warning that its lifesaving work could abruptly end without sufficient resources. He also highlighted a disinformation campaign spearheaded by Israeli authorities that falsely accuses the Agency of supporting terrorism. Such propaganda, he said, undermines UNRWA's neutrality and puts its staff at risk. Call to action In conclusion, Mr. Lazzarini urged Security Council members to push back against the Knesset legislation, ensure continued funding for UNRWA, and advocate for a genuine political pathway to address the plight of Palestine refugees. "UNRWA was always meant to be temporary," he said. "A fair and lasting political solution would allow the Agency to conclude its mandate, ensuring that its vital services are handed over to a functioning Palestinian state." Jan Egeland: Humanitarian efforts face major obstacles Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), highlighted the indispensable role of UNRWA in supporting Palestine refugees and enabling broader humanitarian efforts. "UNRWA cannot be replaced by any other of the humanitarian organizations on the ground. We all rely on UNRWA's logistical capacity. We operate in UNRWA's schools," Mr. Egeland said "It is responsible for a massive relief operation in the hour of greatest need for the Palestinian civilians in Gaza." He painted a grim picture of Gaza's post-war landscape, where 87 per cent of homes have been damaged or destroyed, alongside schools, roads, and hospitals. He also noted that 1.34 million people urgently need emergency shelter support. Challenges persist Humanitarian organizations are working to scale up assistance, but challenges remain. "We managed finally to have 18 trucks of humanitarian cargo into Gaza last week. After months of frustrated attempts. We are working to deliver an additional 4,500 pallets of essential supplies," Mr. Egeland, noting that insecurity, attacks and looting are still impeding aid delivery. A seasoned diplomat, Mr. Egeland has been an active participant in several peace processes, acting as the Norwegian official negotiating between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1992, which led to the Oslo Accord of September 1993. He also served in top humanitarian roles, including as UN Humanitarian Affairs chief and UN Senior Adviser for Syria. Algeria: UNRWA is life itself Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama said that for generations of Palestinians, UNRWA "it is not just an agency, it is life itself". "From birth to education...UNRWA has been an integral part of their lives," he said, stating that its role was especially crucial during the 15 months of Israel's offensive in Gaza. "UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response, and its role remains essential under the ceasefire...it is irreplaceable, it is indispensable," he added. United States: UNRWA not the only option Dorothy Shea, US Ambassador, said her country is strongly committed to implementing the ceasefire agreement so that the hostages can return home and the people of Gaza can look toward a brighter future under new leadership. Referring to the laws set to go into effect on 30 January, she said it was Israel's sovereign right to close UNRWA's offices in Jerusalem. "The US supports the implementation of this decision. UNRWA exaggerating the effects of the laws and suggesting that they will force the entire humanitarian response to halt is irresponsible and dangerous," she said, noting the need for a nuanced discussion to ensure there is no interruption in the delivery of aid and essential services. "UNRWA is not and never has been the only option for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza, many other agencies have experience and expertise to do this work and have done this work," she added. Palestine: A 'sacred bond' exists between a people and their land Riyad Mansour, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of Palestine, said that Israel has destroyed everything in Gaza, except the sacred bond between a people and their land. "Their roots run too deep. Their history covers millennia. The wounds of their Nakba [expulsion from ancestral lands in 1948] yet to heal. So by the hundreds of thousands they are going back to the north from which they were uprooted and expelled by the occupying power," he said. He underscored the importance of restoring life and hope for the Palestinian people, with the support of the international community. "There is no alternative to the Palestinian Government and there is no alternative to UNRWA," he said. Israel: UNRWA has failed miserably Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said that legislation concerning UNRWA activities in Israel will officially come into force in 48 hours, and that the Agency must cease its operations and evacuate all premises it operates in Jerusalem. "Israel will terminate all collaboration, communication and contact with UNRWA or anyone acting on its behalf," he said, stating that UNRWA "miserably failed" in its mandate and the people who were supposed to benefit from its services. "It is time for you to accept, as we have, that UNRWA has failed - in every aspect of its mandate and responsibilities, both morally and professionally," he said. The closure of UNRWA operations in Israel marks "the beginning of a new chapter, one focused on dignity, security and progress," he added, urging the international community to choose between continuing to fund an agency that sows hatred, or promoting a system that nurtures co-existence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA at the United Nations Security Council UNRWA 28 Jan 2025 New York Mr. President, Members of the Council, Nine days ago, the long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza began. We are heartened by the return of Israeli hostages and imprisoned Palestinians to their families. We are encouraged by marked improvements in the flow of humanitarian aid and in operating conditions. We hope that the ceasefire will hold and that the tremendous suffering in Gaza will subside. UNRWA is the largest UN presence in Gaza, with 13,000 personnel and 300 premises. The Agency is critical for supporting a shattered population and the ceasefire. And yet, in two days, our operations in the occupied Palestinian territory will be crippled, as legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset takes effect. At stake is the fate of millions of Palestinians, the ceasefire, and the prospects for a political solution that brings lasting peace and security. Mr. President, In the wake of the ceasefire, we must contend with the devastation of the last 15 months, and the enormity of the challenges ahead. A peer-reviewed study of death by traumatic injury in Gaza reveals that the mortality figure provided by the Ministry of Health is a minimum estimate. 46,000 deaths is likely an undercount by more than 40 percent. The study also confirms that the majority of those killed are women, children and the elderly. Those who escaped death by bombardment, starvation and disease have emerged shell-shocked. Tens of thousands of people are now returning to the decimated north, to search for the living and to bury the dead. Across the Gaza Strip, Palestinians are turning to UNRWA - the Agency they have known all their lives - for support. Curtailing our operations now - outside a political process, and when trust in the international community is so low - will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza's recovery and political transition. Members of the Council, Full implementation of the Knesset legislation will be disastrous. In Gaza, undermining UNRWA's operations will compromise the international humanitarian response. It will degrade the capacity of the United Nations just when humanitarian assistance must be scaled up significantly. This will only worsen the already catastrophic living conditions of millions of Palestinians. The Government of Israel claims that UNRWA's services can be transferred to other entities. In fact, the Agency's mandate to provide public-like services to an entire population is unique. Our capacity to directly provide primary healthcare for millions of Palestinians, and to resume education for hundreds of thousands of children, far exceeds that of any other entity. These services can only be transferred to a functioning state. The Government of Israel claims that UNRWA plays a negligible role in providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza. In fact, UNRWA constitutes half the emergency response, with all other entities delivering the other half. Since October 2023, we have delivered two-thirds of all food assistance, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons, and vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio. Since the ceasefire began, UNRWA has brought in 60% of the food entering Gaza, reaching more than half a million people. We conduct some 17,000 medical consultations every day. Less quantifiable, but critical for the humanitarian response and the ceasefire, is community acceptance. Palestinians know and trust UNRWA. For them, UNRWA is the doctors and nurses providing healthcare; the aid workers distributing food; and the mechanics and engineers building and repairing wells for clean drinking water. The Agency's mere presence brings stability amid profound uncertainty. In the occupied West Bank, where violence is surging, ending UNRWA's operations will deprive Palestine Refugees of education and healthcare. The Palestinian Authority has made clear that it does not have the financial resources or capacity to compensate for the loss of UNRWA's services. In occupied East Jerusalem, the Government of Israel has ordered UNRWA to vacate its premises and cease operations by Thursday. This will affect approximately 70,000 patients and more than a thousand students. The deputy mayor has called for a public celebration of UNRWA's expulsion from East Jerusalem opposite the headquarters of our West Bank field office in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. It is on this land that local authorities are planning to build illegal settlements. The relentless assault on UNRWA is harming the lives and future of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory. It is eroding their trust in the international community, jeopardizing any prospect for peace and security. Mr. President, The Knesset legislation defies resolutions of this Council and the General Assembly. It flouts the rulings of the International Court of Justice. It disregards that UNRWA is the mechanism established by the General Assembly to provide assistance to Palestine Refugees, pending a political answer to the question of Palestine. Implementing the legislation makes a mockery of international law and imposes massive constraints on UNRWA's operations. We are determined, however, to stay and deliver until it is no longer possible to do so. This is not without risk for our Palestinian colleagues, who face an exceptionally hostile operating environment fostered, in part, by a fierce disinformation campaign. Members of the Council, The Government of Israel is investing significant resources to portray the Agency as a terrorist organisation, and our staff as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers. Billboards and ads accusing UNRWA of terrorism recently appeared in major cities around the world. They were paid for by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Google ad campaigns re-direct those seeking information about the Agency to websites replete with disinformation. The absurdity of anti-UNRWA propaganda does not diminish the threat it poses to our staff, especially those in the occupied West Bank and in Gaza - where 273 of our colleagues have been killed. It sets a precedent for governments to accuse a United Nations entity of terrorism as a pretext to clamp down on human rights. It sets a precedent for criminalizing humanitarian assistance and protection. This year, propaganda efforts spearheaded by the Israeli Foreign Ministry received a boost of 150 million dollars. The political attacks on the Agency are motivated by the desire to strip Palestinians of their refugee status, thereby unilaterally changing the long-established parameters for a political solution. The objective is to deny Palestine Refugees the right to self-determination and erase their history and identity. Let me be clear, the rights of Palestine Refugees to protection and assistance are not derived from UNRWA's mandate. They exist independently of the Agency. And if UNRWA ceases to protect and assist Palestine Refugees, their rights will not only remain, but there will be much greater emphasis on the right to return or to be resettled, for which UNRWA has no mandate. Mr. President, A ceasefire in Gaza must be followed by a political transition that includes an orderly conclusion of UNRWA's mandate, and the handover of its public-like services to empowered and prepared Palestinian institutions. This is the path now pursued by the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, led by Saudi Arabia, the European Union and the League of Arab States. Only a political pathway of this nature can ensure the protection and welfare of Palestine Refugees, and peace and security in the region and beyond. A clear choice lies before us: We can allow UNRWA to implode due to the Knesset legislation and the suspension of funding by key donors. The repercussions of this implosion will not be confined to national borders and will only further destabilize the region. Alternatively, we can allow the Agency to progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political process. UNRWA was always meant to be temporary. A fair and lasting political solution would allow the Agency to handover its services and workforce to a Palestinian administration. UNWRA has much to offer in support of a political solution. The Agency is the largest provider of primary healthcare in Gaza, and the second-largest in the West Bank. Our health services and expertise are integral to building a strong national health system. UNRWA also has a pivotal role to play in education. In Gaza today, 650,000 girls and boys are living in the rubble, learning nothing more than how to survive. They have already lost more than two years of learning. Absent a full-fledged State, only UNRWA has the capacity to bring these children back to learning. So great is the enthusiasm for resuming learning in Gaza that more than 260,000 children - half of them girls - enrolled in our online learning platform this month. If we fail to resume education in Gaza, and to preserve it in the occupied West Bank, we will sacrifice an entire generation of Palestinian children. Members of the Council, The threat posed by political efforts to dismantle UNRWA is compounded by financial challenges, with key donors deciding to end or reduce their contributions to the Agency. I am appealing for an urgent increase in financial support to UNRWA, the early disbursement of allocated funds, and a review of funding currently on hold. I also take this opportunity to underscore the Agency's longstanding commitment to neutrality. A detailed presentation at UNRWA's Advisory Commission meeting last November made clear that our High-level Action Plan to implement the recommendations of the Colonna Report is on track. We will also continue to take all necessary steps to investigate credible allegations made against the Agency and its personnel. Mr. President, Members of the Council, Implementing the Knesset legislation will heighten instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory at a critical moment. I am seeking your decisive intervention in support of peace and stability in the occupied Palestinian territory and the broader region. First, push back against the implementation of the Knesset legislation. UNRWA's personnel and services are integral to the success of the ceasefire. Second, insist on a genuine political path forward that delineates UNRWA's role as a provider of education and healthcare. The Agency is essential for ensuring a viable political transition. Finally, ensure that a financial crisis does not abruptly end UNRWA's lifesaving work. The Agency cannot continue to operate in the face of extraordinary challenges without adequate resources. In closing, I would like to share with you a message received from a young person in Gaza last week. It is a stark reminder of the heavy responsibility we bear. [begin quote] "I am writing to you from the rubble of a home that once was a place of warmth and life [...] Now, my days are spent searching for the most [basic] necessities, like flour to feed my family. What truly breaks me is my helplessness in the face of children [...] Their innocent eyes seek safety I cannot provide [and] answers I do not have [...] Around us, the elderly sit in silence, their hearts weighed down by decades of loss and suffering [...] And here I am [...] dying a thousand times every day as I think of all that I cannot do for them." [end quote] Unlike the author of this message, we are in a position to do something. It only requires your decisive action and leadership. Thank you. Background Information: UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency's area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on. UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Briefing Security Council on Goma Attack, Senior UN Official in Democratic Republic of Congo Urges De-escalation to Avert 'Third Congo War' Meetings Coverage Security Council 9853rd Meeting (PM) SC/15986 28 January 2025 Note: Complete coverage of this afternoon's meeting of the Security Council will be available Wednesday, 29 January. As the Security Council convened an emergency meeting for the second time in three days to address the worsening situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a senior United Nations official warned that escalating attacks by the 23 March Movement, or M23, continue to kill civilians and peacekeeping personnel in and around the city of Goma. Vivian van de Perre, Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), voiced alarm that clashes in the eastern part of that country have resulted in massive displacement. Consequently, MONUSCO has received a large number of people seeking refuge, including officials and various elements who have surrendered their arms. However, MONUSCO bases are not able to accommodate the large number of surrendering elements and civilians seeking refuge. "Moreover, our bases are not safe themselves," she stressed. The Mission is storing voluntarily relinquished or abandoned weapons in accordance with international standards, she reported, while casualty-evacuation efforts remain a significant challenge for seriously injured peacekeepers. She warned that troops are now running out of critical equipment especially water, food, medical supplies and blood while the proliferation of weapons in Goma poses a significant risk as combatants blend into the civilian population and abandoned military depots are looted by civilians. Urging all parties to guarantee the protection of life, ensure access to basic services and prevent sexual violence, she called for immediate action to alleviate the suffering of civilians. Moreover, ethnically motivated attacks in a region with a very sensitive history need to be taken seriously. Appealing for high-level diplomatic channels to ensure that critical airports, border points and humanitarian access routes are reopened without delay, she urged: "Resuming the Luanda Process is of utmost urgency to ensure a path towards de-escalation and to avert the looming threat of a third Congo war." And, stressing that attacks on UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, she called MONUSCO "a beacon for myriad vulnerable groups seeking protection". However, the Mission has been severely impacted by heavy direct and indirect fire over the last few days, and must address the logistical, human-rights and humanitarian challenges it is facing. "Let us please draw on our humanity and do our utmost to bring an immediate end to such levels of violence and suffering," she urged. In the ensuing debate, the representative of Sierra Leone also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Somalia cited significant African diplomatic efforts since 26 January to support the Congolese people. Nevertheless, he stressed: "But what is needed now is the commitment of both Rwanda and the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo] to engage in direct negotiations under the Luanda Process." Allowing Goma to remain under the control of a rebel group, he stated, "sends a disturbing message about the ability or willingness of the international community to prevent threats to international peace and security from flourishing." ... NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address With Israeli Laws Set to Take Effect in 48 Hours, UN Palestine Refugee Agency Chief Warns Security Council of Risks to Gaza Ceasefire, Recovery Efforts Meetings Coverage Security Council 9852nd Meeting (AM) SC/15985 28 January 2025 While Many Speakers Support Agency as Lifeline, Israel's Delegate Says It Failed The implementation of Israel's legislation on 30 January curtailing the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will undermine the ceasefire and sabotage Gaza's recovery and political transition, a senior UN official told the Security Council today. Expressing hope that the long-awaited ceasefire which began nine days ago "will hold and then the tremendous suffering in Gaza will subside", Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, welcomed the return of Israeli hostages and imprisoned Palestinians to their families. He also recognized the marked improvement in the flow of humanitarian aid and operating conditions. As the largest UN presence in Gaza with 13,000 personnel and 300 premises the Agency is critical in supporting a shattered population under a ceasefire, he emphasized. Yet, in two days, "our operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory will be crippled as legislation passed by Israel takes effect", he warned, adding that the fate of millions of Palestinians is at stake. "In the wake of the ceasefire, we must contend with the devastation of the last 15 months and the enormity of the challenges ahead," he said, pointing to a peer-reviewed study of death by traumatic injury in Gaza, which reveals that the mortality figure provided by the Ministry of Health is "a minimum estimate". In fact, 46,000 deaths is likely an undercount by over 40 per cent, with the majority of those killed being women, children and the elderly. The study also confirms that those who escaped death by bombardment, starvation and disease have emerged shell-shocked. UNRWA's Community Acceptance Not Quantifiable But Critical Tens of thousands of people are now returning to the decimated north "to search for the living and to bury the dead", he said, noting UNRWA's unique mandate to provide public-like services to an entire population. He rejected Israel's claim that the Agency plays "a negligible role" in providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza and that its services can be transferred to other entities. UNRWA constitutes half the emergency response, having delivered two thirds of all food assistance, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons and vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio since October 2023. Less quantifiable, but critical for the humanitarian response and the ceasefire, is community acceptance: "Palestinians know and trust UNRWA," he stressed. Furthermore, Israel's Government is investing significant resources to portray the Agency as a terrorist organization and its staff as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers. Billboards and ads accusing UNRWA of terrorism recently appeared in major cities worldwide. The political attacks on the Agency are motivated by the desire to strip Palestinians of their refugee status and erase their history and identity. Underscoring the need to allow the Agency to progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political process, he stated: "We are determined to stay and deliver until it is no longer possible to do so." Clearing Rubble Could Take 21 Years, Cost $1.2 Billion Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, recalled his visit to Gaza City in December 2024 and expressed shock at the destruction: clearing over 50 million tons of rubble in the aftermath of Israel's bombardment "could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion". For two decades, children will have nowhere to play in the rubble and debris caused by this war, having to fear unexploded bombs. "The principles of proportionality, distinction and military necessity have been thoroughly violated," he stated. While his organization managed to have 18 trucks of humanitarian cargo enter Gaza last week, looting and attacks on aid convoys remain a major concern. He recalled that, on 12 September 2024, the Israeli National Security Council admitted to the Knesset that Israel was no longer issuing visas to employees of international non-governmental organizations apparently part of a broader effort to undermine humanitarian work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. However, as the occupying Power, Israel is legally obliged to facilitate humanitarian operations in Gaza and in the West Bank alike. Addressing the urgent humanitarian need, he called for full unrestricted access to northern Gaza, including the immediate opening of the Netzarim Corridor to facilitate the movement of civilians, humanitarian personnel and life-saving supplies. He further voiced alarm over intensified Israeli military operations and settler attacks across the occupied West Bank, urging the Council to "put all of our energies into achieving a peaceful resolution to the question of Palestine". In the ensuing discussion, speakers highlighted UNRWA's essential role under the ceasefire as efforts continue to address the immense needs of the Palestinian people. Halting UNRWA Operations 'Death Sentence' for Palestinians "For generations of Palestinians, UNRWA is not just an Agency, it is life itself," said Algeria's delegate, Council President for the month, speaking in his national capacity. "Halting UNRWA's operations would be a death sentence for Palestinians," particularly for the most vulnerable among them the refugees, he said, stressing that UNRWA must continue its mandate until the establishment of the Palestinian State. "There is no alternative to the Agency not in spirit and not in practice," stated Slovenia's delegate, rejecting attempts to dismantle it. Somalia's representative concurred that measures to restrict Agency operations "cannot be seen as anything other than a deliberate attempt to exacerbate the suffering of an already vulnerable population". Without UNRWA, said Denmark's delegate, civilians in Gaza risk losing "a vital safety net", and Palestine's refugees in the West Bank risk losing their access to essential services. Without UNRWA, echoed Sierra Leone's representative, "the humanitarian response would risk collapse". Calling for a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza, Pakistan's delegate added: "We must resist steps designed to extinguish the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood; we should instead take steps to make the two-State solution inevitable". Nevertheless, stressed China's representative, "before the two-State solution becomes a reality, UNRWA is indispensable", citing its absence from Gaza's post-conflict reconstruction formula as "unthinkable". While Panama's delegate called for the Agency's sustained financing, the representative of France declared that Paris has allocated $20 million to UNRWA. While stressing that the implementation of Knesset legislation on UNRWA risks threatening the fragile gains made through the ceasefire deal, the United Kingdom's delegate called on the Agency to continue to deliver their commitment to neutrality and fully investigate any allegations against their employees. UNRWA 'Not the Only Option' for Providing Aid The United States' supported Israel's sovereign decision to close UNRWA's offices in Jerusalem on 30 January, as the Agency "is not and never has been the only option for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza" with its work "tainted" due to terrorist ties to Hamas. Urging the international community to scale up humanitarian aid, she called for Gaza to be fully demilitarized, with Hamas having no role in its governance. The ceasefire provides the countries of the Middle East with "a historic opportunity to reshape their region" where Israel is fully integrated with its neighbours under the banner of the Abraham Accords. Meanwhile, the Russian Federation's representative underscored that Israel would not dare to violate international law without unconditional financial and military support from Washington, D.C. "It is not an exaggeration to say that the fault for what is happening with the Agency falls on the United States' shoulders." Voicing support for UNRWA, he said the Russian Peace Foundation nominated the Agency for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The representative of Egypt, speaking for the Arab Group, pointed out that Israel's allegations cannot serve as grounds for adopting a unilateral decision preventing a UN agency from conducting its operations. Echoing that, Jordan's delegate stated that allowing any State to undermine the immunities of UN agencies constitutes a dangerous precedent. Relatedly, Greece's delegate called on Israel to reconsider the implementation of the legislation as it will obstruct UNRWA's capacity to operate within its mandate in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. His counterpart from the Republic of Korea urged Israel to guarantee the conditions for UN staff to continue their work, including issuing proper visas for international staff. For his part, Israel's delegate affirmed that the legislation concerning UNRWA activities in his country will come into force in 48 hours when it must cease operations in Israel and evacuate all premises in Jerusalem. This reflects "years of efforts to address the grave accusations" against UNRWA, he stated including failing its mandate, placing political agendas and cover-ups over humanitarian principles and refusing to address widespread Hamas infiltration. He reiterated Israel's readiness to work with agencies with a track record of efficiency and accountability, while UNRWA's contribution is easily replaceable by organizations already operational in Gaza. "Israel has destroyed everything in Gaza [...] except the sacred bond between a people and their land," stated the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine. Israel's logic is simple: to get rid of the refugees, one must destroy the Agency serving them. "If there is no education, health or assistance, they will surrender, leave, and abandon the land and their dream of liberation and return," he said, adding that such conduct violates international law, including the orders issued by the International Court of Justice. Palestinians returning to the north know they will find ruins "yet, still, they went back," he said, noting that it is a testimony of their resilience. Picking up that thread, Guyana's delegate echoed the words of poet Pablo Neruda: "You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot prevent spring from coming." Even amidst the 50 million tons of rubble, it is this "spring" this hope for a new day in an independent State of their own and the drums of war silenced that lies in the heart of every Palestinian, she said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belgian air, space commander visits Luke AFB Published Jan. 28, 2025 By Senior Airman Jakob Hambright 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) -- The 56th Fighter Wing leadership team, along with the 312th Fighter Squadron, hosted Maj. Gen. Thierry Dupont, commander of the Belgium Air and Space Component, during his visit to Luke Air Force Base, Jan. 13-16. As Belgium prepares to transition from the F-16 Fighting Falcon to the F-35A Lightning II, the nation is focused on ensuring its pilots and maintainers are fully equipped to operate and sustain the fifth-generation aircraft effectively. "The relationship between Belgium and the United States is built on decades of trust and cooperation," Dupont said. "As Belgium transitions to the F-35 platform, it is vital that we continue to learn from one another to maintain mission readiness and ensure global preparation." During his visit, Dupont toured various facilities, met with leadership, and observed training operations conducted by the 56th FW and the 944th FW. The discussions focused on enhancing interoperability, sharing best practices, and leveraging the advanced training environment provided at Luke AFB to support Belgium's F-35 program. Luke AFB serves as a critical training hub for United States and allied F-35 pilots. Belgium is among several international partners participating in the F-35 program, with its first aircraft delivered in 2024. "The integration of allies into our training programs not only enhances their operational capabilities but also strengthens our collective ability to respond to global challenges," said Col. Matthew Johnston, 56th Fighter Wing deputy commander. "This collaboration ensures robust deterrence and the ability to decisively respond to security threats around the globe." As part of the visit, Dupont observed live training missions, including joint operations scenarios involving Belgian and U.S. pilots. He also toured the 312th FS, where F-35 pilots receive state-of-the-art instruction and engaged with Belgian personnel currently embedded at Luke AFB. "The training environment here is unparalleled," Dupont said. "The ability to integrate our pilots into a diverse and dynamic operational setting prepares them to excel in complex, multinational missions." Luke AFB continues to play a pivotal role in advancing the capabilities of allied air power, ensuring readiness and cooperation in support of global peace and security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Navy Installations, Fleet Commands Participate in Annual Force Protection Exercise US Navy 28 January 2025 From John Belanger U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Navy Installations Command will conduct the annual two-part force protection exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain, Feb. 3-14, at all Navy installations in the continental United States. The exercises will simulate realistic threat scenarios to boost the readiness of U.S. Navy security forces. WASHINGTON -- Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) will conduct their annual two-part force protection exercise, Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain (CS-SC25), Feb. 3-14 at all Navy installations located in the continental United States. "Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain reinforces our commitment to protecting our people and preserving operational readiness by testing our ability to adapt to evolving force protection, security, and mission assurance challenges," said Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. "This exercise builds resilience and fosters coordination between fleet and shore forces, installation commands, and partner agencies, ensuring we stay prepared to counter modern day threats with precision and unity of effort." Citadel Shield, held during the first week, is a field training exercise (FTX) led by CNIC, while Solid Curtain follows in the second week as a command post exercise (CPX) led by USFFC. This two-part training is designed to boost the readiness of U.S. Navy security forces and ensure seamless interoperability among commands, other services, and agency partners to protect life, equipment, and facilities. Both weeks will simulate realistic threat scenarios, including active shooters, unauthorized base access, and improvised explosive devices. "Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain exercises are vital to ensuring the preparedness and effectiveness of our Navy security forces," said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, commander, Navy Installations Command. "These comprehensive training scenarios simulate real-world threats to enhance our readiness and interoperability with other services and agency partners. Our commitment is to safeguard life, equipment, and facilities, and these exercises are an essential part of fulfilling that mission." CS-SC25 is a regularly scheduled exercise and is not being held in response to any specific threat. Measures have been taken to minimize disruptions within local communities and to normal base operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around bases or delays in base access. Area residents may also see or hear security activities associated with the exercise. Advanced coordination has taken place with local law enforcement and first responders. For information about potential local impacts due to the exercise, please visit your local Navy installation's website and social media channels. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief appeals Israeli law banning UNRWA By Margaret Besheer January 28, 2025 U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to Israel's government to retract a new law essentially banning the U.N. agency that assists Palestinians. The law goes into effect this week. "I regret this decision and request that the Government of Israel retract it," Guterres wrote in a Monday letter to Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon that was obtained by VOA. The U.N. chief said the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA as it is known, is irreplaceable and that no other organization has the capacity or mandate to do its work. On Oct. 28, Israel's parliament adopted legislation to ban UNRWA. Israel says some UNRWA staff participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack inside Israel. The United Nations investigated the accusations and fired nine staffers. "The legislation forbids UNRWA from operating within the sovereign territory of the state of Israel, and forbids any contact between Israeli officials and UNRWA," Israel's ambassador told reporters Tuesday. "Furthermore, UNRWA will be prohibited from maintaining any representative office, service or activity within our territory. Israel will terminate all collaboration, communication and contact with UNRWA, or anyone acting on its behalf." Danon said UNRWA must cease all operations and evacuate its headquarters in East Jerusalem. The secretary-general said in his letter that Israel's "unilateral demand" that UNRWA "cease operations and evacuate all premises within less than a week of formal notice" is "unreasonable and inconsistent" with Israel's international obligations and that the U.N. and Israel should have discussions about the law, which goes into effect on Thursday. Impact on Gaza At a meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the situation, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said implementing the law now would be disastrous. He said the agency is even more critical as the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire is implemented and humanitarian agencies race to provide aid to millions of Palestinians. "Across the Gaza Strip, Palestinians are turning to UNRWA the agency they have known all their lives for support," Lazzarini said. "Curtailing our operations now outside a political process, and when trust in the international community is so low will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza's recovery and political transition." Israeli officials say other aid agencies can take over UNRWA's work, but Lazzarini disagreed. "Since October 2023, we have delivered two-thirds of all food assistance, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons, and vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio," he told the council. "Since the ceasefire began, UNRWA has brought in 60% of the food entering Gaza, reaching more than half a million people." The agency also is the primary provider of health care and education for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank. "We are determined, however, to stay and deliver until it is no longer possible to do so," Lazzarini said. United Nations officials have repeatedly stressed that if the Knesset legislation is enforced and UNRWA dismantled, then Israel, as the occupying power, would have the legal responsibility for providing essential services to the Palestinian population. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestinians return to Gaza as Trump doubles down on their removal By Patsy Widakuswara January 28, 2025 Large numbers of Palestinians continue to march from the south of the Gaza Strip toward their homes in Gaza City and the northern areas of the enclave after Israel opened checkpoints and allowed people through. The displaced Palestinians are mostly on foot, traveling through areas now mostly in ruins after 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas. By late Monday, Hamas authorities in Gaza said more than 300,000 people had crossed. About a million people were ordered out of northern Gaza as the Israeli offensive began in October 2023 following Hamas' attack on Israel. The Palestinian mass migration comes as U.S. President Donald Trump doubles down on his controversial suggestion to forcibly relocate large numbers of Palestinians to neighboring Jordan and Egypt. "When you look at the Gaza Strip, it's been hell for so many years," Trump told reporters Monday evening aboard Air Force One. "You could get people living in areas that are a lot safer and maybe a lot better and maybe a lot more comfortable." Trump first floated the idea on Saturday, saying he wants Jordan and Egypt to take in more displaced Palestinians as part of an effort to "clean out" Gaza. Hamas, the U.S. and Israeli-designated terrorist group that rules over Gaza, said the Palestinians returning to their homes en masse is a repudiation against any suggestion of mass deportation. In a statement posted online Monday, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou said the scenes "represent another failure of the occupation in achieving the goals of the war of extermination and destruction, and a message of defiance to any new attempt to displace them." The Palestinians' return to Gaza City comes in the early stages of a six-week ceasefire, the first of a three-phased deal between Israel and Hamas. The first phase so far has resulted in the release of seven hostages held in Gaza, the freeing of 300 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The next round of hostage releases is due to take place later this week. Trump's team has been managing the fragile ceasefire, secured in the last days of former President Joe Biden's administration. Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel later this week to discuss first-phase ceasefire implementation and negotiations toward the second phase. Prior to visiting Israel, Witkoff will stop in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a U.S. official said. Arab rejection Palestinians and Arab states, including Egypt and Jordan, have rejected Trump's idea to take in Palestinians, fearing their displacement would become permanent. But following his calls over the weekend with Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi, Trump expressed confidence that the leaders would overcome their opposition. "I wish he would take some. We helped them a lot, and I'm sure he'd help us," Trump said of Sissi. "But I think he would do it, and I think the king of Jordan would do it, too." Trump said he would discuss the issue with Netanyahu "very soon." According to a White House official, Trump has invited Netanyahu to meet at the White House early next week. Netanyahu and his far-right allies reject the creation of a Palestinian state. The prime minister is under pressure from the ultranationalist wing of his coalition who wants Israel to reestablish settlements inside Gaza. The government pulled out of the enclave in 2005, uprooting thousands of Israeli settlers. Ultranationalist members of Netanyahu's coalition, including Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, have come out strongly in favor of Trump's proposal. Large numbers of Palestinians were driven from their homes in what is now called Israel, twice. Israel's 1967 seizure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip drove 300,000 Palestinians mostly into Jordan. While in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, around 700,000 Palestinians fled their homes an event the Palestinians commemorate as Al-Nakba, Arabic for "the catastrophe." In 2008, former President George W. Bush, a Republican, announced his support for two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. Since then, all American presidents both Republicans and Democrats, including Biden, have supported the two-state solution. In 2020 during his first term, Trump announced his Middle East peace plan that heavily favors Israel and would deny Palestinians of their longtime goal of a full-fledged state. The war in Gaza started with the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of 250 hostages. Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza has killed at least 47,300 people, most of them women and children, according to health officials. The Israeli military said the death toll includes 17,000 militants. Hamas is believed to be holding about 60 hostages and the remains of about 30 others. According to ceasefire terms, 33 are to be released during the first phase in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians jailed by Israel. Ken Bredemeier and Chris Hannas contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China tests US commitment to South China Sea by pressuring Philippines By William Yang January 28, 2025 A little more than a week after Beijing and Manila reached an agreement aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, the Philippines has accused Chinese coast guard vessels of fresh incursions, harassment and "aggressive maneuvers." Analysts say the pressure campaign, which has stepped up in recent days, is part of Beijing's attempt to test the United States' commitment to support the Philippines. "They want to see how far they can push the Philippines under the new administration in the U.S.," Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, told VOA by phone. In a statement released on social media platform X last Saturday, the Philippine coast guard said two vessels from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries encountered "aggressive maneuvers" from three Chinese coast guard vessels while heading to Sandy Cay for a marine scientific survey last Friday. In one video released by Manila, a large Chinese coast guard vessel was seen moving within a few meters of one Philippine vessel. Another video showed a Chinese helicopter hovering above two inflatable boats carrying Philippine crew members. Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said the Philippine vessels were forced to suspend the scientific survey due to the "continuous harassment and the disregard for safety" shown by the Chinese coast guard. In response to Manila's accusations, Beijing said Chinese coast guard vessels "thwarted" two Philippine vessels' attempts to "land on" Sandy Cay, which China calls "Tiexian Reef." "The vessels attempted to illegally land on the reef and conduct sand sampling. China Coast Guard [CCG] vessels lawfully obstructed the Philippine ships' course and warned them away," the Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said in a statement released last Friday. China views almost all of the South China Sea as its territory and is engaged in a series of disputes with several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, that have overlapping claims over the strategic waterway. Apart from the incident near Sandy Cay, the Philippine coast guard said its vessels had successfully kept Chinese coast guard vessels from operating in waters near the coastline of the Philippines' Zambales province since last Friday. "The Philippine Coast Guard [PCG] vessel has maintained the China Coast Guard vessel to keep a distance of 90-100 nautical miles away from the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone," said Jay Tarriela from the Philippine coast guard in a post on social media platform X on Sunday. Then on Monday, the Philippine coast guard said its vessels were hindered by Chinese coast guard vessels while trying to recover the body of a dead Philippine fisherman from a Philippine fishing boat. The series of incidents comes more than a week after senior Chinese and Philippine diplomats vowed to settle territorial disputes in the South China Sea through dialogues during a bilateral consultation. Although the agreement has allowed the Philippines to conduct resupply missions to its forces near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal since late last year, some experts say the latest incidents are part of a bigger effort by Beijing to drive a wedge between Manila and Washington. "Beijing isn't happy with Manila's assertive stance in the South China Sea and its close ties with the United States, so [these factors] serve as convenient justifications for Beijing to try to push Manila in the South China Sea," said Collin Koh, a maritime security expert at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Despite the persistent Chinese aggression, Koh said some in Manila think the Philippines can maintain its current approach in the South China Sea since there is bipartisan support for a more assertive position against China in the U.S. and some Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, have reiterated Washington's "ironclad" defense commitment to the Philippines during interactions with their Philippine counterparts last week. "Manila appears to be more cautiously optimistic that it can maintain the current policy, knowing that there is U.S. backing for that," he told VOA by phone. To counter Beijing's pressure campaign, Don McLain Gill, a lecturer in international studies at De La Salle University in the Philippines, said it's important for the Philippines and its allies, including the United States, to maintain close collaboration in areas such as joint maritime exercises. Since China is expected to "continue pressing the Philippines into submission with its grey zone operations, which are now shifting from low intensity to high intensity, this must be addressed with more robust presence operations between the alliance and like-minded partners, along with continued support in the Philippines military modernization in line with the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defence Concept," he told VOA in a written response. With the Trump administration's announcement to suspend new funding for almost all U.S. foreign assistance for 90 days, however, Chong in Singapore said Beijing may think there is a window of opportunity to pressure countries like the Philippines. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Civilians' suffering 'unimaginable' in Congolese city under rebel attack By Margaret Besheer January 28, 2025 A senior U.N. official in the eastern Congolese city under threat from Rwandan-backed rebels said Tuesday that civilian suffering there is "truly unimaginable" and called for "urgent and coordinated" international action to end the fighting. "Immediate action is required to alleviate the suffering of civilians and enable lifesaving humanitarian efforts to proceed," said Vivian van de Perre, the deputy head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO. She briefed the second emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council in the last 72 hours on the situation in Goma. Van de Perre spoke from the city by video call, wearing a flak jacket and military helmet. "Electricity and water supplies remain disrupted in Goma, and medical facilities are completely overwhelmed due to the intensity of the ongoing combat and the proximity of the front lines," she said. "Humanitarian operations have been suspended or readjusted." The World Food Program said Tuesday it is temporarily pausing its operations in North Kivu province, of which Goma is the capital. WFP said that will affect 800,000 people who would not get food aid due to the insecurity. The agency warned that if the fighting is drawn out, it could lead to a food shortage and high prices in the city of 2 million to 3 million people. Civilians are not the only ones running out of supplies. "Many troops are now running out of critical equipment, especially water, food, medical supplies and blood," van de Perre said. "In some camps, fuel shortages have rendered generators inoperable, affecting communications equipment." In early January, M23 rebels broke a ceasefire agreement, launching a large-scale offensive in the east with the support of the Rwandan army. The U.N. said the rebels have made significant territorial gains and are seeking to open a new front in neighboring South Kivu province. The United Nations Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have called for the M23 to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from occupied territories. They have called for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces and a return to the Luanda process of mediation overseen by Angolan President Joao Lourenco. At Tuesday's Security Council meeting, Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner expressed her government's frustration with the lack of a strong international response. "Over this past 72 hours, we've seen a regional tragedy that could have been prevented if the Council had been able to take action," she told its members. She said she had asked for action at its first meeting on Sunday and asked if "this council is unwilling to act?" Some 2,574 kilometers away in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, protesters turned violent Tuesday, attacking, looting and burning some embassies, including those of France and Rwanda. The Rwanda's U.N. ambassador condemned the attack, saying it was "totally burned down." "Rwanda calls on the DRC to take its diplomatic obligations seriously and hold perpetrators accountable," Ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo told council members. The U.N. peacekeeping mission, known by its acronym MONUSCO, has also reinforced its positions to counter the rebels' advance on Goma, deploying a quick reaction force, a rapid deployment battalion, a reserve battalion, a platoon of special forces and an artillery battery. In the past few days, three U.N. peacekeepers have been killed and several injured in the conflict. Kenyan President William Ruto said he plans to hold crisis talks Wednesday with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame at an emergency meeting of the East African Community. The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a phone call Monday with Tshisekedi, "condemned the assault on Goma by the Rwanda-backed M23 and affirmed the United States' respect for the sovereignty of the DRC." Before the latest round of violence, eastern DRC was already mired in one of the largest and most protracted humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 6.5 million people displaced due to efforts by armed groups to seize control of the country's valuable mineral deposits. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN warns of worrying humanitarian situation in DRC's Goma amid assault by Rwanda-backed rebels By Margaret Besheer January 28, 2025 There was gunfire Tuesday in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Goma, as the United Nations warned of a worrying humanitarian situation amid clashes between Congolese soldiers and Rwandan-backed rebels who attacked the area and claimed to be in control. U.N. humanitarian office spokesperson Jens Laerke told a briefing Tuesday that hospitals in Goma were overwhelmed. The World Food Program said it temporarily paused food assistance activities in the Goma area. Crisis talks were planned for Wednesday, Kenyan President William Ruto said, with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame set to attend. Ruto said there is no military solution to the conflict. The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio "condemned the assault on Goma by the Rwanda-backed M23 and affirmed the United States' respect for the sovereignty of the DRC," in a phone call Monday with Tshisekedi. A senior U.N. official in the Democratic Republic of Congo said Monday that fighting between the M23 rebels and the Congolese army in Goma is "not over yet," despite the rebel claims of control. "Fighting is still very much ongoing," said Bruno Lemarquis, U.N. resident coordinator in the DRC. "It's a very, very fluid situation. It's a very dangerous situation." He told reporters via a video call from DRC's capital, Kinshasha, that "active zones of combat have spread to all quarters" of Goma in North Kivu province. Lemarquis said there have been severe disruptions to water, electricity, internet and phone service. Humanitarian warehouses have been looted. In early January, M23 rebels broke a ceasefire agreement, launching a large-scale offensive in the east with the support of the Rwandan army. The U.N. says the rebels have made significant territorial gains and are seeking to open a new front in neighboring South Kivu province. The United Nations Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and senior U.N. officials are calling for the M23 to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from occupied territories. They have called for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces and a return to the Luanda process of mediation overseen by Angolan President Joao Lourenco. "On behalf of the humanitarian community, I call on all parties to agree on temporary humanitarian pauses in the most affected areas and establish humanitarian corridors to ensure humanitarian activities resume at scale. And more importantly, also to facilitate the safe evacuation of wounded individuals and civilians trapped in combat zones," Lemarquis added. The United Nations announced Sunday a $17 million disbursement from its central emergency fund for urgent humanitarian needs in DRC. Lemarquis said nonessential U.N. staff, foreign and Congolese, are being temporarily evacuated from Goma to either Kinshasa or to a U.N. base in Entebbe in neighboring Uganda. The U.N. peacekeeping mission, known by its acronym, MONUSCO, has also reinforced its positions to counter the rebels' advance on Goma, deploying a quick reaction force, a rapid deployment battalion, a reserve battalion, a platoon of special forces and an artillery battery. "At this critical juncture now, the onus really is and has to be about bringing about an immediate cessation of hostilities," U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters on the same video call, speaking from Damascus, Syria, where he is on a mission. "The fate of the millions of civilians living in Goma or having been displaced is really the priority, along with the safety and security of U.N. personnel," he said. In the past few days, three U.N. peacekeepers have been killed and several injured in the conflict. Before the latest round of violence, eastern DRC was already mired in one of the largest and most protracted humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 6.5 million people displaced due to efforts by armed groups to seize control of the country's valuable mineral deposits. Some information for this story was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Puntland blocks illegal entry of foreigners in IS crackdown By Mohammed Yusuf January 28, 2025 Authorities in Somalia's Puntland region this week banned the illegal entry of foreigners and ordered telecom companies to deactivate SIM cards linked to undocumented people and Islamic State terrorists. The moves are an attempt to disrupt Islamic State financial networks as the military continues an offensive against IS fighters hiding out in the region. Authorities recently launched military operations against IS fighters in the Alimiskaad and Al-Madow mountains in Puntland's Bari region. Security forces seized camps and defensive positions and pushed the fighters further into the mountains. Security agencies have also started a crackdown on undocumented people in Puntland. According to local reports, authorities made more than 300 arrests in the operation. Meanwhile, Puntland's Ministry of the Interior has issued a directive banning the sale of SIM cards to undocumented people and barring them from opening financial accounts without proper identification. Abdirahman Yusuf Farah, a former intelligence chief of Puntland, said that security agencies will not violate people's rights in their pursuit of members and supporters of IS and that anyone who has entered the Puntland region legally will be respected. The International Crisis Group, in a report released in December, said Islamic State's Somalia branch was becoming influential in dispersing money to finance terrorism elsewhere in Africa. The group extorts civilians and businesses to finance its operation and sends money to other IS affiliates. Omar Mahmood, a senior researcher at the International Crisis Group, said the IS threat is growing. "It's not just about the Islamic State in Puntland or in Somalia itself, but the group there serves as a connective node for Islamic State affiliates elsewhere in Africa in Eastern Africa, in Southern Africa," Mahmood said. "They report to the Islamic State in Puntland, and that serves as a connection to the Islamic State core and other affiliates outside of the continent." Mahmood said Puntland is trying to block the local IS's access to international banking systems. "The group has focused on developing its financial capabilities, whether that is extortion in Bosaso and then transferring this externally," he said. "They've really developed that particular niche, much more so than operational capacity. Puntland is trying to crack down on the use of their formal systems, whether that is the banking sector or telecom, to make it harder for the group to continue to, one, generate financially, and two, then send that money outside of Puntland." Puntland is relatively peaceful compared to southern Somalia, but local officials have grown concerned about the Islamic State's rising strength, fueled by foreign fighters. Authorities are seeking international financial and military aid, including air support. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Namibian officials hopeful aid will resume after Trump's 90-day freeze By Vitalio Angula January 28, 2025 Health officials in Nambia are reacting with caution to the order from U.S. President Donald Trump last week that freezes most U.S. foreign aid. Though the country receives U.S. aid to bolster health care, especially the fight against AIDS, authorities say the 90-day freeze will have minimal impact, at least in the short run. An estimated 219,000 people in Namibia about 13% of the adult population have either HIV or AIDS, giving the country one of the highest prevalence rates in the world. About 3,800 people in Namibia die from AIDS each year. Still, Namibia has made significant gains against the disease over the years, even surpassing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of having 95% of the population tested and effectively treated for HIV. Two American agencies the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have been crucial to Namibia's progress. That aid is now on hold, but Kalumbi Shangula, Namibia's minister of health and social services, believes the hold is temporary. "We are confident that the review will find no deviation from the intended purposes, and I am confident that after the review, the funding will resume to the programs which are supported by the United States of America," Shangula said. The Trump administration announced last week that the 90-day pause will be used to determine whether U.S. aid is being used for its intended purpose and whether beneficiaries are acting in line with U.S. interests. Nikodemus Kamangoti is part of an organization called the Rights Not Rescue Trust. The organization receives U.S. funding through KP-Star, a program that provides access to HIV services for key populations. KP-Star sets up mobile vans at night to provide HIV and reproductive health services, including HIV testing and treatment, and access to family planning options. Kamangoti says his organization has received millions annually through USAID since it started its activities in 2008. Due to the funding freeze, the mobile vans are grounded now. He is hoping the funding will resume in the future. "Currently, we have been really affected by that issue, actually, the decision that the president has taken," he said. "But as a human being, I respect his decision." Asked how Trump's executive order will affect U.S.-funded programs in Namibia, Tiffany Miller, the public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy, told VOA in an emailed response that "Consistent with President Trump's Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID for review. He is initiating a review of all foreign assistance programs to ensure they are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Crisis in eastern DRC escalates - leads to greater humanitarian and protection needs World Food Programme 28 January 2025 This is a summary of what was said by WFP DRC's Spokesperson, Shelley Thakral, to whom quoted text may be attributed - at a press briefing In Geneva today Kinshasa/Geneva: A major surge in violence in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has led to hundreds of thousands of people fleeing multiple active conflict zones. There are growing protection concerns as hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in and around Goma, many are exposed to the Gender Base Violence crisis and with limited access to food, safe clean drinking water and an income - the risks facing the populations will only increase in these volatile conditions. Families fleeing the fighting face unimaginable challenges. Every step of their journey is fraught with danger. Roads are blocked, ports are closed, and those crossing Lake Kivu risk their lives in makeshift boats. Certain IDP sites have been emptied where fighting has been the most violent. I spoke earlier to a CSO activist in Goma: "The security and humanitarian situation in Goma is currently deteriorating. We are still here, but in hiding. We don't know who will come to help us, we who are activists. There is a massive displacement of the population, including both new and long-time displaced people." Even before the recent escalation of violence some 5.1 million people in Ituri, North and South Kivu, have been displaced and forced to live in overcrowded camps with little food and no security. WFP's priority is keeping staff and their dependents safe. Only critical WFP staff remain in the area and once the security situation improves, we can resume our emergency assistance and operations. Food assistance activities in and around Goma have been temporarily paused. WFP is concerned about food scarcity in Goma and rising food prices as the airport and major access roads within region have been cut-off. Depending on the duration of violence the supply of food into the city could be severely hampered. This is a huge test for Congolese trapped by the fighting in Goma and surrounding areas - of their resilience and the next 24 hours will be critical as people start to run low on supplies and will need to see what they can find to survive. WFP strongly condemns the escalation of violence in the eastern DRC that is endangering civilian populations. We call on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and uphold obligations under International Humanitarian Law, including the protection and safety of humanitarian workers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address WFP reaches hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza in first week of the ceasefire World Food Programme 28 January 2025 GAZA/CAIRO -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reached more than 330,000 people in Gaza with food assistance in the first week of the ceasefire, providing food parcels, hot meals and cash assistance to war-weary families. "The first week has brought hope, but it is still early days. We must keep up this momentum," said Antoine Renard, WFP Country Director in Palestine. "And with so many people on the move now, keen to reach their homes and reunite with their families in the north, we need to make sure they have food wherever they are. WFP's priority is to ensure assistance follows the people." Here are the latest updates on WFP operations in Gaza: WFP has brought 10,130 metrictons of food into Gaza since the ceasefire. Food entered Gaza through all available corridors from Jordan, Israel and Egypt. For the first time in months, families in Gaza are now receiving significantly more rations - two food parcels and a 25-kg bag of wheat flour. In total, WFP reached more 330,000 people in the first week of the ceasefire with food parcels and hot meals. WFP has also distributed nutrition products to 46,000 people, including children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women. If the ceasefire holds, WFP aims to reach one million people each month for the next three months. WFP has enough food pre-positioned along the borders and on its way to Gaza to feed over a million people with full rations for three months. A cash assistance programme started on Monday, with 7,000 people reached on day one, and more than 32,000 as of today. This money will enable families to meet their basic needs - not only food - as they seek to relocate and rebuild. The aim is to reach 30,000 families (150,000 people) in one month. Thanks to the influx of fresh supplies entering the Strip, WFP has also been able to get bakeries up and running in the south - eight old and 5 new ones - and prepare hot meals and deliver ready-to-eat meals to families in shelters. The humanitarian situation in the West Bank is also critical. WFP is ready to provide voucher assistance to approximately 3,750 people in Jenin camp, allowing them to obtain food at a local retailer or receive food parcels. Additionally, cash assistance will be provided to 12,750 displaced households affected by military operations. # # # The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 28 January 2025 - Day 1070 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 in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 174 combat encounters. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect. Russian invaders launched one missile and 26 air strikes today, launched one rocket and 51 guided bombs, deployed 966 kamikaze drones and launched almost 4,000 shells at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the Kharkiv direction, the Russian opponent seven times without success stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Vovchansk and Starica. In the Kupyansky direction, Russian forces carried out offensive actions near Kutkivka, Kindrashivka, Dvorichnaya, Petropavlivka, Nova Kruglyakivka and Boguslavka, two confrontations are ongoing so far. Ukrainian defenders stopped 12 enemy attacks. In the Lyman direction Russian zagarbniki nine times attacked the positions of Defense Forces near Novoegorivka, Boguslavka, Novolubivka, Makiyivka and in the Serebryans komu forest. One battle is going on so far. In the sivers komu direction, Russian forces 17 times attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of bilogorivka, novosilka and verkhnyokam kogo. So far, two clashes are ongoing. In the direction of Kramators ,komu, Russian forces 11 times attacked Ukrainian positions near the Antichynogo, the White Mountain and the Time Yar. In the Toretsky direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 17 Russian attacks in the areas of settlements of Crimea, Diliyivka, Dachne, Toretsk and Scherbinivka. Yet another battle is underway. In addition, Russian forces launched an aviation strike with 4 controlled bombs on the settlement of Katerinivka. In the Pokrovsky direction, from the beginning of this day, the Russian enemy attacked 75 times in the areas of populated areas Vodyane Second, Peace, Elizabeth, Ray, Dry Yar, Fox, Green, Renaissance, Shevchenko, Pokrovsk, Sergiyivka, Udaachne, Nadiivka, Uspenivka, Novovasilivka, Novooleksandrivka, Oleksiyivka, Dachne, Bogdanivka, Kurakhove and Ulakly. At the same time, Russian forces caused aviation strikes controlled bombs on the settlements of Andriyivka and Luck. Today in this direction, according to preliminary data, Ukrainian soldiers zneszkodili 275 invaders, of them 146 - irrevocably. Four motorcycles, four units of automobile equipment, one mortar, two satellite communication tools, two BPLA antennas were also destroyed, the motorcycle and mortar were also damaged. In the Novopavlivs komu direction, Russian forces made seven attempts to break through Ukrainian defense near the settlements of Konstantinopil and Spill. In addition, the enemy launched aerial strikes on the settlements of Komar and New Komar, dropping seven controlled bombs. In the direction of Gulyaipilsky, the Russian zagarbniki attacked the settlement of Novosilka five times. In the Orihiv direction, the Russian occupiers dropped six controlled aviation bombs near the settlement of Kalinovsk. In the Pridniprovsky direction, Russian occupation troops conducted one assault of the positions of Ukrainian defenders, unsuccessful, retreated. In the Kursk region, Ukrainian defenders today repelled ten Russian attacks, currently one fight is ongoing. At the same time, Russian forces launched 15 air strikes, dropped 27 controlled bombs in total and carried out 255 artillery shelling, including three from jet systems of salp-fire. On the rest of the directions, the operational environment has not changed. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Liptsy and Volchansk (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 25 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, and two motor vehicles. Two field artillery guns and one ammunition depot were neutralised. As a result of decisive actions of the Zapad Group of Forces, Dvurechnaya (Kharkov region) was liberated. Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of one tank brigade, two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the AFU and two territorial defence brigades near Topoli, Zapadnoye, Peschanoye, Lozovaya, Kopanki, Zeleny Gai, Krasnoye Pervoye (Kharkov region), Makeyevka (Lugansk People's Republic), Yampol, Grigorovka, and Ivanovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 330 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, to include two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, and six motor vehicles. Four field artillery guns, to include three of Western-made, two electronic warfare stations, and two ammunition depots were eliminated. Units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Formations of two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the AFU, and two territorial defence brigades were hit near Verkhnekamenskoye, Yantarnoye, Zelenovka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Chasov Yar, and Dachnoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 220 troops, two American HMMWV armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 gun. One ammunition depot was wiped out. Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Manpower and hardware of four mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, two national guard brigades, and one territorial defence brigade were hit close to Shcherbinovka, Dzerzhinsk, Lysovka, Krymskoye, Zverevo, Novoyelizavetovka, Vozdvizhenka, Yasenovoye, Novovasilyevka, and Kotlino (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 600 troops, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, to include one U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, seven motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun. Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Formations of one mechanised brigade of the AFU, one national guard brigade, and one territorial defence brigade were hit near Bogatyr, Vremevka, and Rovnopol (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 115 troops, one tank, two motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns, to include one manufactured by Western countries. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have engaged manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, one coastal defence brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade close to Stepnogorsk, Novopokrovka, Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), Antonovka (Kherson region), and Kherson. The AFU losses were more than 40 troops and three motor vehicles. Operational-Tactical Aviation, strike UAVs, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged the infrastructure of military airfields, drones and uncrewed surface vehicles manufacturing workshops and depots as well as clusters of enemy manpower and hardware in 152 areas. Air defence systems have shot down 15 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles and 64 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 41,635 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,870 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,510 MLRS combat vehicles, 21,022 field artillery guns and mortars, and 30,853 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 AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region. During the offensive, 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, Gogolevka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Zaoleshenka, Pervy Knyazhy, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevka, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Sverdlikovo, Sudzha, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. Five enemy counter-attacks were repelled. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware close to Bogdanovka, Zamostye, Kazachya Loknya, Pervy Knyazhy, Kolmakov, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Lebedevka, Loknya, Martynovka, Melovoy, Mirny, Nikolayevka, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Vodolagi, Glukhov, and Zhuravka in Sumy region. Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 280 troops, one tank, one infantry fighting vehicle, six armoured fighting vehicles, and 20 motor vehicles. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 55,470 troops, 322 tanks, 239 infantry fighting vehicles, 184 armoured personnel carriers, 1,642 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,664 motor vehicles, 392 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, 103 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 Cyber-attacks: three individuals added to EU sanctions list for malicious cyber activities against Estonia European Council / Council of the European Union Council of the EU Press release 27 January 2025 The Council today adopted additional restrictive measures against three Russian individuals responsible for a series of cyberattacks carried out against the Republic of Estonia in 2020. The individuals listed are officers of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU) Unit 29155. The cyber-attacks granted attackers unauthorized access to classified information and sensitive data stored within several government ministries, including Economic Affairs and Communications, Social Affairs, and Foreign Affairsleading to the theft of thousands of confidential documents. These documents included business secrets, health records, and other critical information compromising the security of the affected institutions. Unit 29155 is also responsible for conducting cyber-attacks against other EU member states and partners, notably Ukraine. The covert unit, known for its involvement in foreign assassinations and destabilisation activities such as bombings and cyber-attacks across Europe, and some of its military personnel active in Ukraine, Western Europe and Africa, was also sanctioned last year under the new sanction regime in view of Russia's destabilising activities. With today's listings, the EU horizontal cyber sanctions regime now applies to 17 individuals and 4 entities. It includes an asset freeze and a travel ban, and the prohibition for EU persons and entities to make funds available to those listed. This decision confirms the willingness of the EU and its member states to provide a strong and sustained response to persistent malicious cyber activities targeting the EU, its member states and partners. The EU and its member states will continue to cooperate with our international partners to promote an open, free, stable and secure cyberspace. The relevant legal acts have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Background In June 2017, the EU established a Framework for a Joint EU Diplomatic Response to Malicious Cyber Activities (the "Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox"). The framework allows the EU and its member states to use all CFSP measures, including restrictive measures if necessary, to prevent, discourage, deter and respond to malicious cyber activities targeting the integrity and security of the EU and its member states. The EU framework for restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the EU and its member states was set up in May 2019. On May 21st, 2024, the Council approved conclusions on the future of cybersecurity aiming to provide guidance and setting the principles towards building a more cyber secure and more resilient EU.On June 24, 2024, the European Union added six individuals to its sanctions list due to their involvement in malicious cyber activities, specifically cyberattacks targeting EU member states and Ukraine. These individuals were linked to harmful actions that threatened the security and stability of the region. The sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans. In parallel, on October 8th, 2024, the Council established a new framework for restrictive measures in response to Russia's destabilising actions abroad. This framework allows the EU to target individuals and entities engaged in actions and policies, including cyber-attacks, by the government of the Russian Federation, which undermine the fundamental values of the EU and its member states, their security, independence and integrity, as well as those of international organisations and third countries. In its most recent conclusions of 19 December 2024, the European Council strongly condemned Russia's hybrid campaign, including sabotage, disruption of critical infrastructure, cyber-attacks, information manipulation and interference, and attempts to undermine democracy, including in the electoral process, against the European Union and its member states. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Iron Dome for America EXECUTIVE ORDER January 27, 2025 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including my authority as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose. The threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks, remains the most catastrophic threat facing the United States. President Ronald Reagan endeavored to build an effective defense against nuclear attacks, and while this program resulted in many technological advances, it was canceled before its goal could be realized. And since the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 and initiated development of limited homeland missile defense, official United States homeland missile defense policy has remained only to stay ahead of rogue-nation threats and accidental or unauthorized missile launches. Over the past 40 years, rather than lessening, the threat from next-generation strategic weapons has become more intense and complex with the development by peer and near-peer adversaries of next-generation delivery systems and their own homeland integrated air and missile defense capabilities. Sec. 2. Policy. To further the goal of peace through strength, it is the policy of the United States that: (a) The United States will provide for the common defense of its citizens and the Nation by deploying and maintaining a next-generation missile defense shield; (b) The United States will deter and defend its citizens and critical infrastructure against any foreign aerial attack on the Homeland; and (c) The United States will guarantee its secure second-strike capability. Sec. 3. Implementation. Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall: (a) Submit to the President a reference architecture, capabilities-based requirements, and an implementation plan for the next-generation missile defense shield. The architecture shall include, at a minimum, plans for: (i) Defense of the United States against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks from peer, near-peer, and rogue adversaries; (ii) Acceleration of the deployment of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor layer; (iii) Development and deployment of proliferated space-based interceptors capable of boost-phase intercept; (iv) Deployment of underlayer and terminal-phase intercept capabilities postured to defeat a countervalue attack; (v) Development and deployment of a custody layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture; (vi) Development and deployment of capabilities to defeat missile attacks prior to launch and in the boost phase; (vii) Development and deployment of a secure supply chain for all components with next-generation security and resilience features; and (viii) Development and deployment of non-kinetic capabilities to augment the kinetic defeat of ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks; (b) Review relevant authorities and organization of the Department of Defense to develop and deploy capabilities at the necessary speed to implement this directive; (c) Jointly with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, submit to the President a plan to fund this directive, allowing sufficient time for consideration by the President before finalization of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget; and (d) In cooperation with United States Strategic Command and United States Northern Command, submit to the President: (i) An updated assessment of the strategic missile threat to the Homeland; and (ii) A prioritized set of locations to progressively defend against a countervalue attack by nuclear adversaries. Sec. 4. Allied and Theater Missile Defense Review. The United States continues to cooperate on missile defense with its allies and partners to aid in the defense of ally populations and troops and of forward-deployed United States troops. Following the submission to the President of the next-generation missile defense reference architecture under section 3(a) of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall direct a review of theater missile defense posture and initiatives to identify ways in which the United States and its allies and partners can: (a) Increase bilateral and multilateral cooperation on missile defense technology development, capabilities, and operations; (b) Improve theater missile defenses of forward-deployed United States troops and allied territories, troops, and populations; and (c) Increase and accelerate the provision of United States missile defense capabilities to allies and partners. Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. THE WHITE HOUSE, January 27, 2025. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New dawn of innovation By Major Dean Benson 28 January 2025 Soldiers, students and some sharp minds from defence industry came together for six weeks in Perth recently to deliver an innovation exercise that had been three years in the making. Exercise Western Dawn 2024 was a concept drawn up over some informal chats between Perth's 13th Brigade and WA's renowned Curtin University three years ago. That concept became a reality at the end of 2024, culminating in an innovation pitch day judged by a panel of experts from across Defence, industry and academia. One of the judges was Brigadier Malcolm Wells, of Headquarters Joint Operations Command, who said six teams had to work across several weeks to address three key themes: persistent situational awareness, protracted sustainment and decision advantage. "We know these three things represent huge challenges for the Australian Defence Force," Brigadier Wells said. "By approaching these themes with new ideas, new thinking, with really innovative people, we know that we can deliver a really powerful set of results. "Through Western Dawn, we've seen people who have brought together years of operational experience, people with incredibly impressive research and academic backgrounds, and from industry who are very invested in making sure that they can provide the systems, capabilities and perspectives we need to execute our mission." The winning concept played to the persistent situational awareness theme. It was a system called 'tripwire', an undersea meshed communication system capable of transmitting sensed undersea data at high speeds. Curtin University's Director of National Resilience and Security Program Office, Garry Hale, said the winning concept was just one selection from an impressive field. "The challenging problems that Defence faces are great things for universities to be involved in, particularly where we've got collaboration involving industry, Defence and academia producing some amazing results," Mr Hale said. "One of the key outcomes that we wanted to get from Exercise Western Dawn was that ability to innovate under pressure. "The different ideas, thinking and diversity of the groups produced some pretty exciting outcomes as far as potential technologies that Defence could use in the future." Commander 13th Brigade, Brigadier Amanda Williamson, said the innovation exercise had been a long time coming for the STEM experts of the 13th Engineer Regiment and that she hoped for it to become an annual exercise. "We ran Exercise Western Dawn as a pilot concept to see what we could achieve with our partners in academia and industry," she said. "What we've seen really blew us away and so we're hopeful that this will now become an annual feature on the 13th Brigade calendar." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HMCS Harry DeWolf departs for counter-narcotics operations with US forces National Defence News release January 28, 2025 - Halifax, N.S. - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces On Sunday, January 26, His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf departedits home port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a six-week deployment in the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean involving counter-narcotics related activities with US forces. During Operation CARIBBE, the ship will participate in United States Coast Guard (USCG)-led efforts to monitor and intercept vessels of interest to impede the flow of illicit drugs and goods between South America, the Caribbean, and North America. As part of these efforts, sailors will support boarding and maritime interdiction operations with embarked USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Team personnel, partner nation surface assets, and maritime patrol aircraft. Operation CARIBBE enables the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to work with our partners and allies to protect Canada's communities through counter-narcotics operations, and to help prevent the flow of illicit drugs and goods into Canada, contributing to a safer North America. Quotes "Many thanks to our families and loved ones whose continued support and sacrifice allows the sailors onboard His Majesty's Canadian Ship Harry DeWolf to take on this operation. As the ship embarks on Operation CARIBBE, I am immensely proud of our dedicated crew. Their commitment to combating illicit trafficking and enhancing maritime security in the Caribbean is a testament to their professionalism and resolve. I have full confidence in their ability to carry out this mission with excellence." Rear-Admiral Josee Kurtz, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic & Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic "As we deploy on Operation CARIBBE, I'm incredibly proud of the crew of His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf. Their professionalism, dedication, and teamwork will showcase the capabilities of both our Navy and the Harry DeWolf-class during this vital mission while demonstrating our commitment to protecting and safeguarding North America. To our families and loved ones, you remain the foundation of our success, and I thank you sincerely for your unwavering support." Commander Jon Nicholson, Commanding Officer HMCS Harry DeWolf Quick facts Operation CARIBBEsupportsmultinational efforts to address illicit trafficking by providing naval and air capabilities to detect and monitor suspect drug smuggling activities in the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic. Since the beginning of Operation CARIBBE in 2006, the operation has contributed to the disruption or seizure of more than 123 metric tons of cocaine. Commissioned on June 26, 2021, HMCS Harry DeWolf is the RCN's first-of-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship. This deployment is the second time HMCS Harry DeWolf has participated in Operation CARIBBE. On December 16, 2021, HMCS Harry DeWolf became the first Canadian naval vessel to circumnavigate North America since HMCS Labrador made a similar voyage in 1954. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau January 28, 2025 Warsaw, Poland Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, in Warsaw, Poland. Following yesterday's commemorative event to mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp, the two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to Holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism. As the full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears the three-year mark, the prime ministers condemned Russia's unjustifiable war of aggression and reiterated the importance of Canada and Poland's continued support to the people of Ukraine as they continue to fight for their freedom and independence. The leaders underlined the importance of providing military, financial, and other assistance to Ukraine. Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Tusk reaffirmed Canada and Poland's commitment to working together to tackle regional and global challenges, including threats to stability and energy security. Prime Minister Trudeau welcomed continued bilateral co-operation in initiatives to strengthen transatlantic security, such as the training of Ukraine's Armed Forces personnel and NATO's Canada-led Multinational Brigade in Latvia. The two leaders reflected on the strong state of bilateral relations between their two countries, including growing commercial ties. They also welcomed the conclusion of the Canada-Poland Nuclear Cooperation Agreement and deepened ties in this key sector. The prime ministers agreed that their shared values and priorities will carry forward this relationship in the years to come. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with President of Poland Andrzej Duda Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau January 28, 2025 Oswiecim, Poland Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, on the margins of a commemorative event to mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp in Oswiecim, Poland. The Prime Minister and the President paid tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to remembering the Holocaust, educating against Holocaust denialism and distortion, and combatting antisemitism and all forms of hate across the globe. As the full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears its three-year mark, the two leaders condemned Russia's unjustifiable war of aggression and reiterated their unwavering support for Ukraine. Prime Minister Trudeau and President Duda recognized the strong and continued co-operation between their countries in support of Ukraine. Prime Minister Trudeau and President Duda also reaffirmed their shared commitment to regional security, particularly on NATO's Eastern Flank. The two leaders underscored the strong bilateral relations between Canada and Poland and discussed additional areas for further co-operation, including in the nuclear sector. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Xi lauds China's solid progress despite challenges in Year of Dragon Global Times By Xinhua Published: Jan 27, 2025 03:20 PM Updated: Jan 28, 2025 06:08 PM Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday noted solid progress the country has made in advancing Chinese modernization amid "complex and challenging" situations over the past twelve months at a high-level reception to ring in the Chinese New Year. "In the Year of the Dragon, we demonstrated vitality and a can-do spirit. We endured storms and saw the rainbow," said Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. Faced with complex and challenging situations, China responded with composure and implemented a range of comprehensive measures, overcame difficulties and forged ahead with determination, Xi said at the reception held by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to usher in the Year of the Snake, which begins on Jan. 29. At the reception attended by over 2,000 people, Xi extended Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese. Over the past year, China effectively implemented existing policies and proactively introduced a package of incremental policies, which helped promote the recovery of the economy, Xi said. China achieved remarkable progress in technological and industrial innovation, with new quality productive forces forging ahead steadily. China's employment and consumer prices also remained stable, Xi said. From a global perspective, China remained a major engine for the world's economic growth, he said. China dealt with major natural disasters with strong and effective measures, Xi said, adding that Team China achieved its best overseas performance at the Paris Olympics and the country has injected more positive energy into safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting human development and progress. Xi hailed the journey over the past year as "extraordinary" and the achievements "very encouraging." "We proved once again through our hard work that no difficulty or obstacle will hold back the Chinese people in their pursuit of a better life," Xi said. "Our historical course to build a strong country and rejuvenate the nation will not be blocked." "We will undoubtedly break new ground in reform and development as long as we strengthen our conviction and confidence, confront problems and obstacles directly, and tackle risks and challenges without hesitation," Xi added. In 2025, China will further deepen reforms across the board, expand high-standard opening up, guard against and defuse risks in key areas and external shocks, and promote sustained economic recovery, Xi said. Suggestions for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will be formulated and China will continue to strive towards grand goals, he stated. China will continue to improve people's living standards and ensure that more benefits of modernization are shared among all the people in a more equitable way, Xi added. The snake symbolizes wisdom and vitality in Chinese culture, Xi said, expressing his hope that Chinese people of all ethnic groups will stay confident, hopeful and forge ahead with an enterprising spirit. Li Qiang presided over the reception. Other senior officials Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng were also present at the event. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, India agree to strengthen strategic communication, enhance mutual political trust, resume direct flights: FM Global Times By Yang Sheng Published: Jan 28, 2025 02:59 PM China and India have recently reached multiple consensuses, including India expressing full support for China's rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and both sides agreeing to resume direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India, and facilitating personnel exchange, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held the China-India Vice Foreign Minister-Foreign Secretary Dialogue in Beijing on Monday. The meeting focused on pushing forward the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during the meeting in Kazan and discussing the measures for the improvement and development of China-India relations, according to a release by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. The two sides reached consensus on multiple issues. Among these consensuses, the Indian side will extend full support for Chinese presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and will actively participate in the meetings under the SCO umbrella. The two sides agreed to carry out active interactions at all levels on bilateral and multilateral occasions, strengthen strategic communication, and enhance mutual political trust, according to the release. The two sides agreed to jointly commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India in 2025, and carry out media and think tank exchanges, Track II dialogues and other people-to-people exchanges, it read. Hu Zhiyong, a professor from Zhejiang International Studies University and also research fellow at the Institute of International Relations at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the consensuses reached by both sides showed that, at this moment, both sides have common interests to stabilize bilateral ties and remove obstacles for further cooperation, as there will be uncertainties and challenges in 2025 that will require both sides to work together. "Although the two countries had frictions and tensions in different fields in the past few years and New Delhi has imposed many sanctions or strict measures to target some Chinese firms that are operating in India, the data about trade between the two countries prove that decouple from China is unfeasible, and Indian decision-makers have realized that the confrontation approach against China is wrong and unsustainable," Hu noted. The Indian media Economic Times reported on January 15 that "India is heavily reliant on Chinese imports, with the country's trade deficit surging to $85.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. China was India's top import source with $65.89 billion, a 9.8 per cent year-on-year increase between April-October, 2024." However, India's exports to China "dipped by 9.37 per cent to $8 billion in the same period last fiscal," according to India's Commerce Ministry data. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at the meeting on Monday, the two sides agreed to resume direct flights between Chinese mainland and India, support the competent authorities of the two countries to coordinate and push it forward, and take measures to facilitate personnel flows and exchanges of resident journalists. The two sides agreed to resume the Indian pilgrims' visit to Kailash Mansarovar in Xizang Autonomous Region, China in 2025, and will discuss relevant arrangements as soon as possible. The two sides also agreed to advance trans-border river cooperation, and maintain communication on holding a new round of meeting of the China-India Expert Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers at an early date, according to the release. Hu said the obstacles of people-to-people exchange were unilaterally not set by China, and now it's the right decision for India to remove them and correct this mistake. Li Zishuo, a Chinese student who is studying in Jawaharlal Nehru University of India, told the Global Times that since late 2024, after the meeting between top leaders of the two countries on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit in last October, the bilateral ties and people-to-people exchange have recovered gradually. "Chinese students in India or those who plan to come to India find that it's easier for them to get Indian visa now. In the past, they were troubled by groundless reasons such as 'national security concern' of the Indian side," Li said. Indian universities who welcome Chinese students are also becoming more confident on the visa issue, Li said. "The number of new exchange students from China has also increased, and the application for student visa is also easier to get passed. But more efforts are needed, and we are being cautious to observe what will happen in 2025." Lin Minwang, a professor at the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Tuesday given the geopolitical landscape and other global uncertainties, India has realized that it has to expedite efforts to improve relations with China. Thus, barring unexpected circumstances, the broader trend of stabilizing China-India relations by 2025 is likely to be stabilized and proceed smoothly. During the dialogue, the Chinese side stressed that both sides should view and handle China-India relations on the basis of the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples and from a strategic height and long-term perspective, actively advance exchanges and practical cooperation with a candid and constructive attitude, guide the public opinion in a positive way, enhance mutual trust, and properly handle differences, so as to promote the development of China-India relations along the sound and stable track. The two sides also had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on issues of respective concern, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China welcomes Year of the Snake, but 'nobody is spending' Chinese and Hong Kongers dream of a better economy and a more predictable world amid ongoing economic gloom. By Xiao An for RFA Mandarin, Wei Sze and Alice Yam for RFA Cantonese 2025.01.28 -- China's 1.4 billion people welcomed in the Year of the Snake on Lunar New Year's Eve Tuesday night with brand new clothes, festive decorations and firecrackers to ward off evil, as well as the obligatory extended family meal for those who could make it home in time for festivities But few people who spoke to Radio Free Asia had the sense that the new year could bring better fortune than the departing Year of the Dragon, citing the country's economic woes. A resident of southwestern China who declined to be named for fear of reprisals told RFA Mandarin that she would participate in all the celebrations, but she felt that "this year could be even worse than the last." A young man working in a hotel in southern China who also asked to remain anonymous said he has one main wish for the Lunar New Year. "I want to be rich, quickly and suddenly," he said, jokingly. "Just kidding. I have no plan [for achieving this]." Asked if he plans to marry, he said: "Not sure." China last month said it would loosen monetary policy in a bid to kickstart the country's economic growth in a bid to send "a positive signal that will effectively boost the confidence of all parties and help China's economy recover and improve." China reported economic growth at around 5.0% for the first half of 2024, with a projected slowdown to 4.8% for the full year, but analysts say the figure doesn't fully reflect the damage done by the burst property bubble and three years of COVID restrictions. A resident of central China, who declined to be named, said he has no expectations of the coming year. "Ever since the three years of zero-COVID, the world seems a bit mysterious," he said, referring to government imposed restrictions between 2020 and 2022 that included grueling lockdowns and the mass testing, tracking and quarantining of citizens. "I mean, there's no way to understand [the world] and no way to predict it. The future is kind of foggy ... including the political situation, the economy and the international situation," he said. "It seems to me that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that the relationship between human beings and nature is unpredictable," he said. He said international relations also seem to be in a state of distress. "Some countries are on the verge of war, while some are already at war, and there doesn't seem to be anything that can be done about it," he said. "What are they even fighting for?" A woman living in eastern China said she had few expectations for the Year of the Snake. "It's very difficult right now," she said of the economy. "2025 could be even worse than 2024." She said that there were fewer job opportunities, government departments were cutting spending, and the people had less disposable income. "How are we supposed to spend money if we don't have any?" she said. "I'll be happy if everyone just gets to live normally." She said she hadn't watched the flagship Spring Festival Gala show on the state-run CCTV channel for years, because much of the positive sentiment expressed on the show was "fake, given that most people's lives are getting worse and worse." Street market slump in Hong Kong In Hong Kong, the city's leader delivered a message that seemed pitched to encourage people to spend more. "We are busy gathering with family and friends, doing New Year shopping and buying festive flowers for our homes, preparing for the New Year to come," Lee said in a statement on Tuesday. For the first time, the English version of the statement used the term "Chinese New Year" instead of the more inclusive "Lunar New Year," suggesting that the city's officials are super-keen on demonstrating loyalty to Beijing. Lee also name-checked "two adorable giant pandas from the motherland" who will be on view in Hong Kong during the holiday period, starting in mid-February. "In Chinese culture, the snake is nimble and agile, and is a symbol of prosperity and wealth," Lee said, promising that Hong Kong will "show its resilience" in the coming year. But stallholders at the city's street-markets, which usually see a huge boost to business ahead of the festival, said business had slumped. "Nobody's spending," an underwear stall owner surnamed Siu told RFA Cantonese a week before Lunar New Year. Asked by how much sales had dropped compared with last year, he estimated: "By more than half." "The economy's not doing well, and most people are going to spend their money in mainland China," he said. A stallholder surnamed Wong agreed. "Business has been really weak this year -- I think 30% of it has gone to mainland China and another 20% online." Hong Kong retail sales plummeted by 7.3% year-on-year in November, according to the Census and Statistics Department. The government recently launched multiple entry permits for Chinese nationals to boost cross-border consumption. But stallholders said they can't really feel much improvement, despite a forecast influx of 1.4 million visitors from mainland China over the festive period. "It's super-bad -- I've never seen it this bad," a food stall owner also surnamed Wong told RFA Cantonese, adding that people are taking tips from social media to save money instead. "People who visit Hong Kong aren't going shopping like they used to ... now they're coming here on a budget, and using ... recommendations from (social media app) Xiaohongshu." Residents simply did not buy as much to prepare for New Year's celebrations this year compared to previous years, a marketing executive who gave only the surname Lee told RFA. "I haven't bought anything for New Year yet," Lee said. "Everyone's saying that the markets and the economy are in bad shape this year." Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Eugene Whong. 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 Analysts: Rubio charts a course for countering China By Christy Lee, Young Gyo Kim January 28, 2025 U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's Southeast and East Asia strategies will be aimed at countering China by toughening U.S. policies to secure regional peace and maximize American interests, analysts say. Rubio gave a glimpse of what U.S. foreign policy will look like as he began his first day as the head of the State Department last week. Speaking to his staff after he was sworn on Jan. 21, Rubio said, "Our job across the world is to ensure that we have a foreign policy that advances the national interest of the United States." Referencing President Donald Trump's objective, Rubio continued that the "overriding goal of global policy is the promotion of peace, the avoidance of conflict." Putting "America First" and achieving "Peace through Strength" are twin pillars on which Trump said he will prop up the U.S. as he took office on Jan. 20. Rubio is currently likely to consult with country directors of the region and coordinate with the Pentagon and intelligence agencies to formulate Asia Pacific strategies, said Richard Armitage, who served as deputy secretary of state during the Bush administration, to VOA Korean on Jan. 24. "Secretary Rubio's Southeast Asia policy will focus on countering China through stronger U.S. trade, security partnerships and supply chain diversification," said Mark Kennedy, director at the Wilson Center's Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition, to VOA on Jan. 23 On Pyongyang and Moscow, "Rubio will ask China - as Trump did - to help convince North Korea to resume negotiations with the U.S.," said Joseph DeTrani, who served as special envoy for six-party denuclearization talks with North Korea during the George W. Bush administration. "If successful, with or without China's help, this may help to distance North Korea from Russia," DeTrani told VOA on Jan. 24. Rubio's roots In shaping and executing regional policies, Rubio's strong opposition to authoritarianism, communism, and human rights violations is likely to "color his approach at the State Department," said Evans Revere, who served as acting secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs during the George W. Bush administration. The former senator grew up in Miami with Cuban immigrant parents and has exhibited an aversion toward communist governments throughout his political career. This stance, mixed with the twin foreign policy pillars, are likely to result in tough strategies for countries like North Korea and China and their activities in the region, according to analysts. Rubio signaled this on a call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, stressing that "the Trump Administration will pursue a U.S.-PRC relationship that advances U.S. interests" and "the United States' commitment to our allies in the region." China's official name is the People's Republic of China (PRC). He also expressed "serious concern over China's coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea." In line with the policy goal of avoiding conflict, Rubio may support Trump's personal diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Gary Samore, former White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction during the Obama administration. North Korea said Sunday it conducted a sea-to-surface strategic cruise missile test the previous day. Rubio, doubtful initially about Trump's summits with Kim during his first term, said at a confirmation hearing earlier this month that Trump's personal diplomacy was able to stop the country from testing missiles. He spoke by phone with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul last week emphasizing the alliance is the linchpin of peace on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific. In a meeting also last week in Washington, Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi discussed North Korea's ties with Russia. Rally against China Among Southeast Asian countries, Rubio last week held calls with the foreign ministers of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, each time stressing stable maritime security in the South China Sea. Particularly in his calls with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, Rubio underscored "PRC's dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea." With Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Rubio expressed concern over "China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea." Gregory Poling, director of the Southeast Asia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told VOA on January 23 that the Trump administration "will look primarily to the Philippines and outside partners like Japan and Australia to defend freedom of the seas in the South China Sea." One of the first meetings Rubio held was with the Australian, Japanese and Indian leaders of the Quad security dialogue last week in Washington where they expressed opposition to unilateral actions to change the status quo of the region by force or coercion and vowed to keep the Indo-Pacific free and open. Poling continued the administration will look "secondarily to Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia to deepen practical maritime cooperation." Rubio "may push Indonesia to take a stronger stance vis-a-vis Chinese activities in disputed waters, particularly in light of controversial Indonesia-China maritime development deal signed in November 2024," Anreyka Natalegawa, associate fellow for the Southeast Asia Program at CSIS told VOA on Jan. 23. Indonesia and China signed a $10 billion deal in November agreeing to develop fisheries, oil and gas exploration, among other things, across their private sectors. Diplomatic balancing Analysts say Washington's push to have regional countries align more closely with Washington could lead to some tensions. Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar tend to lean more toward Beijing, and Indonesia tends to balance its engagement with China and the U.S. Robert McMahon, a foreign relations expert at The Ohio State University, said Rubio's harsh stance on China could put Indonesia in a "difficult position, since it has not been willing to join the anti-China bandwagon." He told VOA in December after Rubio was nominated as the secretary of state that "to the extent that the United States tries to pressure Indonesia to move in that direction, that could lead to some conflict." Rubio said to his State Department staff last week that he expects other countries "to advance their national interests" but hopes "there will be many - in which our national interests and theirs align." Seng Vanly, an assistant dean and lecturer at the Techo Sen School of Government and International Relations at the University of Cambodia, said Washington is likely to increase pressure on Cambodia over concerns for human rights, democratic setbacks, and restricted civil society activities, coupled with its growing ties with China. However, analysts say U.S. foreign policy under Rubio will likely balance issues such as human rights with regional security and economic goals. Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow for the Southeast Asia program at the Lowy Institute, said, "Washington will be more practical." "While it could raise human rights issues with regional countries, the Americans understand if they disengage from the region because of human rights, China will fill in the void," Yaacob said. Han Noy from Khmer Service, Yuni Salim from Indonesian Service contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Inspects Nuclear-material Production Base and Nuclear Weapons Institute Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, inspected the nuclear-material production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute. He was accompanied by Hong Sung Mu, first deputy department director of the Central Committee of the WPK, and leading officials in the relevant field. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un highly praised scientists, technicians, workers and officials in the field of nuclear weapons production for achieving remarkable successes in the new long-term projects while putting spurs to the fighting task which the Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK additionally assigned to the field related to the nuclear forces after the nuclear-material production field, the Nuclear Weapons Institute and other relevant field registered amazing production results in 2024. Looking round the core processes for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials, he learned in detail about the present production of nuclear materials, the long-term plan and the 2025 plan of the Nuclear Weapons Institute. Noting that the struggle in 2025 is very important as the five-year tasks the Eighth Congress of the WPK assigned to the fields of nuclear weapons research and production should be perfectly carried out, he said that this year is a crucial year as it is an important watershed in which we should carry out the tasks in the important period in the course of implementing the line of bolstering up the nuclear forces, a line which has been propelled by the WPK and the DPRK government, and switch over to the fulfillment of the next duty. He underlined the need to further raise the present surging spirit and thus to achieve epochal successes in overfulfilling the plan for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials and in strengthening the nuclear shield of the country. Noting that the nuclear technical forces of the DPRK growing stronger day by day and the results made by them are a symbol of the incomparable self-respect and valiant spirit of our Party, state and people, he affirmed that guaranteeing peace and security by dint of strength is our mode of struggle and option that are most righteous and an immutable truth. The external situation facing the DPRK remains grave and the challenges of the hostile forces to take the predominance of strength are becoming ever more pronounced, he said, adding that the absolute force capable of thoroughly containing the enemies and taking the initiative to control the situation is not provided by any declaration or slogan, but the stockpiling of the physical strength of practical use and its increase by geometrical progression. The DPRK's security situation, the world's most unstable situation in which a long-term confrontation with the most vicious hostile countries is inevitable, makes it indispensable for the country to steadily strengthen the nuclear shield capable of strategically coping with not only the various existing threats but also new prospective security dangers and at the same time reliably guaranteeing the sovereignty, interests and development right of the state, as we should bear the responsibility for not only the present but also the future of the country, he said. And he said that everything should be subordinated to enhancing the prestige of the state and defending its interests and that it is our firm political and military stand and invariable noble task and duty to develop the state's nuclear counteraction posture indefinitely. He expressed expectation that all the nuclear experts of the DPRK would bear in mind the invariable view of the state, courageously turn out in the sacred struggle to highly develop the self-defensive nuclear war deterrent gained at the dear cost and push forward with the building up of the overwhelming nuclear strategic capability of the DPRK with brilliant increased production. His inspection serves as an occasion that gave great encouragement to all the nuclear scientific and technological forces of the DPRK standing in the vanguard of the struggle for bolstering up the national defence capabilities. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Report on 30th Enlarged Meeting of Secretariat of Eighth Central Committee of WPK Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- The 30th Enlarged Meeting of the Secretariat of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the headquarters of the Party Central Committee on January 27. Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, guided the meeting. Present there were members of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee and, as observers, chief secretaries of the provincial, city and county Party committees and Party committees of the complexes, leading officials of the Party committees of ministries and national agencies, and department directors and first deputy department directors of the Party Central Committee and relevant officials of its Organizational Leadership Department, Information and Publicity Department and Discipline Inspection Department. The WPK has written the longest history in the world as a socialist ruling party in the sacred course of accomplishing the most just mission and realizing the far-reaching ideals, shouldering the destiny of the country and the people. Its mightiness and invincibility have been guaranteed through the struggle for firmly defending the immaculate political climate and discipline system peculiar to it and perfectly applying the people-first political ideals. At the present time, the Party Central Committee set forth the idea and line of building discipline on administering and strengthening the Party by dint of a strict discipline system, established a powerful discipline inspection system throughout the Party and laid down the rules of work and the action guidelines calling on all the Party organizations and officials to work and live in a revolutionary way based on their high political consciousness. The Secretariat of the Party Central Committee convened the meeting of leading officials of the whole Party in connection with the occurrence of serious cases of gravely infringing upon the dignity, rights and interests of the people while wantonly violating Party discipline and exercising negative privileges in Onchon County of Nampho Municipality and Usi County of Jagang Province. The Party Central Committee stressed that the enlarged meeting of the Secretariat was convened to further consolidate the Party's political climate and revolutionary position, taking serious note of the violation of Party discipline and anti-people acts going against the requirements of the times when the entire Party and all the people have turned out in the implementation of the decisions of the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee as a top-priority problem to be urgently settled. At the enlarged meeting, there were first a briefing on data gathered by the Organizational Leadership Department of the Party Central Committee through a survey and a report on data by the Discipline Inspection Department of the Party Central Committee as regards the violation of Party discipline by leading cadres of the Onchon County Party Committee of Nampho Municipality and the county who gave rise to a mega case of totally denying Party discipline and perpetrating wrongdoings in group. Severely exposed were the wrong deeds of officials in Onchon County, who openly denied the idea and intention of the Party Central Committee to firmly guarantee the existence and development of the Party by dint of discipline by establishing a strict discipline-observance habit and iron discipline in the entire Party, and its harmfulness and gravity. Jo Yong Won, secretary of the Organizational Leadership Department of the WPK Central Committee, and Kim Jae Ryong, director of the Discipline Inspection Department, said in the briefing and report: Today when we are faced with the unprecedentedly huge struggle tasks of completely implementing the decisions of the Eighth Party Congress and opening up a new phase towards a higher development stage in this significant year of the 80th founding anniversary of the Party, our officials have to fulfill the heavy task of carrying out their mission and duty as the core of the Party and the faithful servants of the people by displaying vigorous courage, exertion and devotion more than ever before in the vanguard of the revolution. But, on the contrary to such demand of the Party and the highly charged revolutionary atmosphere, Onchon County made poor preparations for a plenary meeting of the county Party committee for implementing the decisions of the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee and held the meeting in a grossly formalistic way. After that, there occurred the mega case, in which more than 40 officials, including Party officials, committed wrongdoing in group. This is an act of flagrant violation of Party discipline that demands leading Party officials at all levels should not lead an indolent and careless life like being treated to drinking bouts at public service facilities. The leading official of the county Party committee personally organized the irregularities and dozens of leading Party and administrative officials in the county, including officials of the county Party committee, flocked together to commit such irregularities. It was a reckless act unheard-of in the history of our Party. The group drinking spree openly committed in Onchon County is an act utterly contrary to the Party's line on building discipline, and this clearly proves that the ringleader of the case and those involved are a corrupt group and impudent rabble with no elementary qualifications as leading cadres. The respected General Secretary made an important speech. In the speech he said: These are the days when revolutionary moral discipline should be established in a thoroughgoing way in the Party, Party officials, its leading cadres in particular, should strictly observe the rules of life and activities, and its internal discipline should be further strengthened than ever before. The serious case that occurred in Onchon County in this period is regarded as a grave crime of violating Party discipline and moral and cultural order and an open denial of our Party's line of building discipline. Had there not been discipline in defending the firm unity of the revolutionary ranks and the strict political and moral discipline in and uncompromising struggle for establishing the leadership system of the Party Central Committee and defending the organizational and ideological unity of the whole Party, there would not have been the Party's glorious ruling history of 80 years nor today when its inheritance and innovation are being designed. It is useful for and beneficial to the revolution to boldly recognize such a grave deviation in the Party and to deal with it as an especially serious case in time. Making a critical analysis of the ideological origin and gravity of the malpractices committed against the Party's intentions by officials, who should be more faithful to their duties than anyone else as persons in direct charge of regional development in the crucial period when the whole Party is paying close attention to strengthening cities and counties and new innovative projects in regions are being carried on one after another or planned, he pointed out that these malpractices are not only a serious case that could undermine the foundations for strengthening our Party and make the county, occupying one-two hundredth of the country's territory, a non-Party, non-political and non-socialist region, but also a dangerous signal which directly indicates that a privileged social stratum, seeking more special favours than the people by abusing their authority, may be formed. He criticized that although all sorts of alien and heterogeneous ideological elements undermining the sound Party climate and obstructing the advance of the revolution, the political and moral crimes undermining Party discipline, occurred in the given region, it shows that the work of qualitative consolidation of cadre ranks, to which we have attached special importance and directed efforts for Party building in the new era, has not been conducted in a substantial way. Giving the Party Central Committee's estimation that there is little improvement in the style of work and the spirit of observing discipline although there seems to be a change in them outwardly, he stressed that the conclusion drawn from this is that however revolutionary and perfect the line of Party building is, it would only remain a theory for theory's sake if the cadres were not ideologically prepared and failed to make efforts to implement it absolutely and unconditionally. Noting that the current meeting marked an occasion for making a practical review and reaffirmation of the need to put greater efforts into establishing proper Party discipline at the beginning of 2025, the year that marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of our Party, he said that the meeting would constitute a turning point in further consolidating the Party consciousness, political awareness, revolutionary spirit and we-serve-the-people spirit of the officials who make up the core and leading forces of the Party, and in making substantial progress in strengthening the ranks of cadres and in building up the Party. The core, central task in the new course of Party building is the transformation of cadres along revolutionary lines as well, he said, adding that the solution to this end is to conduct more intensive education, training and struggle across the Party. He specified the principles and ways for launching a dynamic organizational and ideological offensive throughout the Party to consolidate its sound political climate. He emphasized that the main target of the discipline inspection sector should be practices of corruption within the Party and all other violations of its discipline to be proactively and aggressively contained, practices that the Party despises most, reiterating the need to "aim at, pursue, search and wipe out" such malpractices on the basis of strict regulations and rules. He said that this year should be set as a year for establishing a revolutionary Party climate and strengthening the whole Party, in order to dynamically open up a new stage of building a ruling party that is strong in discipline and full of a revolutionary climate. He stressed the necessity of waging a resolute struggle for the eternal development of the Workers' Party of Korea and for the accomplishment of the sacred revolutionary cause. The Secretariat of the WPK Central Committee, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Rules of the Workers' Party of Korea", decided and instructed to dissolve the Onchon County Party Committee of Nampho Municipality, which seriously damaged our Party's revolutionary trait and hindered the single-hearted unity of the Party and the revolutionary ranks by committing a wrong deed in group in wanton violation of Party discipline, and announced a strict proposal for dealing with those involved in the extra-large case related to the violation of Party discipline. Then, the Enlarged Meeting of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee dealt with the serious anti-people crimes committed in Usi County of Jagang Province. He sternly pointed out the fact that the Usi county agricultural inspection organ, which is duty bound to monitor and regulate in an exclusive and responsible manner the implementation of the Party's policy on rural construction and its agricultural policy, flagrantly encroached upon the interests and property of the people by abusing the legal power, instead of orienting its work to checking major illegal practices latent in the agricultural sector and establishing a well-regulated order and discipline. Noting that those who abuse their power and work in a bureaucratic manner in local areas are attempting to destroy the sacred fortress of unity between the Party and the people without batting an eye, he stated that this is a mega crime which can never be pardoned by our Party, our people, our system and our legal power. At the meeting there was a report on data about the mega crime perpetrated by inspectors of the Usi county agricultural inspection organ. Those inspectors unhesitatingly committed an unpardonable crime of inflicting sufferings on regional inhabitants and misappropriating their property at random by abusing the inviolable legal power. Very grave is the criminal act that seriously undermined the single-hearted unity of the Party and the people, the mainstay of the revolution and our lifeblood, by challenging the people-first politics of our Party which orients all affairs of the revolution and construction to the protection of the rights and interests of the people and makes selfless, devoted efforts for the good of the people. The Secretariat of the Party Central Committee announced a strict proposal to dissolve the Usi county agricultural inspection organ and organize a new one and to deal with the chief secretary of the Usi County Party Committee, who fostered and connived at the anti-people acts, and the inspectors of the county agricultural inspection organ. The ringleaders and those involved in the hideous criminal case will be put under investigation by law. The meeting proved that the practices of corroding the sound moral traits of the Party, hindering the strengthened discipline throughout the Party and encroaching upon the rights and interests of the people which our Party regards as the most sacred, contrary to the original ideals and spirit of the Party, are being thoroughly repelled. The 30th Enlarged Meeting of the Secretariat of the Eighth WPK Central Committee highlighted once again the immutable truth that the eternal vitality of the struggling and advancing Party lies on the iron discipline. And it serves as a political occasion of great significance in further clarifying the original features and character of the WPK which maintains the people-first principle as its mode of existence and its trait and in increasing its militant might in every way. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Barrot US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 27, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot. Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the centrality of the U.S.-France alliance to the security and prosperity of the American people. He and Foreign Minister Barrot celebrated the depth of our global cooperation and explored ways to further the U.S.-France partnership through close collaboration and consultation on shared priorities, including defense spending. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pistorius visits activation staff of the Brigade in Lithuania Germany - Federal Ministry of Defence Jan 28, 2025 The deployment of an armoured brigade to Lithuania is among the most complex and ambitious projects in the history of the Bundeswehr. Some 4,800 German troops will contribute to deterring Russia on NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization's eastern flank from now on. Germany's Defence Minister travelled to Lithuania to learn more about the progress of this lighthouse project. Shortly before Christmas, Boris Pistorius welcomed Lithuania's new Minister of National Defence, Dovile Sakaliene, at the Bendlerblock in Berlin. Now, Germany's Minister of Defence has taken up his counterpart on her invitation to visit Vilnius. After a 90-minute flight on the FMoD Special Air Mission Wing's Airbus, he landed in the Lithuanian capital on Wednesday, 11.30 am local time. Pistorius was accompanied by several members of the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag. Deterrence is a joint task Germany and Lithuania are security partners in NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization and also cooperate closely within the European Union. In addition to this, they are pursuing a joint bilateral project, which is the deployment of a 5,000-strong German armoured brigade in Lithuania. The Baltic state with its three million inhabitants is situated right between the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, which is an ally of Russia. Should Russia attack Europe, Lithuania would become a target. This is why Germany is supporting its Ally's deterrence efforts: as a part of the Multinational Battlegroup Lithuania since 2017, and, in future, with the permanently deployed Brigade in Lithuania. This deployment is a lighthouse project of the German Zeitenwende in security policy, which began after Russia's attack on Ukraine. While the activation ceremony is scheduled for summer, 500 Brigade troops will be serving in Lithuania by the end of the year. Subsequently, more and more troops are to be deployed in increments until the target strength of 4,800 military and 200 civilian personnel has been reached. Following their arrival in Vilnius, the delegation from Germany proceeded to the Presidential Palace, where Pistorius was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Lithuania by President Gitanas Nauseda. The subsequent working-level meeting with representatives of Lithuania's government focused primarily on the deployment project: What progress had been made since the last meeting; what challenges were still waiting to be tackled? After the meeting, the Ministers addressed the press. Pistorius said that they were working towards the same goal, which was to ensure the security of NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization's eastern flank. The Minister went on to say that the deployment of the Brigade to Lithuania was progressing consistently and as scheduled. He then emphasised the visibility of the Bundeswehr and its resulting contribution to deterrence. The Minister also announced that the close cooperation between the two countries would be further consolidated in the future. His colleague, Minister Sakaliene, added that the Brigade's deployment was vital for Lithuania and a sign of both nations' resolve. The Minister of National Defence said that four of five Lithuanian citizens were convinced that the permanent presence of NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Allies would strengthen Lithuania's security and added that the German Brigade was Lithuania's number one priority. Remembering the victims of the Holocaust After focusing on their countries' future, the Ministers turned their attention to the past: In World War II, Germany committed a massacre in the Paneriai forest near Vilnius, murdering 100,000 people, some 70,000 of which were Jewish. Pistorius and Sakaliene laid a wreath at the Holocaust memorial erected at this site to honour the dead. The ceremony was attended by servicemen and women of both countries. Later, the German delegation went to visit the barracks of the Lithuanian Duke Vaidotas armoured brigade in Rokantiskes. Just like another site in Nemencine, these facilities, which only opened last year, will be used temporarily by the Brigade in Lithuania until the Bundeswehr accommodation has been completed. Brigadier General Christoph Huber, Commander of the Activation Staff, gave his guests a tour of the infrastructure in Rokantiskes. Afterwards, Pistorius met servicewomen and men from the activation staff in Vilnius in order to get a better impression of morale among the troops. The Minister called them the spearhead force of the Zeitenwende in security policy as well as the flagship of Germany. On Wednesday evening, Pistorius travelled on to Rzeszow in Poland, where German air defence forces are stationed to protect a logistics hub of the international alliance that supports Ukraine as part of NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization's Integrated Air Defence. 31 of 32 NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization members have joined NSATU (NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine), a command created last year. Australia and New Zealand are participating as well. Through NSATU, Ukraine will receive assistance amounting to at least 40 billion euros annually in the future. Author: Timo Kather NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli regime disrupting peace, endangering region's fragile stability: Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 New York, IRNA -- Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani says that Israel is the main threat to international peace and security, emphasizing that Tel Aviv makes "baseless allegations against Iran" to conceal the regime's "destructive activities". In a letter to the UN Security Council president, Iravani reacted to comments by Israeli president Isaac Herzog who accused Iran of being a "threat" to the world, particularly the United States and Israel. Iravani condemned the "unfounded and provocative accusations" by the Israeli president against Iran during the United Nations General Assembly's special session on Monday. He said that the Islamic Republic of Iran explicitly and firmly rejects such baseless claims, which serve no purpose other than to divert the international community's attention from the horrific crimes committed by this apartheid regime against the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip. Iravani pointed out that such groundless accusations are part of a deliberate and ongoing effort to conceal the blatant violations of international law and the destructive activities of the Israeli regime against regional countries. The letter was addressed to the UN secretary general and the president of the General Assembly. Iravani also stressed that the Israeli regime "is not only a threat to Iran but also the primary and constant threat to peace and security" both in the region and the world. The Iranian ambassador said that beyond the genocide and crimes against humanity committed by "this rogue regime against the Palestinian people, Zionism continues its relentless aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and Syria." "These actions constitute clear violations of the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions. Such unlawful acts are flagrant breaches of international law and further endanger the already fragile stability of the region," Iran's UN ambassador further said. Iravani called on the international community not to allow such deliberate efforts of the occupying entity to divert attention from its crimes and destructive activities aimed at undermining peace and stability in the region and global efforts for the promotion of justice and accountability. He said that the Islamic Republic of Iran calls on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to hold this "apartheid regime" accountable for "its crimes and take decisive measures" to ensure its compliance with international law. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran has 'upper hand' in defense thanks to advanced technology: Chief of Staff IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 Qasreshirin, IRNA -- Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri says the Army has gained the "upper hand" in conventional defense and electronic warfare through the use of advanced technology, including robotics and artificial intelligence. On Tuesday, General Bagheri met with Army forces participating in a large-scale security, offensive, and mobile exercise in western Iran. He commended the Army for effectively leveraging new combat technologies to bolster their defense capabilities. The military exercise, conducted by the Army's Ground Forces, began on Monday in the western regions of the country. General Bagheri said the war games aim to assess the readiness of helicopter units, parachute operations by the 55th Airborne Brigade, and combined offensive and defensive missions involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). On the second and final day of the exercise, the Army showcased the first joint flight of its drone systems, referred to as "swarm," and unveiled its first laser-guided, high-precision bomb systems designed specifically for unmanned aircraft. The exercise also practiced various takeoff and landing methods for drones from different airstrips across the nation, including coordinated swarm flights and simultaneous operations involving both reconnaissance and combat drones. 4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Araghchi to Trump: 'Nice words' not enough to buy Iran's confidence IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 28, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says it would take a lot more than "nice words" by the new US administration to convince Tehran to begin negotiations with Washington toward reaching a new agreement. In an interview with Sky News published on Tuesday, Araghchi pointed to the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal during the first time US President Donald Trump was in office, saying lots of things should be done by the other side to "buy our confidence." In May 2018, the US unilaterally pulled out of the 2015 deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and pursued a "maximum pressure" policy toward the Islamic Republic. The withdrawal came despite Iran's full compliance with the JCPOA, as repeatedly certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), prompting Tehran to expand its civilian nuclear activities, which the deal had restricted. Trump has suggested that he would prefer a diplomatic solution, saying a new deal with Iran would be "nice." "The situation is different and much more difficult than the previous time," Araghchi said. "We haven't heard anything but the 'nice' word, and this is obviously not enough." Israel, US would be 'crazy' to attack Iran's nuclear facilities: Araghchi The foreign minister also warned that Israel and the US would be "crazy" to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, adding it would be faced with an "immediate and decisive response." "We have made it clear," he said, "that any attack to our nuclear facilities would be faced with an immediate and decisive response. But I don't think they will do that crazy thing. This is really crazy. And this would turn the whole region into a very bad disaster." Araghchi also dismissed Trump's call for Gaza to be cleaned out of Palestinians, which sparked outrage across the region and the world. "My suggestion is something else," he said mockingly. "Instead of Palestinians, try to expel Israelis, take them to Greenland so they can kill two birds with one stone." 4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Army makes grand advances in electronic warfare, AI: General Bagheri Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 5:25 PM Iran's Army has made grand achievements in acquiring new combat sciences and techniques, developing a substantial advantage in utilizing robotics, artificial intelligence, and electronic warfare. Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri made the remarks on Tuesday, as he addressed the Army's Ground Force personnel during the main phase of a military exercise in western Iran. General Bagheri said the drills demonstrated the armed forces' readiness to counter the enemy in electronic warfare. He said the Iranian military forces will effectively provide security and comfort for the nation. During the two-phase maneuvers, the Iranian general said, various operations were conducted, including assessing the readiness of helicopter units and performing parachute drops by the 55th Airborne Brigade. The exercises also included evaluating offensive and defensive flight operations of drones, he said. "Due to the development and promotion of artificial intelligence and robotics, modern battles have significantly changed from those of the past," General Bagheri stated. "Accordingly, the ground forces maximized their use of contemporary knowledge and technologies during the current exercise, successfully implementing robotic operations with equipment produced by the Research and Self-Sufficiency Organization of the Army's Ground Force." The two-day drills, conducted along the western borders of Kermanshah province, concluded on Tuesday. Brigadier General Karim Cheshk, Deputy Operations Chief of the Ground Force, said all predetermined objectives set by the participating units in this exercise were achieved. During the drills, the Army practiced comprehensive assaults on terrorist positions with heavy aerial support from helicopters and armored drone units, among other operations. Brigadier General Kiomars Heydari, commander of the Ground Force, announced during a visit to the region that Iran's helicopter missile range has increased from 2 kilometers to 200. Brigadier General Khamoshi, commander of helicopter units, mentioned that over 100 helicopters were deployed during the exercise. He said new helicopters have night-time combat capabilities, with many components now produced indigenously. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Any US, Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities will spell major disaster for region: FM Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 10:31 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that any "crazy" Israeli or American attack on Iran's nuclear facilities will spell a "very bad disaster" for the entire region. In an interview with Sky News in the Iranian capital, Araghchi said "any attack to our nuclear facilities would be faced with an immediate and decisive response." "But I don't think they will do that crazy thing. This is really crazy. And this would turn the whole region into a very bad disaster," he warned. In 2015, Iran proved the peaceful nature of its nuclear program to the world by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world powers. However, the US's unilateral withdrawal in 2018 and its subsequent re-imposition of sanctions against Tehran during Donald Trump's first term in office left the future of the deal in limbo. In 2019, Iran started to roll back the limits it had accepted under the JCPOA after the other parties failed to live up to their commitments. Trump has recently hinted he would prefer a new deal with Iran, saying it would be "nice". Araghchi said although he was prepared to listen to Trump, but it would take a lot more than that for Iran to be convinced it should begin negotiations with the US towards another deal, given Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 agreement. "The situation is different and much more difficult than the previous time," he said, adding, "Lots of things should be done by the other side to buy our confidence... We haven't heard anything but the 'nice' word, and this is obviously not enough." 'Instead of Palestinians, send Israelis to Greenland' Elsewhere in his remarks, the foreign minister commented on Trump's proposal that Gaza could be "cleaned out" and that Palestinians could be moved to Egypt and Jordan. Araghchi mocked the US president over the suggestion, proposing instead that Israelis be sent to Greenland. "My suggestion is something else. Instead of Palestinians, try to expel Israelis, take them to Greenland so they can kill two birds with one stone," he said, amid Trump's repeated calls for acquiring the autonomous Danish territory. Almost all of the Gaza Strip's 2.4 million inhabitants have been internally displaced by the genocidal war Israel waged on the impoverished territory on October 7, 2023. The war claimed the lives of at least 47,306 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The occupying regime accepted a ceasefire earlier this month after having failed to realize any of its wartime objectives, including freeing the captives, "eliminating" the Gaza resistance, and causing forced displacement of Gaza's entire population to neighboring Egypt. Palestinians, Lebanese 'rebuilding themselves' after Israeli aggression Araghchi stressed that the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements are "rebuilding themselves" after the Israeli aggression. "Hamas and Hezbollah have been damaged. But at the same time, they are rebuilding themselves, because as I said, this is a school of thought, this is an idea, this is a cause, this is an ideal that will always be there." Hezbollah opened a support front for Palestinians in Gaza only a day after the Israeli regime unleashed its genocidal war against the besieged territory, launching numerous retaliatory attacks against Israeli targets in the occupied territories. Last November, Israel was forced to accept a ceasefire with Hezbollah after suffering heavy losses following more than 14 months of fighting and failing to achieve its goals in its aggression on Lebanon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar junta begins recruiting women for active military service Women are also being forced to serve as soldiers in a pro-junta ethnic militia. By RFA Burmese and Nang Hseng Phoo 2025.01.28 -- Myanmar's ruling military junta has begun initial steps to draft women for active military service, residents said, showing the military's desperation to replenish its ranks amid a series of battlefield defeats and desertions in the country's four-year civil war. Last year, the junta enforced a 2010 military conscription law saying men aged 18-35 and single women 18-27 would be eligible for military service. So far, it has conscripted only men sometimes by force but since mid-January, authorities have begun compiling lists of eligible women in the Yangon region, residents in several townships said, suggesting official conscription would begin in the future. "The list of women has already been compiled, and many students are included in it," said a woman living in Taketa township who she was worried because her 20-year-old daughter, a student at East Yangon University, was on the list for recruitment. The woman asked her ward administrator for a postponement for her daughter because she is a student, but her request was denied, she said. Married women are exempt from military service under the law, but married women without children who live in Kayan township were still included on the list, said a resident there who had to register. "The law states that married women are exempt, [but] when I asked why my name was included, they said if I was not pregnant or did not have children, I would have to serve in the military without exception," she added. Getting ready The military council denied that women had been called up for military service, and a representative from the Chairman's Office of the Central Body for Summoning People's Military Servants said authorities were simply taking a headcount of those eligible to serve. "It is similar to a census essentially a basic manpower registry," the representative said. "There has been no separate call for women for military service at this time." Myanmar military officer Capt. Zin Yaw, a member of the Civil Disobedience Movement that opposed the military's seizure of power in 2021, said that the listings of women were part of a plan to recruit them for training, but not necessarily send them into combat. "In the past, junta leader [Sen. Gen.] Min Aung Hlaing has shown interest in involving female officers," Zin Yaw said. "There have also been cases where female military personnel ... were called in and assigned roles." The junta's council announced that women meeting the age requirements for military service under the country's military service law will be recruited starting from their fifth week of military training. Women from all 10 townships in Mon state in Myanmar's south and from Kayin state and Tanintharyi region also have been recruited for military service since mid-2024, according to a survey by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland, which monitors human rights in Mon state. Militia forcing recruitment The Pa-O National Army, a state-sponsored militia that fights alongside junta soldiers against Pa-O rebels, is forcing women and underage girls to join the military service, they said. Female recruits mostly have been sent to the front lines of armed combat between the junta and Karenni rebels at the Shan-Kayah state border since late last year, a Pa-O Youth Organization official said. A directive requiring women to undergo military training in areas controlled by the Pa-O National Army could result in girls being deployed in front-line combat, residents and Pa-O organizations said. Though it is difficult to verify the ages of the women sent to combat areas, it is known that they include women under the age of 18, the official from the Pa-O Youth Organization said. "We began noticing women being sent to the front lines around the end of 2024, particularly in the fighting along the [Kayah state] and Shan border," said the official. "Their presence in these areas is very evident. At times, a significant number of soldiers are deployed, and women are among them." Khun Aung Mann, general secretary of the Pa-O National Liberation Army, an ethnic armed organization that opposes the military regime, told RFA that he has received reports that the Pa-O militia has been training women for military service. "The current situation is that both the [Pa-O] militia and the military council are in need of manpower," he said. "Therefore, we believe that they will use women if necessary, as we are already witnessing the use of underage children on the battlefield." There were 15-year-old child soldiers among captured prisoners of war, he said. Translated by Kalyar Lwin for RFA Burmese. edited by Roseanne Gerin 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 Arakan Army captures junta camp on road to central Myanmar The AA is probing areas to the east and south of Rakhine state after taking over most of it. By RFA Burmese 2025.01.28 -- An ethnic minority insurgent force that has captured most of western Myanmar's Rakhine state has seized a military base on a main road into central heartland areas, the group said, raising the prospect of a rebel push into the Irrawaddy River valley. The Arakan Army, or AA, has made significant gains over the past year in its bid to force the Myanmar military out of Rakhine state and take it over, capturing 14 of the state's 17 townships, and probing into southern and central areas of Myanmar dominated by the majority Bamar community. AA forces seized a military base at a pass on the main road between the town of Toungup, which they hold near the coast, over mountains and down to the Bago region in the central plains. "The AA completely captured the junta's Mo Hti Taung camp on the border between Rakhine state and Bago division," the AA said in a statement late on Monday. The AA launched their bid to capture the camp, which is 180 kilometers, or 112 miles, southwest of the capital, Naypyidaw, on Jan. 21. They found abandoned ammunition, other military equipment and the bodies of junta soldiers, the group said, without giving details of casualties on either side. The main spokesperson for the junta that seized power nearly five years ago, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Htun, did not respond to calls by RFA seeking comment. Junta forces were launching counter-attacks from the east, the AA said. The AA did not say how the capture of the camp might fit into its military planning but one analyst said the group might be aiming to make a push east, down to the populated lowland, where the main north-south roads, railway lines and river transport links run, and on towards Naypyidaw. "We must consider the possibility that they are coming to dominate along the Naypyidaw highway," said political analyst Than Soe Naing. "A situation where Naypyidaw can be surrounded is being created," he said. "Similar to the military aims of other revolutionary forces, the conquest of Naypyidaw in the rainy season is possible." The camp at the pass on a main road from central areas to Rakhine state would also be an important defensive position for the AA if it wanted to block the military from advancing into Rakhine state from the east. Than Soe Naing said the AA was also launching guerrilla attacks from the south of Rakine state into the Ayeyarwady region, and into the Magway region to the north. The AA captured the Gwa town in the south of Rakhine state in late December and the military was launching heavy air and artillery strikes from the Ayeyarwady border to try to take it back, residents of the area said. Similarly to the north, fighting is taking place on the main road east from Ann town, which the AA took in early December, through the mountains to Pa Dan, in Ngape township, residents said. Battles are also being fought daily around the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe, one of the few places left under junta administration, residents said. The other main area under junta control in the state is the Kyaukpyu economic zone on the coast, where China aims to build a deep-sea port, and has energy facilities including natural gas and oil pipelines running to southern China. 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 Singapore oil firm urged to quit war-torn Myanmar By Zsombor Peter January 29, 2025 Singapore-based petroleum company Interra Resources is being accused by an activist group in Myanmar of complicity in alleged war crimes committed by Myanmar's military government. The group Justice for Myanmar said Interra Resources' majority stake in energy company Goldpetrol makes it complicit in war crimes because Goldpetrol produces and sells millions of barrels of oil that benefits the country's military government. In a report released Wednesday, Justice for Myanmar said Interra holds 60% of the Goldpetrol Joint Operating Company. The report describes the venture as one of the few remaining companies in Myanmar still extracting oil from the country's onshore fields since the military overthrew a democratically elected government in February 2021, setting off a civil war that has killed thousands of civilians and displaced over 3 million people. "Interra Resources must take action now so that it is consistent with its international human rights responsibilities. This necessarily involves stopping the supply of crude oil to the junta. It needs to decide the most responsible way to do this, and it may involve suspending operations or divestment," Yadanar Maung, a Justice for Myanmar spokesperson, told VOA ahead of the report's release. Interra did not reply to VOA's requests for comment. Justice for Myanmar said Interra's annual reports and leaked financial statements from Goldpetrol reveal that all of Goldpetrol's oil production goes to the state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) more than 2.3 million barrels from 2021 to 2023, the last full year of available data. Those sales, the group said, have been earning Interra record profits. It said the firm reported $24.5 million and $19.1 million in crude oil sales to MOGE in 2022 and 2023, respectively, far more than in any of the previous five years. The average annual profits for the previous five years is $12.9 million. Citing in its report anonymous sources with knowledge of Goldpetrol's operations and the country's oil supply chains, Justice for Myanmar said the crude Goldpetrol is pumping out of its two fields heads to the Mann refinery in the country's Magwe region, which supplies the area's military bases with jet fuel and other refined oil products. The refinery sits in the heart of Myanmar's military weapons-making hub, between an air force base and a gunpowder mill. Since the coup, the military claims it has been fighting so-called "terrorists" -- armed rebel groups -- with proportionate force to restore peace and order. But United Nations experts and others have repeatedly accused the junta of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. As the junta continues to lose ground to armed rebel groups across the country, the U.N. said, it is resorting ever more to indiscriminate artillery and airstrikes on civilian areas, destroying scores of churches, schools and clinics and razing whole villages. Conflict data collected by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a U.K.-based research group, show a gradual drop in armed clashes since late 2023 but a rise in air and drone strikes, including a record 345 in October. A military airstrike in January on a village under rebel control in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, which borders Magwe, reportedly killed about 40 people, including women and children. Justice for Myanmar said Interra bears some of the responsibility. "Interra Resources is complicit in the junta's international crimes through the supply of crude oil. This oil fuels Myanmar military operations that indiscriminately target civilians and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," Yadanar Maung said. "The domestic production of fuel is particularly important for the junta, given the impact of sanctions against junta banks and its aviation fuel supply chain," the spokesperson added. The U.S. and other Western governments have imposed sanctions on a number of Myanmar banks and firms owned by or in business with the country's miliary since the coup in 2021, including some handling jet fuel sales and supplies. Besides urging Interra to consider suspending its Myanmar operations or selling off its shares in Goldpetrol, Justice for Myanmar said Singapore's stock exchange should investigate Interra for any breaches of its rules. Trading in another listed firm was halted in 2021 because of its operations in Myanmar, which the exchange had designated a "sanctioned nation." The stock exchange did not reply to VOA's requests for comment. Justice for Myanmar said Interra told the activist group ahead of the report's launch that Goldpetrol's contract with MOGE requires it to sell all its crude oil to the government, and that the joint venture has continued supplying MOGE after the coup to fulfill its "contractual obligations." The group said Interra declined to comment on how that oil was being used. Amnesty International, which has also investigated Myanmar's jet fuel supply chains, said the military's airstrikes continue to devastate civilian areas, driving even schools to build bomb shelters. "Airstrikes are only becoming more frequent, and aviation fuel remains a key asset for the Myanmar military, which is why we continue to call for states and companies to suspend shipments," Amnesty International's Myanmar researcher Joe Freeman told VOA. The group said public pressure has convinced some of the foreign firms along Myanmar's jet fuel supply chain to pull out but said their exit does not always solve the problem. "After that departure, either local companies with even closer ties to the Myanmar military entered the scene or regional companies with limited international operations and for the most part, immune to sanctions came in to fill the void. We have seen this happen in a number of business sectors in Myanmar," Freeman said. Goldpetrol's other shareholder that owns the remaining 40% stake in the company is North Petroleum International, a subsidiary of the China North Industries Group Corporation, a Chinese state-owned weapons conglomerate doing business worldwide as NORINCO. China has been the Myanmar military's main weapons supplier since the coup, along with Russia. It also has billions of dollars invested in Myanmar's energy sector, including parallel oil and gas pipelines that stretch across the country from the Bay of Bengal to China's Yunnan province. China North Industries Group did not reply to VOA's request for comment. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Any Port In A Storm: How Russia's Navy Is Adrift After Syrian Pullout By Mike Eckel and Mark Krutov January 28, 2025 After loitering off the Syrian coast for weeks, two Russian cargo ships docked at the port of Tartus, part of a reluctant mission to unravel one of the Kremlin's biggest foreign policy successes since the Soviet collapse. The two ships -- the Sparta and the Sparta II -- arrived on January 22 at Tartus, where hundreds of pieces of heavy weaponry, vehicles, artillery, ammunition crates had been parked for weeks, guarded by Russian soldiers, awaiting shipment out. The day they docked, Syria's new government formally terminated a 49-year lease. Granted access to the port after a long wait, the ships were expected to haul some of the Russian military hardware out of Syria. Satellite imagery released January 27 suggested the Sparta II may have already departed, with some portion of the equipment on board. The question now: Where to next? A growing number of experts point to a warlord-controlled part of Libya, which would allow Moscow to keep some forward presence in the region, and also a bridge to more shadowy operations in Africa. Sudan is also a possibility. So is Algeria. Regardless, the departure of Russia's military presence from Syria scrambles the calculus for the region. "It is a pretty significant logistical problem in the short term, but perhaps less so in the medium term," Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank. "Most of the options in Libya...do not have significant preexisting naval facilities and much of the infrastructure which does exist has suffered war damage. The Russians would likely be building from scratch." Also problematic: Russia's access to the Black Sea is limited due a century-old treaty restricting certain military transit through Turkey's Bosporus. And while Russia's submarine fleet is still considered a formidable force, its surface fleet is increasingly seen as a rusty flotilla prone to breaking down. "It is possible that in the short term the [Russian Navy] will attempt to maintain a presence of some kind in the Eastern Mediterranean, if only as a face-saving exercise to show that they didn't really need Tartus anyway," said Mike Plunkett, a senior naval analyst at Janes', the British security research group. "However, if we assume that the Black Sea remains inaccessible to Russian warships for the foreseeable future then it is highly likely that a permanent Russian presence in the Mediterranean will quickly become unsustainable and will need to be dropped in favor of higher priority taskings," he said. Syrian High Water When Russian President Vladimir Putin made an unannounced trip to Syria in December 2017, it was portrayed as his "mission accomplished" moment -- two years after Moscow sent in an expeditionary force to prop up the flagging military efforts of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Using Tartus, and the Hmeimim air base, about 60 kilometers up the coast, Russian forces helped Syria's air force obliterate swaths of Syrian cities, causing major civilian casualties while routing a ragtag collection of rebel groups. "Syria has been saved as a sovereign, independent state, refugees are returning home and conditions have been created for a political settlement under United Nations' auspices," Putin announced at the time. The Russian intervention turned the tide in Assad's favor. But Moscow was distracted a few years later, when it decided to launch all-out war on Ukraine. That invasion, now nearing its third anniversary, continues to draw massive military resources, and manpower -- making Syria a lower priority. Last month, Syrian rebels, spearheaded by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, swept into Damascus, sending Assad and his family fleeing to Moscow. Like other rebel groups, HTS had no love for Russia's presence, and the destruction leveled on parts of the country. A steady trickle of heavy-lift cargo jets started flying in from Russian territory, to airlift some equipment home. But even as heavier weaponry stacked up at Tartus, the question whether Russia would maintain some presence in the country was unclear. On January 22, multiple reports said the new Syrian government had canceled the Russian lease for the port. The two Sparta ships -- civilian vessels operated by Oboronlogistika, a shipping company linked to the Russian Defense Ministry -- were spotted arriving at Tartus the same day, after weeks at sea off the Syrian coast. Two other naval vessels -- the Ivan Gren and the Aleksandr Otrakovsky -- amphibious ships capable of handling heavy weaponry without the need for port gantry cranes, remain offshore. "Why did HTS wait so long to force them out?" Plunkett said. "Was there some attempt to find an accommodation whereby the Russians could stay? I think that would be a very hard sell for many in Syria, given everything the Russians have been complicit in over the course of the war." "It was always going to be a hard sell to the Syrian people to let the Russians stay in Tartus and Hmeimim... since the Russians helped destroy cities like Aleppo from these bases," Kaushal said. Africa Bound For the moment, Russia does not appear to be giving up on the region entirely. The Russian Navy "could support a Mediterranean presence with deployments from Northern or Baltic Fleets, or even the Pacific Fleet, but this would be highly resource-and time- consuming," said Nick Childs, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. "Russian hopes of some sort of naval facility in Sudan also seem to be stalled and again would be of limited use compared to Tartus," he said. But without access to a port in the region, Russia would have to rely solely on air cargo, which is incapable of handling the volume of heavy equipment needed for a serious military presence. For that reason, a Libyan port -- Tobruk, for example -- may be the most likely destination. Moscow has had a shadow presence in Libya's eastern regions, which are controlled by rebel warlord Khalifa Haftar. The notorious, now-defunct mercenary company Wagner backed Haftar in his fight against a UN-backed government in 2019. It's unclear how big the Russian mercenary presence there is; but a senior Russian defense official met with Haftar in Cairo last year. But even if the Russians secure access to Tobruk, experts say it will take substantial investment to build out the port facilities to accommodate larger naval ships. The lack of a reliable base or port in the region will also make Russian operations in African countries, such as Mali or the Central African Republic, more difficult. "Bottom line up front: The loss of Tartus is likely to spell the end of a permanent Russian presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, at least until the Black Sea becomes accessible again," Kaushal said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-syria-tartus-exit- libya-africa-military-presence/33290554.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 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the General Meeting of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, Moscow, January 28, 2025 28 January 2025 14:43 102-28-01-2025 Good afternoon, Happy New Year and Merry Christmas! I wish all of us every success in 2025, as well as victories and all the very best. Today, we are holding the General Meeting of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO. It is one of the first international events of this kind this year. I am delighted to welcome all of you in this room. The year 2024 was quite challenging for our country, for the entire world and in terms of the way we work with international organisations, including UNESCO. Once again, we saw that there should be no illusions regarding the current situation within UNESCO, or the policy vector as set by its Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, and her closest associates. Having unleashed a hybrid war against our country, Western countries have been proactive in relying on the opportunities they can obtain through international secretariats by literally seeking to privatise them. UNESCO is not an exception in this regard. Attempts to exploit its agenda while pursuing vested political interests continue unabated despite the grave violations of the organisation's charter. There is also an obvious focus on injecting the Ukraine topic into the agenda of all the UNESCO structures. The UNESCO Executive Board has been guided by what we call double standards when taking its decisions on Crimea and Ukraine, while targeting Russia. There was a time when this organisation enjoyed universal acclaim and authority, but it is now reaching far beyond its mandate and competence when taking these decisions. Headed by its Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, who is a French national, UNESCO Secretariat has been de facto catering to the interests of those who proclaimed that their objective consists of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia, and cancelling everything Russian, from Russia's involvement in international processes to culture, education and religious values. The Secretariat has been silent and opted for playing along with the Kiev regime and its Western backers. It has shamefully failed to speak up on the massive and system-wide effort to destroy Russian historical heritage sites in Ukraine and in the Baltic states, including those protected by UNESCO as cultural heritage sites. This situation is quite sad. Together with her colleagues, Audrey Azoulay looked the other way when monuments to Catherine the Great and Prince Grigory Potemkin were destroyed in Odessa's historical neighbourhood. UNESCO listed this part of the city as a world heritage site just one week after this barbaric act took place, as if they created this delay intentionally in order to have an alibi. By the same token, they did not notice, as they claim, the destruction of a monument to Alexander Pushkin. It was erected in central Odessa back in 1889 and was funded by city dwellers. But they ignored all these developments. The same happened with Latvia, where authorities got rid of a monument to military commander Barclay de Tolly, a memorial plaque to Alexander Pushkin and Anna Kern's head statue in late 2024. UNESCO Secretariat has many other things on its conscience. Not only has it failed to live up to its mandate, but has been helping undermine the very concept of the cultural heritage of humankind in an extremely blatant and outrageous manner. UNESCO remains blatantly inactive amid the ongoing persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is being forcibly expelled from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The organisation deliberately looks the other way while Ukraine and the Baltic states are ousting the Russian language entirely from education, the media, culture, science and everyday life. Not only are these countries flouting the rights of Russians and anyone else engaged with Russian culture - what they are doing actually challenges the first article of the UN Charter, which commands everyone to respect the rights of every human being regardless of their race, gender, language or religion, in a most blatant and brazen manner. The UNESCO Secretariat is demonstrating a lack of scruples - to say the least - as well as utter incompetence in protecting freedom of speech and ensuring journalists' rights. Everyone knows about the recent scandal (1, 2, 3, 4) involving the UNESCO Secretariat's report on media workers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The report failed to mention several high-profile cases involving the murders of Russian journalists Darya Dugina, Oleg Klokov, Maxim Fomin, Rostislav Zhuravlev, Boris Maksudov, and many others. The Russian side had informed the Secretariat, in a timely manner, about each of those tragic incidents. However, all of our appeals were ignored. Ms Audrey Azoulay's disrespect for the mandate given to her in what regards the safety of journalists and her failure to condemn their murders makes her complicit in the information war against our country, or, possibly, a bigger war against the truth. It is quite symptomatic that many countries of the Global Majority have similar reasons to be dissatisfied with the UNESCO Secretariat and Director-General Audrey Azoulay who have been neglecting their duty for years, hushing up cases that involved the respective countries, juggling facts and conniving with the propagation of falsehoods. The Secretariat has distanced itself from France repeatedly reneging on its obligations as the host country of the UNESCO Headquarters, and is not reacting in any way to the artificial obstacles Paris creates to prevent Russian representatives from attending UNESCO events, such as denying them entry visas. I could go on forever citing the Secretariat officials' actions that violated the UNESCO Charter. And with all this, the Secretariat leadership still has the audacity to voice complaints and concerns about our recent public criticism of UNESCO and its Director-General. They address us some written, totally ungrounded demarches. But despite everything, I am certain that we will not cease to expose the double standards and bias in the work of this organisation. We will continue to insist on the need for both the member states and the Secretariat to strictly comply with UNESCO's principles and ideals. This "malady" is about catering to the interests of just one group of countries - the Western camp, in this case. It is not unique to UNESCO alone: its metastases can be discerned at other international bodies, including the UN Secretariat, where the effects of the Western policy to "privatise" its structures are felt quite distinctly. Nevertheless, despite all the attempts I have mentioned, it is not possible to cancel Russia at UNESCO, nor ever will be. There is no doubt about that. In spite of all the intrigues and "spoke-putting," we achieved a number of positive results in several areas in 2024. Specifically, we managed to have Russia's 33rd nomination placed on the UNESCO list of world natural and cultural sites at the World Heritage Committee's session in New Delhi in July 2024. I am referring to the Cultural Landscape of Kenozero Lake in the Arkhangelsk Region. I would like to thank Arkhangelsk Region Governor Alexander Tsybulsky, the Kenozero National Park, and the regional authorities for the work they have done, as well as the Likhachev Russian Research Institute ofr Cultural and Natural Heritage that renders the expert support for Russian bids. I would like to commend in particular the contribution made by our ministries and agencies. The delegation of the Russian Ministry of Culture led by Olga Lyubimova was highly instrumental in drafting the UNESCO Framework on Culture and Arts Education, the centerpiece of the conference in Abu Dhabi in February 2024. The Russian Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs shared Russian advanced language policy know-how at a meeting of the Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages. I would like to thank in particular Russian Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev for his consistent effort to protect the rights of Russian athletes at UNESCO. I am confident that these efforts will yield positive results quite soon. The UNESCO Executive Board has extended the status of the International Competence Centre for Mining-Engineering Education (ICCMEE) as Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO. This centre is contributing greatly to strengthening our cooperation with UNESCO. Much credit in this regard goes to Vladimir Litvinenko, Chairman of the ICCMEE Governing Board and Rector of the St Petersburg Mining University. In 2024, we commemorated the 70th anniversary of our country's accession to UNESCO. I would like to extend my gratitude to the TASS news agency for their productive collaboration in organising the photo exhibition that was showcased in Moscow and other capitals of UNESCO member states. A particular note of thanks is due to the Kultura TV channel for their documentary film on the history of our collaboration with UNESCO, as well as to our longstanding partner, Marka, for issuing a commemorative stamp block dedicated to this anniversary. We will persist in involving the Russian regions in engagements at the UNESCO platform when it aligns with our national interests. This is a beneficial practice. A product must be showcased to its full advantage. The regions of Russia embody its richness and diversity. In this context, significant work has been undertaken by the Republic of Altai, Bashkortostan, St Petersburg, Tatarstan, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), and many others. Last summer, with the support of the Russian Committee of the UNESCO Information for All Programme, two major international forums on multilingualism took place in St Petersburg and Khanty-Mansiysk, featuring experts from 40 countries. Under UNESCO's auspices, the international forum Child in a Digital World was held at Lomonosov Moscow State University in June 2024. In April 2024, an international conference with leading overseas experts was convened at the Yangan-Tau UNESCO Global Geopark in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Even in the realm of culture, it is virtually impossible to cancel Russia. At the UNESCO headquarters, together with CIS delegations, we held, for the second time, celebratory events for the Russian Language Day in the summer of 2024. There, an exhibition entitled Splendour of Russia's Artistic Heritage was organised, featuring participation from the Higher School of Folk Arts from St Petersburg. Our domestic experts have submitted numerous proposals during the drafting of the new Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology. They are directly involved in preparing a report on the implementation of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. This matter must constantly remain under scrutiny. Daily news emerges about ground-breaking achievements in this field, including recent reports detailing how efficiently Chinese experts outperform their American counterparts with significantly fewer expenditures. We always advocate for fair competition, which should be evident across all spheres of life. We will provide support to the Global Majority countries, including within the framework of UNESCO's Priority Africa. Towards this end, we have granted a voluntary contribution to finance African countries' projects under the International Programme for the Development of Communication. Russian fertiliser producer PhosAgro has provided the eighth series of grants to young talented chemical scientists, including in Africa and other Global South countries, within the Green Chemistry for Life project, which was launched jointly with UNESCO in cooperation with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). UNESCO will mark its 80th anniversary in 2025. It is a good occasion for making an objective and comprehensive analysis of the situation in the organisation to see how well it is delivering on its mandate, where advice would be welcome, and where recommendations and competences underlying UNESCO's programmes based on the member states' decisions should be adjusted. We should look into what can be done to enhance the efficiency of efforts to ensure our interests at UNESCO. The 43rd session of UNESCO's General Conference will be held in November 2025. We have supported the idea of our Uzbekistani friends to hold it in Samarkand. It will be the first time over the past 40 years that a session of the General Conference will take place outside the organisation's Paris headquarters. A Russian delegation will undoubtedly take an active part in preparing and holding that event. I would like to enlist your help and to instruct the Commission's Secretariat to coordinate preparations for the General Conference and to submit proposals regarding the format of a representative Russian delegation. A new Director-General of UNESCO will be elected at the General Conference and the preceding session of the Executive Board. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel installs military equipment in Syria's 'demilitarized zone' Iran Press TV Tuesday, 28 January 2025 4:31 PM Israel says it has transferred and installed military equipment within the demilitarized buffer zone in Syria's occupied Golan Heights. Satellite imagery captured on January 21 shows Israel's military construction was taking place in the area. Under the terms of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria in 1974, the regime's military is prohibited from crossing the so-called Alpha Line on the western edge of the Area of Separation (AoS). In a post on X on Tuesday, Israel's military confirmed the transfer of the equipment to the buffer zone, describing it as "part of the logistical effort ... to the forces to withstand stormy weather conditions." It said that the equipment and infrastructure is "uniquely suited to the severe weather in the area," in southern Syria. "The comprehensive response also included, among other things, a unique medical building for treating cold-related injuries equipped with the necessary tools, as well as kitchens and a dining hall to provide hot meals for the soldiers." Satellite imagery captured by Planet Labs PBC, a US-based Earth-imaging company, indicates that construction began at the beginning of this year, amid a security vacuum following the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8. Following Assad's fall, the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, ordered his forces to launch an incursion deep into Syrian territory and seize control of key strategic areas. He said that his forces will remain in the buffer zone "until border security is guaranteed." According to military specialists, the latest military construction within the demilitarized zone indicates that Israel's military is planning to maintain at least an interim presence in the southwest corner of Syria. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jordan engages with Syria's HTS leaders to tackle terrorism By Dale Gavlak January 28, 2025 Jordan, which faces new regional challenges in dealing with Syria's transitional Islamist regime, is pursuing a strategy of containment through engagement to secure its long, shared border, analysts say. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi told the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, last week that Jordan has engaged "very deeply" from day one with Syria's new Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders to tackle challenges both countries face. Jordan and other countries want to see inclusive governance in which all of Syria's religious and ethnic minorities are represented. "Terrorism is one common threat," al-Safadi said. "We see Daesh [Islamic State] rearming, regrouping. [They] acquired a lot of weapons from the stockpiles of the Syrian army. Drug trafficking is still happening to Jordan. We have the same interests here in ending that threat. We have an interest in Syria succeeding. What happens in Syria will have a direct impact on us. If Syria succeeds, we will all benefit." Farah Bdour, a senior adviser with the Washington-based U.S. Institute of Peace, said Jordan must address such "pressing issues as securing its 380-kilometer shared border with Syria to prevent the spillover of instability." Hayat Tahrir al-Sham's "success or failure will directly impact Jordan's stability," Bdour said. "Should HTS's transition falter, the group could revert to its militant roots, reigniting conflict and posing renewed threats to Jordan's security," she warned in the group's online publication, underscoring HTS's former link to al-Qaida. Jordanian analyst Amer al-Sabaileh, a nonresident fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Center, told VOA that Jordan can reshape and support efforts for "Damascus to be a good counterpart" by working together on concerns such as security, logistics, telecommunications and electricity. "This might help Jordan to reshape a good relation based on a win-win situation, where Jordan, as well, can definitely benefit from a new reality in Syria, especially on the level of political influence, political interest and definitely being part of rebuilding Syria," Al Sabaileh said. "But HTS is not controlling all the Syrian geography. ISIS [Islamic State] has growing capacities, desire to control certain areas closer to the Jordanian borders." Bdour and al-Sabaileh also warned that HTS's Islamist ideology could influence other similar movements, including Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood. Bdour pointed to attempts by the Brotherhood to dominate Jordanian public sentiment over the Gaza conflict and its political gains in parliamentary elections last September. "What happened in Syria might trigger the appetite and desire for power of all the political Islam groups: Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS, who at the end, think that maybe they deserve also to be recognized in certain areas, if they prove to be on the map," al= Sabaileh said. Bdour wrote that even "if HTS successfully transitions to a governing regime, its Islamic orientation poses a unique challenge for Jordan." She pointed to critics of the group who say they "fear that legitimizing HTS could embolden dormant extremist factions within Jordan," possibly "exacerbating internal tensions." Ultimately, she said, "Jordan must navigate these overlapping domestic and regional challenges, as HTS's trajectory, and its implications for Syria, Jordan and the broader Middle East, remains deeply uncertain." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with UK Foreign Secretary Lammy US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 27, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on a range of pressing global issues. Both leaders expressed eagerness to begin working together immediately to further our many shared foreign policy objectives. They affirmed the depth of the U.S.-UK Special Relationship and the crucial nature of our partnership in addressing issues like the conflict in the Middle East, Russia's war against Ukraine, and China's malign influence. They also heralded joint initiatives, including the AUKUS partnership, which promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Poland, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Discussed Further Support for Ukraine with Emmanuel Macron President of Ukraine 27 January 2025 - 22:45 The Presidents of Ukraine and France met in Poland following the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Emmanuel Macron for support of Ukraine and military assistance. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, France has provided 6 billion in defense aid. During the meeting, the leaders discussed opportunities to further strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities with France's support, which would bolster Ukraine's position in achieving a just and lasting peace. Special attention was given to security cooperation, particularly possible formats for security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe as a whole. In addition, Ukraine is counting on the support of France and Emmanuel Macron personally in the negotiation process for EU accession. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Giving Up Nukes Was 'Absolutely Stupid, Illogical And Very Irresponsible,' Zelenskiy Says By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 28, 2025 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was optimistic about U.S. pressure on Moscow to end Russia's all-out war on Ukraine, according to a new interview, though he said he thought President Donald Trump was unclear how to do that. In comments published January 25 with the Italian newspaper Il Foglio, Zelenskiy also pushed back on calls for more changes to the country's mobilization system, suggesting it would result in mass desertions. The interview was conducted by Cecila Sala, a journalist and popular podcaster who was released from a Tehran prison earlier this month after 21 days in custody. Zelenskiy's comments come as behind-the-scenes negotiations to resolve the nearly-three-year-old invasion ramp up following Trump's inauguration. Trump has vowed to quickly end Russia's all-out invasion, launched on February 24, 2022, and two of his top security aides, Keith Kellogg and Mike Waltz, have floated different ways they say Russia could be used to push a cease-fire or peace deal. Trump has said he wants to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin as soon as possible. Zelenskiy praised Trump's threats of increased economic sanctions to pressure Russia. However, he also said he told Trump about previous negotiations with "Putin giving his word and then not keeping it." "I think [Trump] is not clear on the details," he was quoted as saying. "Almost everything depends on what we Ukrainians are able to secure to protect ourselves, because we will not make the mistakes of the past again." "I told [Trump] frankly that Putin definitely does not want" to end the war, he said, "so it will not happen quickly. But Trump, thanks to his strength, sanctions, the strength of the U.S., and the economy, can speed it up." Zelenskiy said he reminded Trump about the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, the deal under which Ukraine agreed to give up its small holdings of nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees -- from Russia, the United States, and Britain. Some Ukrainians say Kyiv would have been able to deter Russia from invading if it had kept the weapons. Giving up the weapons was "absolutely stupid, illogical and very irresponsible," the Ukrainian leader said. "If I could go back to 1994, I would only trade our nuclear weapons for something that could truly deter any aggressor, regardless of their political power, territorial size, or military strength," he was quoted as saying. "Trump said, 'Yes, I understand what you're saying. You cannot make the same mistake three times'." Ukraine has been steadily losing ground on the battlefield for nearly a year now, as Russia's bigger and better-armed military has been grinding down Ukrainian defenses and inflicting massive casualties. One of Kyiv's biggest problems has been recruiting enough men to replenish depleted units. The government last year overhauled its system for mobilizing men, but Ukraine's frontline forces are still badly outnumbered. Zelenskiy has also resisted lowering the draft age to 18, saying it would decimate the country's demographics. The personnel problems have come into sharp focus with newly created brigades, some of which have seen mass desertions. "Today, we are defending ourselves. If tomorrow, for instance, half the army heads home, we really should have surrendered on the very first day," Zelenskiy said. "That is how it is. If half the army goes home, Putin will kill us all." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelenskiy-nuclear- weapons-interview-trump-putin-/33291628.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 Anti-Corruption Agency Launches Probe Into Defense Chief Umerov By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 28, 2025 KYIV -- Ukrainian authorities said a criminal probe has been launched into Defense Minister Rustem Umerov for his failure to comply with an order to extend the contract of the chief of the Defense Procurement Agency (AOZ), in what appears to be a burgeoning dispute over arms procurement procedures. Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) on January 28 told RFE/RL it had launched the probe into the possible abuse of power or official position by Umerov due to his refusal to renew the contract of AOZ head Maryna Bezrukova and his dismissal of two members of its Supervisory Board. NABU said the Umerov probe was initiated following a complaint filed by the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), a nongovernmental organization. The news of the Umerov probe came hours after Ukraine's cabinet officially fired Deputy Defense Minister Dmytro Klimenkov as part of a shake-up of the Defense Ministry's procurement operations. The moves highlight what is seen as a pressing need for management reform in a sector critical to Ukraine's defense as it fights to repel Russia's full-scale invasion launched nearly three years ago. Umerov did not immediately comment on the news, which was announced late in the evening on January 28. He had been appointed to his post by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in September 2023. The NABU said in a statement that the abuse of power or official position, if proven, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of three to six years, along with fines and other sanctions. It also stated that a suspect is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Earlier in the day, Klimenkov's firing was announced by the government, saying he was dismissed in accordance with a pledge by Umerov to restructure procurement in the Defense Ministry. In a televised broadcast on January 24, Umerov vowed to fire "all those who didn't do their job properly" and set comprehensive reforms under way within the Defense Procurement Agency (AOZ). Umerov also renounced the contract renewal of AOZ director Bezrukova and two state representatives, Taras Chmut and Yuriy Dzhihir, were replaced on the supervisory board. Umerov said the new director of AOZ would be Arsen Zhumadilov, who heads the State Logistics Operator. Zhumadilov has since confirmed his acceptance of the role. The moves came on the heels of a controversial decision by AOZ's supervisory board a week ago to unanimously extend Bezrukova's contract for one year. The Defense Ministry immediately appealed the decision citing procedural irregularities. Bezrukova has since warned that the ongoing legal dispute could disrupt crucial procurement activities, particularly the supply of ammunition. The situation at the Defense Ministry has attracted international attention. In a joint statement, G7 ambassadors have called for a swift resolution to the matter, the implementation of governance reforms, and adherence to NATO principles. The statement underscores the importance of maintaining public and international confidence in Ukraine's procurement systems, particularly as Western allies debate continued military support for Kyiv. The AOZ, established in mid-2022, was intended to streamline the acquisition of arms as Russia escalated its aggression against Ukraine. However, its performance has been criticized for inefficiency and lax governance. Bezrukova, who took over as director in early 2024, has faced mounting criticism for her management style. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-defense-minister- klimenkov-fired-reforms-procurement/33292053.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 Over 280 Soldiers in Kursk Region in Past Day Sputnik News 20250128 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Ukrainian armed forces have lost over 280 soldiers and one tank in the Kursk region over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "Over the day the Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 280 servicepeople and a tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, six armored fighting vehicles and 20 vehicles were destroyed," the ministry said in a statement. In total, Ukraine has lost over 55,470 servicepeople and 322 tanks during offensive in Kursk direction, the ministry added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Loses Up to 600 Soldiers in Battles With Russian Forces - MoD Sputnik News 20250128 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr has eliminated up to 600 Ukrainian military personnel over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "The enemy lost up to 600 troops, two tanks, two armored combat vehicles, including a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, seven vehicles and a field artillery gun," the ministry said in a statement. Russia's Battlegroup Zapad has eliminated up to 330 Ukrainian soldiers, while Battlegroup Yug has eliminated up to 220 Ukrainian soldiers, the ministry said. Russia's Battlegroup Zapad has taken control of the Dvurechnaya settlement in the Kharkov region, the ministry added. Battlegroup Vostok eliminated over 115 Ukrainian soldiers, a tank and four artillery guns, including a Western-made one, the ministry's statement read. In the Kharkov area, Russia's Battlegroup Sever has eliminated up to 25 Ukrainian soldiers and an armored fighting vehicle, the ministry said. Two field artillery guns and an ammunition depot were neutralized. Russia's Battlegroup Dnepr has eliminated over 40 Ukrainian soldiers after engaging Ukrainian troops close to Stepnogorsk, Novopokrovka, Rabotino in Zaporozhye region, as well as in Antonovka and in Kherson region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address I Instructed Government Officials to Provide a Report on Those American Support Programs That Are Currently Suspended - Address by the President President of Ukraine 28 January 2025 - 21:12 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! A few key points for today. The Commander-in-Chief's report on the frontlines - the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, the operation in the Kursk region. I held a meeting of the Staff. Among the issues on the agenda was the formation of corps in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There are concrete details on this matter. We will continue to strengthen our army. We are scaling up combat brigades and the right army experience. The first established brigades will serve as a basis for other systemic steps; the modernization of the army system has no alternatives. The Minister of Defense reported on communication with our partners. I also held a meeting with our diplomats - the team of the Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We are planning our international activities for February - meetings and negotiations. The key objectives are ensuring the unity of our partners - which is the foundation of everything - and coordinating our efforts in the European direction. Everyone on the continent should remember: if global issues are resolved without Europe, it will leave Europe with decisions that most Europeans are certain not to like. This also applies to issues of war and peace - the war that Russia started and the peace that we must together impose on Russia. We must do more together both for defense and for economic growth. Today, I spoke with the Prime Minister of Israel - I expressed my condolences on the occasion of Remembrance Day, Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is vital that the world continues to remember what happened and who is responsible. With the Prime Minister of Israel, we discussed the international situation, our contacts with partners, particularly with America. And I am glad to see their progress in bringing back the hostages - people who have been in captivity for so long, now they are finally returning home. And one more thing. Today, I instructed Government officials to provide a report on those American support programs that are currently suspended. These are humanitarian programs. Oleksii Kuleba and other Government officials are identifying which specific programs are currently in short supply; almost all of them were not channeled through the Government of Ukraine, but directly through our communities, through various organizations. There are many projects. We will determine which ones are critical and need immediate solutions. We can provide part of this funding through our state finances, and we will discuss some of them with Europeans and Americans. These include many areas - from communications and digitalization to support for veterans, schools, hospitals, and reconstruction. Of course, the details of the programs were not a state matter, but the Government officials will present everything to me; and the priorities, those that primarily concern Ukrainian children, our veterans, and programs to protect our infrastructure - we will certainly support priority things. I thank everyone who is helping Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Militarization of Ukrainian Children in the Occupied Territories is a Part of Russia's State Policy - Dariia Zarivna President of Ukraine 28 January 2025 - 18:45 Dariia Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office and Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA, and Andriy Kovalenko, Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, took part in the presentation of the analytical report "Militarization of Ukrainian Children in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine". Dariia Zarivna emphasized that the militarization of Ukrainian children is part of Russia's deliberate state policy, enshrined in law and financed by the Kremlin. "Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories become victims of ideological manipulation, they lose their identity and childhood. These are not individual initiatives, but a large-scale policy based on the historical practices of the Russian Empire and the USSR. Therefore, the issue of bringing back the children deported by Russia is extremely important for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy," she said. Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation Andriy Kovalenko stressed the importance of countering the crimes of militarization of Ukrainian children. "Children from the temporarily occupied territories are already being used in activities against our state, including for finding and recruiting teenagers in Ukrainian-controlled territory for sabotage and espionage. Our task is to find those involved, gather evidence and work with other agencies on punishment and sanctions," he said. The report was prepared by the Center for Countering Disinformation and the Bring Kids Back UA team. It will serve as a basis for new international advocacy campaigns aimed at stopping violations of children's rights and returning them to Ukraine; it will also be presented to members of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force, co-chaired by Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC, Director of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute. The report includes an analysis of the methods used by Russia to involve children in military training, foster loyalty to the Russian army, and eradicate Ukrainian identity. Special attention is paid to the role of organizations, particularly "Yunarmiya," which serves as a central tool in the militarization of Ukrainian children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskyy orders report on US support programs By VOA News January 28, 2025 Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered government officials to report on the U.S. support programs whose funds are "currently suspended" under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. "These are humanitarian programs," Zelenskyy said in his daily address Tuesday. Nearly all of them were not channeled through Ukrainian government, he said. Instead, went "directly through our communities, through various organizations." "There are many projects. We will determine which ones are critical and need immediate solutions," he said. "We can provide part of this funding through our state finances." Zelenskyy said the priorities will be "those that primarily concern Ukrainian children, our veterans and programs to protect our infrastructure." On his first day back in office, Trump placed a 90-day freeze on foreign aid while the U.S. reviews whether the aid is aligned with Trump's America First agenda. Also on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview on state television that Moscow would hold peace talks with Kyiv, but he said he would not speak to Zelenskyy, calling him and illegitimate leader. "Negotiations can be held with anyone," the Russian president said. "But due to [Zelenskyy's] illegitimacy, he has no right to sign anything." In return, the Ukrainian president said, "Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war," he wrote on X. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, national and local elections were banned under a martial law act passed by Ukraine. A presidential election would have occurred in March 2024, and Zelenskyy's term would have ended in May 2024. Critics are at odds about whether the Ukrainian constitution provides for an extension of the president's term in office under martial law. Some say it provides for the option, while others believe it does not. Some information for this report is provided by The Associated Press. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian officials say Russian drone attacks cause injuries in several regions By VOA News January 28, 2025 Russian drone attacks overnight hit multiple Ukrainian regions and injured at least six people, officials said Tuesday. In the Odesa region in southern Ukraine, Governor Oleh Kiper said Russian forces attacked overnight with drones and missiles, injuring at least four people. Debris from drones destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses damaged four apartment buildings and five houses, as well as a grain warehouse, Kiper said on Telegram. Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram that falling drone debris injured at least two people, while destroying several homes and damaging at least five others. Officials in Chernihiv said Russian drone attacks damaged houses and outbuildings, but did not hurt anyone. Mykolaiv Governor Vitaliy Kim said air defenses destroyed two drones over his region, while officials in Sumy reported the military shot down four drones. Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it shot down five Ukrainian drones over the Smolensk region. Smolensk Governor Vasily Anokhin said on Telegram there were no reports of damage or casualties. Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz said Russian air defenses shot down one Ukrainian drone over his region, with no damage reported. Some information for this story was provided by Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Multiple Russian Regions Report Major Ukrainian Drone Strikes By RFE/RL's Russian Service and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 29, 2025 Officials in multiple Russian regions reported major Ukrainian drone strikes overnight targeting energy infrastructure, including a nuclear power site, while the Ukrainian and Russian presidents exchanged insults over the possibility of peace negotiations. Government officials in Russia's Smolensk, Nizhny Novgorod, Tver, and Bryansk regions said their areas had been hit by Ukrainian drones on January 28-29, while airports in Kazan and St. Petersburg temporarily suspended traffic, citing safety concerns. It was not possible to independently confirm the reports of the attacks. "In various areas of the Smolensk region, civilian objects are being subjected to a massive attack" by drones," Governor Vasily Anokhin wrote on Telegram. "Air defense and electronic warfare systems of the Russian Defense Ministry are destroying them...One of the drones was shot down during an attempt to attack a nuclear power facility. There were no casualties or damages," Anokhin added. No additional information was provided, but the Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant is a major power-generating facility some 100 kilometers from Smolensk city. Meanwhile, Gleb Nikitin, governor of Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, said a drone fell on the territory of a fuel and energy complex in the Kstovsky industrial zone but did not cause injuries or major damage. "Special services are working at the site and all the necessary means are being used to localize the fire at one of the oil refining units," Nikitin said. Regional governors in the Bryansk region near the Ukrainian border and in Tver near Moscow also reported drone attacks, although they said there were no casualties or damage. Authorities at the airport in Kazan -- capital of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan -- said all flights had been halted to ensure safety, although details of any attack were not immediately disclosed. State-run TASS news agency also reported that arrivals and departures were temporarily halted at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg to ensure air-traffic safety, although further details were not released. Both sides in the war have stepped up the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones in recent months, often targeting the enemy's energy infrastructure. Russia has also caused widespread destruction of Ukrainian civilian sites with drones, rockets, artillery, and various types of bombs. The Kremlin has denied it targets civilian areas despite evidence of such attacks. Inside Ukraine, regional Governor Vitaliy Kim said two women were killed due to a Russian missile attack on the city of Mykolayiv. Off the battlefield, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian President Vladimir Putin was "afraid" to enter into negotiations on ending the war after the Kremlin leader ruled out direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart. "Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war," Zelenskiy wrote on X. "Every move he makes and all his cynical tricks are aimed at making the war endless," he added. Earlier, Putin told Russian state TV that talks with Ukraine were possible but not with Zelenskiy, whom he deemed as "illegitimate" because his presidential term expired while the country was under martial law. "But essentially, if they want to proceed, there is a legal way to do it. Let the chairman of the [Ukrainian parliament] handle it in accordance with the constitution," Putin said. "However, so far, we simply do not see such a desire," he added. Meanwhile, Axios reported the U.S. military transferred some 90 Patriot air-defense missiles from storage in Israel to Poland this week with an aim to deliver them to Ukraine. The report, citing three people with knowledge of the operation, said the Israeli Air Force decommissioned the Patriot air defense system more than 30 years after it was given to Israel during the first Gulf War. After the Israelis announced the decommissioning, Kyiv suggested to U.S. and Israeli officials that Israel return the missiles to the U.S. military to be refurbished and then sent to Ukraine. With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and Axios Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-drone-smolensk- putin-zelenskiy/33293717.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 NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 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 NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind 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. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Innovative and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-iipr/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by March 18, 2025 . About the Lawsuit Innovative 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 Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nations premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago and New Jersey. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Svitzer today announces that it has signed a large, 9-year terminal towage contract with Oman Liquefied Natural Gas LLC (Oman LNG), a joint venture company established by a royal decree and operating under the laws of the Sultanate of Oman. The new contract covers time charter of four newbuild 65-ton bollard pull azimuth stern drive tugs to support the berthing and unberthing of LNG and NGL tankers at the jetty in Qalhat LNG Terminal. In addition to towage services, Svitzer will provide firefighting capabilities, escort duties, pilot boarding and dive support. Svitzers operations for Oman LNG are planned to commence at the beginning of 2026. Svitzer has been a key towage and marine services provider in the Sultanate of Oman since 2005 and is today well-established in the country with three ongoing operations. Svitzers Managing Director in AMEA, Deniz Kirdar True, comments: This new contract not only aligns with Svitzers growth strategy, it is also an important step in solidifying our position in Oman and the broader region. We are proud that Oman LNG have placed their trust with us to manage their towage operations, and we look much forward to providing safe and reliable services in their terminal. For further information, please contact: Michael Nass Nielsen, Head of Investor Relations and FP&A T: +45 24941654 E: ir@svitzer.com Anders Crillesen, Global Head of Communications T: +45 27791286 E: anders.crillesen@svitzer.com About Svitzer Svitzer is a leading, global towage and marine services provider. The core business is to assist large seaborne vessels in manoeuvring in and out of ports and terminals to berth and unberth. With more than 450 vessels, Svitzers services play a crucial role as part of critical port infrastructure. Svitzer was founded in 1833 and serves approximately 2,000 customers in more than 140 ports and 40 terminals across 37 countries. Read more on www.svitzer.com. Attachment ONWARD ARC-EX System for spinal cord injury is now available for purchase through VA Federal Supply Schedule and GSA Advantage platforms Partnership with Lovell Government Services is providing commercial benefit, facilitating purchase through validated US government online purchasing platforms EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ONWARD Medical N.V. (Euronext: ONWD), the medical technology company creating innovative spinal cord stimulation therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and other movement disabilities today announces it has secured the required approvals to enable Veterans Affairs (VA) and other government agencies to immediately purchase the ARC-EX System through federal procurement systems. This milestone is the first major benefit resulting from the Company's partnership with Lovell Government Services, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). "Adding the ARC-EX System to two major US federal government purchasing platforms is an important step toward making our therapy broadly available to US military Veterans living with spinal cord injury," said Dave Marver, CEO, ONWARD Medical. "The VA serves a significant percentage of Americans with spinal cord injury, and establishing these procurement channels soon after FDA authorization demonstrates our commitment to ensuring federal healthcare providers have rapid access to the latest technology." The ARC-EX System is now available to US government clinics and other healthcare facilities through the Department of Veterans Affairs' Federal Supply Schedule National Acquisition Center (VA FSS NAC) and General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage Catalog. These web-based procurement platforms are used to manage contracts and purchases for medical equipment, supplies, pharmaceuticals and other healthcare-related products and services by VA medical centers and other authorized government providers. This comprehensive access ensures VA, Military Health System (MHS), Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, and other US government agencies have rapid access to ONWARD's breakthrough technology for their clinics and healthcare facilities treating people with spinal cord injuries. "We are proud to partner with ONWARD Medical to bring their breakthrough ARC-EX System to Veterans and others served by federal healthcare systems," said Chris Lovell, Major, USMC (Ret.), CEO of Lovell Government Services. "This collaboration combines our federal distribution expertise with ONWARD's innovative technology to improve access to care for those who have served our country. Together, we're dedicated to helping people with spinal cord injury regain function and independence." As ONWARD Medicals US government contracting and logistics partner, Lovell will also collaborate with the Company to make the ARC-EX System available through the Defense Logistics Agency's Electronic Catalog (ECAT) later this year, further broadening and facilitating purchase of the system by government healthcare providers. The ARC-EX System delivers targeted, programmed stimulation of the spinal cord to restore upper extremity strength and function in people with SCI. This first-of-its-kind therapy represents a significant advancement in the treatment options available to Veterans and others living with SCI. It was authorized for commercial sale in the US by the FDA in December 2024. For questions about the ARC-EX System and its availability in the US, complete this webform. To learn more about ONWARD Medicals commitment to partnering with the SCI Community to develop innovative solutions for restoring movement, function, and independence after spinal cord injury, please visit ONWD.com. About Lovell Government Services Lovell Government Services has been a trusted Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) vendor since 2013 with a proven track record of successfully introducing suppliers to the government market. Lovell is a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree and leader in the federal space. They partner with medical and pharmaceutical companies looking to better serve Veteran and military patient populations, increase their federal revenue stream, and win government contracts. For more information, visit www.lovellgov.com About ONWARD Medical ONWARD Medical is a medical technology company creating therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in people with SCI and other movement disabilities. Building on more than a decade of scientific discovery, preclinical research, and clinical studies conducted at leading hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and neuroscience laboratories, the Company has developed ARC Therapy, which has been awarded ten Breakthrough Device Designations from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Companys ARC-EX System is now cleared for commercial sale in the US. In addition, the Company is developing an investigational implantable system called ARC-IM with and without an implanted brain-computer interface (BCI). Headquartered in the Netherlands, the Company has a Science and Engineering Center in Switzerland and a US office in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company is listed on Euronext Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam (ticker: ONWD). For more information, visit ONWD.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and YouTube. For Media Inquiries: media@onwd.com For Investor Inquiries: Investors@onwd.com Disclaimer Certain statements, beliefs, and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Companys or, as appropriate, the Company directors current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve several risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, delays in regulatory approvals, changes in demand, competition, and technology, can cause actual events, performance, or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such persons officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. ARC-EX Indication for Use (US): The ARC-EX System is intended to deliver programmed, transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation in conjunction with functional task practice in the clinic to improve hand sensation and strength in individuals between 18 and 75 years old that present with a chronic, non-progressive neurological deficit resulting from an incomplete spinal cord injury (C2-C8 inclusive). Other Investigational Products: All other ONWARD Medical devices and therapies including ARC-IM and ARC-BCI are investigational and not available for commercial use. Trademarks: ONWARD, ARC-EX, ARC-IM, ARC-BCI, and the stylized O-Logo are proprietary and registered trademarks of ONWARD Medical. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NetAlly, a global leader in handheld network test and cybersecurity solutions, is doubling down on its commitment to EMEA market growth with the appointment of Nathan Collins as Regional Vice President. Collins brings decades of expertise to lead the companys ambitious expansion strategy, focusing on empowering partners and enhancing network resilience. NetAlly provides network test, management and security products for companies to better understand and secure their networks. Their solutions cover a range of network management requirements, from testing tools that technicians can use to troubleshoot network issues in seconds to robust cybersecurity solutions that provide fast insights into potential vulnerabilities in edge network environments. With over 300 active partners across the EMEA region, NetAlly is transitioning to a fully two-tier distribution model to ensure its cutting-edge solutions are readily available in all major markets. By partnering with local distributors, NetAlly enables faster product availability, better service quality, and streamlined operations for both customers and partners. Collins brings his more than 25 years of expertise in the data storage, networking, and business continuity markets to NetAlly, including senior leadership positions at the likes of AvePoint, CommVault, Druva, and PAVilion. Companies rely on their networks to connect their operations and support their goals, so networks must evolve faster and be dynamic and responsive to those business goals. At the same time, increasing regulation and security challenges make building, deploying, and managing networks more challenging than ever. Helping our customers and partners navigate these evolving trends is crucial to our success. Nathan brings us a wealth of experience to help us deliver these goals, said Mike Parrottino, CEO at NetAlly. The European Union has introduced numerous new regulations focused on security and resilience, while similar critical infrastructure regulations are being enforced in the UK for companies and service providers. These regulations aim to make digital services more reliable and resilient, but they need to be supported over time, all the time. Without strong networks, you cant deliver those great digital services to your customers. Compliance with these security regulations is a critical requirement for both partners and customers. NetAllys network test and security vulnerability solutions will be essential to stay compliant, explained Collins. I look forward to working with our partners on developing their networking infrastructure businesses, delivering more opportunities for them, and ensuring more reliable and secure networks for their customers. Intec Microsystems is a NetAlly distributor based in the UK. Of their partnership with NetAlly, Tom Newall, direct vendor manager, said, The market certainly has a strong, positive sentiment about NetAlly. As a trusted advisor to our customers, we saw partnering with NetAlly as a way to build out our solutions portfolio and capture a larger share of wallet in our market space." Newall continued, The launch of our partnership was our most successful vendor kick-off in 2024. Our team is very enthusiastic about this addition to our portfolio, as NetAllys product line provides an attractive margin and good value attach to our network infrastructure sales. On top of that, their team is easy to work with and super responsive. Lennart Heijnen, CEO at Heynen BV, a Dutch supplier of solutions in the field of professional electronics in the Benelux countries, said of their partnership with NetAlly, Weve experienced many years of year-over-year growth with the NetAlly portfolio, including significant large deals with several service providers. Weve had particular success with a key customer in the electronic payments processing industry. NetAllys close collaboration, teamwork, and responsiveness to their unique needs resulted in multiple large orders over the years. Under Collins leadership, NetAlly is poised to transform how partners and customers experience network management and cybersecurity in the EMEA region. By focusing on accessibility, innovation, and collaboration, NetAlly will ensure that every business, from local enterprises to global corporations, can have secure, high-performance networks they can rely on. About NetAlly For decades, the NetAlly family of network test and analysis solutions has been helping network and cybersecurity professionals better deploy, manage, maintain, and secure todays complex wired and wireless networks. Since creating the industrys first handheld network analyzer in 1993, NetAlly continues to set the standard for portable network analysis and cybersecurity assessment with tools that include EtherScopenXG, CyberScope, AirMagnet, LinkRunner, LinkSprinter, AirCheck, and more. NetAlly simplifies the complexities of network testing and cybersecurity assessments, provides instant visibility for efficient problem resolution, and enables seamless collaboration between site personnel and remote experts. To learn more, visit https://netally.com, follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9606265f-401a-408e-b44a-2d3d9c3baf46 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) proudly celebrates a year of transformative achievements through its Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence (OTCoE). This reflects its leadership in healthcare innovation and dedication to improving patient lives as it prepares to highlight its groundbreaking contributions to global healthcare at Arab Health 2025 in Dubai. In 2024, KFSHRCs Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence (OTCoE) performed 882 organ transplants, a 6% increase from 2023, securing its position among the top ten transplant centres globally. The hospitals kidney transplant program has surpassed 5,000 transplants since its inception, demonstrating its unparalleled expertise in meeting complex medical demands with precision and care. Building on this foundation of excellence, innovations in robotic surgery defined the year. The worlds first fully robotic heart transplant, the world's first living donor left lobe liver transplant, and the Middle Easts first robotic pancreas transplant offered transformative solutions for Type 1 diabetes patients. KFSHRC also performed the regions first liver transplant for MNGIE disease, contributing to the treatment of rare medical diseases. Leadership in the paediatric transplant was another highlight of the OTCoE in 2024. Over 100 liver transplants, 80 kidney transplants, and two lung transplants, fostering hope for young patients and their families, placed KFSHRC among the worlds top five centres for paediatric transplant procedures. Additionally, its kidney-paired exchange program set a new Guinness World Record with 135 exchanges, optimising donor-recipient matching. Complementing these clinical advancements, KFSHRC maintained high survival and graft rates while expanding its specialized care offerings with a new liver transplant centre in Jeddah and the regions first Fatty Liver Clinic. Strengthening its global presence and commitment to collaboration and innovation in speciality medicine, KFSHRCs OTCoE hosted the inaugural Minimally Invasive Organ Transplant Consensus Conference (MIOT.CC), bringing together 80 international experts to provide insights on innovative transplant techniques and set global standards in the field. It is noteworthy that KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally in the list of the worlds top 250 Academic Medical Centres for the second consecutive year and has been recognised as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings. Additionally, it was included in the Worlds Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit www.kfshrc.edu.sa or contact our media team at mediacoverage@kfshrc.edu.sa Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/16ddc37c-80c0-444e-aa07-2e19e3c06dc7 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/20ea1595-349d-499f-afbf-e6f65dc32e85 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6b5331d5-2f47-4aa0-b8cf-4326bdba3fcb https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b64f4407-77f2-443e-b6ff-deefbfe5e69d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88ad0eaf-fdd5-4073-a80f-5c5c25e3a6cc New York, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Arbitration Association (AAA) and its international division, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), in partnership with EdTek, today announced the launch of AAAi Chat Book Case Preparation and Presentation. This free to all, first-of-its-kind AI-powered handbook, based on the resource Case Preparation and Presentation: A Guide for Arbitration Advocates and Arbitrators by Jay E. Grenig and Rocco M. Scanza, is the first interactive guide for users on preparing and presenting AAA cases. The handbook is AI-enabled, allowing users to ask questions and receive answers at every case preparation and presentation stage. It also includes the relevant rules and the full text of the print book, making it an invaluable resource for anyone engaging with the AAA. The AAAi Chat Book Case Preparation and Presentation is the first of several forthcoming free AAA AI chat books. Steve Errick, AAA chief development officer, says that the AAA-ICDR AI chat books will be fundamental tools to support new AAA advocates, law students learning alternative dispute resolution and self-represented parties. Making it easier for parties and advocates to present a claim is core to our mission, Errick said. By offering this resource at no cost, we ensure all parties have access to invaluable expert insights and practical guidance for handling AAA cases. The AAAi chat book series, developed with EdTek, will be instrumental in empowering parties and advocates to take full advantage of the AAAs next-generation AI learning resources. Launched in 2024, the EdTek ChatBLDR program allows publishers to create online content databases and users to query the material in plain English. The system then provides synthesized, well-formatted and easy-to-understand answers and summaries based on the materials. This process mimics using a large language model like OpenAIs ChatGPT-4. However, EdTeks special sauce is that all responses are guaranteed to come solely from the publishers own verified materials. This approach eliminates the risk of AI hallucinations, false or fabricated information, which can occur with traditional AI models that rely on unverified data sources. Whether legal and education publishers have one book or hundreds, they now have the same opportunity as the AAA-ICDR to transform static resources into a dynamic, AI-powered learning tool, said Steve Emanuel, EdTek co-founder and legal author. Were thrilled the AAA chose EdTek and were excited about the future of AI chat books in the legal and education markets. As part of its focus on integrating advanced AI technologies, the AAA-ICDR is reimagining and expanding its educational resources with the goal of growing the community of users of dispute resolution services. In February, the AAA-ICDR will launch an AI Case Filing Assistant Chatbot, designed to streamline the filing process for users. The AAAi Chat Book, the AI Case Filing Assistant Chatbot, and other new free services are aligned with the AAAs mission to provide innovative solutions that prevent, mitigate and resolve disputes fairly and efficiently. Visit AAAi Chat Book Case Preparation and Presentation to learn how to prepare to resolve disputes efficiently and confidently. About the American Arbitration Association The not-for-profit AAA is the leading alternative dispute resolution (ADR) service provider. It has administered more than eight million ADR cases since its founding in 1926. With offices throughout the United States and Singapore, the AAA provides organizations of all sizes in virtually every industry with ADR services and products. For more information, visit www.adr.org/. About the International Centre for Dispute Resolution The International Centre for Dispute Resolution is the international division of the AAA and the largest international provider of dispute resolution services. Established in 1996, the ICDR serves parties from over 100 countries with multilingual staff experienced in international dispute resolution proceedings and a roster of over 725 arbitrators and mediators. For more information, visit www.icdr.org. About ODR.com and Mediate.com (Resourceful Internet Solutions) ODR.com, an AAA company, is the global leader in online dispute resolution and offers a proven, secure and scalable ODR platform that is used by hundreds of organizations around the world, including courts, universities, businesses and government agencies. Since its establishment in 1996, Mediate.com has been the leading mediation website, offering an extensive repository of dispute resolution resources, online courses and a widely utilized directory of global mediators. About EdTek EdTek was founded by Steve Emanuel and a team of developers with strong backgrounds in educational technology. Steve is best known as the author of Emanuel Law Outlines and other series of study aids, which have helped generations of law students succeed in their courses and on the bar exam. EdTek combines large language models with its unique processes to ensure accurate results based solely on a publishers trusted content. EdTek collaborates with publishers and higher education institutions to provide customized generative AI content solutions by which users can query large collections of published content in plain English and receive synthesized plain English answers based solely on that content. For more information, visit www.edtek.ai. CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Basis Technologies (https://basis.com), the industrys leading advertising automation platform, announced today that it has been named No. 1 on Ad Age Best Places to Work 2025. Ad Age (https://adage.com) is a daily must-read for an influential audience of decision-makers and disruptors across the marketing and media landscape. Its Best Places to Work list is an annual ranking of companies that lead the pack in factors ranging from pay and benefits to corporate culture and leadership. Details on the winners and ranking are available at: https://adage.com/2025-best-places-to-work (subscription). This is the second year in a row that Basis Technologies has been ranked No. 1 and the fourth year in a row it has been in the top five of the Ad Age Best Places to Work ranking. The list for 2025 honors 50 companies that did a standout job over the past year as the ad business met the challenges of an unsettled economy, a changing media market, and a continued tight talent pool. Read more about Basis Technologies in Ad Age at: https://adage.com/article/best-places-work/basis-technologies-best-places-work-2025/2594091 (subscription). The companies on Ad Ages 2025 Best Places to Work list have shown a deep commitment to building workplaces where employees truly want to beno small feat in todays challenging labor market, said Dan Peres, president of Ad Age. Earning this recognition isnt just a win for company culture; it also strengthens an organizations reputation, making it a more attractive place for top talent. The winnerstop companies with 150 or fewer employees and top companies with more than 151 employeesreflect the highest overall numerical scores based on an analysis of questionnaires submitted by employers and survey responses from their employees. Ad Ages scoring system factors in employee responses on topics including pay and benefits and seven other core focus areas (80% of the score) and a companys policies and practices on areas including pay and benefits, work/life balance, recruitment, training and development (20% of the score). As noted in Ad Age, winning companies outscored other entrants in areas such as employee benefits, DEI initiative, training and professional development, and work-life balance. Basis Technologies is incredibly grateful for our employees, whose feedback have been the key factor in bringing visibility to our workplace leadership, as recognized by Ad Age for numerous years, said Emily Barron, chief people officer, Basis Technologies. Empowerment, support, flexibility and inclusivity is practiced every day at Basis. We ensure that our team has the tools, knowledge and resources to perform their best, stay healthy, and continually develop professionally and personally. Among the qualities of Basis Technologies, Ad Age cites, Basis Technologies is building a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, centered on personal growth, creative problem-solving and challenging the status quo The Chicago-based ad tech company recruits diverse talent through partnerships with inclusive organizations, removing degree requirements from most job postings and requiring bias-reducing hiring training. Ad Age produced Best Places to Work 2025 in partnership with Workforce Research Group, an independent research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great places to work. The competition was open to agencies, ad tech firms, data and research firms, brand or corporate marketing departments or groups and in-house agencies of marketers. Basis Technologies provides advertising software with an integrated suite of modular applications for planning, operations, and more across programmatic, publisher-direct, search, and social channels. The companys various recognition for its workplace includes Fortune Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing (Top 4 from 2022-2024); Fortune Best Workplace in Chicago (Top 3 from 2022-2024); Fortune Best Workplaces for Women (No. 5 in 2023 and No. 14 2022); and Crain's Business Chicago Best Places to Work, 2019-2024. About Ad Age Created in 1930 to cover a burgeoning industry with objectivity, accuracy and fairness, Ad Age continues to be powered by award-winning journalism. Today, Ad Age is a global media brand focusing on curated creativity, data and analysis, people and culture, and innovation and forecasting. About Basis Technologies Basis Technologies is solving the advertising industrys biggest problems with the most comprehensive advertising automation platform. As a unified command center for agencies and brands, Basis delivers an integrated suite of modular applications, each specializing in unique areas such as planning, operations, reporting, and financial reconciliation across programmatic, publisher-direct, search, and social channels. By closing system gaps, automating workflows, and streamlining data management, Basis empowers leaders to increase efficiency and productivity -- driving financial success for their organizations. Renowned for its dedication to both employees and customers, Basis creates more seamless operations and fosters a happier, more engaged workforce. Learn more at https://basis.com. Contact: Anthony Loredo anthony.loredo@basis.com 917-573-4157 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0c6080f5-ef91-45a5-8ca2-80fa1a3e8aad Dublin, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Tour Operators in Canada - Industry Market Research Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares. Canadian tour operators have been extremely volatile in recent years. With the domestic economy's expansions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, international trips taken by Canadians increased. Greater international exposure for the Canadian tourism industry, coupled with overall global economic growth, motivated more foreigners to visit and book tours in Canada, leading to increased inbound international travel. The COVID-19 pandemic shocked the global tourism sector, with countries closing borders, government authorities keeping only essential businesses open and strict travel restrictions being put in place. Many travellers cancelled their trips while people that were planning trips ended up delaying them indefinitely, decimating demand for tour operators as revenue fell nearly 90.0% between 2019 and 2021. Revenue is forecast to decline at a CAGR of 7.3% to $7.3 billion over the five years to 2023. This includes an increase of 26.3% in 2023 as the tourism industry continues to normalize and COVID-19 restrictions are fully removed. Tour operators are also expected to return to profitability in 2023. Companies in the Tour Operators industry in Canada primarily arrange, market and conduct tours, including wholesale tours, of cities, museums, natural attractions and other places of interest. The industry excludes companies that primarily provide travel information on an area's attractions, as well as travel agencies. Key Topics Covered: ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY Industry Definition Main Activities Similar Industries Additional Resources INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE Executive Summary Key External Drivers Current Performance Industry Outlook Industry Life Cycle PRODUCTS & MARKETS Supply Chain Products & Services Demand Determinants Major Markets International Trade Business Locations COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE Market Share Concentration Key Success Factors Cost Structure Benchmarks Basis of Competition Barriers to Entry Industry Globalization MAJOR COMPANIES Transat AT Inc. OPERATING CONDITIONS Capital Intensity Technology & Systems Revenue Volatility Regulation & Policy Industry Assistance KEY STATISTICS Industry Data Annual Change Key Ratios JARGON & GLOSSARY For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3kyevv 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. CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EXP, a global engineering, architecture, design and consulting firm, is proud to announce the promotion of Dale Johnson, MBA, P.Eng., to Vice President, Infrastructure Western Canada. In this elevated role, Dale will oversee the strategic direction, performance and growth of the infrastructure group throughout the region. With more than 30 years of experience, Dale has managed significant projects and pursuits. During his 10 years at EXP, he has managed the land development team, bringing a unique perspective and extensive background in project management, construction and engineering, which has allowed Dale to lead confidently and navigate complex private and public land development and infrastructure projects. Dales extensive management and technical experience greatly benefits our operations team and clients, and he is integral in supporting our ongoing growth and excellence initiatives. In his new position, he will draw on his broad experience to provide comprehensive strategies to our Infrastructure Practice in Western Canada, said Senior Vice President, Western Canada Michael Roberts. Dale spent 13 years at consulting firms in both Saskatoon and Calgary. His roles included project management and team management before he moved to one of his largest land development clients, Qualico Communities. After seven years with Qualico, Dale transitioned back to consulting and began his career at EXP, working with the Land Development team. Dale is focused on solidifying and expanding EXPs client base while continuing to identify strategic opportunities for the group. This is an exciting time to lead EXPs Western Canada Infrastructure Practice. Were expanding our reach throughout the region, identifying new clients and planning our path forward. After assisting clients, partners and team members in achieving success on dozens of developments, I welcome this next challenge as Vice President of Infrastructure. Its exciting to consider whats to come at EXP for our group of very talented professionals, said Dale Johnson. Dale is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and an MBA from Edinburgh School of Business, Heriot-Watt University. Learn more about Infrastructure at EXP. About EXP With a mission to understand, innovate, partner and deliver, EXP provides engineering, architecture, design and consulting services to the worlds built and natural environments. Our heritage dates back to 1906, when the earliest of EXPs predecessor companies started its engineering infrastructure practice. Since then, we have grown to a full-service, multidisciplinary firm delivering projects and solutions to clients and communities around the world. Today, thousands of creative professionals across EXP work together to deliver extraordinary experiences year after year. For more information, visit www.exp.com. Media contact: Nadia Abou-El-Seoud Director of Communications | EXP Nadia.abou@exp.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1575deb1-d870-4130-9298-6959b090a2b6 SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Committed to prioritizing solutions for the affordable housing crisis in Southern California, U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragan, (CA-44) hosted a roundtable discussion with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today at The Enclave in Torrance, California. The roundtable brought together affordable housing leaders, community organizations, financial institutions, and other stakeholders throughout the area to discuss how organizations and public-private partnerships could play a pivotal role in solving the housing crisis in Southern California after tens of thousands were displaced by the recent wildfires in the region. Many families in my district, and across Los Angeles County, struggle to afford housing, said Rep. Nanette Barragan. This roundtable brings together key partners to explore solutions to increase housing supply, reduce costs, and expand opportunities for homeownership. Together, we can make real progress for our communities. Rep. Barragan has a history of leading on issues related to affordable housing and has secured millions in federal funding for local projects that support affordable housing development, advance homeownership for first time homebuyers and expand supportive housing options. By teaming up with FHLBank San Francisco and its members, she is working to find local solutions to the housing crisis. This roundtable comes at a critical moment for our district, as many families and individuals have been displaced by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. We are proud to partner with Representative Barragan, a dedicated leader and tireless advocate for addressing the housing crisis in Southern California, said Alanna McCargo, president and chief executive officer of FHLBank San Francisco. Collaboration is essential to develop innovative solutions that improve affordability, expand housing supply and support the rebuilding of communities impacted by these wildfires. Our Bank is a valuable and trusted community partner that can leverage an extensive network of member financial institutions to help turn these ideas into action. In 2024, FHLBank San Francisco awarded $6.75 million in Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants to support a range of projects in Los Angeles. Statewide, more than $49 million in AHP grants were awarded through its member financial institutions to help address and expedite solutions to California's affordable housing crisis. Attendees at the roundtable included: Dora Leong Gall, A Community of Friends Holly Benson, Adobe communities Andrea Parker, Farmers and Merchants bank Jeremy Empol, FHLBank San Francisco Anabel Cuevas, FHLBank San Francisco Darrell Simien, Habitat for Humanity LA Laura Archuleta, Jamboree Suny Lay Chang, LINC Housing Michael Ruane, National CORE Gerald Phillips, Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County Patricia Valladolid, One San Pedro/Century Housing Michael Faulwell, SchoolsFirst FCU Brent Terecero, SchoolsFirst FCU FHLBank San Francisco is dedicated to supporting housing initiatives throughout its three-state region, including Arizona, California, and Nevada. Since the Affordable Housing Program (AHP) was created in 1990, FHLBank San Francisco has awarded over $1.35 billion in AHP grants to support the construction, rehabilitation, or purchase of over 154,600 homes affordable to lower-income households, including $61.8 million in 2024 alone . Together, the 11 regional FHLBanks that make up the Federal Home Loan Bank System are one of the largest privately capitalized sources of grant funding for affordable housing in the United States. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-owned cooperative supporting local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada to build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions propel homeownership, finance quality affordable housing, drive economic vitality, and revitalize neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient. Contact: Tom Flannigan tom.flannigan@fhlbsf.com 415-616-2695 Vancouver, Jan. 28, 2025 - Terra Balcanica Resources Corp. ("Terra" or the "Company") (CSE:TERA; FRA:UB1) is pleased to announce closing of the 1st tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") of units (the "Units") for gross proceeds of $129,000 Canadian. The Company issued an aggregate of 1,290,000 Units at a price of $0.10 per Unit pursuant to the Offering of up to $400,000 announced on January 21st, 2025. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant issued in the first tranche of the Offering entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.15 until January 28th, 2028. Finders' fees in the amount of $6,930 were paid. Terra intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for land holding costs, project payments and for general corporate and working capital purposes. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued and issuable in connection with the closing of the third tranche of the Offering are subject to a four (4) month hold period ending May 29th, 2025. The Offering is subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of any U.S. person or any person in the United States, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. "United States" and "U.S. Person" are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. About the Company Terra Balcanica is a polymetallic and energy metals exploration company targeting large-scale mineral systems in the Balkans of southeastern Europe and northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has 90% interest in the Viogor-Zanik Project in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Canadian assets comprise a 100% optioned portfolio of uranium-prospective licences at the outskirts of the world-renowned Athabasca basin: Charlot-Neely Lake, Fontaine Lake, Snowbird, and South Pendleton. The Company emphasizes responsible engagement with local communities and stakeholders. It is committed to proactively implementing Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) and sustainable health, safety, and environmental management. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terra Balcanica Resources Corp. "Aleksandar Miskovi?" Aleksandar Miskovi? President and CEO For the complete information on this news release, please contact Aleksandar Miskovi? at amiskovic@terrabresources.com, +1 (514) 796-7577, or visit www.terrabresources.com/en/news. Cautionary Statement This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of any of the words "will", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, the terms and completion of the Offering, the anticipated Closing Date, the payment of finder's fees and the use of proceeds for the Offering. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect including, but not limited to, the ability to obtain regulatory approval for the Offering; the state of the equity financing markets in Canada and other jurisdictions; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; and fluctuations in metal prices. Such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. VANCOUVER, Jan. 28, 2025 - Ascot Resources Ltd. (TSX: AOT; OTCQX: AOTVF) ("Ascot" or the "Company") announces that the Company's newly appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Currie and his new management team, are continuing a detailed review and assessment of Ascot's mining operations and overall business strategy. Given the significance and complexity of this process, Mr. Currie requires additional time to complete his evaluation. As a result, the previously scheduled conference call, announced in the Company's January 15, 2025 press release, has been postponed. The Company will announce a new date for the conference call in a subsequent press release once Mr. Currie has completed his review and is prepared to provide a comprehensive update to stakeholders. "It is critical to ensure that we provide a thorough and transparent assessment of Ascot's operations and strategy to our shareholders," said Jim Currie. "I appreciate the patience of our stakeholders as I undertake this review to chart the best path forward for the Company." Ascot remains committed to maintaining open and timely communication with its shareholders, stakeholders, and the broader investment community. The Company thanks all stakeholders for their understanding and continued support during this period. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Ascot Resources Ltd. Rick Zimmer Chairman of the Board of Directors For further information contact: KIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. Email: AOT@kincommunications.com Phone: 604-684-6730 About Ascot Ascot is a Canadian mining company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, and its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") under the ticker AOT and on the OTCQX under the ticker AOTVF. Ascot is the 100% owner of the Premier Gold mine, which poured first gold in April 2024 and is located on Nisga'a Nation Treaty Lands, in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. For more information about the Company, please refer to the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or visit the Company's web site at www.ascotgold.com. The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information All statements and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward- looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "targeted", "outlook", "on track" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements, including statements in respect of the ability of the Company to accomplish its business objectives and the intentions described herein and future plans, development and operations of the Company. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including risks related to the need for future waivers or forbearance agreements from the secured creditors of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to development, production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and indigenous groups in the exploration and development of Ascot's properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to finance operations and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in future plans and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; the need for TSX approval, including pursuant to financial hardship exemptions, and other regulatory approvals and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in Ascot's filings with Canadian securities regulators, available on Ascot's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca including the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 25, 2024 in the section entitled "Risk Factors". Forward- looking statements are based on assumptions made with regard to: the estimated costs associated with the care and maintenance plans; the ability to maintain throughput and production levels at the Big Missouri mine and the Premier Northern Lights mine; the tax rate applicable to the Company; future commodity prices; the grade of mineral resources and mineral reserves; the ability of the Company to convert inferred mineral resources to other categories; the ability of the Company to reduce mining dilution; the ability to reduce capital costs; the ability of the Company to raise additional financing; compliance with the covenants in Ascot's credit agreements; and exploration plans. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Although Ascot believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Ascot can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Ascot does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable laws. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Initiated Due Diligence Through Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) Dragun Corporation Commissioned to Conduct ESA to Identify Potential Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC) Phase II ESA & Remedial Action To Be Undertaken When AECs Identified Discussions In Process to Select Potential Contractors and Construction Companies for Windsor Plant Windsor Silicon Anode Plant to Reduce Reliance on Imported Material, Encourage Canada's Battery Technology Innovation, and Support Region's Economic Development TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2025 -- Following the Windsor, Ontario, lease and investment announcement on January 24, 2025, NEO Battery Materials Ltd. ("NEO" or the "Company") (TSXV: NBM) (OTC: NBMFF), a low-cost silicon anode materials developer that enables longer-running, rapid-charging lithium-ion batteries, is pleased to announce advancements in its commercialization efforts of Canada's first advanced silicon anode manufacturing facility. Site Due Diligence and Pre-Commercialization Activities Underway To ensure the site is suitable for development, NEO Battery Materials has initiated due diligence by commissioning a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) for the 8-acre site located in the Windsor Airport South Industrial Park. Dragun Corporation, an experienced environmental consulting firm, is conducting this assessment, which will include a review of potential areas of environmental concern (AEC) within and adjacent to the site. Assessment components involve regulatory file reviews related to certain environmental permits, notifications, and enforcement actions as part of the Phase I ESA. If AECs are identified, a Phase II ESA may be undertaken to determine soil and/or groundwater impact, and subsequent remediations will be taken to achieve compliance with environmental laws and standards. In parallel, the Company is pre-qualifying potential contractors and construction companies for the project. Discussions are underway to select partners who can meet the technical, regulatory, and timeline requirements for the silicon anode plant construction. NEO remains committed to successfully completing the due diligence process and advancing construction preparations. Contractor selection and site progress updates will be provided as each activity is completed. Windsor: Home to Canada's First Silicon Anode Manufacturing Plant The Windsor plant will contribute to the Company's efforts to advance high-performance, sustainable battery materials technology for Canada and North America. The project includes establishing a manufacturing facility to produce 5,000 tons of silicon anode materials annually, with plans for value-added, battery-related projects. This initiative aims to reduce reliance on imported battery materials while supporting the region's economic development through job creation and investment. About NEO Battery Materials Ltd. NEO Battery Materials is a Canadian battery materials technology company focused on developing silicon anode materials for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, electronics, and energy storage systems. With a patent-protected, low-cost manufacturing process, NEO Battery enables longer-running and ultra-fast charging batteries compared to existing state-of-the-art technologies. The Company aims to be a globally-leading producer of silicon anode materials for the electric vehicle and energy storage industries. For more information, please visit the Company's website at: https://www.neobatterymaterials.com/. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Spencer Huh Director, President, and CEO For Investor Relations, PR & More Information: info@neobatterymaterials.com T: +1 (437) 451-7678 This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified notably by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking 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, including but not limited to: volatile stock prices; the general global markets and economic conditions; the possibility of write-downs and impairments; the risk associated with the research and development of advanced technologies; the risk associated with the effectiveness and feasibility of technologies that have not yet been tested or proven on commercial scale; the risks associated with entering into collaborations, joint ventures, or partnerships with battery cell manufacturers and OEMs; the risks associated with the construction, completion, and financing of commercial facilities including the Windsor and South Korean plant; fluctuations in input precursor prices; the risks associated with uninsurable risks arising during the course of research, development and production; competition faced by the Company in securing experienced personnel and financing; access to adequate infrastructure to support battery materials research and development activities; the risks associated with changes in the technology regulatory regime governing the Company; the risks associated with the timely execution of the Company's strategies and business plans; the risks associated with the Company's abilities to attain its goals and commercialization; the risks associated with the lithium-ion battery industry's demand and adoption of the Company's silicon anode technology; the risks associated with the various environmental and political regulations the Company is subject to; the risks related to regulatory and permitting delays; the reliance on key personnel; liquidity risks; the risk of litigation; risk management; and other risk factors as identified in the Company's recent Financial Statements and MD&A and in recent securities filings for the Company which are available on www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made, including but not limited to, continued R&D and commercialization activities, no material adverse change in precursor prices, development and commercialization plans to proceed in accordance with plans and such plans to achieve their stated expected outcomes, receipt of required regulatory approvals, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. 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, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information has been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's business, operations, research and development, and commercialization plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is made as of the date of this presentation, and the Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of theTSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. QUEBEC CITY, Jan. 29, 2025 - Robex Resources Inc. (TSXV: RBX) ("Robex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced "best efforts" public offering of 16,585,400 common shares of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at a price of $2.05 per Common Share for gross proceeds of $34,000,070 (the "Offering"). All currency amounts in this news release are stated in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated. The Offering was led by SCP Resource Finance LP, as bookrunner and agent (the "Agent"). The number of Common Shares sold and gross proceeds realized by the Company have been adjusted to reflect the exercise by the Agent of a portion of the over-allotment option granted to the Agent to purchase from the treasury of the Company (the "Over-Allotment Option"). Following the closing of the Offering, the Company is well placed to continue to advance construction, engineering and the procurement of long-lead items for its flagship Kiniero Gold Project, in Guinea, which is targeting first gold pour in Q4 2025. Matthew Wilcox, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer: "This equity raise will allow Robex to move forward with the Kiniero construction which is accelerating towards a gold pour later this year. Kiniero will be a transformative project for the Company, and I look forward to seeing it commissioned." The Offering was completed under a prospectus supplement dated January 23, 2025 (the "Supplement") to the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated July 20, 2023 (the "Base Shelf Prospectus"). The Supplement has been filed with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada. The Common Shares were also offered by way of private placement in the United States in accordance with all applicable laws. The Supplement, the Base Shelf Prospectus and the Agency Agreement (as hereinafter defined) are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Offering has received conditional TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") acceptance, and final approval of the TSXV is subject to receipt by the TSXV of customary closing materials. The Company intends to mainly use the net proceeds from the Offering for the Kiniero Gold Project, in Guinea, to (i) advance the construction and engineering, and (ii) to continue the procurement of long lead items in line with the Company's schedule for Q4 first gold pour. The remaining funds will be used for general and administrative as well as working capital, the whole as disclosed in the Supplement. Pursuant to the terms of an agency agreement dated January 23, 2025 between the Company and the Agent (the "Agency Agreement"), in consideration of the services rendered by the Agent in connection with the Offering, the Company has paid the Agent a cash commission in the amount of $2,040,004.20 equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, as adjusted to reflect the exercise in full by the Agent of the Over-Allotment Option. 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 Common Shares, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including in the United States of America. Such 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. About Robex Resources Inc. Robex is a multi-jurisdictional West African gold production and development company with near-term exploration potential. The Company is dedicated to safe, diverse and responsible operations in the countries in which it operates with a goal to foster sustainable growth. The Company has been operating the Nampala mine in Mali since 2017 and is advancing the Kiniero Gold Project in Guinea. Robex is supported by two strategic shareholders and has the ambition to become one of the most important mid-tier gold producers in West Africa. For more information ROBEX RESOURCES INC. Matthew Wilcox, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Alain William, Chief Financial Officer +1 581 741-7421 Email: investor@robexgold.com www.robexgold.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward?looking statements" and "forward?looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (referred to herein as "forward?looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are included to provide information about the Company's management's ("Management's") current expectations and plans that allow investors and others to have a better understanding of the Company's business plans and financial performance and condition. Statements made in this news release that describe the Company's or Management's estimates, expectations, forecasts, objectives, predictions, projections of the future or strategies may be "forward-looking statements", and can be identified by the use of the conditional or forward-looking terminology such as "aim", "anticipate", "assume", "believe", "can", "contemplate", "continue", "could", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "future", "guidance", "guide", "indication", "intend", "intention", "likely", "may", "might", "objective", "opportunity", "outlook", "plan", "potential", "should", "strategy", "target", "will" or "would" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon. Forward-looking statements also include any other statements that do not refer to historical facts. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: obtaining the final acceptance of the Offering by the TSXV and the timing thereof; the listing of the Common Shares on the TSXV; the timing of the first gold pour at the Company's Kiniero Gold Project; and the intended use of the net proceeds of the Offering. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements or information. There can be no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be accurate. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions, including: obtaining the final acceptance of the Offering by the TSXV and the listing of the Common Shares on the TSXV; the availability of the net proceeds of the Offering in time for their intended use; the anticipated timing of the first gold pour at the Company's Kiniero Gold Project; and general economic and financial conditions in Canada and the other jurisdictions where the Company intends to distribute securities in connection with the Offering. Certain important factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to: delays in obtaining the final acceptance of the Offering by the TSXV and the listing of the Common Shares on the TSXV; delays in the timing of the first gold pour at the Company's Kiniero Gold Project; instability in the general economic and financial conditions in Canada and the other jurisdictions where the Company intends to distribute securities in connection with the Offering; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; volatility in the market price of the Company's shares; and changes in tax laws. See also the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or on the Company's website at www.robexgold.com, for additional information on risk factors that could cause results to differ materially from forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Although the Company believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions and has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. These factors are not intended to represent a complete and exhaustive list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, they should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or Management's estimates, assumptions or opinions should change, except as required by applicable law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's expected financial and operational performance and results as at and for the periods ended on the dates presented in the Company's plans and objectives, and may not be appropriate for other purposes. 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S. Pinnacle Silver and Gold Corp. ("Pinnacle" or the "Company") (TSXV:PINN; OTC:NRGOF; Frankfurt:P9J) is pleased to provide an update on the proposed acquisition of a staged option to acquire up to a 100% interest, subject to a 2% NSR, in the Potrero gold-silver project in Durango, Mexico, as announced in Pinnacle news release of Oct. 28, 2024. As the proposed acquisition is subject to TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") acceptance and the transaction is considered by the TSXV to be a "Fundamental Acquisition", Section 3.5 of Exchange Policy 3.3 requires regular updates on the progress of the transaction. As the original Letter of Intent provided for a three-month period to conduct due diligence and sign a Definitive Agreement (the "DA"), the Company and the vendor have signed an extension until February 21, 2025 to complete the DA and allow time for a review by the TSXV. All technical due diligence has been completed, and the requisite NI 43-101 Technical Report has been reviewed and deemed suitable for filing by the TSXV, with the final executed version to be submitted prior to closing. Initial comments regarding the Title Opinion have been addressed and a revised version has been submitted for review. The preparation of the DA is in the final stages and the concurrent financing is almost complete. There is no change to the terms of the financing. Subject to the review process and final acceptance by the TSXV, the Company anticipates that the transaction, including the financing, should close by mid-February. ABOUT PINNACLE SILVER AND GOLD CORP. Pinnacle is focused on district-scale exploration for precious metals in the Americas. In the prolific Red Lake District of northwestern Ontario, the Company owns a 100% interest in the past-producing, high-grade Argosy Gold Mine and the adjacent North Birch Project with an eight-kilometre-long target horizon. The addition of the high-grade Potrero gold-silver project in Mexico's Sierra Madre Belt will complement the project portfolio and provide the potential for near-term production. With a seasoned, highly successful management team and quality projects, Pinnacle Silver and Gold is committed to building long-term, sustainable value for shareholders. Signed: "Robert Archer" President & CEO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Email: info@pinnaclesilverandgold.com Tel.: +1-877-271-5886 ext. 110 Website: www.pinnaclesilverandgold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. William Fulton is a professor of practice at the University of California, San Diego, a senior adviser to PFM Consulting Group, and author of the Substack newsletter The Future Of Where. Previously he was mayor of Ventura, Calif., and director of planning and economic development for the city of San Diego, as well as director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University. He is the author of eight books, including Place and Prosperity: How Cities Help Us To Connect And Innovate. Flash Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington next week at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office on Tuesday. Trump has invited Netanyahu to "a meeting at the White House on (next) Tuesday, Feb. 4," said the statement. The meeting is expected to focus on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported. Under the deal, a six-week ceasefire started on Jan. 19 during the first phase. By the 16th day of this ceasefire, talks will commence on subsequent phases aimed at addressing the release of remaining Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip and further withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave. Netanyahu has been under political pressure from key members of his far-right coalition government to resume Gaza fighting after the first phase of the deal. According to Kan, the White House has prepared an incentive package to encourage Netanyahu to proceed with the deal. The package reportedly includes sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu in late November last year for "crimes against humanity and war crimes" during the Gaza conflict. Last week, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S25 series, and Honor was quick to mock its rival for all the ways its own recently launched flagship has it beat. The campaign was extended to social media, where Honor claimed the Magic7 Pro covers all user needs. In contrast, the Chinese company believes, Samsung users may require several additional accessories to compete with Honor's flagship for portrait photography, zoom capabilities, and battery charging. Honor posted those on various social media pages The social media campaign showcased images highlighting the Magic7 Pro's advantages compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung needs to include an additional artificial light, the poster goes, while Honor can rely on the AI Enhanced Portrait feature. Honor Magic7 Pro The Chinese brand also brags about AI Super Zoom, AI Deepfake Detection, and AI Motion Sensing Capture on its phone, and while there's some merit to that, the AI features are arguably the one area where Samsung still has the edge. More teasing posters from social media There's more truth to the claim that S25 Ultra is lacking in the battery department, the latest Galaxy flagship sticking with the same battery capacity and 45W charging rates (with the standard Galaxy S25 at 25W) for four consecutive years. Source Leilani Sablan has a passion for fish. She likes to study them, spear them, eat them, and wants to make certain that future generations in Guahan will enjoy them. Her work with the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant allows her to help make this happen. She is well-known in the local fishing community because of the time she spent meeting with fishers at all hours of the day or night to document their catches for her masters thesis. She spent time cultivating relationships with local fishing folk to collect data on catches by non-commercial fishers. Guam, in general, lacks a lot of fisheries-related outreach and extension work, which is crazy since were an island full of fishermen and fisherwomen surrounded by an ocean that sustains us with this very renewable resource, fish, Sablan said. They just started workshops promoting sustainable fishing. Were trying to translate the science of fisheries and fish biology into something useful for the fishing community, because a lot of times information is stuck in a publication, in a form they cant access, Sablan said. Her Marine Lab mentors, Brett Taylor and Peter Houk, guided her through her thesis work, and now Taylor leads the current Sea Grant fisheries research with Sablans help on the ground. He has taught me everything I know about the life history of fish, and its been fun helping him in the lab and translating the life history information and the research aspect for the fishing community, Sablan said. Learning how to age fish using the small bones in their inner ears is fascinating. It is essential to know the age at which different fish species mature and begin reproducing. Knowing the length of fish when they mature informs catch sizes and ensures sustainability for the species. Life history is significant for fisheries management. Taylor and Sablan are working closely with the Guam Department of Agriculture to update the Fisheries Management Plan. Unlike other places in Micronesia, Guam does not have regulations regarding size limits of commonly taken food fish. The plan aims to regulate fish species based on information on life history and community input. Sablan values her connection with the fishing community and takes their concerns to meetings of the Fisheries Management Plan to ensure their voices are heard and their ideas are incorporated into the plan. I saw the power of what we can do to leverage the knowledge the fishing community has and how we can increase the quantity and quality of the data we collect by working directly with them. Our community science Initiative hopes to involve more fishers in fisheries research, said Sablan, and they are excited to be a part of the process. Sablan is conducting in-person surveys on fisheries management for Guahan with all who are interested. She feels this method allows her to interact, answer questions, and clearly explain important aspects of management to fishers. To be part of this essential work to protect fisheries in our waters, contact her at (671) 472-3749. Calling all musicians from Guam, the Marianas, Asia and beyond, for the largest music event in the region. The Tumon Bay Music Festival, which turns 20 this year, will be held from Feb. 26 to March 8 at various locations throughout Guam. The festival includes: Opening ceremonies on Feb. 26 at the Micronesia Mall Center Court Choral festival on Feb. 27 and 28 at Guam Plaza Resort in the Kahida Ballroom Solo and small ensemble festival on March 1 at the Episcopal Church of Saint John the Divine, and Micronesia Mall Pops Concert Jazz, Rock, and Beyond on March 2 at Ypao Amphitheater Winds and Strings Festival on March 3 and 4 at Hyatt Regency Guam in the Grand Ballroom Finale concert and closing ceremonies on March 8 at the Micronesia Mall Center Court This event is open to musicians and music groups of all ages and experience levels. The festival will also include seminars, workshops, school visits and will feature over 80 performances involving over 900 performers. Most concerts are free and open to the public. More information can be found at www.tbmfguam.org Those interested in participating are encouraged to register. The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 31, or until all performance slots are filled. For more information, contact Joanne Matanane, festival managing director, at joanne@tbmfguam.org or GPF director of communications, Isaiah Aguon, at isaiah@guamphilharmonic.org. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero on Wednesday said she wants as much as $400 million out of an anticipated $500.8 million in federal disaster relief money for Guam to go towards construction of a new hospital. She also made an appeal to Attorney General Douglas Moylan to support the use of American Rescue Plan money for the hospital construction, as the Guam Waterworks Authority moves to start planning for water and sewer at the Mangilao hospital site. Del. James Moylans office earlier this month announced the island would get the $500.8 million as part of the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery allocation for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, disaster declaration associated with Typhoon Mawar. Leon Guerrero on Wednesday said she would like to use the majority of the funds for a new hospital, which she believes is allowed for the funding. She spoke at a Housing Summit hosted by the Guam Housing Urban Renewal Authority at Hyatt Regency Guam. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development, HUD, attended the event. Leon Guerrero said she did tell officials from HUD, which provides the block grant, about her plans. What I wanted to recommend iswell use it for infrastructure and housing development and stuff, but I want most of it, Leon Guerrero said. Im thinking maybe, if I can get $400 million, you know, that would really go a long way. She said she also has plans to fly to Washington, D.C. soon to see if I can get $350 million more. Speaking to the crowd at the GHURA Housing Summit, she said the new hospital would aid community development in Mangilao by speeding along power and water infrastructure in the area. At least one lawmaker, emergency response oversight chairman Sen. Shawn Gumataotao, has already expressed an interest in the $500.8 million pot of funding. Gumataotao earlier this month wrote a letter asking the governor to use some of it to buy more ambulances for the Guam Fire Department, which had just six operational ambulances earlier this month. The governor, in response, said buying ambulances was not an eligible activity under the grant, though she promised more would come online. The hospital is needed Leon Guerrero made a personal appeal to the attorney general to support the hospital project. Mr. AG, the hospital is needed. The community needs this. I need you to be on board with this, the governor said. The AG last week promised he would not sign any contracts using ARP funds to install infrastructure for the new hospital. Guam law requires his review on all contracts worth over $500,000. AG Moylan is also currently suing to block the use of ARP money for the hospital, over various alleged illegalities related to the transfer of $12.5 million of ARP money for the acquisition of hospital land, and GHURAs condemnation of property for the facility. We have not done anything illegal with these ARP monies. These are legal monies that we can use, Leon Guerrero said Wednesday. And so I am asking the AG to reconsider his statement about not signing any contract. I think thats a very irresponsible, blatant comment made, and its not really meeting his responsibility as an attorney general. Leon Guerrero said she had given thought to appointing a special assistant attorney general to handle the matter. GHURA and Adelup have moved to dismiss the AGs lawsuit in the District Court of Guam. AG Moylan has said that the loss of the $104 million in ARP money the governor is using for the hospital, wrongfully, he alleges, would warrant her recall. Water installs Meanwhile, the Consolidated Commission on Utilities at a Tuesday night meeting approved the first move towards installing infrastructure at the new hospital site in Mangilao. GWA General Manager Miguel Bordallo spoke on the water authoritys intent to start planning and surveying for water and sewer at the hospital site, which is just across the street from the utilities headquarters. The project will be added onto an existing contract the utility has with an engineering firm, and will be paid for using $750,000 worth of ARP money from the Office of the Governor. CCU Commissioner Michael Limtiaco did ask Bordallo about how AG Moylans opinion on the funding would impact the project. But Bordallo on Tuesday said the $750,000 planning and survey work will be added on to an existing indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract GWA has had in place 2019. The contract amendment will not need additional legal approval, according to Bordallo. GWA Legal Counsel Theresa Rojas said the contract was approved by GWAs legal counsel who, in 2019, was designated as a special assistant attorney general by the former AG. AG Moylan withdrew all special assistant attorney general designations when he took office last year, with the intention of having his own office review all contracts. Rojas on Tuesday said she had reviewed the AGs lawsuit in the District Court of Guam, and noted there was no injunction or writ of mandamus issued by the court regarding ARP funding. I want to point out that in this complaint...he explicitly states that no monies that were already given, no ARPA, monies that were already transferred, committed or encumberedhes not asking for any of those to be returned, Rojas said. Bordallo said the Department of Administration has confirmed that the money is available for GWA. Commissioners approved GWAs contract amendment for the hospital project, without objection. Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Veterans Affairs programs, rental assistance and child care aid are among those excluded from the Trump White Houses sweeping federal funding freeze, which a district judge temporarily blocked minutes before it took effect Tuesday. As of Wednesday, theres no clarity what this could mean to federal funded employees within the government of Guam. Judge Loren L. AliKhan for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an administrative stay halting the White Houses implementation of the funding freeze until Feb. 3, when a hearing will take place on the matter. It was in response to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by a coalition of organizations representing federal grant recipients. The court-ordered stay capped a chaotic day for the U.S. government and the government of Guam as officials scrambled to seek clarity on which federal funded-programs would be affected. I want to assure our people that as of now, everything remains status quo, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said in a statement on Wednesday. Without clarification, the sweeping pause on federal grants and loans could cause significant disruptions to programs that fund schools, provide housing, ensure that low-income Americans have access to health care, aid to nonprofits, small business loans and state and local government grants. Del. James Moylan, in a statement, said the federal funding pause will have no impact on VA health care, benefits or beneficiaries. The governor, meanwhile, convened on Wednesday a meeting with members of her fiscal team and directors of key agencies that could be impacted. These include the Department of Public Health and Social Services, Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, Guam Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture, and Guam Memorial Hospital. The governor said all agencies are conducting a thorough review of federal programs to determine which are impacted by the funding freeze and which are not. They will provide more details on the potential consequences of this (Office of Management and Budget) memorandum in the coming days. Each agency will also work to determine what impact, if any, this freeze will have on federally funded employees, Leon Guerrero said. Additional information released by the White House and the OMB clarifies that the freeze is limited to programs, projects, and activities implicated by executive orders that President Donald Trump issued last week, and will not include programs that provide direct benefits to Americans, such as Medicaid, SNAP, childcare assistance, and WIC, the governor said. Other grants that directly impact Americans are not included in this executive order, meaning critical services will continue without disruption, Leon Guerrero said. She acknowledges that federal websites for some of these programs shut down to coincide with the OMB Memorandum, and expects that further clarification will be made available in the coming days. We will provide timely updates as more information becomes available, and I ask the people of Guam to remain calm as we conduct our assessment, the governor added. The White House memo says the pause also applies to other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal. Nonprofit organizations around the nation, including Guam, receive federal grants and depend on federal funds to fulfill their missions, pay their employees and help improve the lives of the people they serve. The White Houses OMB issued later guidance and questions-and-answers on the impacts of the federal funding freeze, including the following: Q: Is this a freeze on all federal financial assistance? A: No, the pause does not apply across-the-board. It is expressly limited to programs, projects, and activities implicated by the presidents executive orders, such as ending DEI, the green new deal, and funding nongovernmental organizations that undermine the national interest. Q: Is this a freeze on benefits to Americans like SNAP or student loans? A: No, any program that provides direct benefits to Americans is explicitly excluded from the pause and exempted from this review process. In addition to Social Security and Medicare, already explicitly excluded in the guidance, mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP will continue without pause. Funds for small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance, and other similar programs will not be paused. There was standing-room only in the main hall of Government House on Monday night, when the sound of static filled the room and the voice of former Gov. Ricardo Ricky Bordallo came calling to the crowd back from the year 1987. All the work we went through, the late former governor said to the room, to understand how we could set up around two mics, so we could just talk very relaxed. The audio was a snippet of over 100 tapes recorded just a few years before the former governors death in 1990, hours and hours worth of interviews taken by his old press secretary and cousin, C. Sablan Gault. I hadnt heard them since 87, 88, said Gault, whose recounting of her late cousins life launched at the Monday night event, almost 50 years to the day after Ricardo Bordallo began his first term as governor in 1975. Ricky: A Life Worth Sharing, Volume I, billed as an autobiography, tells the story of the early years of Ricardo Bordallo, who was born in 1927, and whose political career began in the years after World War II. Gault began recording interviews for the former governors biography in 1987, the year he would be convicted in federal court for 10 government corruption chargesall but two of which were later overturned. When they were transcribed into a digital form, and I heard them the first time again, was very emotional to hear his voice, to hear him talking to me again, Gault told the crowd on Monday, choking up slightly as she spoke. Oh, we had arguments. We laughed, we argued...we had some really good times and some really sad times, she said. If you wonder about the immediacy of it, Gault said of the biography, its because it was written at that time. Youre getting it 37 years after the fact. The material salvaged in the decades the former governor was first recorded was incredible, said Victoria Lola Leon Guerrero, director of the books publisher, University of Guam Press. Leon Guerrero described the efforts to digitize cassette tapes and old floppy disks, the 1,000-page document that came togethera part II of the book is in orderand a call from former Del. Madeleine Bordallo on Christmas Eve in 2020. Congresswoman Bordallo called me and said, what address do I send all of this to you? Leon Guerrero said. The former delegate, first lady of Guam, and widow of Ricardo Bordallo had helped scrounge up old images for the book, according to Leon Guerrero. Thats not very easy, Madeleine Bordallo, now 91, told the crowd Monday. You know how it is, Oh, I had that photo, but the typhoon took it. The former first lady, like others present Monday who knew Ricardo Bordallo, recalled the sharp dress and boundless energy of her late husband. We had so many young people go through the many years he was governor and also senator, and those guys came out. They couldnt believe it, Madeleine Bordallo said. Hed go to five, six fiestas in one night, or a funeral. He did everything in his white pants. In attendance at the Monday book launch was a whos-who of government of Guam dignitaries past and present, and a slew of notable figures from the private sector as well. How many people ever served in Rickys administration? Madeleine Bordallo asked the crowd at one point. A slew of hands shot up at the prompt. The book itself drew high praise from many who knew the man himself. I was shocked, Madeleine Bordallo said of the reading. Married to him all these years, he never told me all these things. She said the autobiography should be put into the hands of any young person from Guam. Youre going to read it pretty fast, said Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio, who got his summer job at then-senator Madeleine Bordallos office back in the late 1980s. Youre going to discover a whole bunch of things about Guams history, and youre really going to be reminded about what a phenomenal thinker Gov. Ricky Bordallo was, Tenorio said. This book is just like an audio book, at least for me, because I spent many years with Ricky, and it sounds just like him, said Public Auditor Benjamin J.F. Cruz, who got a job out of law school in the early 1970s as the former governors legal counsel. Cruz said the book had enthralling images of old Hagatna. It gave me a lot of insight about things that happened to my parents, because...they didnt want to talk about the war. And so I was very fortunate to have this recounting by Ricky, said Cruz. The former governors daughter, Deborah Bordallo, who also celebrated her birthday on Monday, thanked all those who came out to remember her father. It warms my heart to see that there are people that knew my dad, and people that still carry him in their heart, she told the crowd. Ricky: A Life Worth Sharing, Volume I retails for $35 and can be purchased from Bestseller, the UOG Triton Bookstore, Amazon, and UOG press, https://uogpress.com/products/ricky-a-life-worth-sharing-volume-i. Collette Taitano moved from Guam in 2008 to pursue a bachelors degree and a masters degree on the mainland. She currently resides and works in Las Vegas, Nevada. Haiti - Drug cartel : Cherfilus McCormick, against the American military intervention in Haiti Since taking office, President Donald Trump has been aggressive at the border and has designated drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations Strategically, Haiti is positioned as a gateway for drug trafficking routes between Latin America and the United States and has become a focal point in the discussion of drug cartel influence in the Western Hemisphere. President Trump has suggested that he is open to using U.S. military force against drug cartels. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democratic representative from South Florida, Haitian-American (born in New York to Capois parents), while acknowledging the importance of addressing cartel influence, suggested that the United States should take a different approach. She believes that President Trump should not use military force against the cartels in Haiti. "I think that we could actually build upon what was already done [...]We have other countries that have committed their troops. I dont think theres any need to run in and send our troops [...]," explaining that existing international efforts should instead be strengthened in favor of Haiti and U.S. commitments respected. SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Leslie Voltaire's Agenda in France On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, Leslie Voltaire, the Haitian President pro tempore of the Transitional Council, accompanied by Chancellor Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, arrived in Paris at the head of a Haitian delegation, for a 2-day official visit, During his stay, President Voltaire will be received at the Elysee Palace this Wednesday, January 29, 2025 by the President of France Emmanuel Macron, a symbol of the historical and diplomatic ties uniting the two nations. In addition, President Voltaire will meet during his stay with Ms. Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), to discuss new cooperation initiatives within the framework of the Francophone space. Voltaire will also meet with Jean-Marc Ayrault, former Prime Minister of France and current President of the Foundation for the Memory of Slavery. The joint efforts to preserve memory and recognize historical legacies will be discussed, essential pillars for building a future marked by justice and reconciliation. Finally, in a gesture of proximity, Voltaire will meet members of the Haitian diaspora in order to strengthen the ties between this community and their country of origin, while promoting the role of the diaspora in Haiti's international influence. This official visit embodies the renewed desire of Haiti and France to consolidate a partnership based on common principles of cooperation, solidarity and mutual respect, while opening new perspectives for a shared future. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Kenscoff : More than 20 bandits killed On Monday, January 28, 2025, at least twenty armed bandits were fatally injured during the attack by members of the gang coalition "Viv Ansanm" against the town of Kenscoff, during clashes with the police, according to an initial provisional report by Jean Massillon, the Mayor of Kenscoff (Acting President of the Municipal Commission) who reports at least 4 deaths among the population. Police officer killed in combat in the city center On Monday, January 27, 2025, Police Officer Harold Andre Theodore (14th class) was shot dead during violent clashes in the city center of Port-su-Prince against bandits from the "Viv ansanm" coalition. USA : 32,363 deportation orders against Haitians As of November 24, 2024, 1,445,549 non-citizens are on the ICE non-detainee registry with final deportation orders, among them 32,363 Haitians. Protest, 5 students in the hospital Tuesday, January 28, 2025 in Jacmel, new demonstration of public school students to demand the presence of teachers in classrooms. At least 5 students from Lycee Celie Lamour were injured and admitted to Saint-Michel Hospital in Jacmel. Exemptions in U.S. Aid Freeze Tuesday January 28, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expanded the exemptions provided as part of a general freeze on US foreign aid for 90 days, by ensuring that emergency humanitarian assistancelife-saving medicines, medical services, food, shelter, and livelihood assistancewill continue to flow. The CPT would like to replace the 42 Vice-delegates In a correspondence dated January 28, the Collective of 42 departmental vice-delegates expressed its anger after learning from the media that the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) was considering their replacement without any consideration, without evaluation and without consultation, while they have not received any operating costs or salary for several years and despite everything, they claim to have continued to serve their districts and keep their office open... HL/ HaitiLibre The Chinese AI company Deepseek, which is currently shaking up the AI world and the stock market, is now also releasing an image generator or a new model from the multimodal model family called Janus. Janus-Pro should be able to compete with the Dall-E 3 image generator from OpenAI, among others. Anzeige Like the other AI models from Deepseek R1 and V3, Janus-Pro is freely available as open source under the MIT license. The new model can be found at Hugging Face, for example. Janus-Pro is the successor to Janus and is significantly larger and more powerful. The model comes with the usual capabilities of a multimodal model: it can generate images, but also understand them and should be able to remain very stringent. The images shown in the published paper are photorealistic and can compete with Midjourney in terms of quality. However, the actual use may differ. The images also show the word Hello. Writing is a difficult task for image generators. Janus obviously couldn't do it yet. Hype about Deepseek Deepseek describes Janus-Pro as a novel autoregressive framework. In some benchmarks, the version with seven billion parameters is even said to outperform Dall-E 3, Stable Diffusion XL and other image generators, the authors write. The release of the multimodal model comes just in time for the hype surrounding the Chinese company. The R1 and V3 models have caused a stir in Silicon Valley and on the stock market. Numerous AI experts and major investor Marc Andreessen have praised the developments. As the models were trained much more cheaply and required fewer AI chips, the stock market value of Nvidia, for example, plummeted as a result. It is not entirely clear how the Chinese company achieves the quality of the Deepseek models. There are allegations that model distillation was used and that R1 and V3 were trained using ChatGPT. Model distillation means that the knowledge of a large model is transferred to a smaller one. This is indicated by the fact that the models are said to have sometimes responded that they are ChatGPT. Anzeige (emw) Customers of the e-commerce service provider Digital River are looking down the tubes: payments have apparently not been made since July. The situation is unclear and the US company has not yet provided any clarification. Numerous companies in this country are also affected. Anzeige Digital River is a service provider for e-commerce providers. The company operates online stores for major brands such as Nvidia, but also offers itself as a payment service provider for small companies and independent software developers. Customers can offer their goods and services, Digital River processes the payment via the "MyCommerce" platform and forwards the money collected minus a commission. At least that's how it worked until recently. However, complaints from customers, which heise online has also received, are now increasing. Extension of the payment deadline Among other things, customers report that Digital River has recently extended the deadline for payment to the seller from 15 to 60 days. This means that payments from July 2024 are now due by October at the latest. Affected customers are exchanging information in various forums and in some cases estimate their arrears at five- and six-figure amounts. The company is also said to have attempted to impose amended terms and conditions on merchants that include new fees. The problem is not only occurring in English-speaking countries; German companies are also expressing their frustration in forums. In this country, the US company previously operated through a German subsidiary with an address in Frankfurt am Main, which in turn belongs to a holding company in the UK. According to the commercial register entry of September 6, a new managing director for the German GmbH was appointed by shareholder resolution on August 14, 2024, who is apparently an American lawyer residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The GmbH is no longer listed in the legal notice of the German website, which refers to the US company headquarters in Minnesota. According to the last published annual financial statements, the German subsidiary transferred around EUR 5.8 million to the British holding company in 2022. The UK subsidiary, on the other hand, has recently been on shaky ground. According to the 2022 annual financial statements of the UK subsidiary Digital River UK, previous losses were to be countered with cost reductions. Auditors emphasize that the continued existence of the company is heavily dependent on payments from the US parent company. At the same time, the UK subsidiary reported a comparatively small profit of 155,298 pounds for 2022. Affected parties organize class action lawsuit Anzeige Nothing else is known about the background, but speculation is all the more intense. Apparently, Digital River was recently sold and a new CEO took over the business. There is now speculation that the new owner could cannibalize and liquidate the company. There is talk of redundancies at the US parent company. According to a report by The Register, the company is having a law firm reject the claims of the dealers. In English-language forums, those affected by the payment default are also trying to organize a class action lawsuit. There are some current posts about Digital River on an internet portal for rumors about redundancies. Users can post there anonymously and the truth of the information cannot be easily verified. According to these posts, however, there have been further redundancies at Digital River, and frustration over incompetent management staff is spreading. Others speculate that a new owner is planning to cease business operations in November. The company and its European subsidiaries have not yet responded to inquiries, and an inquiry from heise online has so far gone unanswered. (dmk) Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky wants to bring Pebble-compatible networked wristwatches back onto the market. It will be called Repebble. The Canadian announced this on Monday. On the same day, Google released the majority of the PebbleOS source code online as open source. Pebble Technology Corporation sold more than two million smartwatches with ePaper screens between 2013 and 2016, but slipped into insolvency at the end of 2016. Anzeige Competitor Fitbit bought intangible assets from Pebble's bankruptcy estate and took on some employees. Google later swallowed Fitbit, meaning that the rights to PebbleOS ended up with the data company. The public launch of Pebble in 2012 was an exceptionally successful crowdfunding campaign. Migicovsky wanted to raise 100,000 US dollars for the first Pebble watch, and raised more than a hundred times that amount in 37 days. After the later bankruptcy, a community under the name Rebble kept servers for Pebbles in operation and set up an app store. As a result, numerous Pebble watches are still in operation today. Migicovsky is now making a new attempt to bring new Pebble hardware onto the market. This is much easier and cheaper today than it was a decade ago, he writes on a blog post on the website of the project called Repebble. After all, there are now many capable factories and Bluetooth chips have become cheaper, better and more energy-efficient. The man is particularly grateful to Google for releasing the source code. The new watches should use the same operating system so that existing apps and watch faces are compatible. Re-founder against his will The revival is apparently taking place reluctantly: I really really really hoped that someone else would come along and build a Pebble replacement, writes the inventor, But no one did. So a small team and I are jumping back into the hardware world and bringing Pebble back! He is explicitly not looking for investors for Repebble, and he only wants a few employees. The focus is on sustainability: I want to keep building cool gadgets and keep Pebble alive for a long time to come. Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier eine externe Umfrage (Opinary GmbH) geladen. Umfragen immer laden Umfrage jetzt laden The new Pebble smartwatch will essentially have the same specifications and features as the original Pebble, with some fun new stuff thrown in. A date for the market launch has not yet been set. Incidentally, there is an Android app called Cobble as a companion for existing and future Pebble devices, and an iOS version is in the works. According to Migicovsky, his team has also contributed to this. He also invites the whole world to develop their own devices for PebbleOS. Anzeige (ds) The Finnish government is presently mulling over the possibility as a means to kick-start long-sluggish economic growth and promote domestic inheritance. ECONOMISTS in Finland are doubtful about the notion of abolishing the inheritance tax and replacing it with a capital gains tax in an attempt to kick-start economic growth, according to Helsingin Sanomat . In Finland, the inheritance tax is levied on inheritances worth at least 20,000 euros. The tax rate is determined in accordance with the inheritance tax table and bracket based on the asset value and the relationship of the inheritor with the deceased, but the tax scheme also has provisions for various types of relief. Last year, the tax generated roughly one billion euros in revenue, a sum that likely could not be raised with the capital gains tax. Calls for abolishing the tax have emanated, for example, from the Finnish Family Firms Association (PL), drawing support especially from members of the National Coalition. PL on Tuesday estimated based on its survey that family-owned firms have set aside a total of five billion euros for future inheritance tax payments a sum that cannot be invested in growing the firm and, consequently, creating jobs and economic growth, noted Minna Vanhala-Harmanen, the CEO of PL. Preparing for paying the inheritance or gift tax postpones or prevents investments in 70 per cent of companies, she said to YLE. The survey drew responses from the representatives of 200 companies, including 190 of the 563 member companies of PL. Helsingin Sanomat on Sunday published an article where several economists expressed their reservations about the idea that abolishing the inheritance tax specifically could boost economic growth. Economic research does not indicate that economic growth would be slower in countries with an inheritance tax, said Matti Pohjola, a professor emeritus of economics at Aalto University. Unlike consumption and income taxes, taxing inheritances has no impact on prices and incomes determined by the market, and thereby not on the decisions of financial managers. That is why it is better than these taxes to fund public spending. The inheritance tax is also a good means to strive to create a society where everyone has the same possibilities to succeed regardless of their status at birth. All taxes can inhibit economic growth and distort economic activity, reminded Tuulia Hakola-Uusitalo, the director general at VATT Institute for Economic Research. The inheritance tax, however, is generally regarded as possibly the least distorting taxegiven that the difficulty of anticipating inheritances means it has a limited impact on business and employment-related decisions. The interrelationship between the inheritance tax and productivity is complicated, though. If financing business operations was a problem or the inheritors had superior business acumen, you could claim that the inheritance tax has an impact on growth. However, research findings do not corroborate these claims on the contrary. There really is no evidence that removing the inheritance tax would accelerate economic growth, she wrote to Helsingin Sanomat. Essi Eerola, an advisor to the board of the Bank of Finland, similarly called attention to the lack of scientific evidence of a connection between economic growth and the inheritance tax. Elements of inheritance tax schemes can have various effects on the behaviour of both the would-be inheritor and the bequeather, including effects that undermine economic growth. Also capital gains taxation has problems with disincentives. It can encourage you not to sell a company even though another owner could be better equipped to continue the operations, she said. The Finnish inheritance tax certainly has the problem that the tax depends on what types of assets are passed on and to whom. The inheritance tax often also targets wealth that is not easy to liquidate. The inheritance tax should at least be reformed. Scrapping the inheritance tax could promote economic growth if it encouraged investment, remarked Markus Jantti, a professor of labour economics at Stockholm University. It could also contribute to more effective business operations by doing away with the tax benefits of bequeathing businesses to successors. If a company is passed on to successors instead of the people who are best positioned to continue the business operation, it can erode total productivity, according to studies, he said. People, he also reminded, may be discouraged from investing in their own mental capital or build up savings because of the looming prospect of an inheritance. Taxing inheritances gnaws away at this kind of a possible negative incentive, wrote Jantti. Aleksi Teivainen HT The dead fish, mostly herring and sprat, were first reported on Tuesday in areas around Hankos winter swimming facility and Regattaranta beach. Large numbers of dead fish have washed ashore in Hanko, coinciding with the appearance of an unidentified white substance along a 20-kilometre stretch of coastline. Authorities are investigating possible links between the two incidents. The city has since closed the swimming facility and advised against swimming in affected waters. The Finnish Food Authority is analysing fish samples to determine the cause of death, including the possibility of poisoning. The Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) is conducting laboratory tests on the white, waxy material found on the beaches. Preliminary findings suggest it may be a fatty ester-like substance, which is mildly harmful but not immediately dangerous to humans. One theory under investigation is that the substance originated from a ship. Experts from the John Nurminen Foundation believe the material could be residue from a cargo tank wash that was not properly cleaned in port. If confirmed, this would be a violation of international maritime regulations. Syke researcher Sanna Suikkanen noted that paraffin-like substances occasionally wash up on shores worldwide. However, the scale of the incident in Hanko is unusual. The substance was likely transported in liquid form and solidified in the cold seawater before reaching the shore, Suikkanen told Ilta-Sanomat. Authorities have not yet determined whether the substance is linked to the mass fish deaths. Emergency services, the city of Hanko, and the WWF have launched a clean-up operation. Volunteers have been asked to sign up through the WWF website to assist with removing the substance from beaches. Hanko residents had already begun clearing the material before the official response was organised. Marke Kettunen, who was among the first to start collecting the waxy substance, said local people feel a strong responsibility to protect their coastline. The beaches in Hanko are unique. We have to keep them clean, Kettunen said. Rescue services are also surveying nearby islands and waters to assess the extent of the contamination. The public has been advised to avoid direct contact with the substance and dead fish until the laboratory results are available. HT This shift began gradually around 2010 and has accelerated since 2018. By 2021, Finlands forests had transitioned from absorbing carbon to releasing it. Finlands forests , once a crucial carbon sink, have become a source of emissions, raising concerns over the countrys climate policy and carbon neutrality targets. According to the latest data from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE) , Finlands forests emitted 1.12 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023. The main causes are declining forest growth, increased logging, and rising emissions from forest soil. The land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector, which includes forests, emitted a total of 11.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023. This makes it one of Finlands largest emission sources, surpassing emissions from sectors such as agriculture. LUKEs report highlights three key reasons behind the decline of Finlands forest carbon sink. First, tree growth has slowed. While forest growth previously outpaced harvesting, this is no longer the case. The total biomass growth of treesincluding trunks, branches, leaves, and rootshas decreased, affecting the overall carbon balance. Second, logging rates have increased significantly. In the early 2010s, around 70% of forest growth was removed through harvesting and natural losses. By 2023, this figure had risen to 90%. This has left little room for forests to function as carbon absorbers. Finally, the carbon storage capacity of Finnish mineral soils has weakened. Rising temperatures have accelerated soil decomposition, leading to greater emissions. Peatland forests, which store large amounts of carbon, have also begun releasing more greenhouse gases. Professor Annalea Lohila, Focal Point of ICOS Finland, expressed concern over the findings. Finland has based its climate policy partly on the forest sinks, and now it seems this sink has disappeared, she said. The annual growth of trees, which used to increase until about 2010, is not increasing anymore. This can be explained at least partly by the age structure of forests. In addition, harvest levels have stayed high. The loss of Finlands forest carbon sink has serious implications for the countrys climate policy. Finland has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2035, a goal that heavily depends on natural carbon sinks. To meet this target, Finland needs to cut emissions by 19 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Without strong carbon sinks, this will be much harder to achieve. The problem is not unique to Finland. A similar trend has been observed in other European countries, including France, Germany, Sweden, and Estonia. Research from Paris-Saclay University has shown that land carbon sinks across Europe are weakening due to rising emissions from forest soils and increased deforestation. The findings add further weight to concerns raised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which recently criticised Finland and Sweden for failing to protect Europes last old-growth forests. In a report published in January, WWF accused both governments of exploiting legal loopholes to allow logging in forests that should be safeguarded under EU biodiversity commitments. The organisation warned that ongoing deforestation could further weaken Europes carbon sinks, making it harder to meet climate targets. Lohila stressed the need for urgent action. We need to take care of the forests and ensure that logging rates do not continue to increase, she said. One clear message for the research community is that there are still large uncertainties in the peatland forest emissions, and more data is needed to reduce these uncertainties. HT Woman, 39, convicted in Laurel Park stabbing death A 39-year-old woman was sentenced to up to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Robin Arnold Bracken, 58, on Jan. 7, 2024, District Attorney R. Andrew Murray announced. Related Stories According to the investigation and court trial records, Vanessa Annalee Ledbetter was in a turbulent relationship with Bracken for some time before the stabbing occurred, the D.A.,'s office said in a news release. EMS and the Laurel Park Police Department responded to 16 Lake Drive after a neighbor called 911. Upon arriving, first responders found Bracken lying in a common area outside the couples apartment, unresponsive and bleeding from his midsection. An investigation revealed he had been stabbed in the back in the bathroom of their shared apartment and had staggered out to the common area, asking for help before dying from the stab wounds. Although neighbors described how Ledbetter and Bracken had been involved in a tumultuous and unhealthy relationship, the investigation revealed that Bracken was not armed and that no physical assault of Ledbetter had occurred when the stabbing took place, Murray said in a news release. Ledbetter admitted to stabbing Bracken because she was scared and afraid of him, court testimony showed. Superior Court Judge William Stetzer sentenced Ledbetter to a minimum term of 10 years four months and a maximum term of 13 years five months in state prison. KAMPALA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military said on Tuesday that it will send more peacekeeping troops to Somalia following the exit of those deployed by Burundi under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). Felix Kulayigye, Uganda's military spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone that Uganda has been added another area to cover which was previously occupied by Burundian peacekeepers. "It is inevitable that we shall have to add more troops because the numbers we have on the ground cannot cover the two sectors," Kulayigye said, noting that the troops will move to the Horn of African country as soon as the paperwork is concluded by the deploying authority, AUSSOM. Uganda has since 2007 deployed peacekeeping troops in Somalia. Until January, Burundi was one of the troop-contributing countries to the African Union peacekeeping force battling militants in Somalia. Other countries include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. By Michelle Stirling The Canadian documentary Sugarcane, now streaming on Hulu and shortlisted for an Academy Award, has captured widespread acclaim. Former U.S. President Barack Obama included it on his list of favourite movies, cementing its status as a cultural touchstone. With two Critics Choice Awards to its name and a private White House screening praised by U.S. President Joe Biden, Sugarcane appears poised to leave a lasting impact. However, as the producer of TheHYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" BitterHYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" RootsHYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" ofHYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "https://rumble.com/v5i558i-the-bitter-roots-of-sugarcane.html" \t "_blank" Sugarcane, a rebuttal documentary, I feel compelled to address the glaring inaccuracies and misrepresentations that underpin Sugarcanes narrative. The film, directed by Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat, tells a gripping story centred on St. Josephs Indian Residential School near Williams Lake, B.C., and the Sugarcane Reserve. Its central claims include allegations of priests impregnating Indigenous students and incinerating unwanted infants. While the documentary is emotionally powerful, its central premise is not supported by the facts. At the heart of Sugarcane is the story of Ed Archie NoiseCat, a man whose life began in tragedy. As a newborn, Ed was abandoned by his mother and found crying in the schools garbage burner. While this event is true, the film implies it was part of a systemic pattern of abuse. In reality, Eds abandonment was a desperate act by his mother, not evidence of institutional wrongdoing. His father, Ray Peters, was not a priest but a man who fathered 17 children with multiple women. The documentary also highlights a separate case involving Father OConnor, a priest at St. Josephs, who broke his vows by engaging in a consensual relationship with a 22-year-old Indigenous seamstress. Their child was placed for adoption. While both stories are true, the filmmakers conflate them to create a broader narrative of systemic abuse, which is not substantiated by evidence. Charlene Belleau, the films lead investigator and a relative of NoiseCats grandmother, would likely have been aware of these facts. Yet the documentary presents a speculative crime board of alleged incidents, turning personal tragedies into accusations of systemic horror. As the producer of The Bitter Roots of Sugarcane, I have conducted extensive research into these events, but even a few hours of online investigation reveal the discrepancies in Sugarcanes narrative. My documentary lays out these findings, countering the emotionally charged but misleading portrayal in Kassie and NoiseCats film. What is particularly troubling is the scale of Sugarcanes success. National Geographic reportedly acquired the film for a seven-figure sum, and co-director Julian Brave NoiseCat Eds son has financially benefited from a narrative centred on his familys history. While profiting from storytelling is not inherently problematic, doing so by distorting facts about real people and communities raises ethical concerns. The film concludes with the claim that Ed Archie NoiseCat is the only known infant to have survived the incinerator. This is misleading. While Eds case is documented, his abandonment was not the result of systemic abuse but a desperate act by his mother. Omitting this critical context leaves viewers with a sensationalized and inaccurate conclusion. While Sugarcane has been praised for drawing attention to Canadas residential school system, documentaries addressing sensitive historical topics must adhere to the highest standards of accuracy. By prioritizing emotional impact over factual integrity, Sugarcane risks undermining the very issues it seeks to highlight. The atrocities of the residential school system are a crucial chapter in Canadian history that must be told with care and respect for the truth. While Sugarcane has sparked important conversations, its approach raises significant questions about its handling of the facts. The truth matters. When it comes to stories that shape our understanding of history, it matters more than ever. Michelle Stirling is the producer/writer of The Bitter Roots of Sugarcane. This commentary was submitted by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. In NSW, government figures show there has been a 322 per cent increase in sales of electric mobility devices between 2020 and 2022. Fines are in place for members of the public caught riding electric bikes where they shouldn't. Source: Getty Frustrated community members, tired of encountering electric bicycles speeding along footpaths, are calling for stricter penalties, tighter regulations and physical modifications to the controversial devices to improve their safety. Throughout NSW, the use of e-bikes has soared in recent years, particularly among food delivery drivers and young people. Advocates like Bicycle NSW CEO Peter McLean argued there are several key benefits of e-bikes, emphasising their role in sustainable and efficient transport. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, he praised the devices for reducing carbon emissions, as they offer a cleaner alternative to cars, particularly for short commutes. He said e-bikes are also more energy-efficient than traditional motor vehicles, contributing to greener cities and reduced traffic congestion. But many across the state, particularly the elderly and those with mobility issues, argue there is a time and place for riding e-bikes and it's not on footpaths. In fact, in NSW, a fine to the tune of $136 is in place for those caught riding them on the footpath, however the fine is seldom dished out by authorities. Hireable e-bikes have garnered controversy in recent times due to how riders leave them around cities. Source: Reddit E-bike opposers call for tougher penalties, tighter regulations A NSW parliamentary inquiry investigating e-scooters and e-bikes has heard from several councils that have raised concerns that current legislation limits their ability to tackle illegal behaviour on e-bikes. That's because the responsibility for enforcement rests solely with NSW Police. ADVERTISEMENT The Glebe Society, an Inner West community group, is advocating for stricter regulatory measures. Member Janet Oakley believes there isn't enough awareness regarding the rules. "E-bikes weave between pedestrians with scant regard for safety and there seems to be no risk of penalty," she told The Daily Telegraph. It's a sentiment many other Sydneysiders share. Another local resident, Barry Ahearn, told the paper he supports changes to e-bike rules. "I have no issue with them in the bike lanes, but on the footpaths its just too dangerous," he said. According to the Telegraph, despite e-bikes now proliferating our streets, less than a dozen penalties have been handed out to people for riding them on a footpath with a mere 11 cyclists copping fines. Councils push for new e-bike rules Several councils have proposed introducing new regulations requiring oversized e-bikes to be equipped with noise-emitting devices to alert pedestrians of their approach. Sutherland Shire Council suggested that such devices could help minimise the risk of collisions with pedestrians. ADVERTISEMENT Northern Beaches Council highlighted growing concerns among residents, particularly older and vulnerable individuals, who have expressed feeling unsafe while walking on footpaths. The council noted in its submission to the NSW Government that near-misses and previous traumas have left some community members anxious about using footpaths. It's led certain residents to reconsider walking as a mode of transport, potentially affecting their physical health and social needs. The council also raised concerns about youth riders, some as young as 10, who may lack the cognitive skills and empathy needed to assess and manage risks appropriately, posing potential dangers to both themselves and others. E-bike opposers say they result in messy streets and travel too fast for use on the footpath. Source: Facebook/9News Uptake soars as advocates cite environmental benefits In NSW, government figures show there has been a 322 per cent increase in e-bike and e-scooter sales between 2020 and 2022. Bicycle NSW CEO Peter McLean, though supportive of the movement, agreed the industry needs stricter regulation. ADVERTISEMENT "They're getting more types of people with different chronic injuries, arthritis and joint problems or whatever else riding bikes, which is really fantastic for physical and mental health," he previously told Yahoo News Australia. "From a mobility point of view, they're getting people from A to B, in a nice, sustainable manner. It's also reducing the number of [car] trips that people are taking." McLean admitted the devices travel at speed, which can pose safety hazards. "When they're in the hands of people who don't have a huge amount of experience, they are unsafe," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. While finding a kangaroo carcass in a household tank is very unusual, it's more common for snakes to become trapped and cause health risks to drinking water. The routine tank clean ended up becoming a bit more serious. Source: Facebook/PristineWaterSystems Aussie property owners are being warned to check their water tanks regularly after an "incredibly unusual" find in a backyard tank this week. Tank cleaners working on the NSW Central Coast say the "unbelievable discovery" demonstrates the serious health risks of not keeping a close eye on your private water supply. "We never thought wed encounter this during a routine water tank cleaning but today, our team found a decomposed kangaroo inside the tank," the team shared on Tuesday. "The poor animal had been there long enough for bones and decomposing flesh to remain, and let us tell you it was not a pleasant sight." ADVERTISEMENT Pictures shared from the scene show the animal had clearly been stewing in the tank for quite some time, with the owners seemingly unaware of the unfortunate contaminant. Related: Aussies urged to make simple garden feature after 'amazing' backyard discovery Astonishingly, Glen Gillingham, who runs Pristine Water Systems on the NSW Central Coast told Yahoo News Australia that it's not the first time his team has found a kangaroo carcass in a home owner's water tank. He pulled a deceased kangaroo out of a 150,000 litre tank a little more than 12 months ago. And there are serious health risks with such a scenario, he warned. "All the bacteria and everything else that goes along with a rotting carcass ... You wouldnt normally go out and drink water that has gone through a rotting carcass." Unsurprisingly, it makes the water 'horrible'. Source: Facebook/PristineWaterSystems In these situations his team typically drain the tank completely and give it a full clean. "There's not much else you can do," he said. ADVERTISEMENT In that previous case, the tank was embedded in the slope of a hill on the property with the lid at ground level. However the lid of the metal tank had become rusted and weak when Glen believes a kangaroo jumped on it and fell through into the tank to perish. Snakes can get into backyard water tanks and decompose While a kangaroo is a real rarity, there's another animal that poses the same health risks but it more common to come across. "More common is snakes in the tank," Glen told Yahoo. "That doesn't take a broken roof or anything. They can get in through the pipes generally chasing mice or frogs and they can't get out." ADVERTISEMENT He recently pulled a deceased three-and-a-half metre python from a family's water tank. "I've pulled a few pythons out of tanks they've all been dead. That's just as bad as a kangaroo," Glen said. "It makes the water horrible." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Nobody likes to miss out on a prime spot at the beach or at your favourite campground, but these 'unfair' tactics should be avoided an etiquette expert warns. Aussie have been slammed over the 'selfish' summer trend of reserving prime spots at campsites, car parks and beaches. Revellers set up picnic blankets in Cronulla at 7am on Australia Day, then fled the area until festivities started. Source: Facebook/Ian Mathie/Rob Killingback It was the Australian debate that went global this recent holiday period. And again, Aussies are being called out for using "unfair" and "selfish" tactics to reserve prime spots at campgrounds, beaches and car parks to the detriment of others. One of the nation's leading etiquette experts, Jo Hayes, spoke to Yahoo News on the matter, and said the "poor" trend is "reflective of a general societal decline" in courtesy towards our fellow man and woman. She argued such acts are "bad form" and even branded them "un-Australian". It comes after heated debate erupted over beach cabanas in January, and in particular those who use them to reserve space on the sand. Often people set up a cabana and then vacate the area, only to return later to expect to see it still waiting. Ghost camping has seen prime spots around Victoria left vacant this summer, a local MP argues. Source: Tim Bull Examples of dodgy reservations continue to mount And the act isn't limited to beaches, with similar incidents occurring at campgrounds too. In Victoria, a local MP last week told Yahoo "ghost reservations" reserving a campsite but leaving it unoccupied to prevent others from using it, or failing to honour a booking entirely were costing the tourism sector big bucks in the wake of the state offering free camping to all visitors and residents. ADVERTISEMENT Nationals MP Tim Bull said the change "resulted in less people enjoying the outdoors in peak holiday period". Online this week, numerous examples of all three acts surfaced. In one instance, a woman was photographed standing in the middle of a car park at Balmoral Beach in Sydney, in a bid to deter others from seizing the spot. She argued her "husband was coming soon". Another example shows people setting up their picnic blankets in Cronulla at 7am in anticipation of Australia Day events later in the day, then vacating the area until showtime. In Balmoral in Sydney, a woman was photographed attempting to reserve a car park by standing in it. Source: Facebook/Rob Killingback How to avoid being part of the problem Hayes said the "only people who have the right to do such reserving" are the local council/regulators in charge of that area. "It's not fair," she said. ADVERTISEMENT "There are ways that one can reserve the best, desired spots, that align with common decency and proper etiquette," she said. "This is the way things were done in previous generations. Get to the venue early, claim your spot and set up your gear, then stay there you must have at least one person staying with the claimed spot. "If you've taken the time to get there ahead of others all power to you. Well done. But you don't have the right to lay down a blanket, or cordon off an area with your own self-made sign, and then choof off." Hayes said that when in doubt, apply the golden rule of thumb: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. "The average Joe doesn't have the right to 'reserve' a spot and leave," she reiterated. "If a group wants to have an event at a council park, they can contact local council to officially reserve the spot. Council puts up a sign stating that the area is reserved for an event. "One can't just put up their own sign." ADVERTISEMENT Hayes said the example of the woman reserving the car park spot at Balmoral "is OK, as she is actually a human person standing in the spot" but putting up a self-made sign "would not be OK." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Charity workers say they need donations now more than ever. But they don't want stores to be considered a dumping ground. The Vinnies store in Coffs Harbour is regularly targeted by illegal dumpers. Recently, a bag of prawn heads was found ditched at the outlet. Source: NBN News Australian charities are facing an urgent and ongoing need for donations, despite the common misconception their stores are often "full." Industry insiders are calling for Aussies to continue coming forward with items they no longer need that may help people facing hardship. But they ask for people to do so respectfully and in the appropriate way after several charity stores were seen with piles of items dumped at their sites. Paula McCormack of the St Vincent de Paul Society is the charity's retail regional manager for the northeast. She spoke to Yahoo News Australia and urged prospective donors to learn best practices, which includes only handing in items "you'd feel comfortable giving to a friend". Images show the aftermath of the Coffs Harbour store being closed for just a couple of days. Source: NBN News What's the best way to donate to Vinnies? McCormack clarified that even when donations are paused in some locations, they can still be taken and redirected to other areas where they are needed most. ADVERTISEMENT "I'm not sure the message is getting through that we still need donations," McCormack told Yahoo. "We rely on them very heavily in shops because we fund all of our work in society [that way], which, for example, helps victims of domestic violence find temporary accommodation, helps people to pay their electricity bills, put petrol in their cars, all those kinds of things. "I won't say we ever have enough. We always have a shortage of menswear for instance, right throughout the year." McCormack said it's important Australians know how to "donate correctly" to ensure their well-meaning efforts are having the intended impact. ADVERTISEMENT "We value donations when we get them, but we just need them done in the correct way," she said. This includes bringing items into stores during trade hours, so volunteers can physically inspect, accept and process them and "get them on the shop floor for sale". "We are absolutely, very grateful for donations. But there is a process, and unfortunately, when things are basically dumped outside the front or the back in the shop, by the time we actually get to them the next morning, they're damaged, dirty, wet, strewn all over the footpath," she said. "And it makes it really difficult for volunteers to stay motivated to do what they need to do." Vinnies volunteers are regularly forced to sort through literal garbage. Source: Supplied Prawn heads dumped outside Vinnies store Recently, a bag of prawn heads was dumped outside a Vinnies store in Coffs Harbour, on the NSW Mid North Coast. McCormack said such acts are far from uncommon. ADVERTISEMENT "That't not unusual," she said. "Every other week we hear of inappropriate items that have been put through our charity bins, left beside them at the front of shops. "We've had nappies, used nappies, I might add. Used sanitary items. We've had bags that contain things that we have to be really careful about when we handle them. Vinnies isn't the only charity struggling to sort through the onslaught of inappropriate donations. Source: Reddit "We now have to tip out the bags when we're sorting them, rather than putting our hands in, because there could be knives, there could be sharps." McCormack said that volunteers, many of whom are mature-aged women, should not have to face the physical demands and emotional strain caused by having to sort through garbage and dangerous goods. "If you look at the Coffs store, the average age is about 63," she said. "We've got gentlemen and ladies close to 90 in that store, and then we have some obviously younger. But they do it because they want to do it. They want to volunteer. ADVERTISEMENT "We don't want them to be worn out and exhausted by the time they finish their shift, we want them to be able to come back and still enjoy it. So these little things that happen, unfortunately put a big damper on the experience for them." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Dreams Cap Cana Resort & Spa - Image Credit Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced an agreement with Anacaona de Inversiones for a new Hyatt Vivid branded flagship resort in the Dominican Republic, set to open by the end of 2025. The 500-room, adults-only resort will be the first Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts branded property in the Dominican Republic, expanding Hyatt's presence in the region by approximately 30% in 2025. Hyatt Hotels Corporation has recently announced a new partnership with Anacaona de Inversiones to establish a new Hyatt Vivid branded resort in the Dominican Republic. The 500-room, adults-only resort is set to open by the end of 2025, marking the country's first Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts branded property. The resort, Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana, is part of the brand's expansion in the region and is designed to cater to the next generation of all-inclusive travelers. The resort will offer a variety of amenities, including locally inspired itineraries, experiential-driven programming, an impressive spa, indoor and outdoor gyms, and several dining alternatives. The Dominican Republic continues to attract travelers seeking immersive, experience-driven vacations. The introduction of Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana not only strengthens Hyatts all-inclusive portfolio offerings in the destination but also caters to the evolving needs of loyal guests and new travelers. Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana and other strategic developments will collectively expand Hyatts all-inclusive resort presence in the region by approximately 30% in 2025, further strengthening Hyatts brand footprint in the Dominican Republic. Bandzoogles Dave Cool named President of MySeat artist app platform Longtime Bandzoogle executive Dave Cool has been named President of MySeat Media, the artist branded app platform. Dave Cool named President of MySeat Media artist app platform A popular figure in both the artist and music tech communities for two decades, Cool spent the last 13 years at Bandzoogle. As Chief Relationship Officer, he oversaw all departments at Bandzoogle related to growth and retention, including business development, marketing & communications, and customer support. MySeat empowers musicians and creators to easily build their own community app and connect directly with superfans. Artists control their data and can generate revenue from subscriptions, merchandise, exclusive music, live and virtual meet-and-greets, livestreams, memorabilia, and collectibles. Last month Chicago based rapper G Herbo released an exclusive mixtape through his MySeat- powered app, which generated over 7M streams and resulted in a 262%+ increase in paid subscriptions, a 30%+ increase in merch sales, and 70,000 app downloads, where it charted #3 among all music apps after Spotify and YouTube. With artists needing to find ways to bypass algorithms and engage their fans directly, hearing some of the success stories on MySeats platform was really inspiring, says Dave Cool. To be named President this fast-growing platform is an honor, and I look forward to not only helping them continue on that growth path, but also helping musicians succeed by directly engaging with their superfans and generating more revenues for their career. Having known Dave for years and watching his work at Bandzoogle, we knew he would be the right person to help take MySeat to the next level, says Steve Shelton, MySeats Co-Founder and CEO. He brings to MySeat Media a wealth of business development and marketing experience in the music tech space, and a passion for helping the artist community succeed. 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: MLC Spotify lawsuit dismissed, bundled royalties unchanged UPDATED: A judge has dismissed the MLC Spotify lawsuit over mechanical royalties paid to songwriters and music publishers on subscription tiers bundled with audiobooks. The MLC and Spotify respond. MLC Spotify lawsuit dismissed, bundled royalties unchanged On Wednesday, Judge Analisa Torres of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York granted Spotifys motion to dismiss the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) lawsuit. Judge Torres wrote in her decision that, the Court finds that [Section 115] and its implementing regulations are unambiguous, and that the only plausible application of the law supports Spotifys position. Under the facts as alleged, audiobook streaming is a product or service that is distinct from music streaming and has more than token value. Premium is, therefore, properly categorized as a Bundle, and the allegations of the complaint do not plausibly suggest otherwise. Days before the ruling UMG and Spotify announced a deal that included a direct US licensing deal with Universals publishing division that sets its own terms related to bundled royalties and circumvents the compulsory licences argued in the case. MLC Responds The MLC brought this action to address the unprecedented steps taken by Spotify to significantly underreport royalties to the MLC. Congress authorised the MLC to take legal actions in situations like this, to enforce the payment obligations of digital services under the compulsory blanket licence that the MLC administers. We continue to be concerned that Spotifys actions are not consistent with the law, and that todays decision does not align with the facts and legal principles central to this action. Spotify Responds After the decision, Spotify issued this statement: We are pleased with this outcome, which demonstrates that, after careful review by the court, Spotifys Premium service is appropriately categorized as a bundle and offers valuable content alongside music. Bundle offerings play a critical role in expanding the interest in paying for music and growing the pie for the music industry. We know the regulations can be complex, but theres plenty of room for collaborationand our recent deal with UMPG shows how direct licenses can create flexibility and additional benefits. Read the judges full decision here via Reuters. 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: Future of Joann Fabric and Crafts Unknown PITTSFIELD, Mass. The future is uncertain for Joann Fabric and Crafts and the store that's been in the Dalton Avenue Shopping Center for more than 30 years. The well-known national retailer that has served sewers, quilters, crocheters, and crafters for more than 80 years filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week for a second time. The approximately 800 stores across the United States and online businesses are still operational, including one on Dalton Avenue and in Hadley. There are also several in New York State's Capital District and it also had a store in North Adams in the 1990s. The chain was better known as Jo-Ann's for decades. "Since becoming a private company in April, the board and management team have continued to execute on top and bottom-line initiatives to manage costs and drive value," said Michael Prendergast, Jo-Ann's interim CEO, in a press release. "However, the last several years have presented significant and lasting challenges in the retail environment, which, coupled with our current financial position and constrained inventory levels, forced us to take this step." Prendergast said this course of action was determined to maximize the business's value after reviewing all the available strategic paths. "We hope that this process enables us to find a path that would allow Jo-Ann to continue operating as a going concern," he said in the press release. The business has a "stalking horse" bidder, Gordon Brothers Retail Partners LLC, which sets the floor for the auction process. Gordon Brothers has indicated an intention to liquidate the company by having going-out-of-business sales at all store locations. According to a Customer Frequently Asked Questions form, Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts continues to actively solicit alternate bids and has received inquiries from parties potentially interested in continuing to operate Joann stores and online businesses. Last year, the company filed for Chapter 11 to address its capital structure. However, following this restructuring last year, it continued to "experience significant and lasting challenges in the retail environment." These challenges, coupled with its "financial position and constrained inventory levels," "forced" officials to take this step. Clarksburg Issues RFP for School Roof CLARKSBURG, Mass. Town and school officials are looking to price out replacement of the school roof in preparation for a possible debt exclusion vote. A joint meeting of the Select Board and School Committee earlier this month agreed that something needed to be done about the roof and sooner rather than later. As water dripped through a classroom ceiling into buckets, the boards broached the possibility of taking out a loan rather than waiting years on the Massachusetts School Building Authority's accelerated repair program. At its meeting last week, the Select Board determined to put out a request for proposals to get an idea of how much it would cost. "We need to come to a definitive moment here with the school because it's been five, six years that nothing's been done because no one wants to make a decision," said Town Administrator Ronald Boucher at Wednesday's meeting. "But we have to do something for that roof. We can't just leave it like that." The next day, a request for proposals was issued for replacing the 25,000 square-foot roof with new roofing materials, R-30 rigid insulation and rails for future solar panels. A site visit is set for Feb. 13 and the deadline for proposals is March 6. The RFP can be found on the town's website While the roof replacement is a priority, officials are still grappling with the long-term future of the school. Boucher noted it needs more than a roof there's electrical issues, asbestos and inaccessible bathrooms, for a start. The potential of a new building or renovation has been discussed, but the town rejected a school building project eight years ago and the MSBA has determined the school no longer conforms with modern educational needs. Plus, the number of local children enrolled has grown, putting pressure on classroom space. The school district is also involved in a regional study that could offer other options. Boucher advocated for a vote to determine whether the townspeople want to invest in a long-term project. Board member Colton Andrews agreed: "Lay everything out and see where the chips fall." In the meantime, the board will continue discussing a loan similar to that taken out to make infrastructure and school repairs some years ago. In other business, Agricultural Commissioners Martha Tanner and Trish Wilson informed the board the commission recommending Clarksburg as a Farmland of Local Importance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tanner explained that town has prime farmland soils and land conserved through the state's Chapter 61 laws which include forest, agriculture and open space and recreation. "In our town we have a pretty good amount of [Chapter] 61 properties," said Tanner. "They're really valuable. They definitely add a lot of value to our properties, to all of our properties." Some 559 acres are managed through the state, there's 64 acres under an Agricultural Preservation Restriction on Wood Road, the old North Adams Country Club is in a private trust connected to an APR, and Many Forks Farm on River Road has 20 acres in an agricultural covenant. "Considering about half our town is owned by the state, another 10 percent is agriculture," she said. "So I think it's important we're doing things to protect it." They also asked about hosting agricultural talks at Town Hall after being told they could not use the Community Center. Boucher said they should be able to use the center and would look into it; the library was also suggested as a space. New Animal Control Officer Diana Worth asked for identification, such as a sweat shirt and business cards, to alert residents to her office. She also asked the board to decide on a veterinarian to use in cases of injured or neglected pets. Town Treasurer Kelly Haskins updated the board on some OPEB, or "other post-employment benefits," issues including if they would be putting funds for that in the budget. This has been questioned in the town's audits. She also said she was speaking with Adelson & Co. about the annual audit. Boucher reported that fiscal 2024 should be closed out within three weeks but that he did not anticipate any significant free cash. Sheffield Land Trust Awarded MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant SHEFFIELD, Mass. The Sheffield Land Trust has been awarded $28,150 from MassWildlife to treat invasive species at The Schenob Brook Preserve, a large calcareous wetland complex surrounding Schenob Brook. Sheffield was one of the communities that was awarded a grant to restore critical wildlife habitat. The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $325,000 in grants to restore approximately 520 acres of wildlife habitat across Massachusetts. The Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) awarded grants to six organizations through the Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP), which provides crucial financial assistance to private and municipal owners of conserved lands to improve habitat for wildlife, steward biodiversity, enhance climate resiliency, and promote public recreational opportunities. "Partnership and collaboration are essential for meeting our ambitious biodiversity and climate goals. Most forests and other wildlife habitats in Massachusetts are not state-owned, and we rely on conservation organizations, cities and towns, private landowners, and other partners to greatly expand our impact," said DFG Commissioner Tom O'Shea."This program provides us with the unique opportunity to improve habitat for at-risk wildlife while also bolstering outdoor recreation opportunities for all." While Massachusetts has made strides to permanently conserve over 28 percent of the state, many essential habitats for wildlife are degraded by invasive species growth, emerging pests and disease, and face increasing threats from climate change. Habitat management is crucial to address these challenges and support wildlife. MassWildlife leads work to restore habitat on state conservation lands and, through the MHMGP, supports private and municipal conservation partners in doing the same. Through this work, MassWildlife and partners restore healthy, resilient landscapes that support a variety of species, particularly those of greatest conservation need. Since 2015, the MHMGP has funded 117 projects by partners that have restored over 4,300 acres of natural habitat statewide. Shaun F. Hayden is sworn in as lieutenant in the North Adams Fire Department at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. City Clerk Tina Leonesio swears in Hayden, who is accompanied by Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre, right, and Deputy Chief Robert Patenaude. PreviousNext North Adams Council Debates Change to Airport Commission Appointments New Lt. Shaun Hayden is pinned by Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Ordinance changes related to mayoral appointments were referred to General Government on Tuesday but not without debate by the full City Council and the mayor. Vice President Ashley Shade proposed the changes to bring the city's code in line with current state laws following questions surrounding the mayor's sole authority to appoint to the Airport Commission. Her proposal would add City Council approval to commission appointments, and prohibit any commissioner from having any current activity at the airport. "Our city charter was established before airports were a thing and existed. This provision allowed our city to adopt an airport commission. Therefore, we need to adopt all of the language as is written in that provision and adopt that exact statute," she said. Mayor Jennifer Macksey pushed back, calling the amendments a waste of time. "I'm not trying to have a power play. I just want to get my job done and work with people who really want to serve and don't have to be put over the coals every time they come through here," she said. Macksey had placed Doug Herrick, a member of the Mohawk Soaring Club, to the commission after withdrawing his appointment from the City Council two weeks ago. He replaced one of two commissioners who resigned following approval of a lease that was then rescinded after the mayor pointed to procedural errors. One commissioner said "pressure" on his vote was his reason for resigning. The city's ordinance, adopted in 1967, states " The Mayor shall , in the month of February, appoint a member or members, of the airport commission." The state's Chapter 90, Section 51E states commissioners "shall be appointed, in cities, by the mayor with the approval of the city council , and in towns by the selectmen." It is not clear when this language was adopted by the state. Macksey responded that the councilors had all been sent the opinion by the city solicitor that the charter supersedes state law, not the other way around, as well as a second opinion on the conflict of interest. "Number one, it's been very hard to get people to be on this commission. Secondly, I've learned over the last three years that it's important to have someone with some day-to-day experience in the airport and an active person in the airport," she said, later adding, "I kind of get a little grumpy when we're trying to split hairs over conflicts of interest, when I can probably go around the table and maybe tease out the conflict that all of you may have. ... "That's why we have the conflict-of-interest disclosure form. So we can beat it up in General Government for the next five months, if you want. But I just think it's a waste of our time at this point." She added that the City Council should leave the current situation at the airport to legal counsel. Shade countered that the Airport Commission should be more strictly regulated as it is the only commission that can sign contracts without mayoral approval. The opinions from KP Law also seemed to contradict earlier opinions. "The opinion we received tonight from the solicitor goes against an opinion that was received several years ago by the former mayor, Mayor Bernard, in regards to appointments, as far as meeting council approval," she said. "Also, the second opinion that was given is telling us that we don't have the ability to create ordinance changes, to essentially say who has power to serve on the commission or create other requirements, but we changed that last year when we allowed other people from other towns to serve." Some councilors expressed concerns over going with an opinion but Councilor Lisa Blackmer pointed out they were all "opinions" until determined by a court of law. She said she'd spoken with several lawyers familiar with municipal law at the recent Massachusetts Municipal Association conference who had also said the charter superseded state law. Her concern was trying matters in the court of public opinion, she said. "If we have a meeting and we discuss things and it's public record, then I can just see some of that showing up as testimony in a case." "I'm not looking to have a power struggle," said Shade. "I'm not looking for lawsuits. I'm looking to prevent lawsuits and making sure that the city is following the law as is required." Shade's other proposed changes to add City Council approval to the Zoning Board of Appeals appointment and to have the ZBA approve and post its rules did not stir as much debate outside of concerns of having the council responsible for appointments. Councilors Peter Oleskiewicz and Keith Bona said the council did not have the process or capacity to vet anyone. Councilor Andrew Fitch said he'd want a statement or presentation about the nominations. "I've really struggled over time to vote to approve people that I have no idea who they are, why people wanted them to be appointed, or why the mayor is appointing them," he said. In other business, Shaun Hayden was sworn in as lieutenant in the Fire Department. He was appointed as a permanent reserve firefighter in 2009 and as a full-time firefighter a year later. He was appointed acting lieutenant in 2022. He is a member of the Western Mass Technical Rescue Team since its inception in 2012 and holds certifications in rope rescue, confined space rescue and swift water rescue. Hayden replaces Matthew LaBonte, who retired on Jan. 10 after 32 years in the department. He was a member of the hazardous materials team, and acting lieutenant in 2006 and permanent lieutenant in 2020. "Please join me in wishing Matt a happy and healthy retirement and a sincere thank you for his service to the city of North Adams," said the mayor. Lenovo welcomes the Year of the Snake with an exclusive Chinese New Year Promo designed to bring smarter technology and fortune to everyone. From January 29 to March 31, 2025, customers who purchase select Lenovo devices from authorized resellers can enjoy exciting freebies that enhance their Lenovo experience and pave the way for a more prosperous year ahead for all. No Need for Luck, Big Rewards Assured Whether youre upgrading for work, gaming, or everyday needs, Lenovo has the perfect device for you. With every qualifying purchase, customers can claim amazing freebies such as the Lenovo D20-30 Monitor, Lenovo L22E-40 Monitor, Canon Pixma MG2570S printer, or even an Ark Desk Manual Crank M6-N, depending on the model. 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Customers will receive confirmation within 5-14 business days and can expect delivery within 7-20 business days upon approval. For purchases that qualify for a Lenovo 120 Wired Mouse, just your luck as the freebie can be claimed outright at participating stores for instant fortune. Where to Shop Shop Lenovos latest devices at Lenovo Exclusive Stores, Legion Exclusive Stores, and Yoga Stores nationwide. Lenovo products are also available at authorized resellers and Lenovo Flagship Stores on Lazada and Shopee. Smarter Technology for All With this Chinese New Year promo, Lenovo continues its mission of delivering Smarter Technology for All, equipping and empowering Filipinos with devices that cater to their evolving needs. Dont miss this chance to start the year right with smarter deals and incredible, exclusive freebies. Promo runs until March 31, 2025. For more details, visit https://promotions.lenovo.com/ph/en. 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 Ken Flores, the much-loved Chicago-based stand-up comedian, has died. He was 28. A statement posted by his family on the comedians official Instagram reads: It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our friend, brother, and son, Kenyi Flores. Please respect our privacy at this time as we are all shocked and devastated by this loss. No cause of death has yet been announced. The comedian had been on his Butterfly Effect Tour around the United States, appearing in Norcross, Georgia on January 25. His next show was scheduled in Phoenix, Arizona on January 30. Flores was born in Chicago in 1996, growing up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood before his family moved to Aurora. He got his start making YouTube videos, and had several clips go viral on World Star Hip Hop. At the age of 22, while working at a PNC Bank, Flores tried open mic at local venue the Comedy Shrine and fell in love with the craft. If you get that one big pop, you get bit by the standup bug and you're addicted, he told Comedy Gazelle. Ever since I went up the first time, I couldn't stop. From there he became a regular fixture on the Chicago comedy scene, regularly appearing at Zanies Comedy Club and touring the country to play venues including the Hollywood Improv. The Hollywood Improv paid tribute to Flores on X, writing: We were honored to share your talent on our stages. You were greatness, and it was only a matter of time until the whole world saw it. You were also kind and a tremendous friend to all lucky enough to know you. We love you Ken, thank you for all the laughs. The Dope as Usual podcast also shared their memories of Flores, writing on X: We are absolutely heartbroken over the news of our good friend Ken Flores passing away. Ken was truly one of the funniest people on earth, an incredible story teller, and a great friend. He was a rising star from the community, paving his own path, living his dreams. His energy & spirit will be forever missed & never forgotten. We love you. On Instagram, fans remembered Flores with one writing: My heart is broken man, he was way too you too too young and an upcoming star man, i had the privilege to see him 1 time, he will be missed so much man, way too young. 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 Conservative pundits found themselves in an online clash Tuesday with an unlikely demographic Marvel fans after calling for a boycott of the upcoming blockbuster Captain America: Brave New World. The bust-up began following comments made by the movies star, Anthony Mackie, during a recent promotion for the film, in which he described the eponymous protagonist as a man with honor, dignity and integrity, and that such qualities did not currently represent America. "For me Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I dont think the term America should be one of those representations, Mackie said. Its about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable. open image in gallery The bust-up began after Anthony Mackie described the eponymous protagonist as a man with honor, dignity and integrity and that such qualities did not currently represent America ( AP ) The viral clip was quick to anger Republicans, who called for the movie to be boycotted, with some going so far as to describe it as woke garbage. Conservative political commentator Dan Bongino shared a clip on X of Mackies remarks and wrote: "Another s*** movie I wont be seeing." Todd Erzen of BlazeTVs Steve Deace Show added: "You should mock and boycott him just as mercilessly as you would Selena Gomez. His movie needs to pay the price for his disrespect." Terry Schilling, president of American Principles Project, posted: "If you play Captain America, you should be proud to be American ... Wont be taking my kids to see this woke garbage." open image in gallery Captain America: Brave New World, which also stars Harrison Ford (left), is scheduled to be released on February 14 in the U.S. ( ELI ADA/MARVEL STUDIOS ) True Marvel fans, however, came out in force to remind the detractors of the real meaning of the character and his values. Captain America 2 and 3 were about Captain America directly going against the U.S. government because of poor choices based on incomplete information, one user wrote. Hes not a propaganda-spewing mouthpiece and is in fact the direct opposite. So yeah, Anthony Mackie is right. The responses to this show that a lot of people truly do not fundamentally understand the character of Captain America, wrote another X user. He is a compass of morality, he is the ideals that we strive towards. He is the embodiment of The American Dream, not the American government." Another added: "Captain America has never stood for what the United States is, Captain. America instead stands for what it should be. Cap is everything that the US should represent, and yet the country fails him time and time again throughout the comics. What Anthony said was 100% spot on.." Captain America: Brave New World, which also stars Harrison Ford, is scheduled to be released on February 14 in the U.S. 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 Meryl Streep had to borrow wire cutters to cut a car-size hole in her fence so she could flee the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. The Oscar-winning actor, 75, was forced to take emergency measures after a tree fell and blocked her driveway, according to her nephew Abe Streep. Writing in New York magazine, Abe Streep said: Evacuation mandates were sent across the city. My aunt Meryl Streep received an order to evacuate on January 8, but when she tried to leave, she discovered that a large tree had fallen over in her driveway, blocking her only exit. Determined to make it out, she borrowed wire cutters from a neighbor, cut a car-size hole in the fence she shared with the neighbors on the other side, and drove through their yard to escape. Elsewhere in the same story, Streep spoke to his aunts Only Murders in the Building co-star Martin Short, 74, who said he gathered up family photo albums before evacuating himself. In the end, his house survived the disaster, and Short said: I will definitely stay in my home. Thousands of Los Angeles residents lost their homes in the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires, including Anthony Hopkins, Anna Faris, Mandy Moore, Ricki Lake and Eugene Levy. Meryl Streep attending the 2024 Irish Arts Center Gala in New York in November 2024 ( John Nacion/Getty Images ) Rumors that Streep and Short are dating have circulated since they starred together in the murder mystery comedy show. Last October, the pair were photographed having dinner together in Santa Monica. They first sparked speculation at the 2024 Golden Globes when they were seen looking cozy next to each other throughout the ceremony. Though rumors swirled immediately after their January interaction, the two were quick to dispel them. Streeps representative told People that the two Hollywood legends were nothing more than friends. 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 Shortly after Streeps representative spoke out, Short chimed in on the subject while speaking on Bill Mahers podcast, Club Random. According to Short, he and Streep are just very close friends. The Devil Wears Prada actor ended her 40-year marriage with Don Gummer in 2016. Streep and the sculptor, 77, met in 1978 soon after her previous boyfriend tragically passed away from lung cancer. The former couple share four children Henry Wolf, 44, Mary, 41, Grace, 38, and Louisa Jacobson, 33. Meanwhile, Short lost his wife of 30 years, Nancy Dolman, back in 2010. Short met Dolman in Canada before his days as a regular on Saturday Night Live. He was working on a musical when he met his former wife in 1972. However, at the time, he was dating his castmate Gilda Radner, who happened to also join him on SNL. 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 Machine Gun Kelly appears to have addressed recent reports that he is no longer in contact with his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Megan Fox. In a recent Instagram post shared on Tuesday (January 28), the rapper who reportedly split from the Jennifers Body actor last November shared shirtless photos of himself rocking a man bun. How can sources say when the sources havent said anything, Kelly, 34, wrote in the caption. His message appears to be referring to an article published by TMZ earlier that day claiming that sources familiar with the situation have said the two are not on good terms and things are so bad they aren't even speaking to each other. The Independent has contacted Kellys representative for comment. Kelly and Fox, 38, allegedly called it quits last Thanksgiving, just weeks after they announced they were expecting their first child together. MGK and Megan Kelly reportedly split in November 2024 ( Getty Images for iHeartMedia ) It was reported at the time that they broke up during a trip to Vail, Colorado, where tensions reached a boiling point. TMZ claimed the split stemmed from Fox discovering something upsetting on the rappers phone, prompting her to ask him to leave the trip early. Insiders later told US Weekly that the pair had been trying to mend their relationship, especially in light of Foxs pregnancy, but their fiery personalities led to renewed conflict. A source claimed that while they are done for now, reconciliation down the line remains a possibility. The new baby will be Foxs fourth child and Kellys second. The Transformer star shares three sons Noah, 12, Bodhi, 10, and Journey, 8 with ex-husband Brian Austin Green. Meanwhile, Kelly, whose real name is Colson Baker, shares a 15-year-old daughter, Casie, with ex-partner Emma Cannon. Fox and Kelly first met in March 2020 on the set of the crime thriller Midnight in the Switchgrass. They went public with their relationship when Fox starred in Kellys Bloody Valentine music video in May that year. By January 2022, the couple announced they were engaged, with Fox sharing a video of the proposal on Instagram. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members) Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members) Sign up On November 11, 2024, Fox revealed that she was pregnant with Kellys child in a carousel of Instagram pictures. One showed Fox holding a positive pregnancy test for the camera, while another showed her cradling her baby bump covered in black liquid. She captioned the photos with lyrics from Kellys song, last november, which touched upon the couples past miscarriage. She wrote: Nothing is ever really lost. Welcome back. 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 Games of Thrones creator George RR Martin has shared his opinion on the forthcoming prequel series. Season one of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which stars Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan Dunk the Tall, is based on Martins novella The Hedge Knight. The book is the first in the Dunk and Egg series, with subsequent novellas The Sworn Sword and The Mystery Knight also set to be adapted for following seasons. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is expected to arrive in late 2025, and takes place between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. Writing on his Not a Blog page, Martin revealed hes watched all six episodes of the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Ira [Parker, showrunner] and his team wrapped the first season months ago, and moved right on to post production, the author wrote. Ive seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them. Dunk and Egg have always been favourites of mine, and the actors we found to portray them are just incredible. open image in gallery George RR Martin has shared his verdict on the forthcoming Game of Thrones prequel series ( Getty Images ) The rest of the cast are terrific as well. Wait until you guys meet the Laughing Storm. and Tanselle Too-Tall. Martin continued: A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS is an adaptation of The Hedge Knight, the first of the novellas I wrote about them. Its as faithful as adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how incredibly reasonable I am on that particular subject). 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 Last May, Martin shared an impassioned blog post claiming Hollywood screenwriters almost always make source texts worse when adapting them to screen. No matter how major a writer it is, no matter how great the book, there always seems to be someone on hand who thinks he can do better, eager to take the story and improve on it, he said. They never make it better, though. Nine hundred ninety-nine times out of a thousand, they make it worse. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms started filming in Belfast last June, with a teaser trailer released by Max two months later. open image in gallery Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan Dunk the Tall in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' ( Max ) Along with Claffey, the series will also star Dexter Sol Ansell as his squire Egg. Finn Barnett (True Detective: Night Country) is set to play Aerion Targaryen, the cruel and arrogant son of the stern Maekar Targaryan, who is being portrayed by Sam Spruell (Fargo), an actor well-known for his villainous roles. Maxs official logline reads: A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros a young, naive but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends. 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 Frasier star Kelsey Grammer has weighed in on the devastation caused by the recent LA wildfires, claiming that California officials took their eye off the ball. The 69-year-old actor is one of relatively few outspoken conservative voices in Hollywood, and has been vocal about his support for President Donald Trump. In a new interview with Fox News, Grammer suggested that Hollywood could be moving to the right on the political spectrum. Ive always been a little bit on the more conservative side of things politically around here, so that shift seems to be unfolding because of, just, I guess youd call it malfeasance in office, he said. He added: I mean, I dont really know what else to say, but somebody took their eye off the ball, and theres probably going to be some accountability for that. But you never know in California. Grammer also revealed that he and his family had taken in people whod fled the fires, saying we had a house full of refugees for a bit. Its challenging, certainly. Kelsey Grammer pictured in September ( Getty Images for Paramount+ ) He added: I am devastated by the loss, the human loss, the loss of life. When you lose everything you have, and thats happened to me a couple of times in my lifetime, its just: OK, thats [when] you pick up, and you figure out whats going to happen next, one foot in front of the other. Thats how it has to be. So for those people, theres going to be a lot of people around who want to support them and help them. Many of them are going to want to find a new way to live, a new way forward, a new place to live, but I know a lot want to stay, and I wish them well with it. Ill certainly do everything I can to help. Im quietly volunteering some stuff behind the scenes, thats what I want to do. Thousands of Los Angeles residents lost their homes in the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires, including Anthony Hopkins, Anna Faris, Mandy Moore, Ricki Lake and Eugene Levy. 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 Last week, XXX: Return of Xander Cage actor Nina Dobrev revealed she is experiencing survivors guilt after being forced to evacuate but ultimately returning to find her home unscathed. I have been absolutely sick to my stomach with all the destruction and devastation that these fires have caused and displaced so many families, Dobrev said in a social media video. My heart is broken for all the people affected by these wildfires. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The actor Tom Welling was reportedly arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in California over the weekend. Welling, best known for playing Clark Kent on CWs Superman origin story series Smallville, was arrested shortly after midnight in an Arbys parking lot by a Yreka Police officer on Sunday and booked into the Siskiyou County Sheriffs Office custody around 2am, according to multiple US media reports. According to TMZ, which first reported the news of his arrest, Wellings blood alcohol level was about 0.08 per cent. The actor, 47, was released around 7am, and his arraignment was set for 11 March. The New York Post, one of several outlets which said it had obtained the actors booking sheet, reported that Wellings speech was noted as clear. No other information was available. The Independent has reached out to Wellings representatives for comment. Tom Welling with his Smallville costar Kristin Kreuk at the the 2004 Teen Choice Awards ( Getty Images ) After Smallville, Welling played LAPD lieutenant Marcus Pierce in Lucifer and had roles in TV series Batwoman and Judging Amy. He also had a recurring character role as Samuel Campbell on CWs The Winchesters. Welling appeared in films like Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2, alongside Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt and Hilary Duff, as well as The Fog and Draft Day. He currently hosts a Smallville rewatch podcast called TalkVille, with costar Michael Rosenbaum, who played Superman nemesis Lex Luthor on the show. The actor has spoken about wanting to continue the Smallville story, but has had his plans stalled with no permission from the studios involved. We want it to work. The honest answer is we have not been able to get Warner Brothers to give us the thumbs up. We need their permission, Welling told Screen Rant in November. Its the weirdest thing because it is more of a fan-driven idea. Its not going to be a blockbuster. Its not going to be a financial windfall for any of us. On Sunday, the star posted a tribute to wife Jessica Rose Lee Welling on her birthday, writing: Happy Birthday to our Angel who makes our dreams come true and inspires us even more! We love you to the moon and back! They married in 2019 and have two children. 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 pilgrims came, millions upon millions, in an unrelenting tide, forming one of the largest religious gatherings in history. Day after day, the crowd drawn by faith swelled and pressed closely together, seeking purification in the sacred waters of the Ganga. They made their way through a sea of people, treading carefully down the slope before reaching the riverbank. At times they leaned on bystanders to steady themselves, other times they threatened to trample those around them. And then, it happened. In the small hours of Wednesday, tragedy struck the Maha Kumbh Mela in Indias Prayagraj. A stampede near the Sangam Ghat before dawn killed at least 30 people and left 60 injured, with the death toll expected to rise further. The Maha Kumbh is a Hindu religious festival that is held once every 12 years at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Its origin lies in the Hindu lore that the gods spilled four drops of the nectar of immortality on Earth and, when the Moon and Jupiter align, the Ganga and the Yamuna are joined by a mystical river called Saraswati, meeting at the points where the divine nectar fell. Any Hindu who takes a dip in the conjoined waters during this time is cleansed of their sins and receives blessings that last for generations, pilgrims at the festival tell The Independent. They make the trip not just for themselves but for their children and grandchildren. On this occasion, though, dozens of pilgrims lost their lives as the festival descended into chaos on one of its busiest and holiest days Mauni Amavasya, or the New Moon day. For many who were there in the days leading up to this week, it feels like it was a disaster waiting to happen. open image in gallery Hindu devotees arrive to take a holy dip at Sangam ( AP ) The seeds of Wednesdays tragedy were planted days ago when the Uttar Pradesh police and the Kumbh administration blocked several pontoon bridges for the movement of VIP vehicles. Throughout the festival, politicians and celebrities are afforded opportunities to bathe privately creating traffic jams and even more cramped conditions for millions of ordinary pilgrims who have to walk miles along narrow pathways. On 25 January, The Independent came across multiple barricades on different routes to the Kumbh Mela, with seemingly overwhelmed police personnel working to reroute the one-way traffic jam on a narrow road. Yogi ji is here. So, we are rerouting, a police officer explains, referring to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. At pontoon bridge 17, close to Sangam, as the confluence of the rivers is known, several routes for vehicular movement were shut for hours on end. It will open once Yogi ji leaves, two police personnel manning the barricade confirm. No vehicles are allowed on the bridge till then. To compound the chaos, roads were often suddenly closed without explanation. Serpentine queues of vehicles were everywhere, with even special commandos riding military-issue vehicles becoming stuck. open image in gallery An ambulance arrives to take a dead body from the mortuary at the Motilal Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj ( AP ) As dusk fell on Tuesday, loudspeakers announced the start of Mauni Amavasya, drawing even more devotees towards Sangam. Seasoned pilgrims knew the ideal time for the ritual bath was at dawn, so many of them chose to rest by the ghats, planning to take a dip at sunrise and leave quickly afterwards. At around 1.30am, there was a massive influx of new pilgrims. The police forcefully herded them down a narrow path leading to Sangam despite several pontoon bridges offering a better route to regulate this rush, eyewitnesses tell The Independent. It was so crowded I felt I would die of suffocation, Somi Devi, 67, tells The Independent. I didnt understand what was happening. Chaos ensued as the crowd surged forward. In a desperate attempt to escape the crush, some people climbed poles, which reportedly collapsed. I survived this only because of the blessings of Goddess Ganga, Devi says. The stampede did not deter her from going ahead with her pilgrimage and taking the holy dip herself. open image in gallery ( AP ) The Kumbh has seen stampedes before, in 1840, 1906, 1954 and 1986, according to The New York Times. On the same day of the last Maha Kumbh, 12 years ago, a stampede at the local train station to the festival killed 36 people, and forced the resignation of the organising committee chief. Measures are put in place to prevent such tragedies from occurring yet they have been found wanting, time after time. In the weeks before tragedy struck on Wednesday, the Hindu nationalist government of Narendra Modi in Delhi and of Yogi Adityanath at the Uttar Pradesh state level had been touting the scale of the preparations for the festival, which serves as a powerful display of Indias religious soft power. In the course of the 45-day festival, some 400 million people are expected to take part in the Maha Kumbh, a staggering number that dwarfs the two million pilgrims who journeyed to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage last year. The festival has attracted several prominent figures this year, such as Indian federal ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, and Chris Martin of the band Coldplay. The pilgrimage site has been turned into a sprawling tent city, stretching over 40sq km along the riverbanks and divided into 25 sections to provide smoother management. There are over 3,000 kitchens, 150,000 toilets and 11 hospitals. Indian Railways is running more than 90 special trains, making nearly 3,300 trips to transport the devotees, in addition to its regular services. The state government of Adityanath has allocated over $765m for this years festival. Prayagraj is filled with towering billboards and posters of Adityanath and Modi, underscoring the political aspect of the event as the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeks to leverage the festival to strengthen its influence. open image in gallery Nearly 400 million people are expected in Prayagraj for the festival over the course of 45 days ( Maxar Tech ) In spite of the money spent and the scale of preparations, the pilgrims dont have much to sustain themselves apart from their faith. Earlier this week, prior to the tragic events of Wednesday, they sounded cheerful and accepting of the discomforts of the festival, and humbled by the chance to take their holy dip. Shri Shivkumari, a 65-year-old with a heart ailment, had been living in a tent on the riverbank for more than two weeks since 10 January. When The Independent meets her she is yet to reach Sangam, despite having walked for over two hours from the other end of the festival site. But that doesnt dampen her spirits. Mother Ganga blesses you with a lot of peace and happiness. Grants wisdom and intelligence. Children live happily, she says. As she walks across a pontoon bridge on the river with her son and daughter-in-law, tying garlands on the railing, Shivkumari sings in a regional dialect: Help us cross the river on your boat. Take me to the other side, O ferryman! Take me to the Ganga, ferryman. I want to worship the holy Ganga. Ramlal Yadav, 52, has travelled nearly 300km from Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh to be at the Kumbh. Hes still figuring out the practicalities of securing two tents for the 26 people accompanying him, at a cost of Rs 10,000 (about 93) for six days. Two lines of blue tents stand on bare land, fluttering in the wind, held in place by a pole through the middle and nails at the four edges. Theres not much in terms of privacy, as the tent cant be zipped or tied. Several pairs of slippers are scattered outside each tent, often occupied by 10 people. Seeing a tent assigned to his group, Yadav is elated. There is a toilet and a bathroom. And our mother Ganga is closer to us. There is water. What more do we want? he says. Having seen the goddess Ganga, I want nothing else. Anju Dikshit, 56, is equally ecstatic to be at the Kumbh Mela. She has travelled 600km from the central state of Chhattisgarh. I am not here to take advantage of the facilities. We have come here to celebrate Kumbh. Sat at the festival are Meena Mishra and her husband. She is reading a prayer book while her husband makes a run to arrange food from the nearest free community kitchen. What is wrong in this? Everything is here. Our Ganga is here, water and food is there. We dont need much else, she says. open image in gallery Hindu ascetics at the Maha Kumbh festival ( AP ) The streets even after 8pm are far from quiet. Apart from the hustle and bustle of the crowd, announcements over speakers and street vendors screaming at the top of their voices and preachers giving sermons create a cacophony. The sermons are delivered by preachers sitting on stages and accompanied by musicians and singers. One preacher explains why the Lord was born, recounts the number of avatars the Lord has had, and then breaks into a religious song praising Lord Rama. Pick up the 18 Puranas, Upanishads and Vedas. And start asking, Who is God? Why is He? You will spend your whole life trying to understand this. You will end but the stories of God will never end, he says, as a musician plays the synthesiser, apparently seeking to complement the seriousness of the question. Among the listeners is Trojan Hendrickson, 35, who has travelled from Australia after hearing so much about the highly publicised religious festival. I want to experience Kumbh for the feeling, he tells The Independent, adding that he doesnt quite know what drew him to the festival. I want to meet all the babas and all the Indian locals. I heard its the biggest festival in the world, so I wanted to experience it. open image in gallery Maha Kumbh festival ( AP ) A popular attraction at the festival is the Kinnar Akhada, a congregation of transgender saints. Transgender people have had a place in religious and spiritual traditions of India going back centuries, explains Devyani Mukherjee, a trans woman, as she gives blessings to believers. It is believed that wherever we trans stand that place is filled with positivity. It is to seek for this positivity that people come to us, says the former activist and model. For many transgender people in the Akhada, the Kumbh is a spiritual calling as well as a platform to reclaim their religious identity. Mukherjee says she has always been religious, having been guided into this path by her guru, who understood her struggles and took her under his wing. Indu Nandgiri, another Kinnar Akhada member, emphasises that their blessings are sought for health, prosperity and long life as she partakes in a unique tradition of giving a one-rupee coin. It represents goddess Lakshmi and symbolises abundance, explains Nandgiri, a former IT professional. The coin, when received as a blessing, is believed to ensure that food and wealth never leave a devotees home. This is the tragic irony of Wednesdays disaster that it affected so many pilgrims who had travelled seeking nothing more than a blessing for a long life, and the washing away of sins. Jaiprakash Singh, 64, from Ayodhya is sitting on a plastic sheet in the open, covering himself with a blanket, near the confluence. I eat sparingly to avoid frequent trips to the public toilets, he says. What is more important than Gods blessing? It is enough for us. Having already spent a night in the open, he plans to stay another. A couple of days later, pilgrims like him who were resting along the riverbanks were among those trampled during the crush. Despite Wednesdays events, the festival will continue, with another particularly auspicious day in the celestial calendar falling on Monday 3 February. The authorities at Kumbh have promised to learn from the events of this week, and say there will be no VIP access in the coming days. Changes have already been made to how the flows of crowds are managed. Adityanath has ordered a judicial inquiry though he also played down the severity of the disaster on Wednesday, and it took officials more than 16 hours to admit there had been any fatalities at all. For families mourning the loss of loved ones, excitement at the trip of a lifetime has turned into demands for accountability. Saroja, a pilgrim from the southern city of Belagavi who lost four family members in the stampede, must now accompany them home on a repatriation flight to Karnataka. Police didnt make proper arrangements, she tells Reuters. They are responsible for 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 A stampede at India's Kumbh Mela festival, the world's largest religious gathering, has left several feared dead and many injured. Tens of thousands of Hindu devotees bathe in the sacred river confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati on Wednesday, a holy day during the six-week festival. Authorities were anticipating a record 100 million devotees to participate in ritual bathing on this auspicious day. The festival, held every 12 years, commenced on January 13th and is expected to draw more than 400 million pilgrims to the site this year. There have been other tragic incidents in India over the past two decades. Stampede in Uttar Pradesh in 2024 open image in gallery Villagers watch as family members prepare for the last rites of Savitri Devi, 50, who died during a stampede, in Ramnagar, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on 3 July, 2024 ( Rajesh Kumar Singh ) More than 100 people were killed in a stampede in northern India in July 2024 following a Hindu religious gathering, making it one of the deadliest such accidents in years. Thousands had gathered at a makeshift tent for an event led by a Hindu preacher in Uttar Pradesh state. The victims were crushed to death as they rushed to leave. Video of the aftermath showed the makeshift structure appeared to have collapsed. Bridge collapse at the Navaratri festival in 2013 A collapsing bridge caused a stampede that killed 115 people, mostly women and children, on 13 October, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had come to a Hindu temple in the remote town of Ratangarh in Madhya Pradesh state on the last day of the popular 10-day Navaratri festival. Stampede at a Hindu temple in Jodhpur in 2008 At least 168 people were killed and 100 injured when thousands of pilgrims stampeded at a Hindu temple in Jodhpur on 30 September, 2008. Severe overcrowding apparently caused the crush, as more than 12,000 people gathered at the temple to celebrate Navaratri, a Hindu festival. Landslide rumours caused deadly crowd surge in 2008 Dozens of women and children were among the 145 people who died on 3 August, 2008, when thousands of pilgrims stampeded at a remote mountaintop temple in northern India during celebrations to honour Shakrti, a Hindu goddess. The devotees attended a nine-day religious festival at the Naina Devi Temple in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh state. Rumors of a landslide apparently started the panic, according to a senior government official. Stampede and blaze during a religious procession in 2005 A stampede during a religious procession to a hilltop temple on 25 January, 2005, killed at least 258 people and injured 200 in western India, near the village of Wai, some 150 miles (241 kilometers) south of Mumbai. The stampede was triggered after several Hindu pilgrims inside the temple fell on a slippery floor and were crushed to death by other pilgrims who apparently walked on them. Angered over the deaths, some pilgrims started a fire that gutted hundreds of makeshift shops along a narrow walkway leading to the temple and set off the deadly rush. 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 stampede-like situation at one of the biggest religious festivals in India, the Maha Kumbh Mela, led to multiple casualties on Wednesday, police said. A massive crowd, estimated to be 100 million, had gathered for a ritual early in the morning when a stampede occurred, leaving dozens of pilgrims dead and many more injured. Ambulances were dispatched to the scene and the injured were taken to a makeshift hospital. open image in gallery Security officers carry a woman out from the site of a stampede at the Sangam ( AP ) open image in gallery Pilgrims arrive to take a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna, during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on 29 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) What is Maha Kumbh Mela? The Maha Kumbh Mela is one of Hinduisms holiest festivals, held once every 12 years at Prayagraj in Indias northern state of Uttar Pradesh where the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. Follow our live coverage here The rivers are considered holy by Hindus and the Hindu nationalist government of Narendra Modi has spent millions of rupees trying to revive the Saraswati open image in gallery A policeman escorts a devotee after a stampede occurred before the second royal bath at the Maha Kumbh Mela ( Reuters ) The confluence of the rivers is called Sangam and a holy dip in the waters is regarded as one of the festivals main rituals. open image in gallery A man stands in front of a poster featuring Indias prime minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath on the eve of the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on 12 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) The dip, called Shahi Snan or royal bath, attracts millions of devotees and is led by Hindu priests and ascetics. open image in gallery Pilgrims gather on a floating pontoon bridge near the site of a stampede at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on 29 January 2025. To accommodate the influx of millions of pilgrims, the government of Uttar Pradesh constructed a temporary city along the banks of the Ganga, complete with tents, toilets, streets, pontoon bridges, and waste management systems. ( AFP via Getty ) The holy dip is supposed to lead to spiritual purification and moksha, or salvation. open image in gallery Pilgrims at the site of a stampede during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela. Hindu priests and ascetics lead the Shahi Snan, or royal bath, which is the festivals highlight attracting millions of devotees ( AFP via Getty ) Kumbh Mela and Ardh Kumbh Mela In contrast to the Maha Kumbh Mela, the Kumbh Mela occurs every three years, rotating among four locations Haridwar in northern Uttarakhand state, Ujjain in central Madhya Pradesh state, Nashik in western Maharashtra state, and Prayagraj. The Ardh Kumbh Mela takes place every six years in Haridwar and Prayagraj. open image in gallery A policeman makes an announcement to regulate the flow of pilgrims at Sangam on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on 29 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) Prayagraj was earlier known as Allahabad. The name was changed by Adityanaths Hindu nationalist state government in 2018. open image in gallery Security guards help a woman injured in a stampede during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj ( AP ) The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, running from 13 January to 26 February, is expected to draw around 400 million pilgrims, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. open image in gallery A satellite image taken and published by Maxar Technologies on 17 January 2025 shows an overview of the Maha Kumbh Mela along the banks of Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, in Prayagraj, India ( Satellite image A2025 Maxar Tech ) Preparation for grand religious festival To accommodate and regulate the massive influx of pilgrims, the government of Uttar Pradesh constructed a temporary city along the banks of the Ganga river, complete with tents, toilets, streets, pontoon bridges, and waste management systems. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) open image in gallery Hindu devotees cross a pontoon bridge spanning the river Ganga as they arrive to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela ( Reuters ) Managing crowds has long been a challenge at the Kumbh Mela festivals. In 2013, a stampede at a railway station left 42 people dead and 45 injured as thousands of pilgrims arrived for the festival. Since then, authorities claim to have significantly improved safety measures. Another stampede took place in 2001 when thousands of devotees gathered for the holy dip at a riverbank in Haridwar. open image in gallery A Hindu holy man prepares to take a dip in the sacred waters of Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, during Shahi Snan at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on 14 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) This year, the Uttar Pradesh government deployed advanced technology to track crowd movements, allowing police to regulate the flow of people more effectively. 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 At least 30 people have been killed and dozens more injured in crowd crushes at the Maha Kumbh Mela in India, where millions have gathered to bathe at the confluence of sacred rivers. Tens of millions of people flocked to the northern state of Uttar Pradesh to immerse themselves in the water at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers on one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu festival. Police in Prayagraj city said in a statement that 30 pilgrims were dead and at least another 60 people were injured, and had been taken to hospital. That total is expected to rise. The bodies were brought to a hospital morgue near the site of the festival in Prayagraj, three police sources told Reuters, putting the number at closer to 40. More bodies are coming in. We have nearly 40 bodies here. We are transferring them out as well and handing them over to families one by one, one of the sources said at the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College hospital. The stampede happened when pilgrims tried to jump barricades erected for a procession of holy men, Uttar Pradesh states top elected official, Yogi Adityanath, said in a televised statement. The events main draw is the thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics who make massive processions toward the confluence to bathe. Indian authorities took more than 16 hours to release casualty figures, even as prime minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the loss of lives, calling the incident extremely sad and extending his condolences. Videos showed bodies being taken away on stretchers and people sitting on the ground crying, while others stepped over a carpet of discarded belongings left by people as they tried to escape the stampede. I saw many people falling and getting walked on by the crowd... many children and women getting lost, crying for help, Ravin, a devotee who gave only his first name, told Reuters. open image in gallery Security officers carry a woman out from the site of a stampede at the Sangam ( AP ) More than 400 million pilgrims were expected to travel to Prayagraj city in Uttar Pradesh state over the course of the six-week festival, believing that bathing at the confluence of Hinduisms three holiest rivers the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati washes away ones sins. With up to a record 100 million bathers on Wednesday, it represents the largest gathering of people anywhere on Earth. Akanksha Rana, the officer on special duty at the event, said several people were taken to hospital after a barrier broke at the confluence. open image in gallery Devotees seen trying to cross a barricade at the site of stampede amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela ( AFP via Getty ) Several eyewitnesses described being stuck between the barricades and the police force standing with batons on the other side. Later in the day state authorities showered flower petals on the devotees from a helicopter, a use of resources that drew condemnation from members of the public. Sarojini, a pilgrim from Karnataka state, said she was part of a group of nine people that got trapped after people in the crowd began pushing. A lot of us fell and the crowd went uncontrolled, the eyewitness told PTI news agency. There was no chance for escape, she added. A woman who was part of the crowd but did not give her name told Asian News International that people kept stepping on her mother and her when they fell. I am safe but my mother has died, she said. Dozens of ambulances were sent to take the injured to a medical centre inside the tent city, though they faced challenges getting through the crowds to reach those affected. Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital, desperate for news of missing loved ones. Clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the site of the stampede. Hindu religious leaders suspended their royal bath, a major crowd draw on Wednesdays Mauni Amavasya seen as the most auspicious day of the entire festival due to an alignment of celestial bodies. The day is marked by naked, ash-smeared ascetics leading a procession to the river. All of our saints and seers were ready for the snan (bath) when we were informed about this incident. That is why we have decided to call off our snan, said ascetic Ravindra Puri. open image in gallery A woman crawls under a fence, after a deadly stampede before the second shahi snan ( Reuters ) Millions continued to throng the 4,000-hectare (15-square mile) pilgrimage site despite the stampede, even as police urged them over megaphones to avoid the confluence. Mr Adityanath urged people to take baths at other riverbanks instead. The situation is now under control, but there is a massive crowd of pilgrims, Mr Adityanath said, adding that 90 to 100 million pilgrims were at the site. About 30 million people had taken the holy bath by 8am local time on Wednesday, he said. The Maha Kumbh Mela festival started on 13 January. Nearly 150 million people have already attended, including Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh and home minister Amit Shah and celebrities like Coldplays Chris Martin. A sprawling tent city has been built on the riverbanks to accommodate the millions of visitors, with roads, electricity and water, 3,000 kitchens and 11 hospitals, 145,000 toilets and about 100 car parks. Hundreds of thousands of new electricity connections have also been laid as the festival is expected to drain more power than what is consumed in a month by 100,000 urban apartments in the region. About 50,000 security personnel are stationed in the city to maintain law and order and manage crowds, and more than 2,500 cameras monitor crowd movement and density so officials can try to prevent such crushes. Opposition parties criticised the federal and state governments and blamed the stampede on what they alleged as mismanagement and a VIP culture. Access to the rivers has frequently been restricted for ordinary people throughout the festival to allow politicians and other dignitaries to take part in private. open image in gallery Security officers help a woman injured in a stampede by the banks of the Sangam ( AP ) VIP culture should be curbed and the government should make better arrangements to meet the needs of common devotees, Rahul Gandhi, leader of the main opposition Congress party said on X (Twitter), referring to politicians and celebrities being treated differently. Akhilesh Yadav, the biggest opponent of Mr Adityanath in the state, suggested that the administration and management of the congregation should be immediately handed over to the army. While the Kumbh Mela is held every three years, rotating between several holy cities, the Maha Kumbh Mela is held once every 12 years. Maha means great, and the event attracts the most devotees because it is considered the most auspicious and holy in the cycle. A deadly stampede also occurred at the last Maha Kumbh Mela during the busiest day of bathing. A total of 36 Hindu pilgrims died in that incident in 2013, including 27 women and an eight-year-old girl. Hindu devotees believe taking a dip in the confluence of the rivers during the Maha Kumbh Mela absolves them of sins and brings them salvation from the cycle of life and death. 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 large sinkhole appeared at a busy intersection in a Japanese city on Tuesday, swallowing a rubbish truck and trapping its driver inside. The incident took place in Yashio at around 10am local time, Saitama prefecture governor Motohiro Ono said. The crater measured about 32ft wide and 16ft deep. It is thought to have been caused by a crack in the Nakagawa River Basin sewer pipe, Mr Ono said on Tuesday. As a result of this collapse, a passing truck fell in. The truck reportedly weighed two tonnes. The Mainichi reported that sediment likely flowed into the heavily corroded pipe, laid about 33ft underground, creating a hollow beneath the road, which collapsed under the weight of passing vehicles. Nearly 30 hours after the collapse, the driver remained trapped in the vehicle as sand and mud filled his seat, according to Japans Nippon TV. Rescue workers were reportedly pumping air into the hole to supply oxygen to the 74-year-old driver. The driver was initially conscious but on Tuesday evening became unresponsive, according to local media reports. The Asahi Shimbun reported that due to concerns over a gas pipe running underground, police urged residents living within a 200-metre radius of the sinkhole to evacuate. The Yashio city administration had set up an evacuation centre in a municipal building where some 150 people were now sheltering, an official said. Aerial footage showed at least 12 fire trucks at the scene in Yashio, north of the capital Tokyo. Police were reported to be investigating the cause of the accident. open image in gallery Firefighters work to rescue a truck driver after his vehicle was swallowed up by a sinkhole at a road intersection in Yashio city, Japan, on 28 January 2025 ( JIJI Press/AFP via Getty ) The rescue team managed to remove the truck bed before dawn on Wednesday but had to suspend their work after 1pm local time as the sinkhole became unstable, CBS News reported. By Wednesday morning, water had begun accumulating in the sinkhole, submerging the trucks drivers seat, The Asahi Shimbun reported. Firefighters were forced to suspend the rescue operation to drain out the water. As of 3.30pm local time, the operation had yet to resume. Authorities were using drones and radar to assess the sinkholes interior and underground conditions while vacuum trucks were reportedly removing water. The collapse also likely blocked other sewage pipes, prompting restrictions in 12 cities and towns. Japanese media said that around 1.2 million people had been affected. The incident sparked concerns about the condition of local public infrastructure. I noticed a concrete wall on the side of the hole and when I checked the old map, I found it had been a waterway before. It looks like the waterway had been covered up and a road built over it, and the roof of the culvert had collapsed, a user called kaishi wrote on X. In the past decade, several sinkholes have appeared across Japan. In September 2024, a sinkhole in Hiroshima was caused by a burst underground water pipe. In 2016, Fukuoka experienced a massive sinkhole, about 98ft wide and 50ft deep, that swallowed five road lanes. 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 Longtime costars Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant reunited at the premiere of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, more than two decades after the first instalment of the film series was released. Fans had been eagerly waiting for the fourth film since it was announced last year, when it was confirmed that Zellweger would be reprising her role as the titular and perpetually single Bridget Jones and Hugh Grant would be returning as Daniel Cleaver. It was also announced that Leo Woodall and Chiwetel Ejiofor would appear in the film. The first movie in the series, Bridget Joness Diary, was released in 2001. It was based on the 1996 book of the same name by The Independent columnistHelen Fielding. The book not only sold 15 million copies, it also gave birth to a British icon. Sequels Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Joness Baby followed in 2004 and 2016, with the three films together grossing over $760m worldwide. At the premiere, Zellweger wore a black one-shoulder lace dress from Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello while Grant kept it simple in a black suit and white button-up shirt, almost identical to the look he wore to the first premiere. open image in gallery Hugh Grant and Renee Zellweger ( AFP/Getty ) open image in gallery Hugh Grant, Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth at the premiere of Bridget Jones Diary in April 2001 at Londons Empire Cinema ( Getty ) open image in gallery Hugh Grant, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Helen Fielding, Renee Zellweger, Michael Morris, and Leo Woodall at the French premiere of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy ( AFP/Getty ) According to an official synopsis, the new film, based on Fieldings 2013 book, will see Bridget Jones navigate life as a widow and single mom with the help of her family, friends, and former lover Daniel. Back to work and on the apps, shes pursued by a younger man and maybe just maybe her sons science teacher. Fans of Colin Firths Mark Darcy have reason to be upset as he briefly appeared in the trailer, which explained that with his death, he now only existed only in Joness memories. Grant, who didnt appear in The Edge of Reason, described the script as being good and moving in an appearance on The Graham Norton Show but added that he was crammed in despite there being no obvious role for him. Recently, Zellweger opened up on her reason for going on an acting hiatus from 2010 to 2016, saying the work felt like a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences. I was sick of the sound of my own voice, she told British Vogue. When I was working, I was like, Oh, my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Renee? Oh, is this your mad voice? It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences. open image in gallery Leo Woodall and Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy ( Universal Studios ) But she kept busy during her break. I wrote music and studied international law. I built a house, rescued a pair of older doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated for and fundraised with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and driving across the country with the dogs, she explained. I got healthy. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy will be released in cinemas internationally on 12 February 2025 and will be available to stream on Peacock in the US beginning 13 February 2025. 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 Dave Franco has responded to hype about him looking like Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione was apprehended at a McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania where he was spotted eating a meal after a nationwide manhunt. A thirsty social media circus ensued as Mangione garnered a passionate online following dedicated to admiration of his appearance and beliefs. Superbad star Franco was caught up in the contentious furore as he drew comparisons to the notorious murder suspect. "Has anyone approached you to play Luigi?" a Hollywood Reporter asked the actor during promotion for his new horror film, Together, in which he stars alongside his wife, Alison Brie. "Anyone? Do you mean everyone?" Brie joked. "I've never received more texts in my life about anything," Franco revealed, but confirmed he had not been approached yet to play the role. "Anyone who has my phone number has reached out about it." open image in gallery Dave Franco has drawn comparisons to the notorious murder suspect ( AP/Getty ) Mangione is currently awaiting trial while being held in a Pennsylvania jail where he faces a murder charge as an act of terrorism. He also faces charges for gun law violations in Pennsylvania. He has pled not guilty to the charges. Thompson, 50, was shot dead on 4 December outside the New York Hilton Midtown. That launched a massive manhunt for the suspect who eluded police for nearly a week. The computer science graduate was reported missing by his mother in the weeks before his arrest. One of the suspects former classmates, Aaron Cranston, told The Post that since undergoing back surgery several months ago, he hadnt been in touch with relatives since. open image in gallery Mangione has been charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson ( AP ) Mangiones relatives broke their silence in a statement shared on X/Twitter by Mangiones cousin, Nino, and said they were shocked and devastated by the arrest, offering their prayers to the family of Brian Thompson. Police said they found a three-page manifesto in Mangiones possession when he was arrested, which suggests he has an ill will towards corporate America, Joseph Kenny, NYPDs chief of detective, told the press conference. It reportedly said these parasites had it coming and I do apologise for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done, according to CNN, who cited a police official who has seen the document. 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 The Bachelor alum Rachael Kirkconnell said she was blindsided when her boyfriend of four years, Matt James, broke up with her while they were on holiday together in Tokyo. The reality TV star appeared on the Call Her Daddy podcast to share her version of events after James issued a shock statement on 16 January announcing that they had split. During the episode, Kirkconnell claimed that the pair had been discussing picking out an engagement ring and having children in the months before he broke up with her, and that James shared his breakup statement without consulting her while she was at the airport to return home days after the split. In her first time speaking about the breakup publicly, Kirkconnell told Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper that in the days leading up to the breakup, she felt that things were tense between herself and James and that they were bickering over dinner. Speaking about the day of the breakup, she said that the pair were travelling to a restaurant when he snapped at her. So we were on the way to get some food and I was scrolling through my phone, showing him a bunch of videos. I guess I was bothering him. I was annoying him. [He] kind of snapped at me to where I got mad at him because I was like, You know, even if Im annoying you like, dont treat me like that. And so then it seemed like we were both kind of mad at each other or annoyed with each other. open image in gallery Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James ( Getty Images for Atlantis The Ro ) When they got back to the hotel, Kirkconnell said that James raised his concerns about their long-term compatibility. It was definitely out of nowhere, Kirkconnell said. He said that at the end of the day, there were just qualities about me that he worries about having in a wife. At the end of the day, there are things that we arent compatible with and the whole accountability and saying sorry and all that was really the main thing. It was just one of those things where he just had this realisation that I should want to propose to you by this time. Like, at this point in our relationship, I should be wanting those things and I should be ready for that. Kirkconnell grew emotional as she explained she felt thrown by Jamess decision, claiming she had been hearing the opposite in previous months when they had casually discussed picking out rings, wedding plans and the possibility of having children. We talked about rings, he told me a few months ago to start saving some things, picking things out, she said. That felt like such a green flag to me. I felt like that was a good sign. I dont know, when he started talking about kids and picking out a ring, wedding food and where we want the wedding. I dont know if there were any actions following those things but when youre told these things you just wanna hold on to them, she said. open image in gallery Youtube via Call Her Daddy ( Youtube via Call Her Daddy ) Kirkconnell admitted she was shocked when James posted his breakup announcement without warning while she was at the airport to travel home. I was freaking out. I just got broken up with and now a few hours later, it was out for the whole world to see. My phone was blowing up. When I step back, Im mad, she said. He should not have done that to me after four years. He didnt even text me to give me a warning, like, saying, Hey, Im posting this. Kirkconnell admitted that the pair have had contact since the breakup and James called her at 1 am four or five days after his breakup post and has tried to check in on her. I confronted him about the post. And thats when he was like yeah, I fully admit that I could have handled this a lot better. And he apologised. It really sucks to look back at how things ended for us. Its heartbreaking. The pair met and fell in love on the 25th season of the ABC dating show The Bachelor. They had a tumultuous start to their relationship when Kirkconnell was embroiled in a racism controversy after pictures of her at an antebellum plantation-themed party in 2018 surfaced online. At the time, The Bachelor host Chris Harrison defended Kirkconnell against the racism controversy, which ultimately led to his exit from The Bachelor franchise in June 2021 after 20 years with ABC. James and Kirkconnell split, but were spotted together a month later and rekindled their relationship. Since they repaired their relationship, the couple had been sharing loved-up pictures of their travels together, which meant that their January 2025 split came as a shock to fans and to Kirkconnell who has said she was blindsided. 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 The time to order wild flavor pairings and niche treats from Starbucks is now as they may not be around much longer. Come late 2025, the coffee conglomerate will have dropped 30 percent of its refreshments and food offerings from its menu in accordance with CEO Brian Niccols Back to Starbucks plan to help make up for a four percent global sales loss. Niccol has also already implemented changes to help solve the companys financial woes including the return of the self-service condiments bar, new ceramic mugs for patrons wanting to sit and enjoy their drinks, as well as free refills on coffee and tea for anyone in-store. We believe this is the fundamental change in strategy needed to solve our underlying issues, restore confidence in our brand and return the business to sustainable, long-term growth, Niccol said in the Starbucks Q1 Fiscal Year 2025 Results report. Meanwhile, Rachel Ruggeri, Starbucks CFO, said: We are encouraged by our Q1 results, which demonstrated the effectiveness of our 'Back to Starbucks' strategy, evidenced by our top-line trend. Earlier this month, Starbucks reversed its laid-back, open-door policy from 2018 that invited everyone into its stores even if they werent paying customers. Starbucks plans to cut back 30 percent of its menu come late 2025 ( Getty Images ) Now, an updated policy will prohibit people from hanging out or using the restroom at all locations without making a purchase. If a patron is caught using the facilities and they havent bought anything, they will be asked to leave and the store may call law enforcement if necessary. The fresh policy also bans discrimination or harassment, consumption of outside alcohol, smoking, vaping, drug use and panhandling in all North American stores. We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our stores, Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson said. By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone. The rule reversal comes seven years after two Black men were arrested in Philadelphia Starbucks where they had gone for a business meeting. This particular Starbucks location had a policy of asking non-paying customers to leave if they werent planning on buying anything. The arrest of the two men, which was caught on video, turned out to be a bad look for the company. At the time, Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz spoke up, arguing the company had no intention of making anyone feel less than. We dont want to become a public bathroom, but were going to make the right decision a hundred percent of the time and give people the key, Schultz 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 Conservatives are coming after Vogue for posting a scathing review of Melania Trumps new White House portrait in which the magazine accuses the First Lady of cosplaying The Apprentice. The official image, printed in black-and-white and shot by Belgian photographer Regine Mahaux, features the 54-year-old woman standing over a reflective desk while dressed in a finely-tailored Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo jacket, an unbuttoned white undershirt, and suit pants. According to Vogue, the entire shot clothing, set, and pose included looked as if it were taken for her husband President Donald Trumps former reality show, which ran from 2004 to 2017. Indeed, Trump looked more like she was guest starring on an episode of The Apprentice than assuming the role of first lady of the United States, the outlet wrote before comparing her outfit to a magicians uniform. Its perhaps unsurprising that a woman who lived in a gold-encrusted penthouse, whose fame is so intertwined with a reality television empire, would refuse to abandon theatricseven when faced with 248 years of tradition, the article continued. Vogues January 28 article was met with immediate backlash from conservative commentators online. open image in gallery Melania Trumps 2025 White House portrait ( Regine Mahaux/The White House ) Right-wing Newsmax host Todd Starnes wrote: The mean girls who run Vogue published a scathing attack on First Lady Melania Trump's official White House portrait. It's unclear why Vogue directed their poisonous venom at Mrs. Trump. Envy, perhaps? Or it could just be that they hate bold, confident Republican women. open image in gallery ( X/@toddstarnes ) Melania Trump is a portrait of beauty, style, elegance and power. She's a wife and a mother. She's a person who embraces her God-given pronoun, he continued. She's incredibly intelligent. She can speak fluently in five languages. And she has a terrific sense of humor. The Mean Girls who run the fashion magazines have an entirely different standard for style and beauty. Author Scott Holleran agreed: Dear @voguemagazine: The White Houses official portrait of First Lady Melania Trump, by Regine Malhaux, is rightly and radically emancipated, elegant and refined. I love the reflection of herselfrepresenting that First Lady Melania Trump is a hands-on presidents wifeready, he added. Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum added: Cmon Vogue. For decades you told us to know our power and be thin and well dressed when wielding it, and you diss this portrait of our most stunning FLOTUS since Jackie? You want her in a comfy blazer and pastelsIm guessing she doesnt care. open image in gallery ( @marthamaccallum/X ) Kathy Gyngell, editor of The Conservative Woman, wrote: Oh look. A magazine for women tearing pieces out of ...women. open image in gallery ( @KathyConWom/X ) Many critics on X also pointed out that the magazine had featured Democrats Kamala Harris and Jill Biden on its covers in the past. Vice President Harris was interviewed by the magazine in October 2024 in the midst of her bid for the White House just months after the former first lady appeared on the cover. Already, the new FLOTUS has riled people with her statement outfits worn in the White House. For her husbands second inauguration on January 20, Melania wore a long, silk-and-wool navy blue overcoat designed by Adam Lippes and a wide-brimmed hat by Eric Javits. For the majority of the swearing-in ceremony, the top half of Melanias face was shielded by the hat, spawning hundreds of memes online. 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 Wegmans has issued a recall on their Family Packed Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets with Rib Meat because they may contain bone pieces. The grocery store conglomerate urged customers to throw out the 46-ounce bags of frozen nuggets that have an expiration date of August 26, 2025. Customers can also return the product for a full refund at any Wegmans location. The nuggets were only made for Wegmans Food Markets and distributed in Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service said that it was notified of the issue after Wegmans received multiple consumer complaints of bone fragments in the product. There have been no confirmed reports of injury due to consumption. The Food Safety and Inspection Service said that it is concerned that consumers may still have some of the nugget packages in their freezers. Consumers who still have packages are urged not to eat the product, and to throw it away or return it to the store where it was purchased. Wegmans 46-ounce bags of Family Packed Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets with Rib Meat ( Food Safety News ) The latest food recall comes a day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration elevated the recall status of broccoli packages sold at Walmart stores in 20 states due to a Listeria contamination that has potentially fatal consequences. The Braga Freshs ready-to-eat 12oz Marketside Broccoli Florets recall was moved to Class 1, which is described as a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death by the FDA. The FDA issued the initial voluntary recall earlier this month when possible listeria contamination 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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), listeria is a bacteria that can contaminate many foods and cause an infection in the form of an invasive illness and intestinal illness. The affected bags of Braga Freshs Marketside Broccoli Florets have a best-if-used-by date of December 10, 2024 and were sold at 20 Walmart stores across the country: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The FDA confirmed there havent been any reported illnesses due to the broccoli recall. That said, the agency said Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Individuals with stronger immune systems may experience short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. In a statement shared with The Independent, Walmart said: The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. While the expiration date for the potentially impacted Marketside Broccoli Florets has past and the product is no longer in stores, we encourage customers who may still have this product in their homes, such as stored in freezers, to not consume and to discard the product. At this time, there have been no reported illnesses associated with this advisory, and we are working with the supplier to investigate, they added. Additional reporting by The 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 A Washington state woman charged in the fatal shooting of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont, which happened days after authorities began watching her and a German companion who also died in the roadside shootout, is scheduled to appear in federal court Monday. Teresa Youngblut, 21, faces two weapons charges in connection with the death of Border Patrol Agent David Maland, 44, who died Jan. 20 during the shootout in Coventry, a small town about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the Canadian border. The public defender assigned to represent Youngblut in U.S. District Court in Burlington did not return an email seeking comment. According to an FBI affidavit, a border agent pulled over Youngblut and Felix Bauckholt on Interstate 91 to conduct an immigration inspection. At the time, Bauckholt appeared to have an expired visa, according to a Department of Homeland Security database, but investigators later confirmed that his visa was current, the FBI said. Youngblut, who had been driving Bauckholts car, got out and opened fire on Maland and other officers without warning, the FBI alleges. Bauckholt tried to draw a gun but was shot, the affidavit states. At least one border agent fired on Youngblut and Bauckholt, but authorities havent specified whose bullets hit whom. This investigation remains very active, and the legal process continues, FBI spokeswoman Sarah Ruane said in a statement over the weekend. Investigators had been performing periodic surveillance of Youngblut and Bauckholt since Jan. 14 after an employee at a hotel where they were staying reported concerns after seeing Youngblut carrying a gun and she and Bauckholt wearing black tactical gear, according to the affidavit. Investigators tried to question the duo, who said they were in the area looking to buy property but declined to have an extended conversation, the FBI said. During a search of the car after the shootout, authorities found cellphones wrapped in foil, a ballistic helmet, night-vision goggles, respirators and ammunition, the FBI said. They also found a package of shooting range targets, including some that had been used, two-way radios, about a dozen electronic devices, travel and lodging information for multiple states, and an apparent journal. In May, Youngbluts parents reported to Seattle police that she was missing, according to a police report. In the account, first reported by The Seattle Times, they said she had left home with duffel bags full of personal belongings, including her passport and medical records. The parents said her behavior had changed and that she had been lying about where she was going and who she was seeing. They said she also had broken off contact with friends and changed her phone number. The parents said they were concerned she was being forced to take these actions or that she may be in a controlling relationship. A Teresa Youngblut took out a marriage license to a man who was not Bauckholt in November, according to a search of records in Washington states King County. A man reached at a phone listing for Youngbluts family Friday identified himself as Youngbluts grandfather and declined to comment. No one answered the door at homes in Seattle and Redmond, Washington, associated with Youngbluts name, and neighbors declined to comment. Bauckholt graduated with an honors degree in mathematics from Waterloo University in Canada in 2018, according to online records. He competed and won honors in computer programming competitions and held an office in the universitys computer science club. He had received a scholarship and was one of several students who had won medals at international olympiads for either mathematics or informatics, according to a school news release from 2015. A now-deleted LinkedIn profile for a Felix Bauckholt said he had been working as a quantitative trader for a financial firm based in New York since October 2021. An email was sent to the firm seeking confirmation. 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 from Washington state has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont, where authorities had for days been watching her and a German companion who also died in the roadside shootout. The FBI announced the arrest of Teresa Youngblut, 21, on Friday, four days after the deaths of Border Patrol Agent David Maland and Felix Baukholt in Coventry, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the Canadian border. She was charged on one count of using a deadly weapon while assaulting a Border Patrol agent, and one count of using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to that assault. An FBI affidavit filed in U.S. District Court shed some light on the events leading up to the fatal encounter, but many questions remain. Here are some things to know: Before the shooting Youngblut and Baukholt were staying at a hotel in Lyndonville, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of the shooting site, on Jan. 14 when a hotel worker contracted law enforcement after seeing the pair wearing black tactical gear and Youngblut carrying a gun, according to the affidavit. State police and Department of Homeland Security investigators tried to question the duo, who said they were in the area looking to buy property but declined to have an extended conversation, the FBI said. On Sunday, investigators saw the pair walking in downtown Newport, just north of Coventry, wearing similar tactical clothing. And about two hours before the shooting, investigators watched Baukholt leave a Walmart in Newport with two packages of aluminum foil, get in the car and wrap something in the passenger seat. Investigators later found foil-wrapped cellphones in the car. The highway encounter According to the FBI affidavit, Youngblut was driving Baukholts car when a border agent pulled it over on Interstate 91 to conduct an immigration inspection. At the time, Baukholt appeared to have an expired visa, according to a Department of Homeland Security database, but investigators later confirmed that his visa was current, the FBI said Friday. Youngblut got out and opened fire on Maland and other officers without warning, the FBI said. Baukholt tried to draw a gun but was shot, according to the affidavit. At least one border agent fired on Youngblut and Baukholt, but authorities havent specified whose bullets hit whom. The contents of the car Authorities who searched the car after the shootout found a ballistic helmet, night-vision goggles, respirators and ammunition, the FBI said. The also found a package of shooting range targets, including some that had been used, two-way radios, about a dozen electronic devices, travel and lodging information for multiple states, and a journal. The suspects Authorities released no information about Youngblut other than her name, age and home state. A man reached at a phone listing for Youngbluts family in Washington identified himself as her grandfather and declined to comment. No one answered the door at multiple homes in Washington associated with Youngbluts name, and neighbors declined to comment. The public defenders office that will be representing Youngblut did not respond to a voicemail seeking further information. The fallen agent Malands aunt, Joan Maland, declined on behalf of his family to comment on the arrest. The family issued a statement expressing gratitude for the support theyve received. Relatives have described Maland as a dedicated public servant who passed up promotion opportunities to continue field work. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had worked as a border patrol agent for nine years, including in Texas before heading to the northern border. ___ Associated Press writers Kathy McCormack, Patrick Whittle and Hallie Golden 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 A U.S. Air Force pilot was reported to be safe after a single-seat F-35fighter jet crashed Tuesday at a base in Alaska. The accident occurred on the runway at Eielson Air Force Base, but it was not immediately known if it occurred while the advanced fighter craft was landing or taking off, Eielson spokesperson Staff Sgt. Kimberly Touchet told The Associated Press. Its still under investigation, so theyre trying to confirm all the details, she said. Officials planned a news conference later Tuesday. A release from the Air Force said an incident occurred about 12:49 p.m., causing significant damage to the aircraft. The pilot is safe and has been transported to Bassett Army Hospital for further evaluation, the statement said. Eielson Air Force Base is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Fairbanks. Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security, Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, said in the statement. I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again. open image in gallery Alaska Military Jet Crash ( Associated Press ) Eielson was selected in 2016 to host 54 F-35s, spawning an expansion that cost more than a half-billion dollars that was to include 36 new buildings and dozens of housing units. The expansion included about 3,500 new active duty airmen and their dependents. With the capability to fly more than 12 hours at a time, the F-35 can reach almost anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in one mission. Nearly 400 miles (644 kilometers) south, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage is home to two squadrons of F-22 fighter jets. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Marine biologists have captured a rare sight of a giant pod of over 1,500 dolphins leaping and swimming off the California coast. The super pod of Rissos dolphins was spotted in Carmel Bay, off central Californias coast. This species, which can grow to over 10ft long and weigh as much as half a metric tonne, is identified by its white scarring. It has adapted to live near continental shelves where it can search for prey at depths of about 600 metres. open image in gallery Dolphin super pod off California ( AP ) Carmel Bay is considered a haven for marine life with its nutrient-rich waters supporting rockfish, leopard sharks, bottlenose dolphins, and sea lions. The bay extends from shallow pools to a submarine canyon that reaches depths of nearly 150 metres. While the Rissos dolphins usually travel in pods of 10 to 30 animals, the sighting of them in an extremely large cluster of hundreds of individuals is rare, scientists say. Rare Chinese white dolphins spotted in S China The dolphins usually form smaller, more stable subgroups within large pods, with fidelity between members. Studies have shown long-term bonds between adult males of the species. Researchers initially planned to take a trip to track migrating Gray whales but were amazed to see over 1,500 dolphins swimming around their boat. They were just having a great time. So they were breaching everywhere, tail slapping, coming right over to the boat. They looked like they were having a big party, marine biologist Colleen Talty from the Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center said. They were on the horizon I feel like as far as I could see, Evan Brodsky from the Monterey Bay Whale Watch said. open image in gallery Dolphin super pod off California ( AP ) Sightings of dolphins in newer areas such as off of the subarctic Norwegian coast indicate that the species is expanding its range. Research suggests increasing noise in the oceans due to human presence threatens Rissos dolphin populations. Low-frequency noise of motorised boats appears to disrupt the acoustic behaviour, including the clicks and buzzes, the dolphins use to find prey. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy While genetic diversity, the unique differences that determine the color of hair and the shape of a finchs beak, is being lost across the world amid the worlds ongoing species extinction crisis, scientists had good news on Wednesday. Conservation efforts are helping to protect species and what makes each individual special. There is no getting around the fact that biodiversity is declining at unprecedented rates across the globe but there are glimmers of hope, University of Sydney Associate Professor Catherine Grueber said in a statement. The action of conservationists is reversing these losses and helping to create genetically diverse populations that can better meet the challenges of the future. open image in gallery Research lead Associate Professor Catherine Grueber, center, stands alongside joint first authors Dr. Robyn Shaw and Katherine Farquharson. The research was an international and multi-decadal effort ( The University of Sydney ) Grueber led the international landmark study which was published Wednesday in the journal Nature. It is the most comprehensive global analysis of genetic diversity ever conducted, and included a team of researchers from countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Sweden, Poland, and China. The data they collected to reach these conclusions spans more than 30 years, from the late 1980s to 2019. It looks at nearly 630 species of animals, plants, and fungi. Of the species included in this analysis, two-thirds are declining in genetic diversity. It can be lost as populations shrink and are isolated due to factors like habitat loss and changing environmental conditions due to climate change. The loss of genetic diversity also decreases a species ability to adapt to survive. Scientists predict that more than a million species are on track for extinction in the coming decades. But, efforts to improve environmental conditions, restore habitats, grow populations, and introduce new animals for breeding and maintaining and sometimes even increasing genetic diversity in species. open image in gallery Baby bandicoots are seen in Western Australia during population and genetic monitoring. New populations of the threatened golden bandicoot were established in the region ( Judy Dunlop ) For example, new populations of the threatened golden bandicoot were established in Western Australia, maintaining habitat for endangered Hines emerald dragonflies has helped the species maintain genetic diversity, and Scandinavian arctic foxes that have seen huge declines due to the fur trade have seen success following captive breeding programs. However, the studys authors say additional actions could be taken to improve or maintain genetic diversity, including moving animals between populations, habitat restoration, and controlling invasive or feral species. Despite successes, we cant be complacent. Two-thirds of the populations analysed are facing threats, and among these populations less than half received any kind of conservation management, co-first author Dr. Robert Shaw, from Australias University of Canberra, said. Its vital that we learn from what is working so that we can protect species in the long-term. 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 teenage boy has been arrested after a woman reported being raped on a dark river pathway in Kent. Detectives were called to reports that the victim was sexually assaulted as she walked along the footpath near Beaver Road, Ashford between 8.25pm and 9pm on Friday 24 January 2025. Officers sealed off the quiet footbridge over the Great Stour river as they reviewed CCTV and interviewed potential witnesses to the alleged sex attack. Kent Police announced that a 17-year-old boy from nearby Romney Marsh was arrested on suspicion of rape on Monday evening. He remains in custody while the investigation continues. Anyone with relevant information, CCTV or dashcam footage who has yet to speak to police should call 01622 652006 quoting reference 46/13691/25. You can also report information to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org. 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 Love Island star Jack Fincham, who was jailed for six weeks after his dangerously out-of-control dog bit a runner, has been released on bail pending an appeal. The 32-year-old, who won the 2018 season of the reality show alongside then-girlfriend Dani Dyer, pleaded guilty to two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog, with one of the incidents causing injury. He lodged an appeal following his sentencing at Southend Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. A CPS source said: "He was granted conditional bail pending that appeal." Southend-on-Sea Magistrates Court heard how his black Cane Corso, named Elvis, bit and injured runner Robert Sudell in Swanley, Kent, in September 2022. Prosecutor Erin Peck said that Mr Sudell had accepted an apology and Fincham was going to be cautioned and engage with a responsible dog ownership course. She said conditions were made including that his dog must be muzzled, but in June last year there was a second incident in Grays in Essex when his dog was out of control and he was later charged. Presiding magistrate Anne Wade, sentencing, said that Fincham was subject to a suspended sentence order at the time of the incident in Swanley in Kent. The order, for an unrelated driving matter, was of 12 weeks custody suspended for 18 months. The 32-year-old won the 2018 season of Love Island alongside then-girlfriend Dani Dyer. ( Getty Images ) Ms Wade said this order would be activated in part, adding that we find no reason not to do so, and sentenced Fincham, whose address was given in court papers as Swanley in Kent and later by police as Grays in Essex, to jail for six weeks. The dog was in a public place not abiding by the conditions to be muzzled and kept on a lead, she said. He was also ordered to pay 3,680 to the court, including a 2,000 contribution to kennelling costs, a fine of 961 and 200 compensation to Mr Sudell. According to the Daily Mail, he was supported in court by his family and girlfriend, The Only Way is Essex star Chloe Brockett. Richard Cooper, for Fincham, said the defendant has no savings and Mr Fincham was told he could pay in instalments, initially at 400 per month. An order was made that the dog must be muzzled in public places, be kept on a lead and not be left alone with anyone under the age of 16. Cane Corsos is a powerful breed of Italian mastiff and and can weigh up to 50kg. There has been a surge of interest in the breed, which are traditionally used as guard dogs, after the UK government banned XL bullies last year. The breed is not recognised by the Kennel Club and many pet insurance companies do not provide cover for them. More than 200 Cane Corse puppies are currently on sale on Pets4Home, with prices for a pup reaching as much as 1,800. After the hearing, Sergeant Alex Watkins said: "Owners have to take responsibility for their dogs, and on these occasions this dog was dangerously out of control. "On both occasions, the owner was given a chance to rectify their behaviour with words of advice and a conditional caution. However, [he] failed to do so, resulting in this sentencing. "I thank both victims for their courage during this investigation." 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 PhD student accused of being a persistent sexual predator allegedly filmed himself raping multiple women while they were unconscious, a court has heard. Zhenhao Zou, 27, allegedly drugged or pressured 10 different women to drink large quantities of alcohol, before sexually assaulting them and taking intimate pornographic images. At the time of the alleged offence, he had been studying an engineering course at University College London, having studied in the UK for the last seven years after moving from China. He was arrested after one of the women reported him to the police, which led to them seizing his camera and mobile phone and uncovering the videos. Zou, of Southwark, has denied 35 offences which include 11 rapes on 10 women, 12 charges of possession of extreme pornographic images, three counts of voyeurism, one of false imprisonment and eight counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply. Jurors at Inner London Crown Court heard on Wednesday that only two of the women had been identified, but not the remaining eight. open image in gallery Zou has denied all 35 charges against him ( PA Archive ) The student, who moved to Belfast in 2017 to study at Queens University before coming to London in 2019 to do a masters degree and then a PhD at UCL, had initially appeared as a smart and charming young man. The prosecution says that he is a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist, prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC said. The prosecution case at this trial is that he would meet women, he would stupefy them, either with drugs or with alcohol, and, once they were significantly under the influence of drink or drugs, he would then rape them. Often, he would record himself doing so, which the prosecution say are the defendants souvenirs of many rapes that he had committed; items that he kept for his own private sexual gratification, so that he could watch, at his leisure, his rapes of these women, who he had rendered unconscious and totally vulnerable to his will. In one video, Zou can be seen allegedly raping a woman, known as Female A, the court heard while she said: I really dont want I beg you, dont do this. In response to her repeated pleas for him to stop, the prosecution said, he tells her dont push me, its pointless and comments that the sound insulation in his bedroom is very good. Another woman, identified only as Female D, was seen in footage either unconscious or telling the defendant to let her go and trying to fight him off, jurors were told. Police first became aware of the case in May 2023, when one of the women reported an allegation of rape. She later decided against pursuing an allegation due to her mental health. Upon speaking to officers on the second occasion in February 2024, the woman provided police with an account of her experience and confirmed she had been approached by another alleged victim who claimed she had also been raped by Zou. open image in gallery The prosecution case against Zou opened at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday ( PA Archive ) The court heard that regarding the woman who initially decided against pursuing an allegation, she had been invited back to Zous flat in Elephant and Castle after attending the party on 18 May 2023 and that he had given her wine. After a while, she began to find the defendant odd and boring and he was trying to get close to her, which she didnt like, so she indicated that she wanted to leave but the defendant persuaded her not to, Ms Farrelly said. She claimed when she tried to run to the door to leave, Zou dragged her back by her clothes into his bedroom, and kept her there against her will. After she became semi-unconscious, the defendant allegedly proceeded to rape her, with the woman telling police she was drunk, I was really tired, I cant fight back, I have no strength. In the morning, she woke up at 6am without any clothing and feeling dizzy and drowsy, the court heard, with her underwear found in the defendants wardrobe. Police later discovered recordings and graphic images on Zous camera of the woman, where she can be heard asking to go home, the prosecution said, stating she is feeling unwell and screaming repeatedly before the defendant pushes her down to the bed. The second alleged victim told police that she had met Zou in September 2021 and had stayed at his address and engaged in consensual sex. A month later, she had invited him to her birthday with friends in central London. Her recollection became unclear and she remembered vomiting in the street with the defendant, before being back at his address with him on top of her, she said. She claimed that he was having sex with her in a fast and forceful way, and that she had asked him to stop before falling unconscious. The prosecution says that it is clear that the defendant had sex with her when she was in no position to consent, she had passed out through drink, and he had sex with her anyway, Ms Farrelly said. An examination of his laptop found searches for sleeping drugs, how long semen remains in the vagina and a visit to a page relating to Surveillance Spy Hidden Cameras, the jury heard. Drugs found in his possession included MDMA, GHB, Ketamine, and Xanax, the court was told. Zou sat in the dock wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt, and navy blue tie as the prosecution case opened. The trial is set to last for four weeks. Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673). 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 XL Bully ban is predicted to cost police 25 million in vet and kennel fees this year, as chiefs admit it could take several years to see a reduction in dog attacks. The National Police Chiefs Council have revealed the huge burden the ban is having on forces in Britain, after the controversial breed was outlawed last year following a string of fatal attacks. Speaking ahead of the first anniversary of the ban coming into the force on 1 February, chief constable Mark Hobrough, the NPCCs lead for dangerous dogs, said forces are facing spiralling kennel costs after 4,586 suspected unregistered banned dogs were seized by police between February and September alone. Keeping these dogs in kennels costs police an average of 1,000 per month, per dog, until cases reaches court. Amid record court backlogs, they expect costs to soar to 25 million by the end of the financial year an increase of 500 per cent on 4 million in 2018. Its anticipated that across the 43 forces, the cost for veterinary and kennelling will come to 25 million, he said. Thats just for veterinary and kennelling. It doesnt account for half a million pounds worth of overtime thats been spent between February and September last year. It doesnt account for forces having to buy specialist vehicles, specialist equipment, uplift their dog legislation officers. open image in gallery Esther Martin was mauled to death by two XL bully dogs last February (Essex Police/PA) ( PA Media ) He called for legislative changes to help them cope with soaring demand, including options for out of court disposals in some cases and the ability to recoup costs from owners in court. They also called for a renewed focus on education around responsible dog ownership, so people choose a breed which suits their lifestyle, environment and experience. We will always protect our communities by ensuring these dangerous dogs are dealt with but we urgently need the government to support us in coping with the huge demand the ban has placed on our ever-stretched resources, he added. Under the change to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which was strongly opposed by animal welfare groups including RSPCA and Dogs Trust, it became illegal to own an XL bully without a certificate of exemption. Officials had predicted around 10,000 XL Bully owners would come forward to register their dogs, agreeing to comply with rules including neutering their pet and muzzling them in public, however more than 55,000 were registered. A further 848 dogs were surrendered by their owners and euthanised after the ban came into force with no assessment of their dangerousness costing 340,000 in vet fees, according to the NPCC. CC Harborough admitted they have not yet seen evidence of a reduction in dog attacks, although official figures are not yet available. It comes after figures obtained by The Independent last year revealed incidents of out-of-control dogs injuring people or guide dogs had risen by nine per cent in the first five months since the ban. open image in gallery XL Bully owners protested against the ban in London last October ( AFP/Getty ) Patrick OHara, the NPCCs tactical lead for dangerous dogs, agreed no forces have yet reported a reduction in incidents and many are putting in additional staff to cope with demand from policing dangerous dogs. Since the ban came into force, an additional 100 Dog Liason Officers have been added to forces in England and Wales, with a further 40 to be trained this coming year. The officers expect numbers of XL Bullies to decrease gradually over time, but warned it will not be an overnight fix and will be a generational change spanning the lifetime of a dog. They could also not rule out the risk of unscrupulous breeders circumventing the ban by breeding puppies that do not meet the current legal definition of the height and weight of an XL Bully. Thats not going to be an overnight fix, Mr OHara said. We are probably not going to see a change year on year. We are probably looking at generational change in terms of the life of a dog. A Government spokesperson said: The ban on XL bullies is an important measure to protect public safety, and we expect all XL Bully owners to comply with the strict conditions. We continue to work with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to prevent dog attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog, addressing dog control issues before they escalate and using the full force of the law where needed. 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 Actor Idris Elba has suggested more action can be taken to make kitchen knives safer to reduce stabbings across the country. The 52-year-old was speaking ahead of the release on Wednesday of Idris Elba: Our Knife Crime Crisis, a documentary which sees the Luther star spend 12 months exploring the reality of the UKs stabbing epidemic. Elba claimed that around 25 per cent of stabbings are perpetrated using knives commonly found at home, and areas of innovation could help reduce this. Not all kitchen knives need to have a point on them, that sounds like a crazy thing to say, he told BBC Radio 4. But you can still cut your food without the point on your knife, which is an innovative way to look at it. There were more 50,000 serious knife crime offences recorded in England in the year ending June 2024. London has the highest rate of serious knife crimes. Between April 2023 and April 2024, 509 children under the age of 17 were hospitalised for injuries from knives and other sharp items, according to the Youth Endowment Fund. The number of offences classed as possession of an article with a blade or point stood at 27,553 offences in the 12 months to June 2024, down 4 per cent year on year from 28,582. Ive got three kids, Elba said. As a parent, thats always going through your mind. open image in gallery The BBC film sees Elba meet Keir Starmer and the King ( BBC/22 Summers ) In September 2024, it became illegal to own, sell or manufacture zombie knives and machetes in the UK. However, many illegal weapons remain on UK streets and have been used in recent violent crimes. In the BBC film, Elba said young people in London gangs are not big and scary, adding it is sad that society has turned our back on them. The actor and activist spoke about someone very close to me who had gone into a gang at the same time that he went into acting. He said he had spoken to him about the documentary. The Hackney-born star said he had told him youre doing the right thing but that he isnt as hopeful or optimistic as I am. Elba went on to say that he felt big tech and social media needed to take more responsibility for the issue. He added: When it comes to big tech, there needs to be accountability within their own policies, and their policies need to be educated and driven by what society deems is right or wrong. Its great that youre a big company, you make a lot of money, got lots of social media followers, thats fantastic. But by the way, we dont like knives, were not going to tolerate you advertising knives to young people, please. We dont like porn, we dont like this, we dont like bully dogs, it can be done in a society, and in my opinion, where democracy leads, it takes a village. The BBC film sees Elba meet prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, who said that his party would commit to halving knife crime if elected, and the King, where the pair discussed solutions to the problem with some of the young people most affected by youth violence. The hour-long programme will air on BBC One and iPlayer on Wednesday 29 January at 9pm. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A legal win has cleared the way for discount supermarket Lidl to open its first pub inside one of its stores after the High Court rejected a challenge to the proposal. An appeal against the retailer's temporary permit to operate a bar within its Dundonald, County Down, store was launched by the owner of several off-licences in Northern Ireland, but the legal bid was denied by a judge. Philip Russell Ltd filed the appeal, claiming Lidl had not demonstrated that there were insufficiently licensed establishments close to the location. Lidl obtained planning approval in 2020 to build a tap room on their Dundonald site, which is located just outside of Belfast. The suggested plan called for investing 410,000 in a new in-store pub and an off-sales section, as well as coming to an agreement with the owners of a nearby bar to give up that licence. No new alcohol-selling licenses can be issued in Northern Ireland until an existing one is surrendered, according to licensing regulations. After being turned down for an off-licence at the shop several years earlier, Lidl has stated that should the fresh application be accepted, it was committed to operating a bar. open image in gallery A legal win has cleared the way for Lidl to open its first pub ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) Philip Russell Ltd argued that Lidl had failed to show there were "inadequate licenced premises" near the site as required under the Licencing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. It was also alleged to be an impermissible attempt to circumvent the legislation by effectively making another application for an off-licence. Ruling on the dispute, Mr Justice Colton determined that Lidl had established the necessary inadequacy. He pointed out that if the application is successful, there will be only one licensed premises in a vicinity where two pubs previously operated. The planned new location would be in the middle of a neighbourhood with well-established retail and transportation options as well as a growing adult population. "It may well be that it will not meet the full demand for licenced premises within the vicinity given its size and lack of food provision," the judge said. "That however does not mean that (Lidl) fails to establish inadequacy." Dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice Colton held that Lidl had made a bona fide application to operate the premises as a public on/off-licence. "It will invest a significant sum of money, at least 410,000 into fitting out the public house," he said. "I accept that it has concluded that the public house will be profitable, knowing that if it closed through lack of profitability an evitable consequence would be that the off-licence permission would lapse following any such decision. "I am satisfied that it meets the statutory requirements and there is no good reason for refusing the application." 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 Bishop of Liverpool has denied any wrongdoing after allegations of sexual assault and harassment were made against him, according to Channel 4 News. One woman accused the Rt Rev Dr John Perumbalath of kissing her without consent and groping her and another woman accused him of sexual harassment, according to Channel 4. In a statement, Dr Perumbalath said he has consistently denied the allegations and complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team (NST). The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present, Dr Perumbalath said. I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. I have complied with any investigation from the NST. The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the police who took no further action. open image in gallery While denying wrongdoing, the bishop says he has taken seriously how his actions could be perceived by others ( EPA-EFE ) Whilst I dont believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others. I will comply with any investigation deemed necessary. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area. In response to the Channel 4 programme, a spokesperson for the Church of England said that in 2023 a complaint of alleged misconduct against Dr Perumbalath was brought to the NST and concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to bring a safeguarding-related issue under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) itself but offered the woman support if she wished to do so. The complaint was looked into according to statutory safeguarding guidance in an NST-led process and an independent risk assessment undertaken. This process concluded that there were no ongoing safeguarding concerns, but a learning outcome was identified with which the bishop fully engaged. The complaint was also investigated by the police which resulted in no further action, the spokesperson said. open image in gallery The Church of England has said complaints were investigated ( PA ) A further disclosure was made by another woman, and the information was explored and assessed not to be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct, the spokesperson said. The second complainant did not bring a CDM complaint within the one-year deadline. She later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which the Archbishop of York supported, but this was refused by an independent judge, the Deputy President of Tribunals, they added. Pastoral support has been provided throughout for the second complainant and is ongoing, they said. The spokesperson said Archbishop Stephen supported the complainant pastorally throughout the process and continues to offer practical help. He had no part in the decision-making around safeguarding or disciplinary matters. 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 UK can expect more volatile weather with a number of yellow weather warnings for ice, while heavy rain and wind from Storm Ivo batter parts of the country. The Met Office has issued two weather warnings for Scotland and Northern Ireland predicting icy patches overnight which they warned may lead to travel disruption on Thursday morning. The warnings are in place from 10pm on Wednesday to 10am on Thursday as they forecasted that wintry showers on Wednesday night could lead to icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. Meanwhile, southern parts of England and the Channel Islands are experiencing heavy rain and winds of 35 to 40mph as remnants of Storm Ivo impact the coast. open image in gallery Yellow weather warnings for Ice will sweep across Scotland and Northern Ireland over Wednesday night into Thursday morning ( Met Office ) Met Office Meteorologist Alex Burkill said of the storm: For us, it is going to bring some heavy rain, but confined mainly to southern most counties. That being said, we could see some high totals, 25-30mm perhaps over the far south of Devon and some heavy rain spreading across further East as well. Also need to watch out for some strong winds in the south west, but not enough to cause too many issues. The Met Office told The Independent that while Storm Ivo will bring strong winds and heavy rain to South Western parts of Europe, the system is too far South to bring any major impacts to the UK, with just some rain in Southern parts of England through Wednesday. open image in gallery Storm Ivo brings heavy rain to the south of England ( Met Office ) Storm Ivo, named by the Portuguese meteorological office, is primarily impacting France, Spain and Portugal. Like Storm Herminia, it did not meet the criteria to be named by the Met Offices storm naming group, which includes Met Eireann and KNMI. Nevertheless, Storm Herminia did wreak havoc to the south of England. The Met Office recorded 84mph gusts of wind in the Isle of Wight, while 59.4mm of rainfall was noted in Seathwaite, Cumbria. Somerset declared a major incident on Monday morning after overnight flooding caused problems in the region and more than 100 people were evacuated from their homes. Storm Ivo and Storm Herminia are two of the latest storms to follow Storm Eowyn, which saw red weather warnings issued across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Nearly a million properties were left without power across the British Isles, with wind gusts in excess of 100mph. The Met Office named it probably the strongest storm to hit the UK in at least a decade. 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 UKs former top judge has warned that assisted dying decisions should be kept out of the courts, suggesting the removal of the clause that requires terminally ill people to get court approval. The Bill could see terminally ill adults in England and Wales with under six months to live legally allowed to end their lives, subject to approval by two doctors and a High Court judge. But giving evidence at the Assisted Dying Committee on Wednesday, Lord Sumption suggested the removal of the clause 12 stage, which requires a terminally ill person to apply to the High Court for a declaration that the requirements of the Bill have been met. The former Supreme Court justice previously backed a change in the law to allow assisted dying, but described Kim Leadbeaters legislation which passed its second reading in the Commons before Christmas last year as over-engineered, bureaucratic, and coldly inhumane. He is one of about 50 witnesses who will give evidence across three days this week as the committee prepares to look next month in detail at each part of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. open image in gallery Former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption gave evidence to the assisted dying committee (Supreme Court/PA) ( PA Media ) Ms Leadbeater asked him whether he would agree with remarks made by Englands chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty, who urged MPs to not overly complicate assisted dying laws if they are to introduce it. Prof Whitty said the best safeguards were the simple ones and warned that patients could find themselves in a "bureaucratic thicket" at the end of life if there is too much to navigate. Responding, Lord Sumption said: I do agree with that. One suggestion, which I think would make a significant difference, was the removal of the clause 12 stage. I think that that is a principal point, because the medical input from the two referee doctors, that is an important but private and informal process. Whereas the proceedings of a court are extremely public and formal and also productive of very considerable delay. So that would make a considerable difference in the direction youre talking about, he said. Under the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in its current form, a High Court judge must hear from at least one of two independent doctors who have signed off the dying persons application and can also question the dying person as well as anyone else they consider appropriate. On Tuesday, retired High Court judge Sir Nicholas Mostyn - who has Parkinsons disease - told MPs at the committee that it would be impossible, in my opinion, for this to be done by the High Court. Instead, he suggested the use of a panel, as is the case in Spain, with a doctor and a lawyer checking everything has been done lawfully. Speaking about High Court capacity, he said he had calculated, based on the number of hours which would need to be dedicated to each application and the potential number of cases, that there could be nearly three quarters of the entire family division doing nothing but this. Lord Sumption also urged people to be conscious of the fact that coercion, even when it is overtly applied, is extraordinarily difficult to detect, drawing attention to the subtle pressures that old and disabled people feel. open image in gallery Kim Leadbeater (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Wire ) In the end I have come down in favour of the principle behind this Bill. But I regard it as an extremely difficult balance to draw, notably for that reason, he told the committee. No date has been given yet for the Bill to return to the Commons for further debate by all MPs at report stage but it is likely to be towards the end of April. While the Bill passed second reading stage after a lengthy debate in the Commons before Christmas, some MPs who voted yes said they might not continue their support if they are not convinced of strong safeguards around aspects including potential coercion. The Bill will face further scrutiny and votes in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until later this year at the earliest. 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 Five years after Brexit, the proportion of Brits who think it was right to leave the EU is at its lowest-ever point since the referendum. Just three in 10 Britons (30 per cent) say that it was right for the UK to vote to leave the EU, compared to 55 per cent who say it was wrong, a new YouGov poll has shown. This is the lowest proportion of the public saying that Britain was right to vote to leave since the pollster began asking this question in the aftermath of the referendum. In January 2020, when Britain officially left the bloc after voting to leave four years earlier, 40 per cent of people said it was the right decision, while 47 per cent said it was wrong. open image in gallery More than six in 10 Britons say that Brexit has so far been more of a failure ( PA ) Now, more than six in 10 Britons (62 per cent) say that Brexit has so far been more of a failure, against just 11 per cent who feel that it has been more of a success, though a more noncommittal 20 per cent of Britons consider it to be neither a success nor failure. Notably, even Leave voters are more likely to consider Brexit to have gone badly than well, with 32 per cent labelling it more of a failure so far, compared to 22 per cent describing it as more of a success. However, just one in six (18 per cent) Leave voters say that it was the wrong decision, with 66 per cent still saying it was the right choice. By contrast, 88 per cent of Remainers think a vote for Brexit was wrong, with just 7 per cent saying it was the right choice. Meanwhile, among 18-24-year-olds who were unable to vote in the referendum - there is little belief that it went the right way with three-quarters saying it was the wrong choice. Just one in 10 (10 per cent) say the UK made the right choice. open image in gallery Keir Starmer is pursuing a reset of relations with the EU ( Jonathan Brady/PA ) The latest polling comes after a damning report to mark the fifth anniversary of Britains departure from the EU, UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE) said it appears that EU policy appears peripheral to Starmers government. The Brexit Files, published on Tuesday by UKICE, lays bare the impact of Brexit on areas of the economy such as trade, immigration and defence, as well as the state of Sir Keir Starmers attempts to rebuild ties with Brussels. The report branded the prime ministers post-Brexit reset of relations with Brussels as anaemic, warning that his EU policy is vague and unambitious. And, despite the PM and Rachel Reeves relentlessly focusing on economic growth, the EU relations think tank said it was remarkable that the chancellors October Budget failed to mention the impacts of Brexit once. The YouGov survey, conducted on 21-22 January, spoke to 2,225 adults. 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 More than three-quarters of all farms in England and Scotland will be impacted by new inheritance tax rules which have sparked mass protests, according to new research. It comes after lines of tractors took to streets across Northern Ireland as part of a UK-wide protest by farmers against the announced cap on Agricultural Property Relief (APR). From April 2026, the first 1 million of combined business and agricultural assets will continue to attract no inheritance tax. open image in gallery Farmers have already taken to the streets of London and other cities to protest against the changes to inheritance tax ( PA Wire ) But for assets over 1 million, inheritance tax will apply with 50 per cent relief, at an effective rate of 20 per cent. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) have calculated that 42,204 out of 54,938 farms (76.8 per cent) across England and Scotland will be impacted by the new tax rules. More than half affected are involved in cereals or general crop production as their main enterprise, with the rest predominantly livestock producers or mixed farming operations. open image in gallery Members of the Ulster Farmers Union take part in a protest on the streets of Londonderry ( PA Media ) AHDB analyst Tom Spencer said: Our calculations show that cereals and general cropping farms are the most likely to be affected due to their scale and asset size. For livestock farms, it is those businesses with single-person ownership that are most at risk. The levy boards economics and analysis director, David Eudall, added: Our priority is to help explain how this will impact many levy payers and support them on navigating a path through these challenges. The first stage has been to identify the farms at risk, so they can review their own circumstances and implement appropriate actions. open image in gallery Tractors parked on the lawns of Whitehall ( Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire ) It is critical for any affected farming enterprise to seek out expert tax and business planning advice. Succession planning was already important in agricultural farming businesses, now it is essential. It came as the shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins urged the government to record the number of farmers dying by suicide to understand the human cost of their changes. She said that pensioners, family businesses and farmers are paying the price for Labours economic illiteracy as she urged the government to commit to a full and proper review of this dreadful policy. A government spokesperson said: Our commitment to farmers remains steadfast. This Government will invest 5 billion into farming over the next two years, the largest budget for sustainable food production in our countrys history. We are going further with reforms to boost profits for farmers by backing British produce and reforming planning rules on farms to support food production. 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 delivered a landmark speech this week, promising economic growth across all regions of the UK. Speaking in Oxfordshire, the chancellor pledged a slate of new development projects including a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Discussions about the expansion of Londons busiest airport date back to 2003, when its owners first sought approval for the third runway. Over 20 years later, Labour has got behind the project as the government invites proposals to be brought forward in the Summer. Confirming the decision in her speech, Ms Reeves said: We cannot duck the decision any longer. open image in gallery Rachel Reeves has approved plans for the badly needed third runway at Heathrow Airport (Peter Cziborra/PA) ( PA Wire ) The chancellor promised to take forward a full assessment through the airport national policy statement, designed to ensure that the project is value for money and our clear expectation is that any associated service transport costs will be financed through private funding. It will ensure that a third runway is delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate objectives. Asked for a timeline on the plan, Ms Reeves told BBC Breakfast she wants to see spades in the ground this Parliament, confirming that the goal is for the runway to be in use by 2035 at least. But the plan for a third runway at Heathrow also has many opponents, and has been pushed back several times before now. Heres everything you need to know about the ongoing debate: Why does Labour want to expand Heathrow? In her speech, the chancellor said that a third runway at Heathrow is badly needed as for decades its growth has been constrained. She added that by backing a third runway at Heathrow we can make Britain the worlds best-connected place to do business. Flights from the airport are currently capped at 480,000 per year, and that limit is being reached. A third runway would theoretically increase this to 720,000 flights. open image in gallery Chancellor Rachel Reeves has given her support for a third runway at Heathrow Airport (James Manning/PA) ( PA Wire ) The airport also currently handles 200 billion worth of trade a year, over 60 per cent of the UKs air freight. It would be well-equipped to deliver even more after an expansion. I have always been clear that a third runway at Heathrow would unlock further growth, boost investments, increase exports, and make the UK more open and more connected, Ms Reeves said. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander will also soon decide on requests for expansion projects at Gatwick and Luton airports. Responding to the announcement, Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: This is the bold, responsible vision the UK needs to thrive in the 21st century and I thank the government and chancellor for their leadership. Who has opposed the plans and why? Critics say there is a strong environmental argument against expanding Heathrow, and that Labours new pledge risks the party falling short of climate targets. Putting himself at odds with the chancellor, environment secretary Ed Miliband said the expansion of Heathrow and other UK airports won't go ahead if they dont meet emissions targets. The former Labour leader, who has long been a vocal opponent of the plan, told MPs the day before Ms Reeves speech he wanted to provide reassurance that any aviation expansion must be justified within carbon budgets, and if it cant be justified, it wont go ahead. open image in gallery Energy secretary Ed Milibands opposition to Heathrows third runway spans back as far as 2009 (Danny Lawson/PA) ( PA Wire ) But the chancellor has told reporters that she will pursue the investment even if it is not popular, stressing the need to grow the economy. The scheme would also have a major impact on the local area, with hundreds of Greater London homes demolished and villages such as Harmondsworth and Longford likely to be partly or wholly demolished. Responding to the chancellors speech, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said on social media: I remain opposed to a new runway at Heathrow airport because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets. I will scrutinise carefully any new proposals that now come forward from Heathrow, including the impact it will have on people living in the area and the huge knock-on effects for our transport infrastructure. Several environmental groups have also spoken out against the plans. Paul McGuinness, chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition said: We assume Heathrow expansion was chosen because it has become the totemic mission impossible. Yet, the plan is not only eye-wateringly expensive. It entails flattening villages and tunnelling over the M25s busiest junction to increase Heathrows size by an area that is larger than Birmingham airport, to fly as many extra planes as Gatwick currently flies effectively to build the UKs second-largest airport next to the first. And all in the most overflown and densely packed residential region in the UK. How long has Heathrows third runway been debated? Bosses at Heathrow Airport first sought approval for a third runway in 2003, sparking backlash after previously saying they wouldnt. In December of that year, then transport secretary Alistair Darling expressed concerns about air pollution, but said he expected a third runway to be built within the next 12 years. It was not until 2009 that the plan gained steam again when then prime minister Gordon Brown approved the plan. He was met by fierce opposition from fellow Labour cabinet members Hilary Benn and Ed Miliband. open image in gallery Plans for Heathrows third runway were first approved by Gordon Brown in 2009 (pictured in 2025) ( Victoria Jones/PA ) Following his election victory in 2010, David Cameron formally cancelled the plans, which he had called pig-headed. But in 2012, he and his chancellor George Osbourne become open to the idea, saying they would no longer block airport bosses from submitting proposals. Six years later, under prime minister Theresa May in 2018, a Commons vote backed the Heathrow expansion by 415 votes to 119 a majority of 296. However, the idea was shut down in February 2020 when the Court of Appeal blocked the Conservative plans because ministers had failed to take into account the UKs commitments under the 2015 Paris climate accord. This ruling was overturned later in the year by the Supreme Court, permitting Heathrow bosses to submit applications once again. However, the impact of Covid-19 travel restrictions on the industry put all plans on hold. Now in 2025, the idea has been backed by Sir Keir Starmers Labour government, setting the stage for construction on a third runway to begin. 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 Watch as Sir Keir Starmer faced MPs at Prime Ministers Questions after Rachel Reeves backed a third Heathrow runway on Wednesday, 29 January. The prime minister was grilled by Kemi Badenoch on the chancellors major speech on growth, in which she outlined a series of projects the government was backing. Speaking in Oxfordshire, Ms Reeves confirmed government support for the expansion of UKs busiest airport despite environmental concerns, including from inside her own Cabinet. She said: I can confirm today that this Government supports a third runway at Heathrow and is inviting proposals to be be brought forward by the summer. Responding to Rachel Reeves backing, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan quickly gave his response on social media. He said: I remain opposed to a new runway at Heathrow airport because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets. Ms Reeves also announced her backing for the redevelopment of Old Trafford in Manchester, a rail link between Oxford and Cambridge and the building of the Lower Thames Crossing. A planning and infrastructure bill will loosen environment requirements for developers and address delays caused by judicial review challenges, Ms Reeves 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 The UKs new ambassador to Washington has claimed that Donald Trump has won fresh respect as he sought to disown his previous criticism of the US president. Peter Mandelson described the Republican as a danger to the world in 2019. But hours after it emerged that President Trump had approved his appointment, he told Fox News: I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong. I think that times and attitudes toward the president have changed. Referring to his second election as president, Lord Mandelson said: I think that he has won fresh respect. He certainly has from me, and that is going to be the basis of all the work I do as His Majestys ambassador in the United States. Peter Mandelson described Donald Trump as a danger to the world in 2019 ( AFP/Getty ) He added that with the many threats and challenges the world faces, it takes courage, somebody, sometimes, who's prepared to be argumentative and, indeed, disruptive, not just take business as usual. "Frankly, I think President Trump could become one of the most consequential American presidents I have known in my adult life," he added. Mr Trump was said to be considering rejecting Lord Mandelsons nomination, in what would have been a major diplomatic headache for Sir Keir Starmer. The Independent revealed last week that the extremely rare move was under consideration and that a decision was set to be made this week. While Lord Mandelson has been allowed to take up his post, it is understood that it will still come with conditions and the peer will be kept on a short leash, in part because of his past links with China. In the interview, Lord Mandelson tried to draw a line under the recent difficulties and suggested that the UK and the US would find common ground over the next four years. "They're not Siamese twins, President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer, but they're both pragmatic people. They know where each is coming from, they want to find common ground," he said. "I feel very optimistic. I feel very upbeat about the relationship that theyre both going to have." The Labour grandee also highlighted that he is a politician, not a career civil servant, a rarity in the role. "The president isn't a career diplomat, and I'm not a career diplomat," he said. "I came into politics to change things for the better for people, and so did he. "We share a similar, if not identical, outlook on the world and motivation in politics. But I think above all, we believe in something which is really special between our countries," he added. He said his top priorities would be to work with the US on trade, tech and defence partnerships, particularly in the face of countries like China. "I think that the United States and Britain, working together, can outsmart and keep ahead of the curve as far as China is concerned," he said. "[Trump] wants a dialogue with China, he wants to do deals with China. But he's also not going to be naive about China. "We face a challenge together from China, and we've got to make sure that we are able to deter that challenge or that threat when theyre having aggressive intents toward us," he added. He added: "Security in the Euro-Atlantic area depends on making sure that China is kept at bay in its own region. China has the right to prosper, to generate higher standards of living for its own people, but not at the expense of others." 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 Labour has been accused of rank hypocrisy over plans to uphold controversial Tory proposals to detain child migrants in its bid to crack down on cross-Channel smuggling gangs. Despite Labour frontbenchers repeatedly speaking out against the Conservatives Illegal Migration Act (IMA), Yvette Cooper is pressing ahead with plans to allow unaccompanied children whose age is disputed by the Home Office to be detained. In Labours Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, published on Thursday, the home secretary will also keep a ban on migrants claiming modern slavery protections, along with a string of other measures the party previously opposed. Amnesty International accused Ms Cooper of rank hypocrisy for holding on to parts of the Tories bill, a decision it said would signal that disdain for human beings remains at the heart of this government. Independent anti-slavery commissioner Eleanor Lyons said victims of modern slavery deserve our compassion and support, and no new legislation should reduce victims rights. open image in gallery Yvette Cooper has been accused of rank hypocrisy over Labours small boats bill ( PA Wire ) Labour MP Sarah Champion called for the government to ensure the safety of victims of slavery, as well as urging the government to think very carefully about child protection. I was hoping this bill would disentangle human trafficking from people-smuggling once and for all, the former shadow home office minister told The Independent. Rather than restricting survivors ability to claim slavery protections, we should be ensuring their safety. We also need to think very carefully about child protection. We know child asylum seekers are a particularly vulnerable group, with hundreds of children going missing over the years. Their care and wellbeing should be a primary concern. Meanwhile, Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the bill was weak and reannounces steps the last government took already. Labours Jess Phillips who now sits in Sir Keir Starmers government as safeguarding minister previously claimed that the Conservative bill was a traffickers dream, a tool for their control, as it effectively hid modern slavery victims from UK authorities. And former shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock, now a health minister, said it is deeply unethical, as it also makes it harder for victims of modern slavery to come forward and [makes it] harder to prosecute criminals. Mr Kinnock branded the bill a traffickers charter, a gift to traffickers and pimps. Dame Diana Johnson, now a minister in the Home Office, previously accused the Tory government of making an unnecessary and unjustified choice to sacrifice its focus on human trafficking as part of its response to irregular migration. None of the three has responded to The Independents request for comment on the U-turn. The Tory bill meant that victims of human trafficking who enter the UK on small boats will not be able to get help via the UKs national referral mechanism the system for supporting and identifying victims. But Home Office officials stressed that Labours bill repeals provisions that would have banned those people from accessing it. They said migrant victims of modern slavery who are in need of support will be able to access it, regardless of their method of arrival. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who sits as an independent MP after being suspended by Labour, said: It is beyond me why Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper have done a complete reversal of our position prior to the election, [which saw us] vehemently opposing the Conservatives policy of detaining children. I remember when children were detained at Harmondsworth detention centre in my constituency, and it is harmful and can have a lasting impact on the lives of these children. I am so anxious now that in government we appear to be losing all sense of compassion. Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said she was shocked that Labour was keeping in place measures that Labour frontbenchers had previously opposed. She told The Independent that the UK should be supporting those who come here in search of safety and want to rebuild their lives and be reunited with loved ones. She said: The only way to stop people-smugglers is to create safe routes for people to come here fleeing violence or war, but this governments new bill contains no measures to do so. I very much hope that all those who spoke with their consciences when these cruel measures were introduced by the last government will continue to do so now. The bill is intended to target the gangs smuggling tens of thousands of migrants across the English Channel every year, and includes a slew of powers the government hopes will help break the business model of the smugglers. open image in gallery Jess Phillips described the Tory bill, parts of which Labour is keeping in place, as a traffickers dream ( PA Wire ) But experts have warned that plans to deny some victims of human trafficking access to government help could be incompatible with UK and international law, and that this will embolden criminals. Responding to Labours bill, Amnesty International refugee and migrant rights director Steve Valdez-Symonds said: It is less than two years since Yvette Cooper stood in parliament to oppose the Illegal Migration Act 2023 in its entirety, including because under it, victims of modern-day slavery would be left without any protections. Choosing to now keep this act, or any part of it, to hammer rather than safeguard adults and children whove suffered the trauma of human trafficking, torture and war, would be rank hypocrisy. And Jakub Sobik, from the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre, said that keeping this legislation risks increasing trafficking and modern slavery in the UK. He added: If implemented, they would deny potentially thousands of people protection from trafficking, and would strengthen the hand of traffickers as well as [impeding] our ability to prosecute traffickers. In a bid to avoid attacks from Reform UK and the Conservatives, Labour is also retaining the cap on the number of migrants who can arrive each year via safe and legal routes. Under the bill, people-smuggling suspects will face travel bans and social media blackouts as part of an attempt to crack down on organised immigration crime. open image in gallery Home Office figures show that 129 people made the journey in two boats on Tuesday, taking the provisional total for 2025 to date to 1,019 ( PA Wire ) Court orders to restrict the activity of those under investigation for such crimes will be strengthened, with suspects being banned from using laptops or mobile phones, accessing social media networks, associating with certain people, or accessing their finances, under the measures announced by the Home Office. Serious crime prevention orders (SCPOs) can already be sought to curb the movement of people involved in organised immigration crime. But the government said the measures are not being used to their full effect, and plans to introduce new interim SCPOs that are designed to place immediate restrictions on a suspects activity while a full order is considered by the court. Under powers inspired by counterterrorism laws, immigration officers and police will also be given the power to seize phones, laptops and other electronic devices from migrants arriving in the UK without arresting them first. Officials said this will help officers gather intelligence on the gangs running the people-smuggling trade. The section of the IMA covering detention, which is being upheld by Labour, is not targeted specifically at unaccompanied child migrants. And the Tories previous plans on 28-day detention limits have been repealed by Labour, The Independent understands. Conservative shadow home secretary Mr Philp said: This is a weak bill from a weak government. It reannounces steps the last government took already, and beyond that only engages in minor tinkering for example, about taking phones from illegal immigrants when they arrive. That wont stop the boats. But Labours new Border Security commander Martin Hewitt said the bill would equip teams on the ground and empower them to go further and faster when dismantling organised criminality. He said: These crucial measures will underpin our enforcement action across the system, and together with our strengthened relationships with international partners, we will bring down these gangs once and for all. Announcing the bill, Ms Cooper said: Over the last six years, criminal smuggling gangs have been allowed to take hold all along our borders, making millions out of small-boat crossings. This bill will equip our law enforcement agencies with the powers they need to stop these vile criminals, disrupting their supply chains and bringing more of those who profit from human misery to justice. These new counterterror-style powers, including making it easier to seize mobile phones at the border, along with statutory powers for our new Border Security Command to focus activity across law enforcement agencies and Border Force, will turbocharge efforts to smash the gangs. 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 has given her backing to the long-awaited expansion of Heathrow airport as she set out her optimistic vision for Britains economy with a plan for growth based around building faster and better. However, the chancellors upbeat message was almost immediately hit by short-term economic woes, with Tesco cutting 400 jobs and Lloyds announcing the closure of 136 branches. This followed Sainsbury cutting 3,000 jobs last week. Meanwhile, Durham University has slashed 200 jobs and Cardiff University cut 400 posts in the last 72 hours. The job losses were linked to Ms Reevess anti-growth hike in national insurance contributions and plans to roll out workers rights. To add to her woes, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey told the Commons Treasury committee that very big decisions will be needed to stop Britains public debt pile from spiralling higher Faced with the continued challenges, a beleaguered Ms Reeves told ITVs Robert Peston: Look, Im trying to turn around this economy. Its not an easy job. Speaking immediately after her speech in Oxfordshire, she insisted the job gains from measures she has announced will outweigh job losses. Today I announced the third runway at Heathrow potentially creating 100,000 jobs and investment in East Midlands airport, with 2,000 jobs. Investment in an investment zone in Wrexham and Flintshire, 6,000 jobs. So, we can trade numbers. The IMF upgraded the forecast for growth for this year for the UK. Only the UK and the US are in that position. open image in gallery Rachel Reeves has given her backing to the long-awaited expansion of Heathrow airport ( Kirsty O'Connor/Treasury ) However, Tory shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith posted on X (formerly Twitter): Yesterday, Lloyds [sic] CEO sat down to breakfast with the prime minister and chancellor; 24 hours later Lloyds [sic] announce likely job losses and the closure of almost 140 branches. As votes of confidence go, might need a bit of work. There were also concerns that the growth measures Ms Reeves announced would not show any benefits for many years the Heathrow expansion is expected to take at least a decade while the problems the government faces in the short term have left it on the brink of a recession. Simon Gleeson, a partner at business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, warned: Her narrative that short-term pain is long-term gain is difficult to understand when a third runway will take 10-12 years to build. Furthermore, creating a new Silicon Valley between Oxford and Cambridge is a longer-term play, and a sizable public investment at a time the 22bn black hole is still being referenced. Shanker Singham, chair of the Growth Commission, added: The rhetoric is excellent but words are not enough. Robust action is required. I suspect she is about to find out that wealth is incredibly hard to create but very easy to destroy. Ms Reevess bold vision of the future was already seeing a backlash from her own party, with Labour transport committee chair Ruth Cadbury, London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and party donor Dale Vince joining environmental groups in criticising the Heathrow decision. Sir Sadiq said he remains opposed to the plan because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets. Even those benefiting from infrastructure building were not happy. One airline boss, Ryanairs Micheal OLeary, described Ms Reeves as Rachel Rubbish and a dimwit because she had refused to go back on a hike in air passenger duty. Notably, Ms Reeves declined to rule out any further tax rise while Sir Keir Starmer insisted there would be no retreat on boosting workers rights which were also being linked to the flurry in job losses. open image in gallery Sadiq Khan opposes Heathrow expansion ( PA ) However, the CBI suggested that trust has been restored and described the speech as excellent while other business groups praised the bold long-term vision. Shevaun Haviland, from the British Chambers of Commerce, said: Expanding our international airport capacity, investing in modern roads and railways, and rebalancing the planning system all send signals that the UK is building for a better future. Sam Richards, from pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, added: The chancellor is absolutely right to argue that by making it easier to build we can both get richer and reach net zero carbon emissions. The chancellors speech was given to an audience of business leaders at a vast factory in Oxfordshire operated by the German company Siemens, which makes the magnets for use in medical scanners. Speaking near the location of what she hopes will become the UKs version of Silicon Valley, Ms Reeves warned that for too long the UK has been held up by naysayers and blockers preventing major infrastructure projects from going forward. She mocked the way a 100m bat tunnel had added costs and bureaucracy to the much-maligned High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project, warning that such delays are unsustainable going forward. However, in a sign of disunity, energy secretary Ed Miliband, who has long opposed aviation expansion, was noticeably absent at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) shortly afterwards where Sir Keir hailed the speech. Both the prime minister and Ms Reeves were hit with questions from the Tories and others over whether they would rein back on anti-growth policies. open image in gallery Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said that businesses were not giving the government a vote of confidence ( PA ) There was also criticism of a lack of movement on the UKs relationship with the EU, as Ms Reeves stuck to the strict Brexit red lines of staying out of the customs union and single market which the Lib Dems warned put a handbrake on growth. The original plan to build a third runway at Heathrow received parliamentary approval in June 2018 but has been delayed by legal challenges and the coronavirus pandemic. The airport needed to secure approval for a Development Consent Order to go ahead with the project. Ms Reeves said: I can confirm today that this government supports a third runway at Heathrow and is inviting proposals to be brought forward by the summer. We will then take forward a full assessment through the airports national policy statement. This will ensure that the project is value for money and our clear expectation is that any associated service transport costs will be financed through private funding. It will ensure that a third runway is delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate objectives. Mr Reeves said that by backing a third runway at Heathrow we can make Britain the worlds best-connected place to do business. Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye described the chancellors speech as the bold, responsible vision the UK needs to thrive in the 21st century. The scheme would involve around seven years of construction to produce a third runway and a new terminal. It would also require more than 700 houses to be demolished and the M25 motorway to be moved into a tunnel. Environmental groups expressed major concerns over the announcement. Bob Ward, from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, said airport expansion should not proceed until the government shows exactly how it will be compatible with the UKs carbon budgets and net zero target. Friends of the Earths head of campaigns Rosie Downes warned giving the go-ahead to airport expansion while relying on new technology such as sustainable aviation fuels would be a reckless gamble. 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 set to publish a tax return, in a U-turn hours after saying she did not have any plans to do so. A Treasury spokesperson indicated that Ms Reeves will release the details on her taxes, and Downing Street has confirmed that the prime minister will do the same. In 2024, a summary of Sir Keir Starmers return showed he paid almost 100,000 to the taxman. open image in gallery Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to publish a tax return ( PA Wire ) Answering questions following a major speech on her economic growth plans, Ms Reeves said earlier on Wednesday: Chancellors and prime ministers havent published their tax returns in the past, and I dont have any plans to do so. Sir Keirs press secretary later told reporters: He published his tax return in opposition and will do so as prime minister. Both Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt published tax figures while they were in government. Figures released in February 2024 showed Sir Keir paid 99,431 in tax after making 275,000 in capital gains. The release showed that the Labour leader paid 44,308 in income tax in 2022-23. He also paid 52,688 in capital gains tax after the sale of a field in December 2022 partly owned by himself and partly owned by his fathers estate. open image in gallery The prime minister is also going to release his details ( Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street ) Mr Sunak published a summary of his tax affairs while he was in No 10. The then prime minister paid more than 500,000 in UK tax for 2022-23 as his total income rose to 2.2m. Ms Reevess predecessor in No 11, Jeremy Hunt, paid a total of 117,418 in UK tax in 2022-2023, a summary of his return showed. His total income before tax was 416,605, including 27,370 in rental income. Kemi Badenochs spokesperson suggested that the Conservative leader is waiting to see what the chancellor does with her tax returns. Asked whether Ms Badenoch would publish her returns, the spokesperson said: She is in opposition. And she waits to see what Rachel Reeves does. Pushed further on the point, they later added: The point is, we are in opposition, you can ask me this question when we form a government in four years. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Brazilian government Tuesday said it will create a reception center for deported migrants from the United States following controversy over conditions on a recent deportation flight. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave the green light to establish a humanitarian reception post at Confins, a municipality in Minas Gerais state, Brazils Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship Macae Evaristo told journalists in the capital Brasilia. That decision was made because of the possibility that more flights will follow the arrival of an initial flight to Brazil under the new Trump administration with 88 deportees on board this weekend. That followed dozens of flights during the Joe Biden administration. Local media reported that government officials were disturbed by the fact that Brazilians were kept handcuffed after an unscheduled stop in the Amazons biggest city, Manaus, prompted by technical problems with the plane. A Brazilian military plane brought them to their destination, the city of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais, on Saturday afternoon. The next day, Brazils Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was seeking answers from Washington regarding the degrading treatment of nationals during the recent flight. It cited the use of handcuffs and chains, the poor condition of the aircraft, with a broken air conditioning system, among other problems. The US Embassy declined to comment and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency didnt respond to an email request for comment. It was unclear whether the 88 Brazilian deportees were taken into custody during the tenure of Donald Trump or former President Joe Biden. There have been almost four dozen deportation flights from the U.S. to Brazil over the past three years. Brazil has no desire to interrupt them and held talks with the American charge daffaires on Monday, according to a government source with knowledge of the matter. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to speak publicly. Brazil has permitted the use of handcuffs in exceptional circumstances, but not indiscriminately and there must be an evaluation of risk, the person said. Authorities are looking into how many were handcuffed. There have been passenger reports that the planes air conditioning suffered problems, causing intense heat in the cabin, and they exited through the emergency door upon landing in Manaus. Commenting on the humanitarian center, Evaristo said the objective was to ensure that these passengers have good conditions for water, food and even temperature, which I think was the most damaging aspect in the first flight. We dont want to provoke the American government, but its essential that deported Brazilians are treated with dignity, Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski said on Monday. 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 On January 20, a Border Patrol agent was shot dead during a traffic stop in Vermont. It quickly emerged that a German citizen had also died and that a 21-year-old woman had been arrested. Now investigators are exploring whether those deaths are linked to a fatal stabbing of a landlord 3,000 miles away in California, and a mysterious alleged cult made up of highly educated young computer scientists obsessed with veganism, animal rights, and theories about the nature of human consciousness. Teresa Youngblut, 21, the woman accused of killing Border Patrol Agent David Maland in Vermont last week, is believed to be closely acquainted with 22-year-old Maximilian Snyder, the man arrested on Friday in the landlords death. The pair were in frequent contact with each other prior to the killings on opposite sides of the country, according to a motion filed Monday by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Vermont. So acquainted, in fact, that Youngblut and Snyder had applied for a marriage license on November 5, according to public records viewed by Open Vallejo. open image in gallery Teresa Youngblut, 21, had been under FBI surveillance since January 14 after a hotel employee in Lyndonville, Vermont, reported seeing her and another person dressed in black tactical clothing and protective equipment, with Youngblut carrying a holstered firearm ( Newport City Inn and Suites in Vermont ) They both studied computer science in Washington and appeared to follow the vegan Sith ideology of a fringe Bay Area group that has been described as a murder gang, the outlet reported, citing an interview with a person familiar with the group. Youngblut has been charged in the death of Border Patrol Agent David Maland, 44, who was killed on January 20 during the shootout in Coventry, about 20 miles from the Canadian border. Her passenger Felix Bauckholt, a German citizen, also died in the shooting. U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher said in the motion filed on Monday that the gun allegedly used by Youngblut, along with the one that Bauckholt was carrying, were both purchased by a third person in Vermont last February who is a person of interest in a double homicide investigation in Pennsylvania. In that case, Richard Zajko, 72, and 69-year-old Rita Zajko were found shot dead at their home in Chester Heights, near Philadelphia, according to the Toronto Sun. Police said the killings were not random. Drescher said Youngblut and Bauckholt are acquainted with and have been in frequent contact with the person who was detained during that investigation and who also is a person of interest in a homicide investigation in Vallejo, California, the motion said. On Monday, Maximilian Snyder was charged with murder in the stabbing death of 82-year-old Curtis Lind, the landlord who was killed on January 17. The Vermont shooting Youngblut and her passenger, Bauckholt, were driving a 2015 Toyota Prius with a North Carolina license plate in Coventry, Vermont, when the shooting unfolded. They had been under FBI surveillance since January 14 after a hotel employee in Lyndonville, Vermont, reported seeing them dressed in black tactical clothing and protective equipment, with Youngblut carrying a holstered firearm, according to the FBI affidavit. That day, investigators approached Youngblut and Baukholt, but the pair declined to have an extended conversation, according to the affidavit, which also stated that they claimed they were in the vicinity to look at purchasing property. open image in gallery Border Patrol Agent David Maland was killed without warning during the traffic stop ( AP ) Days later, on the afternoon of January 20, multiple Border Patrol agents conducted a traffic stop and pulled the Prius over for an immigration inspection. According to Open Vallejo, investigators discovered that Bauckholt appeared to have an expired visa, although they later determined it was current. Youngblut pulled out a gun and fired at an agent without warning, and Baukholt attempted to draw a gun when at least one of the border agents returned fire, according to the affidavit. Both Youngblut and Baukholt, along with Agent Maland, were struck by gunfire in the shootout. Baukholt was pronounced dead at the scene and Maland died at North Country Hospital, according to the affidavit. Youngblut was transported to a New Hampshire hospital for her injuries and has been charged with intentional use of a deadly weapon while forcibly assaulting or interfering with federal law enforcement, and use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to an assault with a deadly weapon, according to court records. open image in gallery Law enforcement follow a hearse carrying fallen border patrol agent David Maland after he was shot and killed on January 20 A search of the Prius revealed the pair had been traveling with a ballistic helmet, night-vision goggles, 48 rounds of ammunition, used shooting range targets, and a dozen electronic devices, including cell phones wrapped in aluminum foil, according to the affidavit. Agent Malands family told the Associated Press his career spanned nine years in the military and 15 years in the federal government, including working security duty at the Pentagon during the 9/11 terror attacks. He was a devoted agent who served with honor and bravery, they said. He had a tremendous respect and pride for the work he did; he truly embodied service over self. What in the world is going on with these people? Prior to the shooting in Vermont, Youngblut and Bauckholt were living in separate duplexes in the same neighborhood in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, according to the building owner, the Associated Press reported. Bauckholt rented one unit through Airbnb starting in July 2023 and moved to the second unit later that year, the owner said Tuesday. Youngblut began renting the original unit in November 2024 and had paid nearly $10,000 to extend her stay until the end of March, he said. The owner, who did not want to be identified for safety reasons, said he had sent messages to all his renters during a recent cold snap asking them to let their faucets drip to avoid frozen pipes. He never heard back from either one, but an individual renting the other half of Youngbluts duplex said her hot water wasnt working, so the owner went to check on the plumbing. The thing that struck me the most was that there was a stretcher in the living room. Like, what in the world is going on with these people? he said. Suspects in deadly Vermont Border Patrol shooting had tactical gear: Officials The hair on the back of my neck is still up and I just cant believe its being connected to my Airbnb. The owner recalled that his last contact with Bauckholt was about a month ago when the tenant was trying to negotiate a more traditional lease instead of using Airbnb. Box trucks were parked outside of both units, he said, and Bauckholt was running an electrical cord to one of them. There would be times when I would come to get the trash and as Im coming up the driveway, hed be crawling out of the cab, he said. The California stabbing On January 17, three days before the shooting at the border, Curtis Lind was attacked and stabbed to death by a man wearing a mask and black beanie outside his gated property on the 300 block of Lemon Street in Vallejo, according to police. It wasnt the first time Lind had been attacked, according to court records and a GoFundMe account that describes Lind as a loving grandfather who was generous with what he had to help a friend or a stranger in need in need. In 2022, the landlord was impaled by a sword during a violent incident following a dispute with his tenants at the time, who were living in box trucks on his property. Lind shot two of his alleged attackers during the assault on him, killing 31-year-old Emma Borhanian and injuring another person, which authorities ruled to be self-defense, according to court records obtained by Open Vallejo. But he was left seriously wounded and blinded in one eye. Suri Dao and Alexander Jeffrey Leatham were charged with murder, attempted murder, and aggravated mayhem for the death of Borhanian, and the attempted killing of Lind, according to court records. open image in gallery Maximilian Snyder, 22, who is believed to be linked to Youngblut, was charged Monday in the murder of Curtis Lind, a landlord in California ( Linkedin ) Thomas Young, who was a friend of Linds, told Open Vallejo that when he searched the box trucks after the attack, he made a creepy discovery. Stashed inside the trucks, which were allegedly registered in Vermont, were used surgical equipment, more than a dozen laptops, and expensive electronics. It was actually very uncomfortable, Young said. You kinda wanted to put on a hazmat suit before going into it. It was really just creepy in the extreme. Before his death last week, Lind was set to testify against his alleged assailants at their trial in April, according to court records. In 2019, Leatham and Borhanian had been among four people arrested wearing black robes and Guy Fawkes masks at a protest against a Berkeley, California non-profit focused on rational thought. They were arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment, false imprisonment and conspiracy as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, wearing a mask while committing a crime and trespassing, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Who are the suspects and what is their alleged connection to the Zizians? Youngblut and Snyder, as well as Bauckholt, allegedly followed a self-described vegan Sith ideology, according to Open Vallejo, which reviewed their social media posts and spoke to a friend close to the group. Jessica Taylor said she was a friend of Bauckholt, who she knew by the name Ophelia. She recalled warning Baukholt about Zizians, a group she described as a murder gang. I remember warning Ophelia that Zizians were a death cult with a high local death rate, she wrote in a post on X after hearing about her friends death. Idk if this involved Ziz or associates but... well, Bayesian evidence (lefty radical violence + violent women). Several online posters attributed the attack to the Zizians, which was referred to as a cult on various online forums. The group is a radical offshoot of the Rationalist movement, an ideology centered on using scientific techniques to enhance human decision making, Open Vallejo reported. open image in gallery On the night of the shooting in Coventry, the US-Canada border was backed up for hours ( AP ) Taylor explained to the outlet that veganism and animal rights are central to the ideology and that the Zizians believe that there are two hemispheres in the brain, meaning that individuals can split their consciousness between two personalities by waking one side at a time. Court records have not explicitly linked Snyder and Youngblut to the ideology, but posts on their social media accounts appear to display beliefs consistent with Zizianism. Youngblut, who studied computer science and computer software engineering at the University of Washington, according to her LinkedIn profile, appeared in a federal court on Monday and was scheduled for a detention hearing on Thursday. Snyder, who studied computer science and philosophy at the University of Oxford, according to a LinkedIn profile matching his name, is being held without bail at the Justice Center Detention Facility. 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 When Florida police responded to noise complaints at a Cocoa Beach home, they discovered a few of the usual suspects behind such complaints marijuana, alcohol and 100 unusual ones: children. Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the 47-year-old principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, and Karly Anderson, a third-grade teacher at the school, were both arrested in the wake of a massive party, police said. However, the teens in attendance said it wasnt the first such event. Parties like this happen once or twice a month, students told police. The teens arrived at the principals house at 7.45 p.m. on January 19 to help make preparations for the party, an arrest affidavit obtained by The Independent says. When they arrived, alcohol was already available in multiple red-and-white coolers inside the home. An hour later, police responded to numerous complaints of noise, alcohol and drug use in Cocoa Beach, Florida. When they arrived, they noticed cars stretched down the driveway, spilling into the middle of the road. Teens were consuming alcohol and marijuana. As they began to clear out the scene, officers conducting traffic stops saw multiple kids inside the cars wearing matching t-shirts. They were all coming from the white lie party, the affidavit says. That is a trend where attendees where white T-shirts to an event with a minor lie on them. At around 9:20 p.m., an officer called Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the owner of the home and principal, to inform her that minors were drinking alcohol and using marijuana at her home. She told the officer she was down the street and would take care of it, according to an affidavit. open image in gallery Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan (left) and Karly Anderson (right), both educators at Roosevelt Elementary School in Cocoa Beach, Florida, were arrested after a house party at Hill-Brodigans, where 100 students were allegedly drinking and using marijuana, police said ( Brevard County Sheriffs Office ) But she apparently didnt and neighbors continued to complain about the open house party and about how kids were walking through their yards and yelling obscenities at them, authorities said. Police returned around 9:30 to find an active party happening at the home, officers wrote. Hill-Brodigan approached an officer and assured she was shutting down the event. But it didnt end. Even while police were at the scene of the house party, they received another call around 10:30 p.m. This call seemed to be from a child, police said. The unknown juvenile male advised there were people shooting guns at the nearby skatepark and then drove to Sydney Fisher Park. The juvenile then advised the people at the park were conducting satanic activity and had someone at gunpoint, according to the affidavit. But when they arrived at the park, they didnt witness anything similar to what the kid described. So, they returned to the house party to find most of the partygoers had left. There, just after 11.30 p.m., a sergeant saw a car run the stop sign and then almost hit his vehicle. While conducting a traffic stop, the sergeant found two intoxicated female juveniles in the car. Both were sporting white lie party attire, police said. The underaged driver was arrested for DUI and the passenger was cited for possessing marijuana, the affidavit said. Meanwhile, around the same time, an officer found a teen vomiting and shaking in the principals front yard. The officer called Brevard County Fire Rescue to treat the child. Thats when Hill-Brodigan walked out of her home and stood at the top of her driveway, before walking inside and turning off all the lights in the front of her house. Firefighters then had to use their vehicles auxiliary lights while treating the child, who was determined to be intoxicated, police previously said. The officer put the child in the backseat of his patrol vehicle to bring him to the police station, where his mom picked him up. Anderson, the third-grade teacher, then began to berate the fire rescue team, and then told the officer she was upset because the intoxicated child was being put in a machine, the affidavit says. open image in gallery Roosevelt Elementary School where Hill-Brodigan wroked. According to the affidavit, the partygoers said the principal made no attempt to stop the party ( Google Maps ) Anderson, who was slurring her words and smelled of alcohol, identified herself as a teacher and admitted she had been hanging out at the party. When the officer informed her that children were drinking at the party, she interrupted him and yelled that she already knew that, the affidavit states. She was charged with child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The following day, officers spoke to Anderson on the phone. Without any questioning the defendant advised she had no participation in what took place on Country Club Road, the affidavit says. She insisted she doesnt participate in underaged ragers, the affidavit says. Anderson explained that Hill-Brodigan had invited her out for a drink and insisted that Hill-Brodigan was sober the entire time, having had just one drink. She then placed the blame on Hill-Brodigans kid, saying he did what he did, she added. Students gave the same story. The party was advertised via Snapchat and was hosted by the principals two sons, they told police. The students provided more insight into the chaotic scene. In one video shared with police, a mask-clad child was taking videos of himself with a firearm, described as a Beretta, and then pointing the weapon at the person filming the video. There were also fights, including one involving a student with a learning disability, who was punched by another student, who was then slapped by a wrestler, authorities said. According to the affidavit, the partygoers said the principal made no attempt to stop the party: Students also advised that Elizabeth made no attempt to stop the party at any point and advised that she seemed okay with what was happening. However, some said that she told her son to stop the party. Once he ignored her, she didnt try to stop it again. Later on January 20, police called Hill-Brodigan. Although she initially agreed to meet in person and provide a statement, she never showed. When the officer called her to see if she was planning on showing up, she advised that she was not willing to speak with me anymore, the officer wrote. After further attempts to speak with Hill-Brodigan, she still refused and was brought to Brevard County Jail. She was charged with child neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and holding an open house party. Hill-Brodigan and Anderson were both placed on administrative leave, the school district told WESH. 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 Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann returned to a Long Island courtroom on Wednesday where his attorneys challenged the DNA evidence against him and argued that the high-profile case should be split into five separate trials for the seven murders he is charged with. The 61-year-old architect from Massapequa Park stood completely still next to his defense attorney Michael Brown, who said splitting up the cases would give Heuermann the best chance at a fair trial. Heuermann was arrested in July 2023 as part of an investigation police had been working on since 2010 into the deaths of at least 10 people mostly female sex workers whose remains were discovered along an isolated highway near Gilgo Beach on Long Island. open image in gallery Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann stood next to his attorney Michael Brown in a Riverhead courtroom on Long Island Wednesday The defense is seeking one trial for the original three murders Heuermann was charged with Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello and then four separate trials for all the murders he has been charged with since then Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack. Brown argued theres a substantial disparity in the evidence in some of the deaths, which he maintained involves different time frames, killing methods and locations for disposing of the bodies. The danger of having count after count, victim after victim in the same trial is that 'If there's smoke, theres fire' mentality," Brown said. They shouldnt be tried together. One issue has nothing to do with the other. Wednesdays hearing was held to hear a pair of motions filed earlier this month, in which the defense also asked Suffolk Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei to exclude DNA evidence in the case, arguing that the analysis relied on by prosecutors is not widely accepted in the scientific community and should be excluded from the trial. The judge set a date of February 18 for a Frye hearing to discuss admissibility of the DNA evidence in court. A Frye hearing is really the admissibility of this new what they call science, Brown said. We call it magic, quite frankly. Brown told reporters following the hearing on Wednesday that his client risks being improperly convicted because of the cumulative effect of the evidence put forward by prosecutors. open image in gallery Melissa Barthelemy, top left, Amber Costello, top right, Megan Waterman, bottom left, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes The nuclear DNA testing in the case was done with the assistance of Astrea Forensics, a California-based lab that specializes in broken down, older DNA evidence such as rootless hair, The Long Island Press reported. DNA results from hair strands found at some of the crime scenes are among the key pieces of evidence prosecutors have put forward in the case. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has maintained the DNA science is sound and that the findings were also independently corroborated by mitochondrial DNA testing, a methodology long accepted by New York courts. This is the next generation of DNA testing, Tierney said after the hearing. I started in 1992, and we had RFLP, then we went to PSL, PCR, then we went to STR. Now I would submit that this is the next generation of the evolution of the technology. Its exciting to be at the forefront of that, and we look forward to proving the scientific acceptance and the effectiveness of this technology. open image in gallery Heuermann was charged with the murders of Sandra Costilla and Jessica Taylor in June 2024 ( Suffolk County DA/Remembering Jessica Taylor Facebook page ) In the filing, prosecutors argued that the whole genome sequencing technique utilized in the case has been accepted in peer-reviewed scientific journals and by federal regulators, paleontologists, virologists, and medical communities. Whole genome sequencing enables more comprehensive collection and evaluation of DNA, prosecutors wrote. It is so widely used for scientific, medical, and forensic purposes, it would seem there is little question as to whether it has been accepted in the relevant scientific community." Prosecutors also say Heuermann kept a blueprint of his alleged crimes on his computer that included a series of checklists with tasks to complete before, during and after the killings, as well as practical lessons for next time. There are still at least four victims that have been linked to the Gilgo Beach murders, but Heuermann has not been charged with any additional murders. open image in gallery A sketch of Asian Doe ( Suffolk County District Attorneys Office ) Tierney has previously acknowledged the similarities but has refused to directly name Heuermann a suspect in the unsolved murders, which include Peaches Doe, whose remains were found at Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997 and on Jones Beach in 2011, and Baby Doe, a child believed to be the daughter of Peaches, who was found near Valerie Macks body in 2011. There is also the case of Karen Vergata, whose dismembered legs were found on Fire Island in 1996 and whose skull was found on Tobay Beach in 2011, and an unidentified Asian individual who was biologically male. Tierney insists the investigation into these killings is ongoing. Earlier this month, he announced that they had formed a Cold Case Task Force to look into a slew of unsolved cases dating back to 1965 in Suffolk County. When asked on Wednesday about a possible connection between Heuermann and the cold cases, Tierney again would not say, but promised the task force was pushing forward with the investigation. 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 19-year-old Tiktoker was arrested after she allegedly danced in a provocative manner above a disabled person in a viral video, police said. Lucrecia Kormassa Koiyan was arrested and charged in Georgia after authorities were made aware of the viral video on January 23, Loganville Police Department said. In the video, Koiyan was dancing in a provocative manner above a disabled person, who was sitting in a chair, police said. The video captures Koiyan wearing navy scrubs and a stethoscope as she stands on the arms of the chair with the persons head between her legs. Koiyan was working at an in-home adult daycare employee when the video was filmed, Chief M.D. Lowry told USA Today. Its not immediately clear where she worked. open image in gallery A 19-year-old TikToker was arrested in Georgia after 'viral' video showing her dancing 'provocatively' over a disabled person ( Loganville Police Department ) The circumstances and licensure of her employer is part of an ongoing police investigation, Lowry told the outlet. Her TikTok account appears to have been taken down as of Wednesday morning. Loganville Police launched a criminal investigation into the matter and obtained search and arrest warrants for the teen.. She was charged Tuesday with exploitation of a disabled person, in violation of state law. Koiyan was booked into Walton County Jail. She has reportedly posted $7,500 bond and was in the process of being released on Wednesday morning, USA Today reported. "I was appalled and disgusted that anyone would create such a video featuring a disabled person," Lowry told the outlet. "As police officers, our highest duty is to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and my detectives worked as swiftly as possible to bring charges in this incident." The Independent has reached out to Loganville Police for more information. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A man who had recently brought his family back to Pakistan from the United States has confessed to shooting dead his teenage daughter, motivated by his disapproval of her TikTok content, police said. The shooting happened on a street in the southwestern city of Quetta on Tuesday. The suspect, Anwar ul-Haq, initially said that unidentified gunmen shot and killed his American-born, 15-year-old daughter before he confessed to the crime, police official Babar Baloch said. Our investigation so far has found that the family had an objection to her dressing, lifestyle, and social gathering, another police investigator, Zohaib Mohsin, said. We have her phone. It is locked, he told Reuters. We are probing all aspects, including honour killing. The family had recently returned to Balochistan province in predominantly Muslim Pakistan, a nation with conservative social norms, having lived in the United States for about 25 years, Baloch said. The southwestern city of Quetta: The suspect has U.S. citizenship, the officer said. He said Haq had told him his daughter began creating objectionable content on the social media platform TikTok when she lived in the United States. He told police that she continued to share videos on the platform after returning to Pakistan. Baloch said the main suspects brother-in-law had also been arrested in connection with the killing. Police said they had charged Haq with the murder. They did not offer proof of Haqs U.S. citizenship except for the suspects own testimony and declined to say whether the U.S. embassy had been informed of the incident. His family declined to respond to a Reuters request for comment. More than 54 million people use TikTok in Pakistan, a nation of 241 million. The government has blocked the video-sharing app several times in recent years over content moderation. This week hundreds of Pakistani journalists rallied against a proposed law to regulate social media content that they say is aimed at curbing press freedom and controlling the digital landscape. The law would establish a regulatory authority that would have its own investigation agency and tribunals. Those found to have disseminated false or fake information face prison sentences of up to three years and fines of 2 million rupees ($7,200) Digital media in Pakistan has already been muffled with measures by telecom authorities to slow down internet speeds, and social media platform X has been blocked for more than a year. TikTok, which has about 170 million U.S users, was briefly taken offline in America just before a law requiring its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell it on national security grounds or face a ban took effect on January 19. open image in gallery Trump, after taking office on Jan. 20, signed an executive order seeking to delay by 75 days the enforcement of the law on TikTok ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Islamabad often takes issue with what it terms obscene content with the social media platform, which has lately started complying with requests from Pakistan to remove certain content. Over 1,000 women are killed each year in Pakistan at the hands of community or family members over perceived damage to honour, according to independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. That could involve eloping, posting social media content, fraternising with men, or any other infraction against conservative values relating to women. 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 Former New Jersey senator Bob Menendez has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for his involvement in a years-long corruption scheme in which he wielded his political influence to conduct favors for the Egyptian government in exchange for lavish gifts. Once a three-term senator who chaired the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez sat before a federal judge in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday, flanked by lawyers and at times crying, to receive his punishment after becoming the first senator to ever be convicted of acting as a foreign agent. Menendez, 71, accepted bribes in the form of lavish gifts from three New Jersey businessmen who sought his help in meddling in state and federal criminal investigations and securing lucrative deals with officials from Egypt and Qatar. You were successful, powerful, you stood at the apex of our political system. Somewhere along the way, and I don't know when it was, you lost your way and working for the public good became working for your good, District Judge Sidney Stein told Menendez. open image in gallery Robert Bob Menendez arrives at Manhattan Federal Court for sentencing ( Getty Images ) Before sentencing, the former US senator tearfully begged the judge for consideration of his long public service. "Your honor, I am far from a perfect man. I have made more than my share of mistakes and bad decisions. I've done far more good than bad. I ask you, your honor, to judge me in that context, Menendez said between tears. He recounted various times he helped others such as helping a family secure a new kidney for a family member. Menendez cried while recounting how he dedicated himself to public service so much that he missed several events in his two childrens lives. He struggled to describe the pain of missing events in his grandchildrens lives if he was given a long sentence. While Judge Stein agreed Menendez had done much good in his life, he reminded the former senator that his bad actions could not go unpunished. The public cannot be led to believe that you can get away with bribery, Judge Stein said. Roughly six months ago, a jury found Menendez guilty on 16 counts including bribery, extortion, corruption, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt what prosecutors described as the most serious conduct that a senator has been convicted for in the history of the republic. open image in gallery The three-term New Jersey senator resigned from his position after being found guilty on 16 charges ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) When federal agents descended upon Menendezs home in 2022 and 2023 they made a startling discovery. More than $100k worth of gold bars, one found in a Ziploc bag, stuffed in a closet, a Mercedez-Benz convertible parked in the driveway, and more than $480,000 in cash stuffed into coat jacket pockets, shoes and bags. Those, in addition to jewelry and other gifts, were all bribes that Menendez and his wife Nadine Menendez accepted from two co-defendants, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, as well as a former co-defendant who took a plea deal, Jose Uribe. Federal prosecutors asked Judge Stein to sentence Menendez to 15 years in prison and impose a $2.8 million fine and more than $920,000 in restitution. open image in gallery Stacks of cash were found hidden in jackets, shoes, bags and more in the Menendezes closet The former senators attorneys asked the judge for leniency, asking him to consider home detention and rigorous community service instead. Hana, an Egyptian-American businessman with a halal-meat certifying business, connected Menendez with Egyptian intelligence officials. With Menendezs help, Hana secured a lucrative contract with U.S. officials to be the exclusive certifier of halal meat to Egypt. Menendez pushed the U.S. to give Egypt millions in military aid and sent Egyptian officials nonpublic information. Hana was sentenced to roughly eight years in prison. Daibes, a real-estate developer, gave Menendez gold and cash in exchange for his help interfering with a criminal investigation and securing investors in a development project. Daibes introduced Menendez to a Qatari investor who was also a member of the Qatari royal family. Menendez later supported a Senate resolution praising Qatar. Daibes was sentenced to seven years in prison on Wednesday. open image in gallery Federal authorities allegedly seized $100,000 in gold bars from the home of Menendez ( US Department of Justice ) Uribe, an insurance executive, pleaded guilty telling prosecutors he gave Menendez and his wife a Mercedes-Benz convertible in exchange for Menendez to interfere in a state fraud investigation. Menendez then spoke directly with the New Jersey attorney general about the case. Uribe will be sentenced in April. The senators wife allegedly played a pivotal role in the scheme, according to Menendezs lawyers who sought to push the blame on Nadine for pressuring Menendez to accept the lavish gifts. open image in gallery Nadine Menendez allegedly plaid a pivotal role in the scheme ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Nadine is expected to stand trial in March. Her trial was severed from her husbands last year after she revealed she is battling breast cancer. From the moment Menendez was indicted until sentencing, he has maintained his innocence and vowed to appeal the conviction. Even while facing calls to resign from fellow Democratic members of Congress, Menendez refused to let go of his power. He initially teased running for re-election in the state, this time as an independent candidate. However, after his conviction Menendez resigned. I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country, Menendez said after the verdict. The decision rendered by the jury today would put at risk every member of the United States Senate in terms of what they think a foreign agent would be. 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 is addicted to attention and power according to scathing letter revealing some of his darkest moments, penned by his cousin Caroline Kennedy. Kennedy, 71, who is Donald Trumps pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is a hypocritical predator who is addicted to attention and power, his cousin warned senators ahead of the confirmation hearing in the senate - which will confirm his control over a $1.7 trillion budget as the top health official. The bombshell letter reveals a number of shocking accusations about Kennedys life, from putting mice in a blender to leading his family members down a path to drug addiction. I have known Bobby my whole life; we grew up together, said Kennedy, a former U.S. ambassador to Australia and Japan, in a letter and accompanying video statement. Here are the five key bombshells from Caroline Kennedys blistering criticism of her cousin 1. Predator Kennedy enjoyed putting chicks and mice in a blender open image in gallery RFK Jr originally mounted a campaign for the presidency himself before throwing his support behind Trump ( AP ) Kennedy, the son of liberal political icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 at 42 as he appeared set to clinch the Democratic nomination, is a licensed master falconer who has trained hawks since he was 11. Its no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator, Caroline Kennedy said in the letter. Kennedy loved to display one of his bizarre and gruesome habits in caring for his birds of prey, she said. He enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in the blender to feed his hawks, Ms Kennedy alleged. It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence. 2. Pushed his loved ones into a life of drug abuse Kennedy, who struggled with addiction to heroin, led his family members down the path of drug addiction simply through the strength of his personality. The former Democrats basement, garage and dorm room were the centres of the drug-fuelled action, she alleged. Siblings and cousins who Bobby encouraged down the path of substance abuse suffered addiction, illness, and death while Bobby has gone on to misrepresent, lie, and cheat his way through life, she claimed in the letter. But she did praise her cousin for pulling himself out of illness and disease. Kennedy says his 14 years of heroin abuse - which began soon after his fathers death when he was 15 years old - ended after he was convicted for possession in 1984 and attended rehab. 3. Dangerous vaccine views - which he is using to make himself rich While avoiding most political topics about her cousin, she unleashed a stinging criticism of his dangerous vaccine-sceptic views - which she says are serving him financially. Kennedys financial disclosures show he intends to receive legal fees from Wisner Baum, a firm suing the producer of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil. The company is accused of failing to warn customers about its risks. Through his crusade against vaccination, she said, "he is willing to enrich himself by denying access to a vaccine that can prevent almost all forms of cervical cancer and which has been safely administered to millions of boys and girls." His views on vaccines are not reflective of the views of most Americans and the rest of the Kennedy family, she added. 4. Preying on desperate parents of sick children - while vaccinating his own open image in gallery RFK Jr. pictured with his Hollywood actress wife Cheryl Hines at Donald Trumps inauguration ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) As he discourages frightened parents from vaccinating their sick children due to alleged risks, Kennedy continues to vaccinate his own, Ms. Kennedy said. Bobby is addicted to attention and power, she wrote. Bobby preys on the desperation of parents and sick children vaccinating his own children while building a following by hypocritically discouraging other parents from vaccinating theirs. His constant denigration of our health care system and the conspiratorial half-truths he has told about vaccines have cost lives," she added. open image in gallery Kennedy says he is not anti-vaccine ( Getty Images ) Kennedy has previously maintained that he is not anti-vaccine. 5. Kennedy used his name to boost his career - before he grovelled' to Trump Caroline Kennedy slammed Trumps health secretary pick for using the image of her father - former president John F. Kennedy - to boost his own political career. Bobby expropriated my fathers image and distorted President Kennedys legacy to advance his own failed presidential campaign and then grovelled to Donald Trump for a job, she wrote. He continues to grandstand off my fathers assassination, and that of his own father, she added. It is incomprehensible that someone who is willing to exploit their own painful family tragedies for publicity would be in charge of American life-and-death situations. Her father would be disgusted by his actions, she added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Connecticut senator has accused Donald Trump of carrying out a blitzkrieg of executive orders in his first week in office in an attempt to collapse our democracy. Democrat Chris Murphy said that the flurry of orders issued by the president since taking back the Oval Office were designed to help in seize control. The freezing of federal grants, the firing of all inspector generals, the immunization of political violence - does everybody not see whats happening? Murphy wrote on X Tuesday. In a blitzkrieg, Trump is trying to collapse our democracy - and probably our economy - and seize control. A blitzkrieg, or lightning war, was a series of short, powerfu military attacks intended to bring about a swift victory used by Adolf Hitlers Nazi forces in World War II. open image in gallery Donald Trump has been accused of carrying out a blitzkrieg of executive orders in his first week in office ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) As of Tuesday, just eight days into his second term, the president signed almost 40 executive orders, including those referred to by Murphy. One, freezing federal grant funding across government agencies, was temporarily blocked by a federal judgeTuesday evening. US District Judge Loren AliKhan issued the two-day temporary restraining order after a brief hearing in Washington on Tuesday. It came after a memo issued late on Monday by the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget,ordered federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance. This temporary pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the Presidents priorities, the memo read. Other controversial orders signed by Trump have included the removal of the U.S. from the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Agreement, and the firing of all federal employees on DEI programmes. open image in gallery U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) called said the flurry of executive orders from the president was an attempt to collapse our democracy ( Getty Images ) A separate executive order, effectively banning transgender people from serving in the military, has already resulted in a lawsuit from a group of transgender service members. On his first day in office, the president also pardoned nearly all January 6 defendants, granting roughly 1,500 full, complete and unconditional pardons for those charged in connection with the Capitol attack, including 169 who confessed to attacking police officers. 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 Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has introduced legislation to put President Donald Trumps face on Mount Rushmore. His remarkable accomplishments for our country and the success he will continue to deliver deserve the highest recognition and honor on this iconic national monument, the staunch Trump backer wrote on X. Let's get carving! This comes after a Fox News segment where a number of panelists discussed the option. Hey, if theres room up there, I think itd be great, said former Utah Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz. I think what Donald Trump has done, and is in the process of doing, is transforming the United States of America and putting America first. And I think America loves it, and I think theres a great case for it. Former Trump White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany chimed in: Yeah, Im fascinated by this because that would be some sweet irony after President Joe Biden stopped the fireworks display from Mount Rushmore. So, if you did, like, the 250th anniversary of the country at Mount Rushmore with President Trumps face, it would be epic, she added. Other panelists argued that Trumps face should be added to banknotes or that famous buildings be named after him. So I dont know if it would be even feasible at that point, but I do fully support changing Dulles Airport after President Trump, Lisa Boothe said. It also makes a lot of sense because you have Reagan here in D.C. with DCA, and theres a lot of parallels between the two presidents of inheriting terrible economies, instability around the world, and then building off of that, fixing those problems and then going on to tons of success. Donald Trump gestures as he arrives for the Independence Day events at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota, July 3, 2020. A new bill proposes adding his face to the monument ( AFP via Getty Images ) Trump has hesitated in the past to say that he should be on Mount Rushmore. If I answer that question, Yes, I will end up with such bad publicity, he told The Hill in 2019. In 2018, former South Dakota Governor and new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was in the middle of her gubernatorial campaign at the time, said that Trump had told her that it was his dream to be on the monument alongside Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The two met in the Oval Office after Trump was sworn in for the first time. "He said, 'Kristi, come on over here. Shake my hand,'" Noem said. "I shook his hand, and I said, 'Mr. President, you should come to South Dakota sometime. We have Mount Rushmore.' And he goes, 'Do you know it's my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?' Noem, then a House representative, added: I started laughing. He wasn't laughing, so he was totally serious. Noem told the story during the filming of a segment for the South Dakota edition of carpool karaoke, and it was then picked up by the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. During a 2017 rally in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump said: Id ask whether or not you think I will someday be on Mount Rushmore, but here's the problem: If I did it joking, totally joking, having fun, the fake news media will say 'he believes he should be on Mount Rushmore. So I won't say it, OK? I won't say it, he added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President Donald Trump has launched his second bid to remove all transgender troops from the military. Although the new order will affect only a tiny fraction of America's 2.1 million service members, it has taken on oversized importance to Trump and his administration, who see transgender forces as a sign the military is woke or not focused on training and winning wars. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, before he took the job, wrote in his book War on Warriors that for the recruits, for the military, and primarily for the security of the country, transgender people should never be allowed to serve. Its that simple. Trump's order to push out transgender troops, issued late Monday night, was instantly condemned by an array of activist groups as exceptionally egregious and ultimately harmful to military readiness. They say transgender people have been serving successfully for years, including openly on and off for the past decade. What does the order say? Trump's order essentially says that anyone who is diagnosed with gender dysphoria the unease someone has when their assigned sex and gender identity dont match cannot serve in the military. It gives the defense secretary 60 days to update the medical standards for enlistment and re-enlistment to reflect that change. And it gives Hegseth 30 days to lay out how he plans to implement it all. According to the order, expressing a false gender identity divergent from an individuals sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service. It says the hormonal and surgical needs involved in taking on a different gender identity conflicts with a soldiers commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle." open image in gallery President Donald Trump signs an executive order as he attends an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event at Capital One Arena ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) It concludes that, A mans assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member. The order also zeroes in on the heady bathroom issue. On his first day in office Trump issued an executive order that he said would restore biological truth to the federal government by eliminating the word gender and replacing it with sex. He said the federal government will only recognize people based on their sex at the time of conception based on their reproductive cell. His latest order expands on that, saying the military will neither allow males to use or share sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for females, nor allow females to use or share sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for males. open image in gallery Protests outside the White House in 2020 The Pentagon has said in recent years that it is impossible to count the total number of transgender troops. The military services say there is no way to track them and that much information is limited due to medical privacy laws. Estimates have hovered between 9,000 and 12,000. But it will be very difficult for officials to identify them, even as service members worry about the hunt to root them out. This casts an enormous shadow on people that are getting ready to go on a deployment for six months overseas or, you know, getting ready to go on a combat mission, said Sasha Buchert, counsel for Lambda Legal. This is going to be extremely disruptive. And theyre going to have to look over their shoulder in fear of when the next shoe will fall. Since transgender troops have been able to serve openly for a number of years, its possible their fellow unit members or commanders know who some of them are. That triggers worries about people identifying them in order to get them pushed out and raises parallels to the Clinton administration's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, which allowed gays to serve in the military as long as they didn't tell. In March 2018, then-Defense Secretary James Mattis released a memo with unprecedented details on the number of transgender forces and how many of them had sought mental health help or were planning to seek surgery. It said, at that time, there were 8,980 service members who identified themselves as transgender, and 937 had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The report said data collected by the military health system revealed that 424 of those service members diagnosed had gotten treatment plans approved and for at least 36 of them those plans didn't include cross sex hormone therapy or sex reassignment surgery. open image in gallery A member of the British Army carries a transgender flag during the Gay Pride Parade on July 01, 2023 in London, England. Pride in London is an annual LGBT+ festival and parade held each summer in London ( Getty Images for Pride In London ) In 2015, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter broached the idea of lifting the ban on transgender troops and allowing them to serve openly, which raised concerns among military leaders. He set up a study, and then about a year later, in June 2016, announced the ban was ended. A year after that, just six months into his first presidential term, Trump suddenly announced via tweet he was not going to allow transgender people to serve in the military in any capacity. The tweets caught the Pentagon by surprise and plunged leaders into what became a roughly two-year struggle to hammer out the complex details of who would be affected by the ban and how it would work, even as legal challenges poured in. By March 2019, as courts ruled against the ban, the Pentagon laid out a policy that allowed those currently serving to continue with plans for hormone treatments and gender transition if they had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. But it barred new enlistments of anyone with gender dysphoria who was taking hormones or had transitioned to another gender. And it said in the future those diagnosed with gender dysphoria must serve in their birth gender and were barred from taking hormones or getting transition surgery. Soon after President Joe Biden took office in 2021, he overturned Trump's ban and the Pentagon also announced it would cover transition medical expenses for troops. open image in gallery President Joe Biden speaks during a Medal of Honor Ceremony at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 3, 2024 ( AP ) The chiefs of all four military services told members of Congress in 2018 they were seeing few problems as transgender troops began serving openly. The Navy chief at the time, Adm. John Richardson, said the Navy was dealing with the issue the same way it handled the integration of women sailors on submarines. And the Marine commandant then, Gen. Robert Neller, said there were no unit cohesion or discipline problems. His only concern, he told a Senate committee, was that some commanders were saying they had to spend a lot of time with transgender people as they worked through medical requirements involving their transition to their preferred gender. Sarah Klimm, a transgender Marine who served for 23 years, retired just as the end to the ban was announced in 2016, so was never able to serve openly. Trans military members that are out there right now are dropping bombs, pulling triggers, fixing all the weapons systems, she said Tuesday. And now youre looking to keep them away. Klimm, who is now a policy analyst for Minority Veterans of America, said its an especially precarious time to remove thousands of service members as recruiting has been a struggle. Emily Shilling, who has been openly transgender since 2019, is currently serving as a commander in the Navy with more than 19 years of service, including as a combat pilot who flew 60 missions in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I just want to continue serving my country, using the skills this nation invested in me as a fighter pilot and leader, she said, stressing that she was speaking in her personal capacity. "For nearly two decades, Ive upheld the highest standards of excellence, leading teams in combat and peace. All I ask is the opportunity to keep using my training and experience to serve this country with honor, courage and dedication. 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 ultra-conservative Oklahoman Republican is on a crusade in a bid to restore moral sanity in the state, emboldened by Donald Trumps election in November. Senator Dusty Deevers, an abortion abolitionist, pastor, and Oklahoma State Senator announced eight executive measures last Tuesday aimed at railing against the moral decay foisted upon Oklahoma including a bill that seeks aims to penalize anybody who engages with porn. The eight legislative bills are aimed at removing abortion rights, handing out jail sentences for the possession of pornography with increased sentences for child pornography, banning children from watching drag queen performances, promoting the sanctity of marriage, removing incompatibility as a justification for divorce, offering tax credits to incentivize adoption, promoting two-parent households, and granting Christian health insurance firms the same tax benefits as regular insurance companies. Strikingly, if his pornography bill passes, people who produce, distribute, or possess pornographic material could face up to 30 years in prison as a criminal penalty as Deevers believes pornography is both degenerate material and a highly addictive drug. He went on in the bill to add that pornography was a destructive vice that ruins marriages, ruins lives, destroys innocence, warps young peoples perception of the opposite sex, turns women into objects, turns men into objects, degrades human dignity, and corrodes the moral fabric of society. Any decent society will stand against this plague with the full weight of the law. open image in gallery Deevers activities have become emboldened since Donald Trumps election victory in November ( EPA ) In the past, Deevers appeared in a podcast stating that people in society will either stray toward God, or the Devil suggesting there was no scope for anything in between, particularly when it came to immoral temptations such as porn. Either youre coming under the rule of God your creator[]or youre going to come under the rule of The Serpent, he told Jon Harris, presenter of the Conversations That Matter" podcast a channel that delves into Christian, traditional, and masculine views on theology, culture, and politics, according to the Youtube listing. Deevers blamed the far lefts influence for the moral decay of institutions in Oklahoma and his bills echo the conservative values and ideals drawn up in the highly controversial and discriminatory Project 2025. The 900-page plan, drawn up by former Trump aides and endorsed by right-wing think tank, the Heritage Foundation, has often been deemed as the lynchpin for driving ultra-conservative ideals in Trumps second term. Sadly, the lefts century-long assault on morality and decency has been so successful that some have come to accept as normal a society that is drowning in hardcore pornography, prenatal homicide, and sexual performances for children, said Deevers. None of this is normal. Each one of these evils is a result of a policy choice to not stand for what we know is right. Opposing these evils does not mean we are extremists. It means we are sane, he added in the press release. The outspoken bills were announced after more than a third of U.S. states announced restrictions for explicit online content, choosing to block pornographic websites such as Pornhub. Since the start of 2025, 17 states have put porn restrictions in place, which require visitors to provide state-approved identification to access the material. However, these restrictions have led to a surge in VPN purchases, highlighting that many still seek access despite what state senators preach. 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 During a 90-day foreign aid freeze, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued exemptions for life-saving humanitarian assistance, but the fate of HIV treatment for the worlds poorest nations remains uncertain. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on any foreign assistance as agencies review to ensure they will not be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the president. On Tuesday, contractors working with the U.S. Agency for International Development received memos to halt work immediately, sources told Reuters. That evening, Rubio exempted humanitarian assistance, which he defined as core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance, according to the waiver seen by the Washington Post. The waiver didnt explicitly mention the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a global health program that includes HIV treatment, testing and prevention drug distribution across the world, according to the New York Times. The distribution of HIV medications seemed to be permitted under the waiver, but whether preventative HIV drugs and other services are allowed is not immediately clear. Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved a waiver exempting humanitarian assistance after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on foreign aid but HIV medications are still in flux. ( REUTERS ) The program, which began in 2003 under the George W. Bush administration, received $6.5 billion in government funding in 2024. If aid to the program is cut permanently, more than 20 million people across the globe living with HIV, including 560,000 children, around the world would no longer have access to life-saving treatment. Gumisayi Bonzo, director of a health nonprofit in Zimbabwe, told the Associated Press that stripping access to HIV medication would be life-altering. I have been religiously taking medicines for over two decades, I am living a normal life again, and suddenly we have to stop, she said. Thats a death sentence for many people. If treatments are interrupted, patients are more susceptible to getting sick and the disease could spread to others, Reuters reported. Inconsistent treatment could also lead to drug resistance. We can very rapidly return to where the pandemic is exploding, like it was back in the 1980s, Dr. Steve Deeks, an HIV expert at the University of California, San Francisco, told the New York Times. This really cannot happen. The program has nearly 200,000 providers; on average, they make around $3,000 per year, making even short funding suspensions extremely difficult, according to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. Each day, the program supports more than 222,000 people receiving treatments, according to amfAR. The program also supports hundreds of thousands of HIV tests, newly diagnosing 4,374 people with HIV every day, including pregnant women. If H.I.V. testing falls by the wayside, its unlikely that we will be able to even diagnose people who need to go into treatment, Dr. Glenda Gray, a pediatric HIV expert at Wits University in South Africa, told the Times. If pregnant women are unable to get tested, they could unknowingly pass the virus to their children. The World Health Organization, which Trump ordered the U.S.s withdrawal from, called on the Trump administration to enable additional exemptions to ensure the delivery of lifesaving HIV treatment and care. The global health body warned of the consequences around the world and in America should PEPFAR funding be frozen: A funding halt for HIV programs can put people living with HIV at immediate increased risk of illness and death and undermine efforts to prevent transmission in communities and countries. Such measures, if prolonged, could lead to rises in new infections and deaths, reversing decades of progress and potentially taking the world back to the 1980s and 1990s when millions died of HIV every year globally, including many in the United States of America. 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 Hours after signing off from CNN for the final time following his rejection of the networks proposal to take his news program to the graveyard midnight shift, Jim Acosta revealed that he is going independent and launching a new show on Substack. After two decades of service, I am leaving CNN to start a new chapter, and I wont pull any punches this time around, either. I owe that to myself and to you, Acosta said in a press release. As I said during my sign-off at the end of my final show on CNN ... Dont give in to the lies. Dont give in to fear. Hold on to the truth. Hold on to hope, Acosta added. In the meantime ... To President Trump and his allies, you may think you have silenced me. But guess again. In a short video shared on his new Substack link, the now-former CNN anchor said he wanted to jump on Substack Live for a moment and welcome prospective subscribers to his new venture. CNN anchor Jim Acosta said he was still reporting from Washington on Thursday while his future at the network remains in doubt. ( CNN ) Acosta joins a growing list of mainstream news journalists and personalities who have ditched legacy media to go the independent route on Substack. After his MSNBC show was canceled in early 2024, Mehdi Hasanleft the network and launched the media company Zeteo on the platform. He has since pulled in tens of thousands of paying subscribers and an emerging roster of high-profile reporters and contributors. (Disclaimer: This reporter worked for Zeteo until last November.) Earlier on Tuesday, Acosta informed CNN viewers that he would be leaving the network after 18 years, letting them know that it came after some careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot the network had offered him. He also delivered a serious final message to his audience. It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant, he said, adding: Dont give in to the lies. Dont give in to the fear. Acostas departure comes after CNN chief executive Mark Thompson proposed moving him from his 10 a.m. ET weekday slot to a shift that would begin at midnight and not end until 2 a.m. on the East Coast. While the network head attempted to portray the move to the Siberia of television as an opportunity, noting that Acosta would air in primetime on the West Coast and be simulcast on CNN International, critics have suggested that it was an effort to exile Acosta to late-night to curry favor with Donald Trump. They want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump, one media executive said of the proposed offer. Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network. Though Thompson told Acosta an outspoken Trump critic that the offer had nothing to do with his editorial style and was merely about finding an extra hour amid a programming shakeup, the president was ecstatic that Acosta was on the outs. Wow, really good news! Jim Acosta, one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag, has been relegated by CNN Fake News to the Midnight hour, Death Valley, because of extraordinarily BAD RATINGS (and no talent!) Trump posted on Tuesday morning. Word is that he wants to QUIT, and that would be even better. Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up. Good luck Jim! he added sarcastically. In his first post on Substack, Acosta noted his run-ins with the president over the years, which included Trumps attempts to get him banned from covering the White House. The Trump administration and its MAGA allies made it their mission in life to run me out of town on a rail. From the suspension of my White House press pass to the relentless calls for my firing on Fox News, not to mention the continuing threat environment for me and my loved ones, it was a trying time in my life, he wrote. But for me, there was always a greater purpose to the work. At the anchor desk, I made sure my program, CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta, devoted as much airtime as possible to reporting on Trumps assault on our elections and the destructive aftermath of his actions, Acosta added. We also covered the pandemic and other major news during this period, but we remained laser-focused on the democracy beat relentless, like a pit bull on steroids. My team and I made a clear decision: the show would not pull any punches. How could we? 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 on Wednesday repeated a blockbuster claim about the government sending $50 million worth of condoms to the Gaza Strip despite outstanding questions as to whether the colossal figure was accurate. Speaking during a signing ceremony for the Laken Riley Act in the East Room on Wednesday, he repeated a boast about the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency having stopped what he described as $50 million that had been set to be sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas. He further claimed that the terror group was using the contraceptives to fashion improvised bombs - which is backed by reports of condoms being used as makeshift balloons to carry explosive devices over the wall that separates Gaza from Israel. Trumps claim was first promoted by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at her first-ever White House briefing on Tuesday when she told reporters that DOGE and the White House Office for Management and Budget had found and blocked $50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza and called the alleged expenditure a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. It was a blockbuster claim that seemed to exemplify the exact sort of profligate spending that Trumps self-styled America First administration was elected to prevent. The presidents Wednesday statement came after the administration appeared to downplay what Leavitt had said about the alleged $50 million worth of condoms from being shipped to Gaza. An administration official who spoke to The Independent on Wednesday about the contraceptive controversy said the $50 million was part of larger aid package for medical services in Gaza. The official said the $50 million figure a massive number that would have represented roughly $23 spent on contraceptives for each of the 2.1 million residents of Gaza was part of two equal buckets of foreign aid meant to help the International Medical Corps provide medical services in Gaza. open image in gallery Karoline Leavitt spoke during a White House briefing and talked about $50 million in condoms for Gaza. The White House is defending that figure, though the details are murky ( Getty Images ) Moreover, the claims about the alleged condom shipment did not appear to match what the government had previously said about its aid efforts in Gaza. A September 2024 U.S. Agency for International Development report says not one dollar of the $60.8 million used to fund condoms and contraceptives distributed by the agency worldwide last year was allocated to the Palestinian territory. The same report shows that the only contraceptives sent to the Middle East were distributed to the Jordanian government in the form of $45,680 worth of oral and injectable medications not condoms. On Wednesday, the administration official said that the blocked grants were for family planning programming including emergency contraception; sexual healthcare including prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections; and adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The official clarified that the combined $100 million in grants for the International Medical Corps efforts included contraceptives, a broader category that included condoms because they have traditionally always been used for family planning in developing countries by USAID. The official also claimed the $100 million in funding for the corps was a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars which does not serve President Trumps goal to promote peace in the Middle East. The Trump administrations clarification tracks what Andrew Miller, the ex-Biden administration State Department official who served as deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, told The Times of Israel on Wednesday. In an interview, he said that Leavitts claim about $50 million in condoms bound for Gaza was outlandish and a feverish dream on the part of the new administration. Its possible that $50 million is put aside for sexual health or something of that nature, which would include gynecology and many other services, but definitely not condoms alone, he said. Jeremy Konyndyk, the former Biden administration official who now leads Refugees International, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that because USAID procures condoms for around $0.05 apiece the $50m figure quoted by the Trump officials and the president would amount to a purchase of one billion condoms. What's going is here is NOT a billion condoms for Gaza. What's going on is that the bros at DOGE apparently can't read govt spreadsheets, he added. Musk, who is also the owner of X, posted that the false condom expenditure was the tip of the iceberg for waste and claimed that a lot of that money ended up in the pockets of Hamas. There is no evidence to support either of those assertions. Leavitt also announced on Tuesday that the Trump administration had blocked a $37 million pending payment to the World Health Organization after the president signed an executive order cutting ties with the global health body on his first day in office. open image in gallery The White House claims about the alleged condom shipment did not appear to match what the government had previously said about its aid efforts in Gaza ( AP ) The blocked funds are being withheld under an Office of Management and Budget memo that White House officials have said temporarily pauses grants, loans and federal assistance programs so they can be reviewed to see if they align with Trumps political priorities. Leavitts condom comments came at the top of her first White House press briefing, during which she said that new media voices including independent journalists, podcasters and social media influencers would be welcomed into the sessions held in the iconic James Brady Briefing Room. The room has always been open to any person who asks for and receives a day pass to enter the White House grounds for the purpose of attending briefings. She also announced that shed be allocating two seats normally used by staff for podcasters, influencers, and other new media outlets that arent among the news organizations that have been assigned use of one of the rooms 49 seats that are managed by the White House Correspondents Association. 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 Political pundits have weighed in on Trumps new White House press secretary hire following her first official press debut on Tuesday. Karoline Leavitt, a 27-year-old mother of one, and the youngest press secretary to take up the role in White House history made her first official statements to the media Tuesday, giving the rundown on everything from Trumps staunch immigration policies to Bidens presidency. The press conference saw new media Tiktokers, podcasters, and independent journalists - in the room with a representative of that group even promised the first question at each White House briefing henceforth. But this Gen Z Republican from New Hampshire, who formerly launched a bid for Congress, before interning at Fox News, is now facing both praise and criticism from all sides prompting questions as to whether she will will thrive in the world of MAGA or buckle under the scrutiny of the left. Speaking about Leavitt in a Fox News Tuesday night segment, broadcaster Brittney Hopper said: I just love her. I think she was born for this job she did such a great job today. The former CBS News journalist praised the expansion of press briefings to the new media citing her belief that former administrations only granted the left narratives questions before calling the new age of TikTok politics real journalism. However, those on the left made a clear signal that Leavitt was not one to be trusted branding her worse than Trumps former press secretary and Dancing with the Stars contestant Sean Spicer. open image in gallery The 27-year-old told the press that the new Trump 2.0 era would welcome questions from the new media allowing TikTokers the right to probe the Trump administration ( Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Spicer made headlines in 2017 when he berated the press and refused to take questions during a White House press conference, accusing them of incorrectly reporting on Trumps 2017 inauguration and the crowd size being smaller than former President Barack Obamas in 2009. In his Tuesday late show diatribe, Jimmy Kimmel fired out at Leavitt for peddling Trumps false claim that he solved the Southern California wildfire crisis after deploying the US military. California water officials debunked the Presidents claims Tuesday in a statement published on X that read: The military did not enter California. The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful. Citing the bleak truth of the matter as per a statement on behalf of Governor Newsom, Kimmel, told his audience, but dont say any of that to Trumps new press secretary before rolling a clip from Leavitts conference. When asked to clarify the militarys role, where the water came from, and how the water was transported to the fires, Leavitt told the press that the military had been on the ground to respond and stressed that the water was only turned on because Trump had made an official visit there. open image in gallery Karoline Leavitt at a shooting range in 2022, where her video was captioned: take it @joebiden' ( @karolineleavitt/Instagram ) Stunned by her response, Kimmel, said: This might be worse than when he made Sean Spicer say he had the biggest inauguration crowd in history. Whether or not the U.S. military entered California and turned the water on is not a matter of debate this is not liberal versus conservative. It didnt happen OK. After a stint working for Rep. Elise Marie Stefaniks office, Leavitt was branded one of the many bright rising Republican stars for serving as a prominent voice in rallying against Democratic Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the sexual harassment scandal he was embroiled in, according to a 2021 New York Post article. She is the fifth press secretary to join Trumps White House after purging four of them during his first tenure, namely: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham, and Kayleigh McEnany. Leavitts journey to the White House is less than most starting almost eight years ago when she was a college student at the conservative Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. Despite the onslaught of commentary, she appears to have the full support of the man set to keep her on her toes as he orchestrates divisive policies in his second term, Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator," Trump previously stated. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 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 Musks ongoing vocal support for far-right political parties in Europe is really disgusting and a hindrance to democratic development, Germanys Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday of Donald Trumps best buddy. Scholz blasted the worlds richest man for his recent comments, made during an appearance at a campaign event for the right-wing Alternative fur Deutschland party. Musk urged Germans at the event to move beyond guilt for a past that includes the murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Musk, who has remained very close to Trump since his inauguration, has also thrown his weight behind other controversial political figures, including former English Defense League leader Tommy Robinson, aka Steven Yaxley-Lennon. He has also attacked the UKs Labour government and its leader Sir Keir Starmer. open image in gallery Olaf Scholz criticized the worlds richest man for his recent support for far-right political figures and parties in Europe ( AP ) Speaking at a campaign event in Berlin on Tuesday, Scholz said that although he had already been subjected to attacks by the SpaceX boss, Musks support for such organizations was becoming more blatant and concerning to him. "What is new is that he is intervening in favor of right-wing politicians all over Europe, he said, per Reuters. And this is really disgusting and it is not good for the democratic development in all the European Union. On Saturday, Musk made a surprise appearance at the AfDs campaign event via video link, telling attendees that there was too much focus on past guilt, and there was a need to move beyond that. open image in gallery On Saturday Musk made an appearance at a campaign event for the right-wing Alternative fur Deutschland party ( Getty Images ) Addressing the far-right crowd alongside party leader Alice Weidel on Saturday, the American billionaire said that children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents. "I am absolutely critical about what Elon Musk said about the history of Germany," Scholz said, referring to the remarks. He added that his country would continue to bear responsibility for the past. "This killing of so many Jews and other people in Europe done by Germans in the past, this is a historic responsibility, Scholz said. open image in gallery The SpaceX boss also caused uproar on Donald Trumps inauguration day after making a gesture that many compared to a Nazi salute ( AFP via Getty Images ) Monday was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, with the remaining survivors of Nazi Germanys atrocities joined by world leaders and royalty for commemorations and observances taking place in southern Poland. One week earlier, on the day of Trumps inauguration, Musk caused an uproar after he made a gesture while giving remarks onstage that many compared to a Nazi salute. He has strongly denied such claims. 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 and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts got into a heated exchange during the Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing for President Donald Trumps pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Warren began by saying that the two of them agree on one thing Big Pharma has too much power in Washington. You've said that you will quote slam shut the revolving door between government agencies and the companies they regulate, Warren said, adding that it sounds great. So here's an easy question: Will you commit that when you leave this job, you will not accept compensation for a company, a medical device company, a hospital system, or a health insurer for at least four years, including as a lobbyist or a board member? Warren asked. Im happy to commit to not taking money from drug companies, Kennedy said after some confusion. I dont think any of them wants to give me money, by the way. Warren accused Kennedy of urging people to join lawsuits against vaccine makers. In the past two years, you've raked in two and a half million dollars from a law firm called Wisner Baum, said Warren. You go online, you do commercials to encourage people to sign up with Wisner Baum to join lawsuits against vaccine makers. And for everyone who signs up, you personally get paid. And if they win their case, you get 10 percent of what they win, she added, noting that if you bring in somebody who gets ten million you walk away with a million dollars. open image in gallery Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's choice to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, appears before the Senate Finance Committee for his confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. he got into a heated argument with Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( AP ) You just said that you want the American people to know you can't be bought, Warren continued. Your decisions won't depend on how much money you could make in the future. You won't go to work for a drug company after you leave HHS. But you and I both know there's another way to make money. So Mr. Kennedy, will you also agree that you won't take any compensation from any lawsuits against drug companies while you are secretary and for four years afterward? she asked. Kennedy accused Warren of making him sound like a shill before saying that he wouldnt take any fees from drug companies during his time as secretary. The misunderstandings between the senator and Kennedy continued apace. I'm asking about fees from suing drug companies. Will you agree not to do that? an increasingly frustrated Warren asked. Youre asking me to not sue drug companies, said Kennedy. No, you can sue drug companies as much as you want, the senator pushed back before going through a litany of dire scenarios. If you get confirmed, you can influence every one of those lawsuits. Well, let me start the list. You can publish your anti-vaccine conspiracies, but this time, on US government letterhead, something a jury might be impressed by. You could appoint people ... who share your anti-vax views and let them do your dirty work. open image in gallery Warren attacked Kennedy on a host of issues including his vaccine stance ( Getty Images ) She added: You could tell the CDC vaccine panel to remove a particular vaccine from the vaccine schedule. You could remove vaccines from special compensation programs, which would open up manufacturers to mass torts. You could make more injuries eligible for compensation, even if there is no causal evidence. You could change vaccine court processes to make it easier to bring junk lawsuits. You could turn over FDA data to your friends at the law firm, and they could use it however it benefited them. You could change vaccine labeling. You could change vaccine Information rules. You can change which claims are compensated in the vaccine injury compensation program, said Warren. The senator said that there are a lot of ways that Kennedy could influence lawsuits as HHS secretary, before asking once again that he not take a financial stake in those lawsuits for his work as secretary to not benefit him down the line. I will comply with all the ethical guidance, said Kennedy. Thats not the question, Warren retorted. Senator, youre asking me not to sue vaccine companies-- Kennedy started before being interrupted by an enraged Warren. No, I am not! she shouted. No one should be fooled here, she continued, arguing that as HHS secretary, Kennedy would have the power to undercut vaccines and vaccine manufacturing. For all of his talk about follow the science ... the bottom line is the same: Kennedy can kill off access to vaccines and make millions of dollars while he does it. Kids might die, but Robert Kennedy can keep cashing in, said Warren. Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The State Department will maintain the spirit of President Donald Trumps order rescinding DEI programs - a move that will likely leave the agency downplaying Black History Month, according to a report. As part of Trumps efforts to drastically scale back diversity programs, federal departments have been asked to shut down DEI departments, rescind DEI guidance and put all DEI workers on leave. An email, obtained by the Wall Street Journal, offered State Department officials vague guidance for Black History Month imploring staff to highlight valuable contributions of individual Americans throughout U.S. history, while ensuring our public communications maintain the spirit of the directive eliminating DEAI programs. However, programming and content related to accessibility or people with disabilities would have no restrictions. A State Department official told the Journal that staff was taking it to mean no public events or messages about Black History Month. The month has been celebrated since the 1970s. Trump recognized and celebrated February as National African-American Month all four years during his first term. Thats how were reading it, the official told the outlet. The diplomats I spoke to today, with decades of experience, couldnt remember a time we failed to mark Black History Month, the official added. Donald Trump, pictured in 2019, celebrated Black History Month all four years he was in office. Now the State Department is being advised to maintain the spirit of his most recent anti-DEI orders since he hsa returned to office. That will likely leave the agency downplaying the month ( Getty Images ) State Department officials may not release public-facing messages or events on Saturday, an unnamed official told the Wall Street Journal. When confronted with a similar question on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House certainly still intends to celebrate, but added that it will also continue to celebrate American history and the contributions that all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed have made. The Independent has asked the State Department for further clarification. Trump promised to end federal DEI programs while on the campaign trail, adopting the opinion of many Republicans who believe the measures threaten merit-based hiring and unfairly target majority populations such as white men. Other communities have also criticized them. Some Asian-American students opposed affirmative action admission policies believing they stifle high-achieving students. Other people have accused DEI programs of portraying Black Americans as victims. However, studies have shown that prioritizing diversity in the workplace benefits companies, educational institutions, organizations, and more. Trump has called DEI programs illegal and immoral believing they waste resources. Last week, Trump signed an executive order revoking several decades-old diversity programs that sought to increase, strengthen, and protect diversity initiatives in the federal government. New Secretary of State Marco Rubio has backed the Trump ideas and even sendt messages to staff saying that there was talen in the agency, but upholding strict meritocracy is essential to securing our nations future, according to the Journal. He also encouraged aides to report ongoing DEI programs. 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 200 Colombians were marched in handcuffs into military aircraft in two high-profile deportation flights that nearly triggered a trade war during President Donald Trumps first week in office. But despite the administrations insistence that Trumps mass deportation agenda would target violent offenders, none appeared to be on board. One flight from San Diego, California, brought 62 men, 16 children, and 32 women including two pregnant women, according to Colombias foreign minister Luis Gilberto Murillo. Another flight from El Paso, Texas, carried 46 men, 45 women, and five children. Everyone is in good condition, Murillo said in Spanish in a video statement Tuesday. They are not criminals, he said. This information has been verified and corroborated by competent authorities following the protocols established for deportation flights. And this is done as established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and organizations such as the International Migration Organization, because being a migrant is not a crime. Law enforcement officers handcuffed us and pushed us around as if we were in jail, Daniel Oquendo told CNN. I understand the military has some procedures, but there were children, families. open image in gallery Deportation flights from the United States to Colombia included more than 200 people, including pregnant women and children. None of the people on board had criminal records, according to Colombia officials ( GUSTAVO PETRO VIA X via REUTERS ) On January 20, days before he was put on a plane after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, Oquendo was told by a border agent that the fun is over. He was on a plane bound for Colombia eight days later, according to CNN. It was very confusing: Nobody told us anything, he said. They told us the flight to Bogota was going to be seven hours, but when we landed, it was 10 hours, and as soon as the back door for the plane opened, we could see an ambulance saying Houston. The plane was still in the United States. Colombia had initially refused to accept the military planes, with President Gustavo Petro arguing that his country wanted to secure the arrival of immigrants in dignified conditions using civilian aircraft. A migrant is not a criminal and should be treated with the dignity a human being deserves, he said Sunday. We will receive our nationals in civilian airplanes, without treating them as criminals. Colombia must be respected. Trump then threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on Colombia for all goods going to the U.S. In a week, those tariffs will be raised to 50 percent, the president wrote in a furious screed on his Truth Social account. He added that a travel ban and visa revocations will be imposed on Colombian government officials, as well as all allies and supporters. Trump also said that visa sanctions would be levied against all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government. The president also promised that there would be Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on national security grounds. The White House later said Colombia agreed the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay. open image in gallery Trump nearly ignited a trade war after Colombia initially refused to accept deportation flights on military aircraft, with officials in the country urging the U.S. president to use civilian aircraft ( AFP via Getty Images ) After taking office, Trump pledged to remove violent criminals from the country, and swiftly deployed the full force of the federal government to assist in his anti-immigration agenda, with the Department of Homeland Security reorganizing its focus on immigration enforcement. These are murderers, Trump told reporters Friday. These are people that have been as bad as you get. As bad as anybody youve seen. He said he was taking them out first. Federal law enforcement agents have arrested thousands of immigrants within the last week, but its unclear how many violent offenders have been removed. Just over half of those arrests were considered criminal arrests, according to law enforcement data first reported by NBC News. The rest of those arrested appear to be nonviolent offenders or people who have not committed any criminal offense other than entering the country without legal permission. But the administration confirmed Tuesday that it was treating all immigrants in the U.S. without legal permission as criminals. In her first White House briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt falsely labeled the thousands of people arrested for allegedly living in the country illegally as criminals, despite the offense being a civil one. Anyone arrested on those grounds is not convicted of a crime. I know the last administration didn't see it that way, so its a big culture shift in our nation to view someone who breaks our immigration laws as a criminal, but thats exactly what they are, she said. The Trump administration has also instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement to aggressively pursue immigration arrests and for each field office to make at least 75 arrests a day, according to The Washington Post. The directive amplifies fears from immigrant communities and advocacy groups that U.S. citizens and people who are living in the country legally will be collateral damage in the presidents campaign. We didnt do anything wrong: Im not a criminal, Andrei Barrientos told CNN after getting off a Colombia-bound deportation flight. Yes, I crossed the border illegally, but I was doing that to help my family and they treated me like I was a gangster. 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 White House has abruptly rescinded a directive that threatened to freeze billions of dollars in federal assistance. The notice from the Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday followed a federal judges decision that temporarily blocked Donald Trumps administration from freezing funds across government agencies, with lawsuits accusing the president of brazenly unconstitutional threats to critical funding. A two-sentence memo from acting White House Office of Management and Budget director Matthew Vaeth simply states that a previous directive is rescinded, and directs questions to government lawyers. open image in gallery Protesters in Washington, D.C. on January 28 demonstrated against Donald Trumps move to freeze federal funding across government agencies ( AP ) The office is still expected to continue reviewing government grants and assistance, and could try to block funding if officials believe recipients run afoul of Trumps ideologically driven commands to abandon anti-discrimination and equity efforts outlined in a blitz of executive orders. This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday. Why? To end any confusion created by the court's injunction. The President's EOs on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented. A lawsuit from 23 states sought a court order to immediately halt the administrations order, which they say imperils billions of dollars in aid to their states. On Wednesday, a federal judge presiding over that case citing Leavitts own X post said OMBs hugely ambiguous order to implement the freeze appeared to be undercut by her statements. A separate lawsuit from a coalition of nonprofit organizations and small businesses warned that the order will have a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of grant recipients who depend on the steady flow of grant money that theyve already been awarded. On Tuesday, a judge granted their request for a temporary restraining order to block the order from going into effect. Democratic senators are also demanding that a vote to confirm Trumps nominee to lead OMB, Russell Vought, be postponed until he can answer whether he intends to issue a similar directive. A group of Senate Democrats have called Vought who has pushed Trump to ignore federal law that affirms Congresss spending authority a clear and present danger to Congresss Power of the Purse. Vaeths two-page memo this week directed federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance. That includes other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by Trumps sweeping executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal, according to the memo. open image in gallery Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters about Trumps federal funding freeze on January 28 ( AFP via Getty Images ) The memo sent nonprofits and public programs that support low-income families and vulnerable Americans into a tailspin Tuesday, fearing imminent cuts to disaster relief, healthcare, childcare, infrastructure support and groups that support homeless people and veterans, among a wide range of other programs that depend on federal funding, from suicide prevention to support for domestic violence survivors. A subsequent memo from the White House to members of Congress on Tuesday sought to clarify the pause, which Leavitt told reporters is meant to ensure that all of the money going out from Washington, D.C., is in line with the presidents agenda. Democratic officials and legal analysts have argued that Trumps order violates Congresss constitutional authority and federal law that prohibits the president from blocking funds appropriated by lawmakers. This is an important victory for everyone who made their voices heard, Democratic Senator Patty Murray said. Undoubtedly, the Trump admin caused serious chaos [and] real harm through a combination of sheer incompetence, cruel intentions, and disregard for the law. But real people made a difference by speaking out. 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 administration from freezing federal grant funding across government agencies, dealing a setback to the White Houses plan to pause programs that dont align with the new presidents political ideology. US District Judge Loren AliKhan issued the temporary restraining order blocking the funding freeze until February 3 after a brief hearing in Washington Tuesday. The order, which is intended to preserve the status quo while legal proceedings continue, was the result of a lawsuit from a coalition of nonprofit organizations and small businesses that warned in court documents that the order will have a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of grant recipients who depend on the steady flow of grant money that theyve already been awarded. The order will deprive people and communities of their life-saving services, including health care services, LGBT+ community support and services to support small businesses, the lawsuit argued. A White House official told The Independent that administration officials were still digesting the decision before deciding on what, if any, response to issue. The two-page memo at issue was issued by acting White House Office of Management and Budget Director Matthew Vaeth and orders federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance. That includes other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by Trumps sweeping executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal, according to the memo. The memo sent nonprofits and public programs that support low-income families and vulnerable Americans into a tailspin Tuesday, sparking fears of imminent cuts to disaster relief, healthcare, childcare, infrastructure support and groups that support homeless people and veterans, among a wide range of other programs that depend on federal funding, from suicide prevention to support for domestic violence survivors. A subsequent memo from the White House to members of Congress on Tuesday sought to clarify the funding pause, which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters is meant to ensure that all of the money going out from Washington, D.C., is in line with the presidents agenda. Democratic officials and legal analysts have argued that Trumps order violates the constitutional authority of Congress and federal law that prohibits the president from blocking funds appropriated by lawmakers. A second lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James and 22 other state attorneys general is also seeking a court order to immediately halt the administrations order, which they say imperils billions of dollars in aid to their states. This president has exceeded his authority, he has violated the constitution and he has trampled on a co-equal branch of government, James told reporters in a video briefing on Tuesday. There is no question, this policy is reckless, dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional, she said. She called the Trump administration memo arbitrary and capricious. What we are doing is protecting democracy and the rule of law, she said. In a press briefing in Washington, D.C., Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer called Trumps funding freeze a heist done on a national scale. He called the order lawless, dangerous, destructive, cruel. Its illegal. Its unconstitutional, said Schumer, speaking at a briefing that was initially intended to speak on Senate Democrats resolution to condemn Trumps January 6 pardons. Instead, lawmakers are getting panicked calls and people are scrambling to understand the scope of Trumps order. Virtually any organization school, state, police office, county or community depends on federal grant money to run its day to day operations, and theyre all now in danger, Schumer said. The blast radius of this terrible decision is virtually limitless, and its impact will be felt over and over again, he added. The only people who might be immune to this might be the ultra, ultra wealthy who they want to give a tax break to. The Trump administration is robbing Peter to pay the billionaires. 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 has reportedly ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to make at least 75 arrests every day at each of the agencys 25 field offices. Senior ICE officials have been told by President Donald Trumps team to aggressively ramp up their efforts from a few hundred every day to at least 1,200 to 1,500 nationally as the administration carries out his anti-immigration agenda, according to the Washington Post. The quotas were given to officials over the weekend as Trump is said to be disappointed with the results so far, four people with knowledge of the briefings told the Post. Managers would be held to account if those targets are missed, the paper reports. Since Trump took office, ICE has been posting the daily arrest figures on social media. On Sunday, the agency said there were 956 arrests and 554 detainees lodged nationwide and on Monday the number had increased to 1,179 arrests and 853 detainers lodged. open image in gallery ICE officials have reportedly been told to ramp up their efforts and have a new daily arrests target, according to a reporte ( via REUTERS ) There were 969 arrests and 869 detainers lodged on Tuesday, according to ICE. The Independent has contacted ICE for comment. ICE has field offices in regions across the nation including Atlanta, Boston, Memphis, San Diego and Tampa Bay. During the last fiscal year, ICE had conducted 113,431 administrative arrests which amounts to about 310 arrests a day across its field officers, CNN reported. Communities around the country are reporting an atmosphere of fear and anxiety, as federal immigration agents carry out Trumps goal of conducting the largest mass deportations in U.S. history. Over the weekend, federal law enforcement agents and administration officials carried out a series of immigration arrests in Chicago. open image in gallery Kristi Noem joined federal agents in New York this week to announce the arrests of immigrants wanted on criminal charges ( @Sec_Noem via REUTERS ) A statement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement labeled the actions enhanced targeted operations designed to enforce U.S. immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities. Tom Homan, Trumps immigration czar, said that the administration is in the beginning stages of carrying out the mass deportation action. He warned that there would be more arrests nationwide to come. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined federal agents in New York City this week to announce the arrests of immigrants wanted on criminal charges. Arresting some criminal aliens this morning in NYC thank you to the brave officers involved, Noem posted on X. Criminal alien with kidnapping, assault & burglary charges is now in custody thanks to @ICE. Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets. 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 Potential appointees to Donald Trumps new administration are reportedly being asked to prove their past loyalty to the president, including by sharing the moment of their conversion to the Make America Great Again movement. Trump officials, reportedly mocked by some in government as Soviet-style MAGA commissars are reportedly fanning out across federal agencies and asking staff about their political positions and whether they previously backed Trump or supported his campaigns. Applicants have also been asked to prove their enthusiasm for the Trump agenda and share the moment of their MAGA revelation, the Associated Press reported. Candidates are reportedly being asked about their MAGA conversion moment and if they believe 2020 election was stolen ( Getty Images ) No one should be surprised that those being hired should align with the mission of the Administration. Nobody in private industry would ever hire someone who isnt mission focused, and the government should be no different, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to the outlet in response to the report. Trump has long fumed that adversarial career officials inside the federal government hampered his agenda, and he frequently turned on his own key political appointees, firing some via tweet during his first term. The new administration appears to be taking no chances for dissent this time around. In December, at least nine people who interviewed for jobs in the new administration or were involved in the hiring process toldThe New York Times that candidates were asked about their thoughts on the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, as well as the validity of the 2020 election, which Trump has long falsely claimed he won. Those who gave answers that dencounced the violence on January 6, or suggested Joe Biden won the 2020 election, told the newspaper that they did not get jobs. Since taking office, Trump has moved to quickly sideline or fire elements he deems overly critical. More than a dozen Department of Justice officials who worked on past criminal investigations into Trump have been fired. You played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump, a letter from acting Attorney General James McHenry to the prosecutors, obtained by CNN, said. The proper functioning of government critically depends on the trust superior officials place in their subordinates. Given your significant role in prosecuting the President, I do not believe that the leadership of the Department can trust you to assist in implementing the Presidents agenda faithfully, the letter said. Investment banker Howard Lutnick, Trumps pick to lead the Commerce Department, said last year the administration will give people the role based on their capacity and their fidelity and loyalty to the policy, as well as to the man. 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 Trumps media company, the Trump Media & Technology Group, revealed on Wednesday its plans to begin to sell financial products. The company said that it will launch a finance firm known as Truth.Fi. While it didnt state if it plans to begin offering investment or savings products to the public, it indicated that its possible that the company will offer investments backed by Trump, according to The Wall Street Journal. To help the venture, Trump Media is taking about $250 million of the companys cash into cryptocurrency and other investments, according to the Journal. Charles Schwab will hold the funds. The goal is to offer services to conservatives who may feel frozen out by big banks. Last week, Trump slammed the CEOs of Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, arguing that they havent allowed conservatives to work with the bank. Bank of America Chief Executive Brian Moynihan appeared on stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland as Trump spoke via video link. I hope you start opening your bank to conservatives, said Trump. 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. While JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon wasnt on stage, he attended the forum. What youre doing is wrong, Trump added. open image in gallery President Donald Trump speaks before signing the Laken Riley Act. Now comes word Trump media is looking to launch its own financial brand ( AFP via Getty Images ) The banks argued that they dont discriminate against conservatives, but that didnt stop right-wingers from posting letters of account closures on social media, which they believe was the banks way of targeting them for their political beliefs. That kind of criticism has been building after banks took on diversity policies following the 2020 police murder of George Floyd. Devin Nunes, Trump Media CEO, told The Journal: Developing American First investment vehicles is another step[so] American patriots can protect themselves from the ever-present threat of cancellation, censorship, debanking, and privacy violations committed by Big Tech and woke corporations. According to Trump Media, Truth.Fi investment will mostly be aimed at American growth, manufacturing, and energy companies as well as investments that strengthen the Patriot Economy. The company said that it would work to launch new financial products this year. Trump Media said Yorkville Advisors would be the investment advisor to Truth.Fis products. The stock of Trump media rose 7 percent following the announcement, according to The Journal. open image in gallery The stock of Trump media rose 7 percent following the announcement, according to The Journal. ( AFP via Getty Images ) The president owns roughly 53 percent of Trump Media, a December securities filing shows. After his election victory, the president moved the shares into a trust controlled by Donald Trump Jr. The filing states that Trumps son has sole voting and investment power over the approximately 115 million shares. It would be yet another unprecedented moment for Trump, being a sitting president in control of a company looking to invest and hold assets, The Journal noted. Trump Media is the parent company of Trumps social media platform Truth Social and it recently started the streaming platform Truth+, going public last year. The stock has been as high as $95 and as low as $12. Shareholders are now arguing that Bank of America and Citigroup must reveal how much they have discriminated against customers for their political or religious beliefs, and Bank of America was recently ostracized from providing services in Louisiana because of the allegations. Alternate conservative options to mainstream firms have been attempted in the past, but Trumps ascension has prompted further discussion regarding rightwing values at companies. Strive, operated by Republican presidential candidate and former DOGE co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy, offers investment management and wealth-planning services. It pitches itself as a Wall Street alternative that uses its funds to push their social and political agendas, often in the name of ESG [and] DEI. Meanwhile, Trump Jr. has joined the venture capital firm 1789 Capital, which is working to invest in a Republican or Parallel economy, according to The Journal. Ken Griffin and Peter Thiel provided funds to start GloriFi, a bank for those viewing Wall Street as too liberal. But just months after launch, those investments had mostly vanished, with the startup shuttering in 2022. 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 Meta will pay Donald Trump roughly $25 million as part of a settlement agreement resolving a 2021 lawsuit brought after the company suspended the presidents Facebook accounts. Trump filed the suit after his accounts were taken offline in the wake of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Sources familiar with the agreement told The president signed the settlement agreement Wednesday, sources said. Meta later confirmed the reports to The Independent. open image in gallery Zuckerberg (left) was present at Trumps inagauration alongside fellow billionaires including Jeff Bezos (center) and Elon Musk (far right) ( AP ) The settlement comes just over a week after Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg was seen alongside fellow billionaires and tech bros at Trumps inauguration. In recent months the pair have apparently mended their previously frosty relationship, with Zuckerberg visiting the president for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida shortly after the election as part of several efforts to soften relations between Meta and the incoming administration. Meta also donated $1 million to Trumps inaugural fund. The sources told the WSJ that the president had raised the matter of the lawsuit with Zuckerberg at the end of their dinner in November and implied that it had to be resolved before he could be brought into the tent. open image in gallery Pictures of insurrectionists including the infamous Q shaman who stormed the Capitol on Jan 6 ( Getty Images ) Zuckerberg returned to Florida in early January for a day of mediation, during which time Trump reportedly stepped out briefly to face sentencing in his high-profile hush money trial. Trumps Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended in 2021 because of posts he made linked to January 6 when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a bid to upend Joe Bidens presidential victory. In the days leading up to the violent insurrection, Trump repeatedly used his platforms to make false claims that he won the 2020 election and allege widespread election fraud, which was later found to be false. He urged his followers near the Capitol the day his supporters stormed the building to fight like hell. The subsequent lawsuit against Meta was one of a series of legal actions that Trump brought in July 2021, months after leaving office. He also sued Twitter, now X and owned by Elon Musk, and YouTube. Censorship runs rampant, the 2021 complaint against Meta read, and the result is a chilling effect cast over our nations pressing political, medical, social, and cultural discussions. Trump sought an injunction ordering Facebook to reinstate their accounts, as well as removing all warning labels from their content. 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 demanded SpaceX boss Elon Musk go get two NASA astronauts who, the president claims, were left abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stuck on the International Space Station since June 2024 after their Boeing Starliner became beset with issues. The mission, which was intended to last eight days, has now lasted more than eight months. Extending beyond Musks remit as head of the non-governmental Department of Government Efficiency tasked with cutting $1 trillion from the federal budget, Trump called on his First Buddy to bring Williams and Wilmore back from the thermosphere. I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to go get the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration, he wrote on Truth Social late on Tuesday, taking a swipe at his predecessor. He continued: They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!! open image in gallery NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore embraced the holiday spirit with some festive gear aboard the ISS ( Instagram ) Hours before Trump broadcast his request, Musk publicly accepted the challenge. The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible, the billionaire wrote on X. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long. Responding to a comment that the Biden Administration hated Musk more than they wanted to rescue the astronauts, the MAGA loyalist replied, True. Though it wasn't immediately clear what the new timeline was, a SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon was originally planned to retrieve the astronauts in February, before it was moved to no earlier than late March 2025, NASA said last month. A previous SpaceX rescue mission faced problems, causing Musks company to temporarily ground its Falcon 9 rockets in September. open image in gallery Trump has called on his First Buddy Elon Musk to return Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to Earth ( via REUTERS ) Musk has been especially close with the president ever since endorsing the GOP candidate in July, after the first attempt on Trumps life during a Pennsylvania rally. The Silicon Valley stalwart spent over $250m on political donations to help Trump retake the White House last week, primarily through donations to his super-political action committee, America PAC. He continued to cozy up to the president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, staying in a $ 2000-per-week cottage on its grounds ever since Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris at the ballot box in November. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy In the summer of 2015, three Syrian girls who had narrowly survived an airstrike some weeks earlier stood before Tulsi Gabbard with horrific burns all over their bodies. Gabbard, then a US congresswoman on a visit to the Syria-Turkey border as part of her duties for the foreign affairs committee, had a question for them. How do you know it was Bashar al-Assad or Russia that bombed you, and not Isis? she asked, according to Mouaz Moustafa, a Syrian activist who was translating her conversation with the girls. open image in gallery Tulsi Gabbard has been accused of being a Russian asset ( Getty ) It was a revealing insight into Gabbards conspiratorial views of the conflict, and it shocked Moustafa to silence. He knew, as even the young children did, that Isis did not have jets to launch airstrikes. It was such an absurd question that he chose not to translate it because he didnt want to upset the girls, the eldest of whom was 12. From that point on, Im sorry to say I was inaccurate in my translations of anything she said, Moustafa told The Independent. It was more like: How do I get these girls away from this devil? Even before Gabbard left the Democratic Party, ingratiated herself with Donald Trump and secured his nomination to become director of National Intelligence, she was known as a prolific peddler of Russian propaganda. In almost every foreign conflict in which Russia had a hand, Gabbard backed Moscow and railed against the US. Her past promotion of Kremlin propaganda has provoked significant opposition on both sides of the aisle to her nomination. Her journey from anti-war Democrat to Moscow-friendly Maga warrior began in Syria. The devastating conflict was sparked by pro-democracy uprisings in 2011, which were brutally crushed by the Assad regime. It descended into a complex web of factions that drew extremist Islamists from around the world and global powers into the fray. open image in gallery Gabbard on a congressional fact-finding mission to southern Turkey in June 2015 ( Mouaz Moustafa/The Independent ) The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group with a network of sources on the ground, documented the deaths of 503,064 people by March 2023 . It said at least 162,390 civilians had died in that same time, with the Syrian government and its allies responsible for 139,609 of those deaths. But Gabbard, a veteran of the Iraq War, viewed it all as a regime-change war fueled by the West and aimed at removing the dictator from power. She saw Assad and Russia, when it entered the conflict as legitimate defenders of the state against an extremist uprising. In 2015, when Russia entered the Syrian war on the side of the dictator Assad, Gabbard expressed support for the move, even as the civilian toll from Moscows devastating airstrikes grew into the thousands . Al-Qaeda attacked us on 9/11 and must be defeated. Obama wont bomb them in Syria. Putin did. #neverforget911, she wrote on Twitter. It was precisely because of her support for Assad and Russias war that Moustafa was keen for her to attend the congressional delegation to southern Turkey to meet the victims of the conflict. From experience, everyone that we bring over to the border, and they see the victims, they always come back with a realistic view of whats happening and who is behind the mass displacement and killing and atrocities and so on, and so that was the objective, he said. What was shocking was her lack of empathy. Shell sacrifice the facts, even when it came to little girls in front of her telling her they got bombed by a plane it didnt matter. open image in gallery Gabbard at a campaign rally for Donald Trump during the 2024 election campaign ( Reuters ) Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute who testified twice on Syria to the House Foreign Affairs Committee when Gabbard was a member, spent years debunking her various conspiracy theories about the war. Her consistent denial of the Syrian regimes crimes is so wildly fringe that her potential appointment as DNI is genuinely alarming, he told The Independent. Lister said her views appear to be driven by a strange fusion of America First isolationism and a belief in the value of autocratic and secular leaders in confronting extremism. They included a suggestion that Syrian rebels staged a false-flag chemical weapons attack against their supporters to provoke Western intervention against Assad something the US intelligence agencies she will soon lead had concluded was false. She declined to call Assad a war criminal when pressed , despite masses of evidence, and used a video of Syrian government bombings to criticize US involvement in the war. Her descriptions of the crisis in Syria read like they were composed in Assads personal office, or in Tehran or Moscow not Washington, Lister added. Gabbard was not swayed by meeting the victims of Assads airstrikes in 2015. In fact, two years later, she went to Damascus to meet the Syrian president in person and came away even more convinced of her opinions. The congresswoman said her visit to meet Assad the first by a sitting US lawmaker since the conflict began was aimed at bringing an end to the war. I felt its important that if we profess to truly care about the Syrian people, about their suffering, then weve got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there is a possibility that we could achieve peace, she told CNN at the time. open image in gallery Fire rises following a Syrian government airstrike in Aleppo in 2016 ( AP ) Gabbard was forced to defend her embrace of Assad and other dictators during her 2020 run for the Democratic presidential nomination. During the Democratic primary debate, she clashed with Kamala Harris, who accused her of being an apologist for an individual Assad who has murdered the people of his country like cockroaches. She has embraced and been an apologist for him in a way that she refuses to call him a war criminal. I can only take what she says and her opinion so seriously and so Im prepared to move on, added Harris, who would subsequently drop out of the race and later be selected as Joe Bidens running mate. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Gabbard again defended Russian aggression. This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/Nato had simply acknowledged Russias legitimate security concerns, she posted on Twitter in 2022. Gabbard appeared to fall for various conspiracy theories about the conflict that were promoted by Russia, as she had done in Syria. One of those conspiracy theories was a Russian claim about the existence of dozens of US-funded biolabs in Ukraine that were supposedly producing deadly pathogens. She later walked back on those remarks, suggesting that there might have been some miscommunication and misunderstanding. Gabbards frequent echoing of Kremlin talking points has earned her praise in Russian state media. Indeed, an article published on 15 November in the Russian-state controlled outlet RIA Novosti went so far as to call Gabbard a superwoman. The possibility that Trump would tap someone with Gabbards history to be Americas top intelligence official shouldnt be a surprise to anyone who followed the president-elects first four years in the White House. During his 2018 summit with President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, the then-president was asked if he believed the US intelligence communitys assessment, which stated that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election on his behalf. That assessment was based on analysis of what was determined to have been state-sponsored campaigns of fake social media posts and ersatz news sites to spread false stories about his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, as well as cyberattacks targeting the Democratic National Committee and prominent operatives associated with the Clinton campaign. But Trump, whod just spent several hours in a closed-door meeting with Putin, stunned the assembled press and the entire world by declaring that he trusted the Russian leaders word over that of his own advisers. open image in gallery Gabbard has repeatedly defended Vladimir Putin and has been accused of using Kremlin talking points ( Getty ) "President Putin says its not Russia. I dont see any reason why it would be," he replied. Trump would go on to repeatedly clash with his own intelligence appointees during the remainder of his term. He sacked his first DNI, former Indiana senator Dan Coats, after Coats repeatedly declined to back away from the governments assessment of what Russia had done during the 2016 presidential race. Larry Pfeiffer, the director of George Mason Universitys Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security, said Gabbards apparent susceptibility to foreign disinformation and her affinity for strongmen will give pause to American allies with whom the US routinely shares intelligence on common threats. Intelligence services, he explained, are notoriously territorial and tight-lipped on sources and methods particularly when it comes to so-called human intelligence, or Humint, which refers to information collected by and from spies and sources within hostile governments. Pfeiffer said foreign allies are likely already concerned about how a second Trump administration will handle intelligence, given the president-elects record. He also predicted that Gabbards confirmation as DNI would cause even more problems among skittish partners. I think they wouldnt feel like theyve got an American confidant that they can deal with on a mature level, he said. I can guarantee you that the foreign intelligence services of Europe, including the Brits, are all having little side conversations right now about what is this going to mean, and how are we going to operate, and what are we going to do now. open image in gallery Gabbard has taken the side of Syrias Bashar al-Assad as well as the Russian president ( AP ) The former US intelligence veteran also said Gabbards record of spreading foreign talking points calls into question whether she will be able to carry out the DNIs important responsibility of briefing the president on threats to the nation. He told The Independent: Somebody like Tulsi Gabbard, you look at her long history of statements that seem to come out of the Kremlins notebook, her propensity to be influenced by their viewpoint [it] raises questions as to whether she has the ability to present the intel communitys perspective as it is, or is she going to be one whos going to want to discount it, influence it, color and change it, or ignore it and just present her own view? I think it also raises questions of judgement. You know, heres an individual who seems very prone to misinformation, prone to conspiracy theory. That should worry anybody whos worried about Americas national security, he added. Trumps selection of the former Hawaii congresswoman could be a problem for the senators tasked with confirming her, on several different levels. For one, the position is unique among cabinet agencies in that there are strict requirements for who can serve in the directors role. The text of the 2004 law which established the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York and Washington and the intelligence communitys failures leading up to the US invasion of Iraq, specifically states that any person who serves in the DNI job shall have extensive national security expertise. open image in gallery Formerly a Democrat, Gabbard is now described as a Russian puppet The first person to serve as DNI, John Negroponte, was a widely respected foreign service veteran who had served as US ambassador to Iraq, Mexico, Honduras and the Philippines, as the countrys ambassador to the United Nations, and as a deputy national security adviser during the Reagan administration. The next three people to hold the office were flag-rank military officers with significant intelligence experience. Pfeiffer, a US intelligence veteran of three decades standing who once ran the White House Situation Room and served as chief of staff to then-CIA director General Michael Hayden, told The Independent that Gabbards experience in the House and her military service, while admirable, do not match the standards envisioned by the authors of the 2004 law which established the office. Thats national security experience but she was a freaking military cop operating at a largely tactical level, not that strategic, long-term national security perspective that one would expect, he said. Gabbard may have left the Syrian conflict behind, but Moustafa still works with its victims every day. And he believes the connection between her views on Syria and Ukraine is clear. What happened in Syria is what allowed the Russians to feel that they could do the very same in Ukraine, he said. And what she is doing with Ukraine shows that it goes beyond her maybe misunderstanding one conflict. She is, hook, line and sinker, a Russian puppet. 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 Tulsi Gabbards campaign paid a firm to mask connections to an alleged pyramid scheme linked to a secretive sect she grew up in, according to a report. The Senate Intelligence Committee is set to grill President Donald Trumps pick to serve as director of national intelligence on Thursday over her questionable connections and background. Since she was named as nominee to the post, she has faced questions and pushback given her previous statements and her history with foreign nations. Lawmakers have been scrutinizing Gabbards ties to the Science of Identity Foundation and the Hong Kong-based marketing firm QI Group, the Wall Street Journal reports. Gabbard was raised in the secretive sect whose members pledge absolute loyalty to its reclusive guru, Chris Butler. The sect has long been tied to QI accused of running a pyramid scheme in several countries. Gabbard attended a Science of Identity boarding school in the Philippines and spent her formative years and schooling sheltered from outside influences, her late aunt told The Independent in 2022. According to the Journal, Gabbards campaign paid the PR firm Potomac Square Group, based in Washington D.C., to mask the connections between the sect, the marketing firm, and the politician. But the clean-up was reportedly steered by a former follower of the sect Sunil Khemaney who is also a long-time political fundraiser to Gabbard and sits on the board of a QI subsidiary. open image in gallery Tulsi Gabbard is set to be grilled by the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday. But now reports of her paid to mask connections to a sect in her past have come to light ( Getty Images ) Potomac managing director Christopher Cooper told The Independent that the firm worked with Gabbards campaign for a few months in 2017 to help it manage online attacks related to her religion. We provided support and advice in two specific categories: to demystify the issue by helping Rep. Gabbard publicly discuss the details of her spiritual life and relationship with SIF, and to correct errors of fact, Cooper said in a statement. PSG wasnt directed to mount a pressure campaign to silence or target reporters and we didnt conduct one [and] PSG was not hired to conceal Rep. Gabbards relationship with SIF and we did not do so. Cooper added that the firm worked briefly with the sect and there was no involvement from the Gabbard campaign. Hong Kong-based QI and the sect have been linked for years. The company was founded in 1998 by Vijay Eswaran and Joseph Bismark, a Filipino businessman who is also reportedly a Science of Identity follower. It began as an e-commerce operation selling commemorative gold and silver coins in developing countries. One of QIs enterprises is an alleged pyramid selling system where customers become distributors, selling gadgets, jewelry, beauty products and more for a share of the profits. Customers, according to the Journal, are encouraged to recruit others to join the scheme and if successful, earn a cut from their sales. Sri Lanka, Nepal and Rwanda banned QIs subsidiaries in 2000 after they were declared pyramid schemes, the outlet reports. The firms direct-selling business, Qnet, has been accused of being a Ponzi scheme in the guise of direct selling business by prosecutors in India who carried out several raids in 2023. Indian authorities also filed criminal charges against 25 people connected to Qnets network, the Journal reports, including a senior Science of Identity figure. According to the newspaper, there were more than 32,000 alleged victims involved and Qnets local network settled with approximately half of them. The case was closed in 2020. open image in gallery Trump has tapped Gabbard to be his pick as Director of National Intelligence ( Getty Images ) In further evidence of ties between Science of Identity and QI, in 2007 the company purchased Healthys, the parent company of the Down to Earth grocery store chain which was founded and operated by sect followers, according to the Journal. The chain has six locations in Hawaii. Gabbards longtime fundraiser Khemaney, who she has described as an uncle, sits on Healthys board, along with QIs founders Bismark and Eswaran who joined in 2015 and 2016, corporate records seen by the Journal reportedly show. While Gabbard considered a 2020 run for the presidency and her political profile grew, her campaign, Tulsi For Hawaii, hired Potomac Square Group. Potomac worked under Khemaneys direction to shroud the links between the then-Democrat and Butler, and QI and the sect itself, according to documents reviewed by the Journal citing a person familiar with the matter. Potomac was paid $19,400 by the campaign in October 2017, according to the Journal, citing FEC records. The Independent has contacted QI and the Science of Identity Foundation for further comment. open image in gallery Gabbard during her 2020 presidential run ( Getty Images ) A QI spokesperson told the Journal that the seat Khemaney held on Healthys board was solely as an inactive, non-executive director. The QI Group has no knowledge of, and has had no involvement in the Congressional Campaign of Ms. Gabbard, the spokesperson added. A Science of Identity spokesperson accused the newspaper of falsehoods, half-truths, and misrepresentations. A Trump administration spokesperson responded to the Journal by posting screenshots of the request for comment on X. The media has nothing new so they keep writing the same Hinduphobic smears and other lies about LTC Tulsi Gabbard, the spokesperson said. In 2022, Gabbards late aunt Dr Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard told The Independent that her nieces bid for the presidency in 2020 was the culmination of four decades of effort from the sects founder, Butler, to seek political influence. 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 painting that sold for less than $50 at a garage sale could be an original Van Gogh worth $15 million, experts say. The canvas was found by an unsuspecting antiques collector at a Minnesota garage sale in 2016 and now historians, scientists and curators have teamed up to prove that it is an oil painting by the famed Dutch artist, the Wall Street Journal reports. The painting bears a resemblance to Van Goghs work and depicts a fisherman smoking a pipe as he tends to his net on an empty beach. Experts have called the painting Elimar because the name is etched into the lower right-hand corner of the canvas. An exhaustive, multi-year investigation of the painting by experts in several fields has yielded the evidence required to identify Elimar as an autograph work by the artist, New York art-research firm LMI Group International, which acquired the painting from the antiques collector, declared in its 450-page report. The groups findings will be shared with Van Gogh specialists and art dealers around the world later this month, according to the Journal. They argue that the portrait was painted while Van Gogh was in the Saint-Paul asylum in Frances Saint-Remy de Provence between May 1889 and May 1890. Elimar is clearly based upon a painting by the Danish artist Michael Ancher, the report said. Van Gogh did not copy but translated Anchers work. Vincent Van Gogh arrived at the Saint Paul monastery in May 1889 in Saint-Remy de Provence ( Getty Images ) Experts said that the portrait also represents a time in the artists life when he was returning to themes and images from his youth. Portraits of fisherman and themes of the life at sea were some of his earliest subjects, the report noted. The fisherman was a persona and subject matter that was very close to him for the lonely and dangerous lives that fishermen led in his lifetime. Evidence was meticulously gathered and thousands of dollars were reportedly spent on carrying out the work. Brushstrokes were examined and compared to other works, while the paintings pigments and fibers were also studied by a fine art expert. Maxwell Anderson, former curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, told the Journal that he was struck by what he saw when the painting was first unveiled to him. Was I all in? No, Anderson told the outlet. But I was super intrigued. However, the painting cannot be validated officially as a Van Gogh original without the final word from a Van Gogh Museum scholar in Amsterdam, art authenticator Richard Polsky told the Journal. People love it when things fall through the cracks, and it would be wonderful if they found a Van Gogh, Polsky, who was not involved in the project, said. But theyve got to pin everything down and get a scholar at the Van Gogh Museum to sign off on it. The Museum did not comment on Elimar but told the newspaper that it had a rigorous procedure in place to separate the fakes from legitimate pieces. The spokesperson added that 99 percent of authentication requests the museum received over the last few years could not be attributed to Van Gogh in our opinion. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to lose its biggest financial contributor following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the UN agency. The U.S. was projected to contribute $958 million, or nearly 15 per cent, of the agencys $6.5 billion budget for 2023-25. Most of the U.S.'s contribution and most of WHO's budget overall is via voluntary contributions. WHO member countries are assessed membership fees based on a country's gross domestic product This reliance on voluntary funding complicates the agency's ability to prioritise its own public health agenda. In an effort to address this, member countries agreed in 2022 to increase mandatory dues to represent half of the budget by 2030. The WHO plays a crucial role in coordinating global responses to health threats such as mpox, Ebola and polio. It also provides vital support to less-developed nations, including technical assistance and distribution of essential vaccines and medical supplies. Furthermore, the agency establishes guidelines for numerous health conditions, ranging from cancer to mental health. open image in gallery Donald Trump has decided to withdraw the US from the WHO ( EPA ) Here's a list of the WHO's top donors: U.S.: $958 million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: $689 million Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance: $500 million European Commission: $412 million World Bank: $268 million Germany: $324 million United Kingdom: $215 million Canada: $141 million European Investment Bank: $119 million For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A young girl died after the religious sect her family were part of denied her vital insulin shots choosing to let God decide whether she lived or died. Elizabeth Struhs, 8, passed away after fringe Christian group The Saints withheld her life-saving medication, believing that God would intervene. The parents of Elizabeth and 12 members of the home-based religious sect in Australia were convicted of her manslaughter after believing that medical care went against their faith. open image in gallery Elizabeth was vomiting for six days before she died ( 7News ) Young Elizabeth was left to die over six days in January 2022 at her home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane as members of the cult sang and danced hoping for divine intervention that never came. The group maintained a vigil around her bed and even after shed stopped breathing they sang choruses and prayed for her to be raised from the dead by God. Her father Jason Struhs finally called emergency services 36 hours after his daughters death, telling members that though God would still raise Elizabeth, they could not leave a corpse in the house. open image in gallery 14 members of The Saints were found guilty at the judge-only trial at Brisbanes Supreme Court ( 7News ) Handing down the verdicts, Justice Martin Burns said: Until her death, Elizabeth Rose Struhs was a vibrant, happy child with, of course, her whole life ahead of her. She left a lasting impression on many with whom she came into contact on the outside, whether through her schooling or during the treatment and control of a medical condition she was first diagnosed with in 2019 Type 1 diabetes. It cannot be doubted that she was lovingly cared for in almost every way by her parents, Jason and Kerrie Struhs, or that she was adored by every member of the Church including all other accused. He added: However, due to a singular belief in the healing power of God which, to the minds of her parents and the other members of the Church left no room for recourse to any form of medical care or treatment, she was deprived of the one thing that would most definitely have kept her alive insulin. Outside court on Wednesday, Elizabeths older sister Jayde Struhs told reporters she was relieved that those responsible for her death had been found guilty. Its been a long and hard three years. Not a moment has gone by that I havent thought about my little sister, Elizabeth, Struhs said. All 14 found guilty at the judge-only trial at Brisbanes Supreme Court will be sentenced on February 11. 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 Vatican document released Tuesday offers wide-ranging ethical guidelines for the application of artificial intelligence in sectors from warfare to healthcare, with an underlying call that the burgeoning technology must be used as a tool to complement, and not replace, human intelligence. Pope Francis has issued several warnings about the risks associated with AI technology, and this new document by the Vaticans doctrine and cultural offices expands on what the pontiff has already said. It comes as a new AI chatbot by Chinese tech startup DeepSeek has raised the stakes in the AI technology race, catching up with American generative AI leaders at a fraction of the cost. The document underlines that human responsibility needs to grow in proportion to the new technology, and that the impact of AIs uses in various sectors may not always be predictable from their inception. AI should be used only as a tool to complement human intelligence, rather than replace its richness, the document said in its conclusion. open image in gallery Pope Francis sips wine after receiving the communion during a mass on the "Word of the Lord Sunday" in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The document warns that AI has the potential to increase instruments of war well beyond the scope of human oversight, which could provoke a destabilizing arms race. Weapons systems that can identify and strike targets without human intervention, removing the unique human capacity for moral judgement and ethical decision-making,'' it said. No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being,'' the document warned. AI and Human Relationships The document warns that AI is not a substitute for authentic human relationships, and cites its lack of empathy as a risk when anthropomorphizing AI in areas such as child development or interpersonal relationships. While human beings are meant to experience authentic relationships, AI can only simulate them, the document said. AI and Search for Meaning The document cites the risk that as society drifts away from connection with the transcendent, some are tempted to turn to AI in search of meaning and fulfillment longings that can only be truly satisfied in communion with God. The presumption of substituting God for an artifact of human making is idolatry, a practice Scripture explicitly warns against, the document said. AI and